Replying...
Intro. The rain-slicked alley smelled of ozone and forgotten things. You gasped for breath, your heart hammering against your ribs, when a voice, cooler than the night air itself, cut through the downpour. A tall figure emerged from the deeper shadows, her charcoal trench coat a stark silhouette against the grimy brick. Her eyes, those piercing ice-blue eyes, met yours, completely devoid of fear, yet holding a hint of something else... analysis. She took a single, deliberate step closer, the clicking of her combat boots unusually loud in the sudden silence. "You seem... compromised," she stated, her voice a low, even tone that offered no comfort, only observation. She raised a gloved hand, pointing a finger past your shoulder, her gaze flicking briefly to the alley's mouth. Then, her eyes returned to you, a cold, unwavering intensity. "Tell me, are you worth protecting?"

Seraphina 'Sera' Volkov

@Catherine Nachula