A sharp, desperate cry tore through the moonless night. "Rara!"

  Naman’s voice was a ghost in the humid air, a wisp of a sound that no one else would have heard. But for Naman, it was as if she was right there in front of him, a faint, familiar silhouette in the darkness. It was the same shadow he had been chasing for three years, ever since she left him. Left him for good.

  "Follow me, Naman. Follow me," she whispered, her voice a siren’s song. It was a sweet melody that led him deeper into the forest, away from the familiar dirt road and the safety of the lamppost's dim glow. With every step, his heart pounded against his chest, a drum of hope and longing. He was a man possessed, on the brink of madness, but in that moment, all he cared about was reaching her.

  He stretched his hand out, his fingers trembling with anticipation, and finally, he felt her. He felt the soft skin of her hand, the slender wrist he knew so well, and he pulled her close. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her familiar scent. "Oh, how I've missed you," he whispered against her skin, a tear rolling down his cheek. He had her back. His Rara.

  But the sweetness of the reunion was short-lived. A sudden, searing pain shot through his neck, an unbearable heat that spread through his body. Sharp teeth, like shards of glass, sank into his flesh. But Naman didn't notice. He was still in her arms, still believing the impossible, and his mind, in its final moments of peace, was with his Rara.

  He felt himself fall. The world spun and then went dark, but when his eyes opened again, he was no longer Naman. A hideous being with reddish, scaly skin and a mouthful of jagged teeth rose from his lifeless body. He looked down at his new hands, long and skeletal, and watched as his body flickered in and out of existence, a fading ember. He was a bloodbound, a creature of the night, forever tied to the monster that had claimed him. And as his body finally dissolved into nothingness, only a faint, floating light remained, searching for its next victim.

  The sun beat down on the dusty road, a path they had been following for what felt like an eternity. Emmet walked with his head down, a small leather-bound book in his hands, his lips moving silently. Behind him, Raze strode confidently, a massive broadsword sheathed on his back. His muscled frame, honed by countless battles, made even the tall Emmet appear a little smaller by comparison.

  "What are you writing there?" Raze's voice cut through the quiet, his curiosity as plain as the midday sun.

  "My journal," Emmet replied without looking up.

  "And that one?" Raze pointed to a larger, thicker tome tucked under Emmet's arm.

  Emmet sighed, a subtle sound of practiced patience. "This is for my pilgrimage. I'm mapping my journey, detailing the shrines and altars I visit, their architectural designs, the gods they honor, and any other relevant information."

  Raze's brow furrowed. "And the one you're always muttering over?"

  "Theories," Emmet said simply, his gaze still fixed on the pages. "Lots of them."

  "Gosh, Emmet, you're so smart."

  Emmet finally looked up, a faint smile on his lips. "I'm not smart. I'm just fascinated by the possibilities of magic. Though I admit, I can't prove most of them." He continued, his voice dropping into a low murmur, "It's less about being smart and more about being curious. My curiosity gives me insight into what might be, not what absolutely is."

  Raze just stared blankly, clearly having lost the thread of the conversation.

  "And that one?" Raze asked again, pointing to another book.

  "My research on the Bloodbounds, the demonic cult, and their altars." Emmet froze mid-step, his head snapping up to look at Raze. "Why are you still following me?"

  Raze grinned, a wide, easy smile that was hard to resist. "Come on. After everything we've been through? We're allies of justice, brothers-in-arms, and most importantly, destroyers of demons!"

  Emmet wanted to keep Raze close, to observe his unusual ability to purge corruption and the chaos power he wielded despite being a Warrior Divinant. But he wasn't about to let Raze know that. "Do as you please," Emmet grumbled, turning back to the road. "Just don't get in my way."

  "Honestly," Raze said, catching up to him, "I don't have a destination or a purpose. But I think I should join you on your..."

  "Pilgrimage," Emmet supplied.

  "Right, your pilgrimage. You said you run into Bloodbounds and have all sorts of adventures. I want in! Plus, I have to make sure you're not randomly killing people."

  Emmet scoffed. "I don't kill people the way you think I do. Though I will if I have to."

  "Right!" Raze said, his voice full of vigor. "So here's my proposal: when I'm around, I'll do the fighting and you'll do the supporting. I can teach you warrior techniques, and you can teach me some of your fighting style too. It's a win-win!"

  Emmet stopped again, his mind racing. "Interesting," he murmured to himself. "You want to do the fighting while I support? That's... appealing." His inner monologue took over, "This way, I can just stay back and observe the battle. With a better vantage point, I can get a clearer look at how he uses that chaos power."

  He cleared his throat. "I'll accept your offer to learn warrior techniques, but I can't promise much. To truly master the secret warrior arts, one needs the Warrior Divinity, which I lack. And I don't have a 'particular technique.' It's a combination of the Northern fighting style mixed with my own, using my totems in unique ways."

  "Exactly!" Raze exclaimed, gesturing wildly. "You're an abnormality. An Elemental Divinant who doesn't use elemental power directly, but instead uses totems that harness the same energy a natural divinant would. And your strength? It's monstrous, exceeding even the most powerful Warrior Divinants." Raze's words were a clear jab, a not-so-subtle reminder of Emmet's strange nature.

  But Emmet was unfazed. He simply kept walking, as if he hadn't heard a word.

  Then, a flicker of light, and from Emmet's body, a figure phased into being. A beautiful girl with hair like spun moonlight and eyes that held the wisdom of ages.

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  "Emmet," the girl said, her voice like chimes, "I told you, you are indeed abnormal. And how much farther until we reach the next town? I'm starving."

  Raze's eyes bulged, his jaw slackening. He stumbled back a step. "W-what is that... who is that?" he stammered, staring at the girl as if she were a ghost.

  "Oh, sorry, Raze. This is Eanne."

  "Fufufuhu hmm hmmm," Eanne giggled, curtsying. "I am Eanne, Master of Seals, and... what am I again, Emmet?"

  "A powerful being," Emmet said, "lost to the history of man."

  "Right!" Eanne chimed in, stepping closer to Raze. "And I belong to Emmet."

  Raze, recovering his composure, stroked his chin thoughtfully. A slow grin spread across his face. "So... Emmet's wife, eh? What a beauty. You two look great together."

  "No, she's..." Emmet started, but Eanne cut him off with another "Fufufuhu" and added, "Right! I'm his wife. I'm dependent on him and my existence depends on him." Eanne paused, then asked Emmet telepathically, What is a wife?

  Emmet sighed and sent back, A man's partner in everything. They vow a partnership for life.

  "Right, then!" Eanne declared to Raze, her voice full of newfound conviction. "I am Emmet's wife!"

  Raze slapped Emmet on the shoulder, a wide grin on his face. "The wife of my brother-in-arms is considered my sister! Fear not, sister, I will be your second shield and sword, just in case my brother Emmet isn't up to the task!"

  "Thank you, brother!" Eanne said, her hands flying to her chest in a gesture of pure sincerity. The two of them clasped hands, a strange, instant bond forged between them.

  Emmet just let out a long-suffering sigh.

  "We're close to the next village, Eanne," Emmet said. "I would suggest you get back inside me and continue with the task I gave you. I'll treat you to a heavy meal when we get there."

  "Right! Duty first! I won't let you down, Emmet! See you later, brother Raze!" Eanne said, then she flickered and dissolved back into Emmet's body.

  Raze watched, still brushing his chin. "So my little sister is a magical being, then."

  "It's a little complicated, Raze," Emmet replied.

  Just then, the view of the town of Malubu became clear in front of them, a welcome sight after their long journey.

  Raze couldn’t help but feel a prickle of unease as he surveyed the bustling common room. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and cheap ale, the noise a low, constant murmur of a dozen conversations. "So this is it? This is how we gather information, like a couple of mysterious people eavesdropping on the mundane gossips of strangers?"

  Emmet, meticulously logging details into a worn leather journal, didn't even look up. "No, Raze. Usually we ask around. We head to the town chief or the elders and ask for anything unusual. This," he said, finally looking up to stare at Eanne, who was devouring a mountain of roasted meat with a gusto that defied her small frame, "is simply a byproduct of someone's monstrous appetite."

  "This is so good," Eanne murmured, her words muffled by a mouthful of pork. "You'd better try this, Raze. The pig's tail...it tastes heavenly."

  Raze, initially stunned by her ferocious eating, didn't hesitate for long. He dug into his own plate with the same unbridled enthusiasm. "You're right, little sister. This is indeed good."

  Emmet merely sighed and took a sip of his soup. He was adding a final, neat line to his journal when the hushed voices from a nearby table suddenly rose.

  "...you heard? Naman's been missing for two days now. Same thing happened, they say—he was telling people his wife appeared to him in a vision."

  "And what about old Lon?" another man chimed in. "He went missing the night after he was telling everyone a magical sword appeared to him, saying he was the chosen hero to slay the Dark Lord."

  Raze's fork paused mid-air. He looked at Emmet, a silent question in his eyes. Did you hear that?

  Emmet closed his journal with a soft thud and met his gaze. "I have a bad feeling about this," he said, his voice dropping low. "This isn't a random disappearance; it's a pattern."

  "I'll investigate this. You two stay here." Emmet stood abruptly, the half-eaten bowl of soup forgotten.

  "Wait, I'll come with—" Raze began, but Eanne's hand on his sleeve stopped him. She gave his shirt a firm tug, pulling him back into the worn wooden chair.

  "Don't worry about him," she said, her voice a low murmur as she speared a piece of roasted chicken. "Once he's on a case, he'll either come back or just summon me for aid when he has enough information."

  "But I think we should help," Raze insisted, watching Emmet disappear into the crowd.

  "He's been doing this for a long time now. Just enjoy the meal," Eanne said, before a sly grin spread across her face. "Oh, and now we have more on our plates. Emmet isn't around to take up space."

  And so the two of them returned to their feast, a chaotic storm of chewing and clanking cutlery.

  Meanwhile, Emmet was already gone, a ghost in the midday bustle. He moved with a practiced nonchalance, a pilgrim just passing through, his eyes and ears scanning for any stray whispers. He stopped at a street vendor's cart, the smell of barbecued lizard tail clinging to the air.

  "Two sticks of that, please," Emmet said.

  The old vendor looked up, his gaze catching on Emmet's unfamiliar, well-made clothing. "Coming right up, sir."

  "I'm a pilgrim, just passing through this town after visiting an Elemental God's shrine nearby," Emmet offered, his story a well-worn comfort.

  "Ah, a Northern pilgrim," the vendor said with a friendly nod. "We don't see many of your kind around here anymore."

  "I heard something in the pub about missing people," Emmet continued, his voice shifting to a tone of feigned concern. "I'm worried about my travel. Do you know anything or have you heard anything similar?"

  "I can understand that, of course," the vendor replied, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You must have heard about Naman's disappearance, right? It's not the first time. There was Tino, the farmer's son, who said he saw a magical fox offering him wishes, and then he vanished the next day."

  Emmet paid with a coin and took a bite of the lizard meat, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Thank you very much."

  He moved on, asking questions, his mental map of the town growing with every conversation. He learned the town's layout, its choke points and alleyways, all while gathering more stories. They all had a common denominator: the victims saw something before they disappeared—a wife, a magical weapon, a beloved pet, a son, a daughter. The list went on.

  They're being lured by their deepest desires, Emmet thought. It's a mobile lure, not a fixed one, and it's definitely an artifact of some kind. This town is haunted by Bloodbounds, but Eanne didn't feel anything within the town proper. The source must be somewhere outside.

  He returned to the pub to find Raze stretched out in his chair, a mountain of empty plates before him.

  "I ate so much I think I've eaten a whole horse," Raze groaned, patting his swollen stomach. He looked at Eanne, who was still somehow finishing off a last bowl of rice. "Little sister, you're amazing."

  "Phuhuhuhu," Eanne giggled, a unique, soft little laugh. "The food here is good, big brother!"

  Emmet sat down and spread the map he had drawn on the table, instantly commanding their attention. "Okay, Raze, you and Eanne will take this entry point. Wait for someone with the same kind of news we've been hearing." He explained his findings, how the missing people were being lured by visions of their desires, like moths to a fire. The goal is simple: follow anyone who shows these symptoms. We will get to the bottom of this."

  "Right," Raze said, his easygoing demeanor replaced by a steely resolve. "And save this town from the evil that's haunting them." Eanne gave a small, approving nod, a silent vow.

  That night, Eanne's voice echoed in Emmet's mind, clear as a bell.

  Emmet, we have a hit. A man just said he saw a treasure chest.

  Right, that's on point, Emmet replied telepathically. Follow him with Raze. I also have a lead. Continue to observe and update me.

  Emmet was already tailing a woman who had been heard claiming a knight in shining armor wanted her to be his queen. It was clear now—it wasn't just one Bloodbound. As he and the woman moved deeper into the night, he saw more people, a parade of them, all heading in the same direction, muttering about lost loved ones, fame, and fortune. The cold, unnatural silence of the forest floor swallowed the sounds of their footsteps.

  He saw Raze and Eanne in the distance, a pair of dark shapes blending into the hypnotized crowd. They met without a word, a silent, grim reunion.

  "So, what now?" Raze asked, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.

  "We follow them and make sure you do not act without my instructions, Raze," Emmet said, the command in his voice absolute.

  Raze nodded, but then he looked Emmet in the eye, his fingers pointing from his eyes to Emmet's. "I do the fighting. You do not do any killing."