☆Chapter 7☆

The capital sprawled before Maya, bathed in the pale glow of the moonlight. From her vantage point, the castle on the hill was a towering silhouette of power and authority, but to Maya, it was merely another playground. She grinned, anticipation buzzing through her veins. She had felt the thrill of combat earlier, but this, standing in the heart of the kingdom's might, her power surging within her, this was different. The capital wasn't just another stop; it was the gateway to the kind of excitement she had been craving for far too long.

The streets below teemed with life, even at this late hour. Merchants packed up their stalls in the central market, while taverns spilled their rowdy patrons onto the cobblestone paths. Guards made their rounds, their armor glinting under the lantern light, while whispers of illicit deals crept from dark alleyways. To the untrained eye, the capital was just another bustling city, but Maya could sense the undercurrent of danger, the shadows where power lurked, unseen but ever-present.

She inhaled deeply, letting the night air fill her lungs as she surveyed the landscape. There were forces at work here that intrigued her, and the first step to uncovering them was to stir the pot. Maya never liked to wait for things to happen; she preferred to make them happen. With the Crimson Twilight gang defeated and Xavier on the run, word would undoubtedly spread through the criminal underworld that a new player had arrived in the city. And that's exactly what she wanted.

Her eyes flicked to the castle again, and a wicked smile spread across her lips. The king sat atop this grand structure, surrounded by layers of bureaucracy, knights, and nobles. A man of power, surely, but how much of it was real? How much of it was just for show? Maya wasn't particularly interested in his rule, but she was fascinated by the forces that aligned themselves around power, how they jockeyed for position, how they tried to manipulate the pieces on the board. She wondered how long it would take before the king's attention turned to her.

As she descended from the higher vantage point, making her way down the winding path into the heart of the city, the noise of the capital enveloped her. The rhythmic clink of armor as guards patrolled the streets, the murmur of late-night conversations from taverns, and the distant cries of a street vendor hawking the last of their wares, it was all so vibrant, so alive. Maya felt herself melding into the energy of the city as if she were drawing strength from its very essence.

Her boots tapped against the cobblestone as she walked, her cloak billowing lightly in the cool night breeze. She wasn't in a rush. She enjoyed the calm before the storm, knowing that her mere presence here would soon send ripples through the city's fabric. All she had to do was wait for the right moment, the right spark, and then chaos would follow.

As Maya approached the central square, her senses picked up on something unusual, a faint but unmistakable pulse of energy. It wasn't strong, not like hers, but it was there, simmering just below the surface of the city's noise. She paused, narrowing her eyes as she focused. The pulse was erratic, like a heartbeat, coming from somewhere deeper in the city, hidden beneath layers of normalcy. It piqued her curiosity.

Without hesitation, she shifted direction, following the pulse through winding alleyways and narrow streets. The city was like a labyrinth, but Maya moved with purpose, her steps guided by the energy that seemed to grow stronger the closer she got. It wasn't far now, just around the next corner.

She turned sharply into a dimly lit alley and came face to face with a group of hooded figures. They were huddled in a circle around a crate, their attention focused on some sort of glowing object in the center. The moment Maya stepped into the alley, the figures froze, sensing her approach. One of them, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of her.

"You've wandered into the wrong place, girl," he said, his voice low and threatening.

Maya raised an eyebrow, her smirk returning. "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing to you."

The other figures shifted uneasily, their hands moving to the weapons strapped to their belts. The tall man stood up, stepping forward as if to assert his dominance. "You've got guts showing up here. This is Crimson Twilight territory. We don't take kindly to strangers."

At the mention of the gang's name, Maya's smirk widened. So, this was the infamous Crimson Twilight? The remnants of Xavier's group, trying to maintain their foothold in the city. It amused her to think that they had set up shop in an alley, desperately clinging to the scraps of power they had left.

"I'm not just any stranger," Maya replied, taking a step closer. The flicker of her molten blue eyes caught the light from the object they were huddled around, and she noticed the brief flicker of fear in the tall man's gaze. "In fact, I'm the one who burned your boss's cloak to ashes. Xavier's probably still trying to put out the flames."

The man's eyes widened in recognition, and the other figures exchanged nervous glances. "You're her," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The one who destroyed the bandits outside the village."

Maya's eyes glittered with amusement. "Guilty."

The tension in the alley thickened as the realization of who they were dealing with sank in. The tall man's bravado faltered, but he held his ground. "You think you can just waltz in here and, "

He never finished his sentence.

With a flick of her wrist, Maya sent a burst of flame toward him, the heat igniting the air as the fireball roared forward. The man barely had time to react before it slammed into his chest, sending him crashing into the wall behind him. The other figures gasped, drawing their weapons, but Maya didn't give them a chance to move.

In a flurry of motion, she unleashed her power. Fireballs flew from her fingertips, igniting the alleyway in a blaze of destruction. The hooded figures scrambled to escape, but there was no escape from Maya's wrath. One by one, they fell, their cries of pain echoing through the narrow streets as the flames consumed them.

In mere moments, it was over.

The alley was silent, save for the crackling of the fires that had scorched the stone walls. Maya stood in the center, her cloak billowing around her as she surveyed the scene. The object they had been huddled around, a small, glowing orb, now lay unattended at her feet. She bent down, picking it up and turning it over in her hands. The pulse of energy she had sensed earlier was coming from this.

Interesting.

Just as she was about to inspect the orb further, a shadow flickered at the edge of the alley. Maya's eyes snapped up, her senses on high alert. But before she could react, a figure stepped into the light, a tall, imposing man dressed in crimson armor, his eyes glowing red with unmistakable power.

It wasn't Xavier.

Maya's pulse quickened as she met his gaze. This man, whoever he was, radiated a level of power far beyond what she had encountered so far. His presence was commanding, his aura thick with malice and strength.

He smirked, his fangs glinting in the dim light. "So, you're the one causing all this trouble."

Maya's grin returned, her excitement bubbling over. "Looks like I've found what I was looking for."

The man's smirk widened. "You're playing a dangerous game, goddess."

Maya tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

The figure raised his hand, and the air around them crackled with energy. Before Maya could react, a massive force surged forward, engulfing the alley in a blinding light.