Maris Fero
Riff-raff, Street Rat.
The Shrike moved with the fluidity of a shadow through the towering labyrinth of the ecumenopolis. Her agile form darted across narrow ledges, leaped from one building to the next, and clung to the sides of sheer walls with the grace of a dancer. The sprawling cityscape stretched out beneath her, a maze of neon-lit streets and bustling crowds.
Far below, the person she was tracking moved through the crowded streets, unaware of the predator that stalked them from above. Maris had been honing her skills in urban environments for years, and her instincts were finely tuned to the rhythm of the city. She knew how to use the rooftops and alleyways to her advantage, staying out of sight while maintaining a relentless pursuit.
Her heart raced as she closed the distance, her keen eyes never leaving her target. She leaped from a rooftop to a fire escape, then swung from a hanging advertisement banner to a balcony railing. Each move was executed with precision and speed, a testament to her years of training.
The person below glanced around nervously, perhaps with a sense of unease creeping over them. Maybe they could feel the presence of someone watching, but they couldn't see Maris, hidden in the shadows above. She was like a phantom, a ghost in the city, closing in on her prey.
Maris continued to follow her target, staying just out of sight, a silent predator in the concrete jungle. She thoroughly believed that her skills were unmatched in this environment, and she would not let her quarry escape. With every leap and twist, she drew closer to her goal.
Even as she continued her pursuit through the intricate web of the ecumenopolis, she felt a growing sense of frustration gnawing at her. It wasn't just the chase; it was the directionlessness of her current existence. She had been drifting through the galaxy, searching for something elusive, a truth she could not yet grasp.
Her agile form came to a pause on the rooftop of a towering building, hidden in the darkness. She leaned against an air vent, catching her breath, her chest rising and falling with the exertion. From a pocket at her hip, she pulled out a small pouch containing filtered water.
Taking a sip from the pouch, Maris took a moment to contemplate the futility of her recent pursuits. She had been chasing shadows, tracking individuals who held no real significance to her. It was all a game, a way to distract herself from the gnawing emptiness inside.
"Is this what it's come to?" she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible over the distant hum of the city below. She had once been a force to be reckoned with, a name whispered in dark corners. But now, she felt adrift, cast aside, and lost.
With a sigh, Maris once again considered that she really needed to focus on a purpose, a direction in her life. The pursuit she had invented for herself was nothing more than a distraction, a way to avoid facing the uncertainty of her future.
She had had something, with Enyo Typhos, a waypoint to orientate herself, and a mentor. She watched her prey below scurry off into a transit hub and with the pursuit done for now, Maris found herself thinking about Vorzyd once again. Family. She had really messed that up. Paranoia, once again arising to ruin the good things Maris found but could never quite trust to be true.