The southern ward streets smelled of ozone and fear.
Thomas Black led Petra and Lucien through narrow alleyways, avoiding the scattered crowds that had gathered after the second pulse. Sparks from broken magical conduits flickered faintly, reflecting in puddles on the cobblestones. Every step carried the hum of residual energy underfoot, a silent warning that the night was far from over.
Lucien, usually composed, moved with unusual urgency. "If the rooftop test subject loses control, they could destroy an entire block," he said. His eyes scanned the tops of the low buildings as they neared the affected zone.
Petra's lantern light danced on Black's face. "Do we know what they're capable of?"
Black shook his head. "Not yet. But someone stole the master plate. That means they now have access to the largest concentration of magical inheritance in the city. Whoever received it… they don't know how to handle it."
The trio emerged into a wider street. A ruined marketplace lay ahead. Stalls toppled, lanterns shattered, arcane residue shimmering over the debris. The air pulsed faintly with energy.
And on the highest rooftop above the plaza, a figure trembled.
Blue energy flowed off them in chaotic arcs, sparking across the tiles and whipping toward the street. The rooftop test subject, a young man, screamed as the power surged through him, glyphs burning along his arms and neck. He wasn't trained. He wasn't ready. Yet, somehow, he had absorbed the siphoned energy.
Black crouched, pulling out the detection lens. The residual magical vectors rippled wildly. "This isn't controlled. They're destabilizing," he muttered.
Petra's voice shook. "We have to help him!"
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Any sudden movement could provoke a discharge. You can't just approach."
Black's mind raced. He needed both proximity and a way to stabilize the energy. He crouched, analyzing the pattern of glyphs on the young man's skin. They weren't natural, these were artificial imprints, crude copies of Kane bloodline symbols, designed to channel siphoned inheritance. And clearly, the experiment wasn't perfect.
"You're going to have to get close," Black said to Lucien. "Petra, stand back, keep the lens on me and the subject. I need to see every line of residual energy."
Petra nodded and raised the lantern. Blue arcs reflected in her eyes as she followed Black's movement.
Lucien scanned the surrounding rooftops. "Whoever orchestrated this-" He hesitated. "They're watching."
Black didn't answer immediately. He focused on the victim. Small pulses of magic were escaping, striking nearby chimneys and tossing roof tiles like feathers. He calculated the vectors silently, anticipating the next surge.
Then, with a sudden yell, the young man's arm shot out, energy lashing toward the street. Black dove, grabbing a low beam just as shards of blue sparks rained down. A small cart beneath the arcane arc exploded, sending wooden debris flying. Petra ducked instinctively.
Lucien hissed. "He's going to overload."
Black rolled, landing near the rooftop edge. He held out his hand, palms open, muttering a quiet warding phrase he had learned during his time with Kane apprentices. The air around his hands shimmered faintly.
The energy surged toward him, colliding with his wards. Sparks flared, burning into the stone tiles, and Black felt the pull of the siphoned magic trying to draw him into the current. He gritted his teeth. "Just hold… just hold," he muttered.
Petra leaned close, watching through the lens. "The glyphs, they're fracturing!"
Black adjusted his stance. The artificial glyphs on the man's arms were jagged, irregular. He noticed small residues of a foreign energy signature embedded within the lines, something Alabaster had never designed.
"The thief modified them," Black said quietly. "This wasn't just theft. It's a deliberate destabilization test."
The young man screamed again, energy snapping like live wires around him. Black used his wards to tether the residual currents, guiding arcs toward the empty sky and away from the crowd below. Each pulse strained his focus.
Suddenly, Petra gasped. "Someone's on the adjacent rooftop!"
Black turned briefly. A shadowy figure crouched, watching. The intruder didn't move closer, just observed. And in that moment, Black understood: this wasn't random. Whoever had stolen the master plate was orchestrating the chaos from a distance, learning how the siphon affected a human conduit.
Lucien swore under his breath. "They're learning faster than expected."
Black returned his focus to the test subject. "We need to stabilize him before the glyphs fracture completely."
He reached out and touched the man's shoulder. The energy surged violently through him, almost throwing Black off balance. His wards flared, a shield of faint blue light enveloping both of them. The glyph lines on the young man's arms began to burn brighter, chaotic sparks flying off in every direction.
Black muttered another incantation. The arcs began to obey, curling back into the man's body in spirals rather than jagged strikes. He could feel the unnatural energy fighting against him. Someone had tampered with the siphon circuitry before the theft.
Petra's voice cut through his concentration. "He's… convulsing!"
Black gritted his teeth, applying more focus. "It's unstable. But he's not lost yet."
Lucien moved closer cautiously. "We can't hold this forever. We need containment."
Black's mind raced. He scanned the rooftops for potential warding anchors, old chimney stacks imbued with minor conduits, nothing high-capacity but enough to redirect residual flow. He motioned to Lucien.
"Use the conduits to absorb the stray energy. I'll guide it back into him."
Lucien nodded. Together, the two men set up a temporary containment grid. Sparks hissed off metal and stone as Black directed arcs toward the anchors. Petra's lantern reflected the frantic glow, highlighting the terrified expression of the test subject.
Minutes passed. Or maybe seconds. Black lost track. Every pulse could have been the last.
Finally, the young man's energy began to settle. The glyphs on his arms dimmed, leaving faint glowing scars beneath the skin. His breathing was ragged but alive.
Black exhaled slowly. "He's stable… for now."
Petra stepped closer. "For now?"
"Someone is still testing him," Black said grimly. "The thief wants to know the limits. And they're still watching."
Lucien's gaze narrowed toward the distant rooftops. "They'll strike again. They know how to manipulate the siphon now."
Black's eyes followed the shadowy figure crouching on a nearby rooftop, almost invisible against the night sky. He clenched his jaw.
"You," Black said quietly, "will make mistakes."
The figure didn't respond. They melted into the darkness, leaving only the echo of their presence.
Petra shivered. "They're… gone."
"Gone?" Black asked. "No. They're planning the next move. And it won't be subtle."
Lucien finally relaxed slightly. "We saved him tonight, at least. But…"
Black turned toward the test subject. The faintly glowing glyphs on the man's arms were now a permanent reminder.
"…the city is already in play," Black said. "And whoever stole the plate is just getting started."
Above them, in the silent night, the shadow of the thief lingered, unseen but calculating. And Black knew that this was far from over.
Somewhere in Corvalis, the true plan was unfolding.