Chapter 1: A Hunter's Solitude
Ruby's boots hit the cold ground with a soft thud as she landed in the dim-lit alley, her eyes already scanning the shadows for movement. The multiverse was full of places like this—forgotten, unwanted, where people could hide from the chaos and the law. The perfect place for a bounty hunter to get her hands dirty.
The target was close. Ruby could feel it in the air—a presence distorted by power, like something that didn't belong. It had taken her two weeks to track down the rogue element across three worlds, but now, she was here, and the hunt would be over soon.
Her hand brushed the hilt of her weapon—an old relic from a time long past. The blade was more than just a weapon; it was a key to a history Ruby had spent years running from. One wrong move, and someone would see the glow of its ancient markings—symbols no one in this part of the multiverse should recognize.
She knew what that would mean. Death. Not for her. Not yet.
With a practiced motion, Ruby slid into the alley's darkest corner. Her senses sharpened as she felt the target's energy drawing closer. There.
A blur of movement. A man, cloaked in shadow, strode past her hiding spot without noticing. His presence—familiar, too familiar—tugged at something deep inside her. She had sensed his power before, felt its signature ripple across the worlds. His arrogance was as thick as his stench, and he was too confident. It would be his downfall.
With a swift motion, Ruby stepped out, the blade flashing to life in her hands. The weapon hummed with an energy all its own as she swung it toward the rogue. He turned, eyes widening in surprise, but it was too late.
Her strike was precise, cutting through his defenses as if they were paper. His body crumpled to the ground, and the alley fell silent once more.
Ruby stood over him, her breathing steady. She wiped the blade clean and sheathed it, the power within it settling back into its dormant state.
"Too easy," she muttered, turning away from the fallen body. Another bounty claimed, another job done.
But then, a voice—low, almost haunting—rippled through the stillness.
"You still hide it, don't you?"
Ruby froze. She knew that voice.
"Thought I was done with you," she called, not bothering to turn around.
A figure stepped out of the shadows, its form familiar yet altered. Another bounty hunter, but one she had hoped to never cross paths with again. His smile was the same as ever—cold, calculating, dangerous.
"Still running, huh?" The man's eyes glinted with something like amusement. "You've been busy, Ruby. But you can't keep dodging the truth forever."
Ruby's fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade, but she didn't draw it. Not yet. "You don't know anything about me, Kieran."
He stepped closer, his smirk never faltering. "I know enough. Enough to know that you're not just some average hunter. You're running from something—someone."
Ruby's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it. "And if I am?"
"You don't have to run anymore," Kieran said, his tone turning serious for the first time. "The war's over, Ruby. There's no reason to keep hiding who you are."
Ruby's throat tightened. The war had destroyed everything—the Titans, her people, her family. The past she couldn't outrun. The legacy she'd buried.
"You don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice low.
"Oh, I know exactly what I'm talking about. I know the Titans left something behind. A legacy, and I don't think you've forgotten it."
Ruby's gaze hardened, her eyes narrowing. "You're pushing your luck, Kieran."
He shrugged, his hands raised in mock surrender. "You should've stayed in the shadows, Ruby. But now, I'm curious. What would it take for you to stop running? What would it take for you to come back into the light?"
Ruby took a step back, her mind racing. The multiverse was full of secrets, and Kieran was one of the few who knew enough to put her at risk. But it wasn't just Kieran. She could feel the eyes of the factions watching her, waiting for the moment when the last of the Titans would reveal herself.
"Nothing," she said firmly. "I'm not that person anymore."
Kieran smiled again, but there was no warmth in it. "We'll see about that. Enjoy the shadows while you can."
With that, he vanished back into the night, leaving Ruby standing in the alley, her heart heavy with the weight of old wounds.
For a moment, she allowed herself to breathe. She had survived another day. But how long would she be able to hide? The warborn couldn't remain in the ashes forever. And eventually, the flames would catch up with her.