Renzo pushed himself out of bed and wandered over to the cracked window, his curiosity getting the best of him. Peering down at the street below, he noticed a small group of people lingering near the building. One was a thin, wiry man, his clothes hanging off him like they barely fit, his sunken eyes darting around nervously. Beside him stood a short, heavyset man, his breathing labored, every slight movement making it seem like he might collapse under his own weight.
Just as Renzo was about to turn away, a dagger shot up from below, spinning through the air before embedding itself into the wooden frame beside the glass with a dull thunk.
Renzo instinctively stepped back, his face twisting in disgust and annoyance as he eyed the weapon still quivering in the wood.
"Those bastards down there are trying to kill us, I think," he muttered, shaking his head.
Zay, who had been resting with his eyes closed, sat up and cast a glance out the window. His amethyst gaze locked onto the two figures below, watching as they turned and shuffled into a nearby alleyway, disappearing into the darkness.
"Turn the lantern off and stay down," he said calmly.
As Lily snuffed out the flickering light, Zay laid back on his bed, shifting beneath the rough, tattered blanket. His hand brushed against something solid. His fingers curled around the object, and with an unimpressed expression, he pulled out a rusted sword—its blade chipped, its edge barely sharp enough to cut through stale bread. Without hesitation, he tossed it onto the wooden floor, where it landed with a clatter.
Renzo groaned and flopped back onto his bed, only for the legs to give out beneath him. The entire frame collapsed with a sickening crack, sending him crashing onto the hard wooden floor.
He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling before letting out a heavy sigh. "I hate this place."
Lily, meanwhile, cautiously eased herself onto her bed, half-expecting it to crumble beneath her. When it didn't, she let out a slow breath, staring up at the discolored ceiling, the faint scent of mold and dust filling her nose.
"This has been the worst decision I've ever made," she thought to herself, shutting her eyes and trying her best to ignore the feeling of something skittering along the floorboards nearby.
The streets of Ovaris felt larger than usual, stretching endlessly under the dim glow of lanterns flickering in the evening mist. Maple Yuso walked alone, her arms wrapped around herself as she tried to suppress the anxiety creeping up her spine.
Despite her shyness, despite the fear gnawing at her, she had to try. She had to find them.
She peeked down shadowed alleyways, her heart pounding each time a figure moved in the darkness. She searched the merchant square, where vendors were beginning to pack away their goods, the scent of spiced meats and fresh bread lingering in the air. She even ventured into the cathedrals, their grand halls nearly empty aside from a few silent prayers being whispered beneath the towering stained-glass windows.
Nothing.
No trace of them. No rumors, no clues, nothing to suggest they had ever even been here.
After hours of searching, she finally returned home, her footsteps slow and heavy as she pushed open the door.
Dale and Rosemary Yuso sat inside, their faces lined with worry. The moment they heard the door creak open, their gazes snapped toward her.
Maple stood in the doorway, her hands trembling slightly as she forced herself to speak. "I-I didn't find anything at all…"
Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of her disappointment. She turned away before they could say anything, walking toward her room with her head lowered.
As soon as she closed the door behind her, the tears began to fall.
She sat on the edge of her bed, her hands curled into fists on her lap as she tried to hold back the sobs threatening to escape. "… I know Zay wouldn't leave me… h-he's always there for me."
More tears dripped onto her hands, blurring her vision as she quickly wiped them away, her chest tightening.
"… M-maybe I was a bit much… b-but he wouldn't leave because of that, right? A-and what about Lily and Renzo?"
Her voice broke as she buried herself under her blankets, the weight of everything crashing down on her.
She loved them. More than anything.
And now they were gone.
A few hours had passed, and Maple lay in silence, staring at the ceiling as the weight of her thoughts pressed down on her. Her body felt heavy, but she knew she couldn't just stay there.
With a deep inhale, she sat up, wiping the remnants of tears from her cheeks before standing. She moved slowly, changing into fresh clothes, trying to shake the lingering sadness from her mind.
As she buttoned up her coat, she clenched her fists and exhaled.
"I have to do something."
She left her room, the dim lanterns along the corridor casting long shadows as she walked through the quiet halls of the Yuso estate. The house felt eerily empty without Zay, Lily, and Renzo—it was as if a part of her had been missing since the day they disappeared.
As she stepped into the kitchen and living area, she saw her parents sitting together on the couch, their faces tired, worry etched into their features. Papers were scattered across the table in front of them, a candle burning low as the wax dripped onto the wooden surface.
"I'll go look for them… again." Her voice was soft but determined.
Rosemary's head lifted instantly, and without hesitation, she stood up and wrapped Maple in a warm, protective hug.
"Darling, it's too late to go out now…" she whispered gently, holding her close. "We'll try to find them tomorrow. We've been working on making missing papers, and we have a good amount of them done."
She pulled back slightly, looking into Maple's eyes with concern. "I'm glad you want to go out and find them… but it's way too late at night now. It's dangerous."
Dale, who had been sitting quietly, sighed as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "We know you're worried, Maple… but we can't let you go out there alone, especially at this hour. We'll figure this out together, alright?"
Maple wanted to argue. She wanted to say that she didn't care if it was dangerous—that she had to do something. But as she looked at her mother's worried expression and the exhaustion in her father's eyes, the fight left her.
"…Okay." She finally whispered, lowering her head.
Rosemary gave her a gentle smile, brushing a hand through Maple's dark hair.
Maple exhaled deeply before turning around and went back to her room. She closed the door behind her.
Maple lay awake in her room for a few hours, staring at the ceiling. The silence of the house felt heavier than usual, pressing down on her chest. She knew her parents were still worried, just like her, but unlike them, she couldn't sit still and wait for answers.
Biting her lip, she slowly pushed off her blankets and got out of bed. She hesitated for only a moment before slipping on her shoes and creeping toward the window. The night outside was cold, the streets of Ovaris eerily quiet. Every instinct told her to stay inside, but she forced herself to climb out.
She wandered through the city for nearly an hour, peering down alleyways, checking the merchant square, even stopping by the cathedral in desperation. Every place was still the same—empty, and lifeless. There wasn't a single clue about where Zay, Lily, or Renzo had gone.
Fear gnawed at her, but it was nothing compared to the loneliness clawing at her.
Eventually, with nothing to show for her search, she made her way back home. Maple climbed through her window, closed it behind her, and curled up beneath her blankets.
The next morning came too quickly. Despite barely sleeping for just a few hours, Maple forced herself up, got dressed, and left the house once more.
Meanwhile, in Quivarem, Zay, Lily, and Renzo stirred from sleep. Renzo groaned as he pushed himself off the makeshift mattress on the floor. The stiffness in his back was proof enough that these beds weren't meant for comfort.
They gathered their things and made their way downstairs, stepping into the dimly lit bar. The scent of old alcohol and damp wood clung to the air as a few lingering patrons watched them with vague interest. Ignoring the stares, the three walked out the main doors and into the streets.
Zay led them toward a nearby lake, the sound of water growing louder as they approached. He knelt down first, cupping the cold liquid in his hands before taking a drink.
"Don't you think it's odd?" Lily asked, watching Renzo fill a glass cup before taking a slow sip.
"Odd about what?"
"Just the fact that Zay always seems to know where to go. It's been bugging me ever since we got here."
"Eh, you know him. He's always been a little adventurous, bookworm… though what really made me question things was the whole aura, the breathing style… and the fact he healed from that illness so quickly," Renzo muttered, swirling the water in his cup.
He took another sip before adding, "He probably just read all of this in books at the library or something."
Lily sighed but reluctantly accepted the reply.
The morning was pretty quiet, despite it being almost 8:30 in the morning, around the time some merchants begin getting ready for the daily routine.
A woman moved through an alley, her steps hurried yet deliberate, as if searching for something. But before she could react, a strong hand clamped over her mouth, cutting off her breath.
A muffled scream escaped her lips as her body twisted in panic, but several figures emerged from the darkness, their grips unrelenting. A group of an unknown amount of people moved swiftly, they carried her away without a sound.
By the time they reached the city's outskirts, a caravan awaited them. Inside, a man sat in the back, his expression unreadable as he held her still. The woman struggled weakly, her breaths coming in sharp gasps—until he pressed a cloth over her nose and mouth.
A sickly-sweet scent filled her lungs.
She tried to fight it, tried to stay awake.
But within seconds, her body went limp.
The caravan passed through the city's gates, blending into the steady flow of travelers. The guards didn't spare them a second glance as they disappeared into the distance. oh