The air in New York City had grown colder overnight, an unnatural chill that seeped into Astraeus’s bones. She stood on a rooftop overlooking the quiet streets below, her spear in hand, glowing faintly as if reacting to the darkness spreading through the city. The mark of Erebus was not an idle threat—it was a declaration.

Down below, Daniel Foster stood beside an unmarked black van parked on the curb, speaking into a secure phone line. Astraeus leapt from the building, landing soundlessly a few feet behind him. Foster turned, his expression as calm as always.

"Intel just came in," he said, hanging up. "There’s a meeting happening tonight. Low-level gangs connected to something bigger. We think it might be tied to Erebus."

Astraeus twirled her spear absentmindedly, her face unreadable. "Where?"

"Abandoned subway station on the east side," Foster replied. "If Erebus is pulling the strings, this could be a chance to cut them."

She gave him a curt nod. "I’ll check it out."

"You’re not going alone," Foster said firmly. "If this is what we think it is, you’ll need backup."

"And let you get in the way?" Astraeus said, smirking. But the humor faded quickly. "Fine. But stay out of my way."

The subway station was dark and dilapidated, the air thick with the stench of mildew and decay. Astraeus moved silently through the shadows, her spear casting just enough light to illuminate the path ahead. Foster followed close behind, his handgun drawn, his movements quiet and practiced.

Voices echoed from the platform ahead. Astraeus motioned for Foster to stop, her grip tightening on her spear. Peering around a corner, she saw a group of figures gathered under a flickering light. At the center stood a man clad in black, his face obscured by a hood. He held a vial of shimmering, dark liquid, which he raised for the group to see.

"This," the hooded man said, his voice smooth and venomous, "is power. Erebus grants it to those worthy of wielding it."

The group murmured in awe as the man uncorked the vial and poured a single drop onto his hand. The liquid seeped into his skin, and his entire body shuddered as tendrils of shadow enveloped him, his form growing larger, more monstrous.

"That’s enough," Astraeus said, stepping into the light, her spear pointed at the hooded man. "You’ve had your fun."

The group froze, their eyes darting between Astraeus and the hooded figure. The man chuckled darkly, his voice now distorted. "The Starlight Sentinel. I’ve been waiting for you."

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Astraeus said. "But you won’t like how this ends."

The man lunged at her, his body a mass of writhing shadows. Astraeus met him head-on, her spear clashing against his darkened form. The room erupted into chaos as the gang scattered, and Foster ducked behind a pillar, firing precise shots at anyone who tried to flank her.

Astraeus drove her spear into the hooded man’s chest, the weapon’s light burning through the shadows. But he didn’t falter. Instead, he grabbed the spear’s shaft, his grip burning as he hissed in pain. "You can’t stop the rise of Erebus."

"Watch me," Astraeus growled, channeling a surge of energy through the spear. The blast sent the man hurtling across the platform, where he collapsed in a heap, his shadows dissipating.

Breathing heavily, Astraeus turned to Foster, who emerged from cover, his gun still raised. "You good?" he asked.

She nodded, retrieving her spear. "This was just the beginning. We need to find out where that vial came from."

Foster frowned, glancing at the fallen man. "If that’s Erebus’s power in liquid form, things are worse than we thought."

"Then we’d better move fast," Astraeus said, her eyes hardening as she looked at the remnants of the fight. "Because the shadows are already here."