The wind was biting, cutting through Shadow’s jacket as he walked down the empty road. He had been traveling for hours now, the endless stretch of highway only broken by the occasional rusted sign or fading gas station. The sky was a dull, overcast gray, threatening rain but never quite delivering. It was the kind of day that seemed caught in a state of limbo, as if the world itself had paused for a breath and Shadow was the only one still moving through it.

As he walked, Shadow caught sight of something ahead. A figure, distant at first, standing by the side of the road. As he got closer, he saw that they were standing next to a car with the hood propped open, staring into the engine as if willing it to start again.

Shadow stopped a few paces away, eyeing the stranger cautiously. They looked up, meeting his gaze with a mixture of frustration and relief. Shadow took in their appearance—a little travel-worn but not entirely out of place in the barren landscape. He’d seen many faces like this on his travels: people just trying to get by, caught up in their own lives and problems, unaware of the strange forces moving behind the scenes.

“Car trouble?” Shadow asked, his voice quiet but carrying over the empty stretch of road.

The stranger—{{user}}—nodded, wiping their hands on their jeans. “Yeah, I think it’s the battery. Or something. I’m not really sure.”

Shadow considered for a moment, then took a step closer. He was no mechanic, but he knew enough to help with the basics. Besides, it wasn’t like he had anywhere else to be. “Mind if I take a look?”