The rain had stopped.
But the city of Noctyra still glistened under neon lights, every street reflecting a thousand colors that hid a thousand lies.
From the edge of a rooftop, Liora watched the city breathe.
Below her, sirens wailed in the distance near the warehouse district. Police lights painted the fog red and blue as officers flooded the building she had left behind.
Right on time.
She adjusted the black glove on her hand and turned away.
Another job finished.
Another warning delivered.
Yet something about tonight felt… wrong.
Her instincts had been sharp since childhood. They had saved her more times than she could count.
And right now
They were whispering again.
Someone had been watching her.
Not the guards.
Not Victor Hale.
Someone else.
Someone patient.
Someone skilled enough to stay hidden even from her.
Liora's violet eyes scanned the surrounding rooftops.
Empty.
Water dripped quietly from broken pipes.
Wind moved through loose metal sheets.
Still…
The feeling refused to fade.
Slowly, she lifted her hand.
The air around her shimmered.
Three identical copies of Liora stepped out beside her.
They moved silently across the rooftop, spreading out in different directions.
One crouched near the stairwell entrance.
Another climbed the metal tower above.
The third leapt lightly to the neighboring roof.
Each one moved with purpose.
Each one carried a fragment of her awareness.
Minutes passed.
Nothing.
Just as Liora was about to dismiss the illusions
A voice echoed from the darkness behind her.
Calm.
Amused.
"Impressive."
Every copy turned instantly.
But the rooftop was empty.
The voice continued.
"You're even better than the rumors."
Liora's eyes narrowed.
"Show yourself."
A slow clap echoed through the night.
Then
A figure stepped out from the shadows of the water tower.
Tall.
Relaxed.
Completely unafraid.
A faint smile rested on his face as if this entire encounter had been planned long before tonight.
Liora didn't recognize him.
But something about him felt dangerous.
Not like the criminals she usually dealt with.
No.
This man felt different.
Like a predator.
And predators rarely hunted alone.
The man studied the copies surrounding him with open curiosity.
"Fascinating ability," he said.
His voice carried easily across the rooftop, calm and steady.
"Are they illusions? Clones? Something in between?"
None of the Lioras answered.
They simply watched him.
The real Liora stood behind them, hidden among her own shadows.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The man chuckled softly.
"Straight to business."
He slipped his hands into the pockets of his long coat.
"Fair enough."
He tilted his head slightly.
"You can call me Adrian Vale."
The name meant nothing to her.
But the way he said it suggested it should.
"And what do you want, Adrian Vale?"
His smile widened.
"You."
The copies moved instantly.
Three Lioras rushed forward from different angles.
Perfect coordination.
Perfect timing.
Any normal opponent would have been overwhelmed.
Adrian didn't move.
The first illusion slashed toward his throat.
His hand rose lazily
And passed straight through her.
The illusion dissolved.
But the second was already behind him.
A kick aimed at the back of his head.
Adrian stepped sideways just enough for the attack to miss by centimeters.
The third lunged low.
He jumped lightly onto a metal vent, avoiding it entirely.
Then he laughed.
Not nervously.
Not arrogantly.
Genuinely amused.
"Beautiful technique," he said.
More copies appeared across the rooftop.
Six.
Then ten.
They surrounded him completely.
For the first time, Adrian's eyes gleamed with real excitement.
"Ah… there it is."
He looked directly at the real Liora.
Hidden among the others.
"How many can you make?"
Liora didn't answer.
Instead
All ten attacked at once.
The rooftop exploded into motion.
Illusions rushed from every direction.
Some attacked.
Some feinted.
Some vanished and reappeared to confuse his vision.
It was a storm of shadows.
Yet Adrian Vale moved through it like a dancer.
Every strike missed by inches.
Every trap failed by a heartbeat.
Not once did panic touch his expression.
Instead
He looked thrilled.
One illusion lunged.
He ducked.
Another struck from above.
He rolled aside.
A third appeared behind him
And he turned instantly, catching her wrist.
The illusion dissolved in his hand.
But in that same moment
The real Liora appeared.
Her blade flashed toward his neck.
Adrian's smile widened.
He had been waiting for this.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
Then
CLANG.
Steel met steel.
Liora's eyes widened slightly.
Adrian held a thin black dagger in his hand.
He had blocked the attack perfectly.
"Found you," he whispered.
Liora jumped back instantly, vanishing into another wave of illusions.
For the first time
Silence fell across the rooftop.
Dozens of Lioras now surrounded him.
Adrian slowly straightened his coat.
"Now this," he said quietly, "is interesting."
None of the copies moved.
None of them spoke.
Then Liora's voice echoed from everywhere at once.
"You're not normal."
Adrian nodded.
"Correct."
He looked around calmly.
"And neither are you."
Wind swept across the rooftop.
Neon lights flickered in the distance.
The city below continued its endless noise.
But here
A new game had begun.
Finally, Adrian spoke again.
"And that's why they sent me."
Liora's voice sharpened.
"Who?"
His smile returned.
"The people who hunt monsters."
A pause.
Then he added softly
"And people like you."