The rain continued to pour down long into the night. Every strike was like a lash of a whip against his back but Hawkins kept his pace and briskly made his way through the narrow streets. The sky had began to dim earlier than usual, the silvery dome of the Divide now hidden in shadow against the storm. The barrier protected them from a lot of threats but this time the weather was not one of them. This storm was different, however.

It was Trait made.

Hawkins grumbled as lightning flashed in the sky, his senses becoming increasingly aware of how dangerous it was to be out on a night like this. The cold chill of the winter breeze had turned viciously frosty in an instant, leaving Hawkins wishing that his dusty leather clad coat held more warmth to stop his chattering teeth.

"Hell's Teeth, this is ridiculous." Hawkins said, swearing under his breath.

Hawkins forced himself to forge ahead, his numbing fingers clenched the ends of his coat tightly as the winds whipped his coat around his legs, causing him to stumble. He swore, the cold threatening to knock the wind out of him as he quickly scanned the streets for any signs of shelter. All the taverns were bolted shut, the windows boarded up and any signs of life had fled. Not even the regular Excelliar patrols dared to venture out on a night like this.

"Damn it." Hawkins muttered, deciding to take his chances at a nearby stretch of alleyway away from the storm.

It was barely narrow enough for him to fit through but the overly wide ramshackle roofs would at least provide shelter from some of the rain. He squeezed through the gap, tugging his haphazard coat alongside him and leaned against the damp walls to catch his breath.

He frustratingly fished around in his windswept coat, lucky that nothing of value had fallen out and dug around for his cigarettes and a lighter. Pulling out a slightly sodden packet of cigarettes, he attempted to rub his hands together to get rid of the numb inducing chill around his fingers. Flicking open his lighter, Hawkins crouched down against the small dry patch near the battered dustbins and took a break to have a smoke.

A flash of luminescent light suddenly lit up the darkened sky in a rainbow of auroras streaking across the horizon. The cigarette fell from his mouth, abandoned onto the slick pavement, his jaw slack as he gaped up at the sky.

"No way. It can't be." Hawkins said, as the aurora began to form a familiar silver like sheen, basking the streets in its embrace.

Hawkins watched in awe as the Divide gave way to let the light though despite the storm, travelling further than he had ever seen. He couldn't see much thanks to the narrow buildings but he knew from experience how rare it was to see the Divide perform such an intricate light show. He stared wide eyed, craning his neck to get a better look.

The Divide was a Trait made barrier created to protect the Traited from the demons of Hellgrind. The Divide's core remained in the city of Opalis and continued to spread its influence across the towns and cities below.
Every night, the Divide would split itself into seven sections of light and reform once the sun began to rise.

It separated all the Undercity slums from Axis, all the way through Beggar's End and to the far side of Pelt. It was only ever seen after a Trait laced storm, and Axis had not received the full might of one in years. The power of Trait was an astounding sight. Terrible, dangerous and unpredictable but no amount of nature could compare to the wrath of a Traited scorned.

He ruffled a hand through his wet hair, before hoisting himself up off the damp ground. He groaned as his limbs began to crack, a sure sign he had rested too long. The streets were still mostly deserted, a few stragglers hurrying home much like he was doing. He leaned away from the wall, cigarette in hand as he peered up at the sky, keeping a wary eye on the possibility of another rainstorm before trudging along the rain slicked path towards his goal.

.............

After a long trek, Hawkins had managed to reach the border mostly unscathed but still chilled to the bone. The rain had stopped quite a while ago and he had run out of cigarettes to keep both him and his Trait occupied until he reached his destination. But he had made it, just as the sun began to peek over the tightly packed buildings to reveal a majestic city high above them all. Hawkins scoffed at the sight, feeling a twinge of regret of the sight of the purple leaved trees surrounding the edges of the city of Trait.

"Damn nuisance." he muttered, kicking at the broken pavement as a few stones skittered along.

Hawkins was too exhausted to spend his time gawking at the view, deciding instead to head towards the ratty grey buildings signifying the start of the Outpost. The border between Axis and Beggars End was nothing more than a pit stop, a literal pit of a clearing which led to the monstrously dull flats which acted as a wall to those who were denied access. It was an immovable block clamped together as one street acting as a dead end.

It was minor precaution which was barely occupied at such late hours but he had no choice if he wanted to get home before the Divide finished its course. He didn't want to be stuck on the wrong side, two days in a row. Hawkins stared back at the maze of houses before looking ahead to the towering walls of the structures in front of him, still very much the same in looks but very different for those who knew it well. Shuffling about he dug around in his pockets, half wishing for another cigarette to keep him calm as he pulled out his silver lighter.

With what seemed like pure habit at first, he flicked open the cap to allow a small flame to burst forth from the tip, only to slide out the bottom section with his free hand at the last possible moment. The silvery glow of the Divide was only moments away, as a torrent of smoke poured out from Hawkins lighter and enveloped the clearing in thick grey clouds of smog.

Taking a few steps forward, he pocketed his lighter before raising his hands up in the air as the smoke gathered towards him, the Divide now slowed in its tracks, its molten glass like sheen halting just before it reached the outpost.

"Axis!" he called out at last, his voice quiet but strong.

"Grant me entrance before the Divide closes!"

The buildings around him began to warp and shift, the roofs began slide into its sockets in the walls as the dusty old brick began to crumble away, revealing new brick in its place. The narrow blockade gradually began to widen as the towering houses soon became short and squat like it had just been pressed through a vice. The boarded up windows began to slowly open and close as if the street itself was waking up from a long night's rest.

Hawkins stretched his arms, shaking out his slightly sodden jacket as the street finished its routine. The houses lurched forward as if hanging on a string before ceasing to a grinding halt, the dead end no longer blocking his view. The paved road winked back at him, giving him the way ahead just when he needed it the most.

"Much obliged." he said, grinning for the first time that day as he dipped his head in thanks.

Hawkins ran towards the exit, his eyes still flickering towards the advancing dome of light, preparing to close off Axis from the rest of the townsfolk for another evening. He could feel the blistering heat on his back as he gathered his Trait towards him and shot through the exit, his body now formed into intangible smoke which carried him straight through to Beggars End.

As the streets merged effortlessly back into place, Hawkins felt a twinge of unease which lasted no more than a second. It was like a single thought niggling at his brain as he emerged once again from the plume of smoke, all thoughts of the treacherous weather clear from his mind at the prospect of sleep being only a short walk away.

Rubbing at his sleep deprived eyes, he squinted at the first rays of light beginning to emerge as more and more people scuttled about their business, clad mostly in green and brown uniforms. Hawkins kept moving on, despite his anger towards them as he shoved past the growing crowds, desperate to get home as soon as possible.

Eventually, he made it onto his doorstep, wrestling with the door as it opened straight into a pile of unopened letters and a very angry mail dragon.

"Go on, shoo!" he said, trying not to trip up on the doormat or his post.

The green dragon hissed at him, lashing out at his foot before bounding onto the hallway table and out the door, knocking a plant pot and leaving a large amount of soil in its wake.

"Ruddy Trait Mail." he grumbled, stifling a yawn as he bent down to collect the letters.

"Ah!" Hawkins cried out, a letter nicked his finger, causing a bead of blood to trickle onto the soil covered envelope.

Slamming the door behind him he sucked his finger in pain until the papercut had stopped. He shuffled through the letters half asleep as he moved into his cramped living room. His flat was as cramped as the alleyway he had been stuck in minutes before but at least he was home and dry.

Hawkins narrowly dodged tripping over his coffee table and half collapsed onto his couch, throwing the letters onto the table as they scattered in all directions. Nestled inside the cluster of paper was a thick, black book.

Hawkins was asleep as soon as he closed his eyes, unaware of the importance of the grimoire in front of him and the blood he had unknowingly shed to unlock it.