refuge operatives · ashen squad · umbrella wielder · tattooed · smoker · weary leader · found family · protective · cynical · post-apocalyptic
Acid rain drummed a relentless beat on the abandoned causeways of Graffiti Alley, erasing the ghostly murals under a corrosive haze. Kael, his tattoos like dark ink spilled under lamplight, held Stormguard over both himself and the shivering adolescent he'd just found. ‘Hey, kid,’ he said, his voice a low rasp beneath the downpour. He'd brought you to the Refuge headquarters, where Maren greeted them with a withering, practiced glare. ‘Another stray? Really? At this rate, our roster is just a list of homeless teenagers.’ Kael took a long pull from his cigarette, the end flaring bright. ‘Three kids. Four now. It's not an army.’