Ibris' apartment was perched in one of the tallest and most prestigious buildings in the heart of the Underworld. It was early morning, yet the Underworld metropolis stretched below him in the dark—a dizzying array of towering high-rises, interconnected roads, and bridges glimmered with neon advertisements, cutting through the city's shadows. The city never slept. How could it? It barely knew the difference between day and night.

Ibris sat at his small dining table, nursing a cup of red tea from the Southern River City of Kemp, hoping it would help with his dull headache. He had overindulged in too many ambrosia drinks the night before, but the specifics were hazy. All he could clearly recall was that things had not gone well with Vega and Don at the Floating Canary, and that he had met a stunning cat halfbreed named Lira. Now that halfbreed lay fast asleep, sprawled across his bedsheets.

As Ibris gazed out the window, lost in his thoughts, Lira stirred and stretched on all fours, the sheets slipping down to reveal her graceful figure. She caught sight of him and smiled, her voice playful. "Good morning. Come back to bed?"

Ibris was fixed on the dark sky above, focused on the shadowed underbelly of the floating islands. "Not yet," he shook his head.

With a teasing laugh, Lira rose, wrapping the sheets around herself like a flowing gown. She sauntered over to him, curiosity dancing in her feline eyes. "What are you looking for up there?"

"Wait," Ibris replied, raising a finger towards the floating islands, as he took a sip of his tea.

A few moments later, an opening in the darkness revealed a ray of bright sunlight that flooded through Ibris' window, illuminating his entire apartment. For the first time that morning, Lira took in the stark contrast of the dark gray walls and the minimalist furniture in Ibris' apartment. The crisp white sheets that they had slept in glowed in the newfound light.

"Wow," Lira whispered in awe.

As the sun poured in, it cast a warm glow over Ibris, revealing the rich tones of his brown skin and the striking features. His dark horns curved elegantly from his forehead, glinting in the sunlight. Lira marveled at how the daylight accentuated his features, making him even more captivating than she had remembered from the night before.

Ibris finally looked at Lira and caught sight of her eyes, their cat-like green hues shimmering with an otherworldly beauty. The warmth illuminated her features, casting a soft glow on her skin.

"I haven't seen the sun in nearly a two years," she murmured, running her fingers slowly over her face, savoring the warmth. "Not since I was a little girl, back when I was still with my family." She dropped the bedsheet, allowing the sunlight to kiss her entire body.

"It's a shame, the sunlight suits you," he remarked, admiring her.

"Then you'll have to take me outside of this city someday," she replied, playfully.

No one with wealth or privilege chose to live here willingly. The Underworld was a city of sin and shadows, a place shaped by crime, corruption, and desperation. People came here because they had no other choice, or because the world above had shut its doors to them. It was a last stop for many, and for those without resources, it became a trap they could never leave.

"Someday," he murmured, pulling her close and kissing her deeply—a promise he had made to many women before, yet never fulfilled. But with Lira, it felt different. He genuinely liked her.

Lira looked back out the window over Ibris' shoulder. "I've never heard of anyone getting sunlight in the Underworld. How is this possible?" She said, awestruck.

Ibris recalled the first time his late wife, Serene, had seen sunlight in this apartment. He remembered her wide, joyful smile, a sight that filled his heart with warmth. The memory now made his heart ache. Shaking his head to dispel the thoughts, he remarked, "My guess is that whoever created the floating islands must have overlooked at least one small gap between the three pieces of land. The sunlight manages to filter through it and shines on my window for eleven minutes each day."

Suddenly, a chime echoed through the apartment, drawing his attention. The AI embedded in the walls of his apartment stirred to life, its voice cool and mechanical. "Good morning, Ibris. I have Dr. Dubay on the line from the Clinic. Should I connect her?"

"Ava Nori," Ibris muttered, running a hand through the hair on the head behind his horns. He had forgotten to change the AI setting for a guest last night. He looked nervously at Lira and then to the AI: "No, just message her that I'll be there shortly." He glanced at Lira, contemplating how to gently suggest she leave, but before he could form the words, she interjected.

"The Clinic, huh? Do you work there?" She asked, curiously.

He took a breath, choosing his words carefully. "Lira," he began, trying to keep his tone light. "Why don't I drop you off at home?"

"Can we wait until the sunlight passes?"  She asked, almost purring.

"Of course," Ibris walked to his kitchen and began preparing breakfast. The rich aroma of toasted bread filled the studio apartment.

"So you work at the Clinic?" she asked, again.

"Yeah, something like that," Ibris replied, avoiding eye contract with Lira.

"I actually need to go to the Clinic," Lira added seriously.

"Why? What's wrong?" Ibris asked, concerned.

Lira sauntered over to him, completely unbothered by her nudity. She reached over the counter beside Ibris, grabbing the piece of toast he had just prepared with a bright fruit spread. She took a bite, her face lit up in delight. "Ava Nori, what kind of berry is that?" She asked, savoring the flavor.

"Alemuri gooseberry," Ibris replied, focused on preparing another slice. The rich, tangy taste was one of his favorites.

"I've never had that before," Lira noted, filled with genuine wonder.

Ibris glanced up. "Why do you need to go to the Clinic?" he asked again, setting the knife down and giving her his full attention.

Lira hesitated. "Uhm..." She paused, setting down the bread, glancing at him uncertainly. "I've been trying to get Vironox." She walked over to the window and wrapped herself in the sheets again.

Ibris blinked, taken aback. Vironox was an experimental medication, primarily for halfbreeds recovering from aethris and vervain addictions, common but potent street drugs. "Oh." He asked gently. Ibris himself had never used, though he had sold both briefly in his youth to make ends meet.

"It was aethris. I've been clean for over ten months," Lira said, her cheeks coloring as she fell silent. Ibris knew very well that aethris was the milder of the two drugs. Not many who got hooked on vervain survived.

"No judgment," Ibris assured her, his eyes drifting to the empty ambrosia bottles scattered across the kitchen counter. "I have my share of vices." He moved toward his closet and pulled on a loose grey short-sleeve shirt and khaki pants that hung comfortably at his waist.

"Listen, I should just go," she murmured, a hint of regret lacing her words as she fidgeted with the hem of her black knee-length dress. Lira slipped it on quickly, the fabric hugging her figure perfectly, before pulling on her high boots.

"No, no," he interjected, gently.

"The subway's just around the corner," she insisted, glancing out the window.

"Please, if it's okay with you, I'd like to take you to the Clinic," Ibris said, carrying a chivalrous warmth that made her pause.

After a moment's pause, she relented, a small, appreciative smile touching her lips. "Alright. Thank you."

They descended to the building's entrance, where his self-driving black transport awaited, its low hum filling the silence as they climbed in. This time, instead of his usual route through the secure tunnel entrance, Ibris took the transport toward the Clinic's front entrance, facing a bustling street in northern sector of the Underworld. It was a rare choice for him; he usually avoided the crowded main floor entrance.

As they approached, the Clinic's imposing facade loomed ahead, its lobby aglow in shifting hues of blue and green that illuminated the glass walls. Towering metallic columns stretched to the ceiling, framing large holographic screens that showcased vibrant advertisements for new medicines, medical treatments, and robotic augmentations.

Inside, the lobby seamlessly combined technology and utilitarian design, featuring polished black marble floors, chrome railings, and a reception desk with touch-sensitive displays. The air hummed with the ambient whirr of high-tech machinery, while occasional bursts of neon light reflected off the walls, giving the space an urban cityscape vibe.

Lira approached a kiosk tablet and entered her information. There were about thirty halfbreeds in the clinic's waiting area that morning. A large digital screen displayed a wait time of over four hours. Ibris gestured Lira toward the rows of chairs. "Wait here," he said lightly, masking his frustration.

As Lira settled into a chair, Ibris approached the reception desk, where a deer halfbreed woman sat. Her short brown hair framed a gentle face adorned with delicate antlers that sprouted from her temples. Her large, doe-like eyes widened in surprise as she recognized him.

"Ibris! It's been a while," she said warmly, her deer-like ears twitching with concern.

"Mini," Ibris greeted. "I have a friend in the waiting area over there. Lira." He gestured with his head toward Lira, who was still fixed on the glowing screen displaying the wait times. "Can you get her in?"

"Of course." Mini's nodded quickly, her fingers flying over the tablet as she entered a series of numbers.

Returning to Lira, Ibris found her still staring at the wait time screens. To her surprise, her name now flashed prominently, showing that she was second in line.

"How did you do that?" Lira asked, her brows furrowing in disbelief.

Ibris shrugged, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I have to go, but I'll call you later," he replied, casually.

"But you don't have my contact," she said, hesitantly.

"Oh," he replied, pulling out his tablet. She touched hers to his, and the devices emitted soft beeps. "There, I have your contact now," he said, kissing her one last time.

As Lira released him from her tight embrace, Ibris hurried through the waiting area, his focus unwavering as he moved past Mini, who offered him a quick nod. The main area of client intake at the Clinic was bustling with patients filling out forms and waiting for their names to be called. As he passed, heads turned, and surprised murmurs rippled through the crowd. He could feel both staff and patient eyes on him and his horns.

He navigated to a backroom, punching in a code at the door. At the back of the room, a pair of double doors stood slightly ajar. With a quick glance back to ensure no one had followed him in, Ibris pushed through the doors. Behind them lay an elevator adorned with a heavy gate that contrasted sharply with the sleek design of the rest of the clinic.

With practiced ease, he opened the gate and stepped inside, feeling a momentary sense of relief wash over him as he closed the double doors behind him. The sliding gate clanked shut.

Ibris pressed a series of codes into the elevator's interface, the beeping echoing in the confined space. The elevator spun to life, descending far below the ground level. He felt both anticipation and apprehension as the digital display ticked away, counting the floors, as he dropped into the deep, hidden floors of the Clinic.

Finally, the elevator halted with a soft mechanical chime. "Please provide verbal code for access."

Ibris took a steadying breath and replied, "Serene."

The doors slid open, revealing a starkly lit corridor. The air was cooler here, filled with the sterile scent of antiseptics and something more clinical.

As Ibris stepped out, he was met by an android, its body crafted from polished silver metal that gleamed under the harsh clinic lights. Its form was humanoid, standing at just over six feet tall, with smooth, angular features that gave it a strikingly elegant appearance. The android's face was devoid of expression, with flat, reflective surfaces , and a mouth that was merely a seamless line across its visage. Despite its lack of emotional cues, there was an undeniable sense of sophistication in its design.

"Welcome, Ibris," it intoned, devoid of warmth yet oddly soothing. The android's movements were fluid and precise, its joints seamlessly articulated, allowing it to pivot gracefully as it spoke.

"Where's Alana, Zeru?" Ibris asked the andriod, scanning the hallway.

"Dr. Dubay is in room six," Zeru replied.

Ibris made his way down the corridor, the soft whirring of the android's servos fading into the background. The android trailed closely behind him.

Ibris approached room six and found Dr. Dubay and Yoshua deep in conversation, their voices low and urgent. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, accentuated by the sight of Jahui's body, still shrouded and resting on a stretcher. Mazi stood nearby, absorbing every word of their conversation.

In the corner, a young woman with dark hair cradled a baby, who Ibris assumed was Yoshua's niece, Kaya. Ibris hesitated for a moment, taking in the somber gathering before stepping fully into the room.

"Ibris, finally," Dr. Dubay said, noticing his presence as Ibris stepped into the room.

Yoshua turned to Ibris, visibly angry. "We brought Jahui's body so that Dr. Dubay could do an autopsy on the body, but—"

"But what?" Ibris interjected, urgently.

Dr. Dubay hesitated, her brow furrowing with concern. "Jahui was basically murdered. We should map her brain and run it through our consciousness drive."

A consciousness drive was a novel technology, capable of creating a lifelike avatars that simulated the recently deceased, complete with their memories from the last day—or sometimes the last week—of their lives. Users could plug in and engage in conversations with these avatars, allowing them to interact with their lost loved ones in a digital realm. It was a technology developed by Sumeri Industries in Alemuria. Thought its applications were broad, in recent years, however, the drive had been adapted in Alemuria for use by law enforcement, giving investigators access to insights that could help solve cases involving sudden or violent deaths.

"That's a valid recommendation," Zeru affirmed, supporting Dr. Dubay's suggestion.

"Shut up, Zeru," Ibris snapped.

"As you wish," the android replied.

"The drive will butcher her body, Ibris," Yoshua protested. "You won't be able to conduct a full autopsy. Hasn't Jahui been through enough already?"

To utilize the consciousness drives, medical professionals relied on androids to perform an intricate extraction procedure. This process involved carefully removing the entire brain, spinal cord, and major nerves from the deceased, after which they mapped the memories stored within those vital components. This process left the body unrecognizable, as it liquefied other parts of the body during the removal of the nervous system.

Ibris remained quiet for a minute before saying, "I agree with Dr. Dubay, Yoshua. Don't you want to know what happened to Jahui?"

"This technology is an abomination—a blatant violation of the laws of Humrab," Yoshua protested.

"Who cares about those archaic laws?" Ibris scoffed, rolling his eyes. Legend had it that the laws of Humrab were older than Atlantis itself. They contained an extensive and ancient legal frame work regarding nearly all aspects of life. While not explicitly part of modern Atlantean law, they served as guidelines on which most current laws were based. One particular section forbade the merging of human consciousness with androids.

"Fine. The technology is still experimental at best," Yoshua pressed on. He had heard chilling tales of the wealthy attempting to map the minds of their recently deceased loved ones. The process was fraught with failures; the technology was in its infancy, and the mapped nervous systems were often too damaged—whether by the circumstances of death or the extraction itself—for the consciousness drive to generate a coherent avatar.

But Ibris had made up his mind. "Don't you want to find out what happened to Geshar?" 

Yoshua hesitated. "I do, but..." His looked toward Kaya, who was listening intently, a look of sheer horror etched on her features. Baby Kiran, nestled in her lap, crying, his tiny fists clenched.

"We don't have much time left. The body is already decaying, and we need to prepare her for the removal process," Dr. Dubay insisted.

Ibris looked between Kaya, Yoshua, and Mazi. "It's the only way we can get answers."

Mazi, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, glanced at everyone in the room before finally speaking. "We can draw blood from the body, if there's any viable, and run more through antibody tests." He cast a thoughtful look at baby Kiran, nestled in Kaya's arms.

"That's a good idea," Dr. Dubay stepped forward in agreement. "It's not a full autopsy, but it may help us understand if Jahui's death was caused by rejection of the blood transfusions."

"This isn't right. We shouldn't have brought her body here," Yoshua said as he walked over to Kaya, gently taking the baby from her arms. "Geshar would not have wanted this," he added and left the room, with Kaya following closely behind.

"Run the blood tests." Ibris urged Mazi.

Mazi nodded and engaged the android Zeru, issuing instructions for the blood extraction. The android proceeded to methodically collect the medical pen devices from the nearby counter and conducted the procedure with precise attention to detail.

Ibris' looked to Dr. Dubay, the weight of his decision hanging between them. "What are the chances the consciousness drive is going to create a viable avatar?"

"Maybe less than half, given the circumstances." Dr. Dubay stated. 

Ibris nodded, weighing the risks in his mind. "It's still worth it if there's a chance we can speak to her." The gravity of his words lingered in the air. After a moment's reflection, he added, "How long is it going to take?"

"About two days," Dr. Dubay replied. "Roughly twelve hours for the removal process and a day and a half for the mapping."

"Do it," Ibris said, decisively, and stepped into the hall.

He found Yoshua cradling baby Kiran, engaged in a hushed conversation with his niece, Kaya. She stood close to him, her gaze darting between Ibris' face and horns, then dropping to the floor. When their eyes briefly met, she quickly looked away, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

To Ibris, Dariq's daughter hardly seemed to bear any traces of her wolf heritage. Kaya looked entirely human at first glance, though there was a glint of wolf-like instinct in her eyes, and the subtle way she moved her head to take in her surroundings.

Ibris took a breath, then approached them. "You must be Kaya," he said to her, with an outstretched hand. "I'm Ibris," he said, gently, offering a proper introduction.

Kaya hesitated for a moment, her hand lingering in the air before she finally reached out to shake Ibris' hand. "Hello," she replied, quietly. "My uncle and Mazi have told me a lot about you."

"All good things, I hope," Ibris said, smirking.

"Can't make any promises there," Yoshua chimed in with a wry grin.

At that, Ibris burst into laughter, the sound genuine and warm. Yoshua joined him, and for the first time, their shared joy echoed through the Clinic's hall as they embraced in a hug like brothers. "It's been so long, Yoshua," Ibris exclaimed, stepping back to look at his friend.

Yoshua nodded, warm smile.

"Ever since Serene... you have not come down here. Why do you hide up in those mountains?" Ibris asked, sadly.

"My family needed—" Yoshua started, but the weight of his words caught in his throat as he remembered Aiyana's absence. He paused, a shadow crossing his features before he added, "You're right, I haven't been a good friend." He said, regaining his composure.

Ibris turned to Kaya, with sincerity. "Your uncle is one of the best men I know," he said earnestly. "He's saved my life more times than I can count, both during the war and after."

Yoshua's cheeks flushed a deep crimson as he shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Kaya listened intently, knowing her uncle rarely spoke about the war. "Did you know my father, too?" She asked to Yoshua's surprise.

Ibris nodded, his head heavy with sadness. "Dariq was brave man of honor—very serious, like Yoshua here, but perhaps a bit more fun."

Kaya smiled, taking in Ibris' words.

"I'm sorry about Aiyana," Ibris said, softly, with genuine sorrow. "She was so kindhearted and loving. Just like Serene—" His words faltered, a wave of grief catching in his throat. He stood there awkwardly, the weight of unspoken memories pressing down on him, struggling with the realization that he still couldn't bring himself to talk about his late wife.

Yoshua placed a firm but comforting hand on Ibris' shoulder.

Baby Kiran let out a cry, drawing Ibris' attention for the first time. A pang of sadness shot through him; the sight of a halfbreed baby stirred painful memories of his son. Ibris extended a large finger toward the baby's tiny fist, Kiran tightly gripped it. "He's strong," Ibris remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Kiran cooed softly, the sound brightening the heavy atmosphere in the room. "And he has Geshar's wings," Ibris noted.

Yoshua nodded in agreement. "Yes, he does."

"Speaking of flying," Ibris said, irritation creeping back in, "where is Esa?"

Yoshua shook his head, solemnly. "He left after Jahui... after she passed," he said hesitantly. "He really saved us out there."

Ibris, however, was too preoccupied to register Yoshua's gratitude.

Kaya chimed in, her brow furrowed with concern. "Esa was really upset," she said. She had seen the flicker of rage and deep sadness in Esa's magnificent eyes just before he left.

"Oh," Ibris said, gravely. "This is precisely why I avoid involving Esa with halfbreeds, especially when it comes to halfbreed mothers."

"Why?" Yoshua asked.

Ibris sighed and glanced away. "It's a long story."

Down the hall, Dr. Dubay's distant voice broke the silence, directing Zeru to commence the delicate procedure of opening Jahui's skull. Mazi spoke softly to both Dr. Dubay and Zeru, their words forming a hushed collaboration in the sterile environment. The mechanical beeps and whirs of the android and medical equipment resonated through the hallway, drowning out their thoughts and enveloping them in an unsettling ambiance.

Suddenly, Ibris straightened, his gaze locking onto his tablet, which displayed the name: "Marcus."

Ibris declared, steady and clear, "I know where Esa is."