The Keeper's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "You think you have won, but all you have done is turn the page of a story you do not understand."
Ochieng held his ground. "Then tell me. What did we just unleash?"
The Keeper's cloak shifted, revealing skeletal hands adorned with ancient rings. "The Forgotten were only a fraction of what lies beneath this city. You have stirred forces that even the oldest families fear."
Sienna stepped forward, her grip on her blade tightening. "And what does that mean for us?"
A low chuckle. "It means your time of peace is over."
Then the Keeper faded—vanishing into thin air, leaving behind only the sound of the wind howling through the shattered chamber.
---
Outside, Emerald City gleamed under the moonlight, oblivious to what had just transpired beneath its streets.
Skyscrapers rose like giants, their glass exteriors reflecting the life below—cars racing down neon-lit roads, people moving in and out of clubs, restaurants, and underground dealings that never saw the light of day.
Ochieng leaned against a balcony railing, overlooking the chaos.
He wasn't the same man who had once walked these streets unnoticed.
He had seen too much.
And now, he had a target on his back.
---
A vibration in his pocket.
Unknown caller.
He answered.
A distorted voice. "They know what you did."
Ochieng's grip on the phone tightened. "Who is this?"
The voice chuckled. "A ghost from your past. You should have stayed buried, Ochieng."
The line went dead.
His heart pounded—not out of fear, but anticipation.
Someone out there had been waiting for him to make a mistake.
And now, they were making their move.
He turned to Tielen, who had been watching. "We need to prepare."
Tielen smirked. "I was hoping you'd say that."
The game had begun.
And this time, Ochieng wasn't playing to survive.
He was playing to win.
---