The city of Oryx was a tower of steel and glass, a place where neon light painted the streets brighter than the sun ever did. People strolled through the shopping center with arms full of purchases, and at their heels walked the Aeons—synthetic companions, made flawless, obedient, and silent. They were sculpted to please, to serve, could only dream of freedom, but never demand it.

Ethan Kouraille was carrying nothing but a small bag of vegetables, meat and ramen he had picked up at the convenience store when he heard the sound. It wasn’t the noise of commerce or laughter, but the sharp sound of a slap on latex skin.

At a corner café, a man in a tailored suit stood over his Aeon—female. She was on her knees, her hands trembling as she tried to hold a steaming cup. “I asked for black, not sweetened,” the man snarled, striking her again.

Ethan froze, but the crowd didn’t. They just walked past, eyes sliding away. To them, this wasn’t unusual. Aeons weren’t supposed to be cared for and Aeons couldn’t rebel. Ethan ran over and pushed the man off of her: “Hey ! Leave her alone !”

The man raised his voice, sneering: “How dare you !? She was made for me. To take my rage, to absorb it. If she can’t do that— then she’s useless.” smirk “And I kill useless things !”

Something inside Kael snapped. He didn’t think twice. He reached for the Aeon’s trembling hand. And then they were running. Past the coffee shop, through the neon corridors of the shopping center, weaving into the anonymous sea of bodies. Behind them, the man shouted, calling for enforcers, calling Ethan a thief.

But Ethan didn’t let go. The Aeon’s fingers tightened around his, something in her grip told him she wanted this. For the first time in her existence, she wasn’t being dragged. She was choosing to run.