Start Again

The storm battered Triton City like the wrath of a forgotten god. The sky above the dome flashed with lightning, momentarily revealing the cracks spiderwebbing through the glass. The ocean was pushing in, a relentless, ancient force, ready to devour the city whole. Thunder rolled across the underwater skyline, shaking the neon signs that flickered in the narrow alleyways below. Every breath felt heavy, thick with the humidity of a city on the brink of drowning.

Alaric sprinted down the alley, his feet pounding through the puddles forming around him. The cold rain bit at his skin, soaking his clothes, but he barely felt it. His mind was consumed by one thought: *escape*. Behind him, the high-pitched whine of the drones grew louder, their red searchlights cutting through the storm, sweeping the walls like the eyes of an ancient predator.