Shay hated New York City. 

The way the city moved was foreign to her. The concrete, the people. There were always so many people. No matter the time of day. They were in the street, in the buildings - the city never seemed to sleep. 

She could sense them, as the people bustled about, thoughts echoing out when she didn't want to hear them. It was a chaotic hum that she couldn't quite tune out.

Yet, New York City was on a key ley line and Merlin asked her to investigate. 

She picked her way through the night, her heavy parka zipped tight over her double layered pants. She didn't really need the protective clothing. With her unusual mix of fay and elven bloodlines the cold did not bother her. 

Merlin had insisted that outside of Avalon, and even Hibernia her original home, she'd stick out like a sore thumb without warmer clothes. Even if they restricted her movements.

The echo of his voice rang in her ears, a gentle command from across realms. "Lay low. Blend in."

Blending in hadn't exactly been a problem. Humans had an extraordinary ability to be so different. The first day the multi colors of skins in one place had been fascinating. And then she'd gotten to the brightly colored hair. The piercings were different, most only pierced their ears - something she'd seen once or twice. Tattoos didn't seem to indicate much tribally.  Shay had an intricate knot design on her shoulder indicating her descent from the Tuatha De Danaan. But there was none of that here. The tattoos made little sense to her. 

Her lips curled into a wry smile at the thought of her own hair, the dark locks shimmering faintly under the streetlights she passed. Perhaps a tint of blue before she returned to Avalon. A reminder of this otherworldly place where humans, unaware of the ancient energies beneath their feet, carried on with their lives.

She took a moment to breathe in the city's essence. Despite its overwhelming presence, there was something captivating about New York, something raw and real that pulsed in tandem with the ancient magic beneath it. It was a place of contrasts, of chaos and order, of the old interwoven with the new.

The mission. She focused on the task at hand, weaving through the dark streets with a purpose. Somewhere in the depths of this concrete jungle lay the source of a disturbance in the ley line, a ripple in the mystical currents that Merlin feared could unravel if left unchecked.

Shay crouched at the edge of a quiet alley, her fingers brushing the ground as she closed her eyes. The ley line's pulse was erratic, a sign that something—or someone—was interfering.

Her fingers scraped the ground when she heard them.

"Hey little lady what are you doing?"

Shay's head snapped up, her gaze locking onto the source of the voice. Three men stood a few paces away, their postures casual but their eyes sharp with curiosity—and a hint of something more. She didn't like that look.

She straightened slowly, brushing her hands off on her pants as she assessed the situation. They were dressed in typical city garb, jackets pulled tight against the night's chill, their expressions a mix of amusement and... something more. 

"Just... catching my breath," Shay replied. She calculated the best way to handle this unexpected encounter. She knew she had to avoid drawing too much attention.

"You lost or something? This ain't the best place to hang out alone."

Shay forced a small smile, trying to seem nonchalant. "I'm fine, just needed a moment to myself."

The man narrowed his eyes, his gaze lingering on her as if trying to decipher her. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No," she admitted. "Just passing through."

The men exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. Shay could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken intentions brewing just beneath the surface. She didn't need to hear their thoughts to know what they were thinking.

"We can help you find your way," another one offered, a smirk playing on his lips.

Shay's eyes flicked to the nearest exit points, her mind mapping out potential escape routes. She didn't want to resort to using her abilities unless absolutely necessary—Merlin's warning about blending in echoed in her mind.

"I appreciate the offer," she said, taking a cautious step back. "But I think I can manage."

The men didn't move, their stances blocking her path. She felt a the first moment of uncertainty. 

With a subtle gesture, she tapped into the faint threads of the ley line beneath her feet -- Power surged through the opening. A roar shrieked into the alley. 

The opening went wider as Shay tried to stop it. The men shrieked as they backed away. Farther out of the alley a crowd began to grow. The homeless stood from their small shelters made of cardboard and back away, some hissing, others shaking.

The head of a great serpent broke through. 

The serpent's eyes were glowing amber, its massive body coiling and twisting as it squeezed through the rip in the ley line Shay had unintentionally opened. The scales of its sleek form shimmered in the dim light, rippling with an iridescent sheen as it slithered through the alley, its head lurching forward with a low hiss.

Shay's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't meant to let this out. This creature from the depths of the ley lines was a Formorian, ancient enemy of her ancestors the Tuatha De Danaan. It was too powerful, far beyond anything she was prepared to handle. Her attempt to close the rift faltered as the serpent let out a deafening hiss, vibrating the very air around her.

The men scattered fleeing their former bravado long gone. One pissed his pants, tripping over his feet as he fell, whimpering. 

The homeless in the distance were frozen in terror, some shaking, some wide-eyed with disbelief as they looked at the creature before them. Shay could feel their fear, their thoughts buzzing through the air like a swarm of insects. The sirens wailing in the distance grew louder, their promise of human intervention doing nothing to ease the knot tightening in her stomach.

This was bad, but it explained the issue with the ley lines. The Formorians had needed an opening and she had stupidly provided them one. Idiot.

Merlin, she thought desperately, wishing he were here, wishing he could help. But it was too late for that. The creature had already crossed into this world—her world—and it would take more than magic to send it back.

The serpent stared back at her, eyes narrowing as it zeroed in on its ancient enemy. 

Danaan, she heard. Enemy. Opening it's giant maw filled with razor sharp teeth, it descended upon her.