TIKKA — NEFARIA
BLACK VEIL STREET
Night had fallen over Nefaria.
Black Veil Street was swallowed beneath a blanket of darkness, its narrow roads illuminated only by the occasional flickering lantern hanging from the sides of old buildings. Their weak light barely managed to push back the shadows, leaving most of the street hidden beneath a deep, almost unnatural gloom.
A cold breeze drifted between the buildings, carrying with it the faint smell of smoke, alcohol, and rain-soaked stone.
There were still a few people wandering the streets despite the late hour. Some hurried home with their heads lowered, while others stumbled drunkenly from one establishment to another.
Most of the shops had already closed for the night. Wooden shutters covered their windows, and their signs hung motionless above empty entrances.
Black Veil Street was not a place where people asked too many questions.
Especially at night.
Through the darkness, a lone figure appeared.
The stranger was completely covered by a long, dark cloak that concealed their body from head to toe. The hood was pulled low over their head, hiding most of their face.
Only the faintest outline of their features could be seen whenever they passed beneath the light of a lantern.
They walked silently.
No hurried footsteps.
No hesitation.
Just a steady pace through the darkness.
Eventually, the figure stopped before a worn wooden building.
Above the entrance hung a crooked sign.
THE BLACK VEIL.
The stranger stared at it for a moment before reaching for the door.
Creaaak.
The door opened.
The figure stepped inside.
---
The bar was considerably quieter than the street outside.
A few patrons occupied the tables scattered throughout the dimly lit room. Some drank quietly, while others had already lost control of themselves.
One man was slumped over a table, completely unconscious with his face buried in his arms.
Another was laughing loudly at something that wasn't remotely funny.
Two others were arguing over a gambling game, their voices growing louder with every drink.
The smell of alcohol filled the room.
The cloaked figure ignored them all.
They walked toward the counter and took a seat.
Behind the bar stood the bartender, a middle-aged man polishing a glass with a rag.
He glanced at the stranger.
"Something to drink?"
The figure remained silent.
Then a voice entered his mind.
Give me Black Veil. And I would like to use the restroom.
The bartender's hand stopped moving for a brief moment.
He hadn't heard the stranger speak.
But he had heard the voice.
He glanced at the hooded figure before saying nothing about it.
"Sure."
Turning around, he reached beneath the counter and began preparing the drink.
A few moments later, he placed a dark-colored glass in front of the stranger.
"Here."
The figure picked it up.
Without saying a word, they tilted the glass toward their hood and drank the entire contents in one go.
The bartender raised an eyebrow.
"Strong stuff."
The figure placed the empty glass back onto the counter.
The bartender pointed toward the far side of the room.
"Restroom's over there. To the left."
The stranger stood.
Their cloak shifted slightly as they turned toward the hallway.
They walked toward the restroom.
One step.
Two.
Three.
Then they entered.
The door slowly closed behind them.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then—
They vanished.
No sound.
No flash of light.
No trace.
As though the figure had never been there in the first place.
---
DARK MERCENARY GUILD
The Dark Mercenary Guild, A guild that only takes life-threatening missions, assassination and others. It is located within a confined space of its own, a different dimensions.With the right drink and right timing, anyone can locate the guild. The drink acts as the key to pass through it.
The building was massive, constructed from dark stone that seemed to absorb what little light reached its walls. Heavy iron doors guarded the entrance, while strange symbols had been carved into the surrounding stone.
Inside, however, the guild was anything but quiet.
The moment someone entered, they were greeted by chaos.
Mercenaries of every kind filled the enormous hall.
Humans sat beside demi-humans.
Beastfolk drank
Some wore battered armor covered in scars and bloodstains, while others dressed in expensive clothing that suggested they had no intention of getting their hands dirty themselves, eyes of colors that could not be found among ordinary humans.
The guild welcomed them all.
As long as they could carry out their missions, and have no trouble killing innocent people, people who put their jobs first.
At several tables, mercenaries were gambling loudly.
Coins clattered across wooden tables.
Cards were thrown down.
Dice rolled.
Arguments erupted.
Someone shouted in celebration from one corner while another mercenary slammed his fist against a table after losing everything.
"You're cheating!"
"Then prove it!"
"Give me my money back!"
A chair suddenly flew across the room.
Nobody cared.
This was the Dark Mercenary Guild.
Assassinations.
Kidnappings.
Smuggling.
Protection.
Hunting.
Information.
If someone was willing to pay the price, there was almost nothing the guild wouldn't arrange.
At the reception desk sat a young woman.
At first glance, she appeared to be completely human.
Long black hair that fell neatly over her shoulders and framed a delicate face. Her most striking feature, however, was her eyes.
They were shaped like a cat's.
Sharp and slightly narrowed, giving her an expression that made it difficult to tell whether she was amused, annoyed, or simply bored.
She wore the guild's formal uniform—a fitted black blouse beneath a dark vest, with a short black skirt and polished boots. A small silver insignia bearing the guild's symbol was pinned to her chest.
Despite the chaos around her, she remained perfectly calm.
She had clearly seen worse.
Much worse.
One mercenary approached the desk and slammed a bloodstained piece of paper onto it.
"I want this contract."
The receptionist glanced down at the document.
Then back at him.
"Payment?"
The mercenary placed a pouch of coins on the counter.
She opened it, counted the coins without changing her expression, and nodded.
"Accepted."
She stamped the contract.
"Target information will be provided after the initial payment is processed."
The mercenary grinned.
"Good."
He took the contract and walked away.
The receptionist sighed quietly before reaching for the next document.
Around her, the guild continued to descend into madness.
Laughter.
Arguments.
Gambling.
Drinking.
Deals being made in whispers.
Threats being exchanged beneath smiles.
And somewhere within the enormous guild, countless people were waiting for their next job.
In the Dark Mercenary Guild, morality had little value.
Only the contract mattered.
The figure walked over to the table, looking directly into the receptionist's eyes.
"The Black Market. Any information about it, and its exact coordinates."
As she spoke, she dropped a bag of coins onto the table.
The receptionist looked straight into the figure's eyes.
Serelia.
The name echoed directly into her mind.
Both women communicated telepathically, using mental isolation to ensure that nobody inside the guild could listen to their conversation.
"Another assignment," the receptionist said telepathically. "And from the look of this, it's a personal assignment from someone else and not the guild, someone rich, A woman, Akatsuki."
The receptionist smiled.
"You sure know your stuff, which is why I came looking for you, Lilith."
Serelia smiled back.
"So, any information?"
Lilith let out a sigh.
"The Black Market, as you know, is located at Lake Vail. I don't know its exact location, but I know someone who can take you there. I don't trust the person, but I'm sure you can handle it."
Lilith paused before continuing.
"And you should also watch out for the lady running the Black Market. She's known as Morana, I've only seen her once, she visited the guild, for some information concerning, your client, you should know her as Marcelline Veyra. She works for a lord. Nobody has any information about him or her.Whatever the lord might be, we have no idea."
"Thanks for the heads-up, Lilith."
"And also, watch out for the shadows. They're always with Morana. They hardly ever leave her side. They were given to her by the lord, don't trust anything within the black market, not even your own shadow
Lilith's expression became more serious.
"For all we know, she's someone important. Find Animus. Tell him I sent you. You'd find him at the palace."
Serelia nodded.
Without another word, she turned her back and walked away from the reception desk.
A few moments later, she stepped back out through the entrance of the guild.
She emerged from the restroom of a bar she had recently entered, casually adjusting herself as she walked toward the exit.
Before leaving, she stopped at the bartender's desk and dropped a tip onto the counter.
Then she walked out.
TIKKA — LAKE VAIL
CUTTERS ALLEY STREET
Morning had already settled over Lake Vail.
The streets were alive with the ordinary rhythm of daily life.
Shopkeepers opened their doors and pulled back wooden shutters, allowing the warm morning light to spill into their stores. Merchants arranged their goods across crowded stalls, calling out to passing customers. The smell of freshly baked bread, roasted meat, spices, and sweet fruits drifted through the streets, mixing with the cool morning air.
Children ran between the stalls, laughing as they chased one another while their parents called after them.
Carriages rolled slowly through the streets, their wheels rattling against the stone road. Farmers carried baskets filled with vegetables and fruits, while fishermen returned from the lake with their morning catch.
The market was especially crowded.
Everywhere, people moved from one stall to another, bargaining over prices, greeting friends, and discussing the events of the day.
"Three copper coins."
"Three? For that?"
"Yes. Look at the size of it!"
"I can get the same thing two stalls down for two."
"Then go buy it from them."
The merchant folded his arms.
The customer stared at him for a moment before sighing.
"Fine. Two and a half."
The merchant laughed.
"You're terrible at bargaining."
"And yet you accepted."
"Fair enough."
Nearby, an elderly woman inspected a basket of apples.
"These aren't as fresh as yesterday's."
"They were picked this morning," the young merchant replied.
"Then your farmer needs to learn how to pick apples."
The merchant blinked.
The woman placed the apple back into the basket.
"I'll take six."
"...Of course."
A group of children ran past them, nearly knocking over a man's basket.
"Watch where you're going!"
"Sorry!"
The man shook his head.
"Kids these days…"
Yet despite his complaint, a small smile appeared on his face.
Further down the market, two women stood beside a fruit stall, quietly talking.
"Did you hear about the incident last night?"
"What incident?"
"Near the eastern district."
"No. What happened?"
"Apparently, someone was attacked."
"Again?"
The other woman lowered her voice.
"The king isn't doing anything about this, what do we expect from a kid"
"Keep your voice down."
"Why?"
"Because you never know who's listening."
The woman glanced around nervously before returning to her shopping.
Around them, hundreds of thoughts filled the marketplace.
I need to remember to buy flour.
That merchant is definitely cheating people.
I wonder if my husband has gone home yet.
I'm going to be late for work.
Those fish look disgusting.
I hope my son gets home safely.
I should have bought the blue dress yesterday.
Maybe I'll ask for a discount.
The weather is nice today.
I wonder when the next shipment will arrive.
Normal thoughts.
Ordinary worries.
Ordinary lives.
Then, among them, came two figures.
They moved silently through the crowd.
Both were completely covered in dark cloaks, their hoods pulled low over their faces.
No one paid them much attention.
They were simply two more people walking through the morning market.
But beneath those cloaks were Serenya and Seranya.
The Sisters walked side by side, their eyes carefully observing their surroundings.
Neither spoke, They didn't need to, They could hear everything, every conversation,every whispered word, every passing thought.
The market was practically an open book to them.
Serenya listened to the thoughts around her while maintaining a calm expression beneath her hood.
Fresh bread.
Don't forget the medicine.
How much did he charge me last time?
I wonder if the guild has accepted my request.
I need to find work.
Maybe I'll visit the lake later.
Seranya heard them as well.
Thousands of thoughts.
Most meaningless.
Some amusing.
Some worrying.
Nothing useful.
They continued walking.
Then—
One thought cut through the countless voices around them.
It was different, heavy, filled with hatred, and beneath that hatred was something else.
A wound that had never healed.
Serenya stopped.
Seranya stopped beside her.
Both sisters turned their heads slightly.
The thought came again.
"Marcelline Veyra."
Their expressions changed.
They looked at each other.
That name.
Marcelline Veyra.
Seranya's eyes narrowed beneath her hood.
Did you hear that?
Serenya answered telepathically.
"Yes"
They turned around.
The thought had disappeared beneath the noise of the marketplace.
Serenya closed her eyes.
The crowd continued moving around them.
Hundreds of thoughts passed through their consciousness.
Then the name again, Marcelline Veyra,Serenya opened her eyes, She and Seranya immediately moved through the crowd, they followed the thought, the thought grew stronger, closer
Finally, they stopped.
Standing among the crowd was an ordinary-looking person.
Nothing about them seemed unusual.
They were simply standing there, staring at a nearby stall.
But inside their mind, Marcelline Veyra, Hatred, pain, the grief, it was a woman.
The stranger suddenly looked around, for a moment, their eyes met, seranya reached out, Her fingers touched the person's arm.
One moment, the three stood in the crowded market.
The next, they were gone, the market continued moving.
People walked past the empty space where they had been standing, no one even realized that three people had disappeared, the morning continued as though nothing had happened.