"Gavrilo and Nate are gone… hehe."
Arion's words came out bitter, like a joke too painful to laugh at.
Archer's face remained still. Unmoving. Unblinking. Even his eyelids barely flinched—cold as an ancient stone statue standing watch since forgotten ages. But beside him, Zayyan immediately tensed, his eyes widened, breath quickened. Fear, anxiety, and shock mixed together on a face that was usually so calm.
But the most explosive reaction came from Aiden.
His voice erupted like lightning splitting the night sky. He stepped forward with eyes burning like embers, his jaw clenched, and his fists so tight they looked like they could punch straight through Arion's chest. In a flash, he almost lunged—ready to grab Arion by the throat, burning with boiling rage.
But his body couldn't move any further.
Archer stopped him.
With a single, small movement of his fingers, as if pulling on an invisible thread, he yanked control from Aiden. Aiden's soul was instantly locked within his own body. He growled, furious, like a wild beast chained against its will, but he couldn't defy Archer's command.
Meanwhile, Archer—still calm, completely untouched by the chaos around him—spoke in a flat tone, yet one sharp enough to cut through the air:
"We cannot allow them to remain in the hands of strangers... especially Gavrilo."
"Tonight, we must find them."
He turned to Arion.
"Prince, come with us. The rest of you stay in Wastu. Send word if anything new comes up."
Without wasting a moment, the four of them moved, slipping through the shadows of the night toward the place where Gavrilo and Nate had vanished. Their steps were swift, silent—like hunters treading cursed earth.
When they arrived at the location, the air felt different—colder, thicker. As if the place still held the whisper of ancient magic drifting through its walls and pavement.
Archer stood still, scanning the area with a gaze that seemed to pierce through dimensions.
"Tell me everything from the beginning."
Arion tried to recall. His voice was soft, as if afraid to disturb the spirits of the place.
"I... accidentally bumped into someone. Around my age, I think. That's all. After that... Gavrilo and Nate just vanished."
Zayyan closed his eyes with a faint smile. In silence, he took a slow breath, then gave a small shake of his head—not out of anger, but disappointment.
"You fell for an old trick, prince."
He opened his eyes, sharp like two daggers piercing through the night fog.
"That was a thief's tactic. They pretend to bump into you—to distract. That's when their hands do the work, taking what matters most… and in this case, more than just an item."
Arion lowered his head. Guilt began to wrap around his body like a cold mist sinking into the bones.
"Did you see their face?" Archer asked.
Arion shook his head.
"No… I didn't get the chance. But the last I saw… they went down a small alley near a café, at the end of that road."
Archer looked toward the direction indicated. A narrow street that looked ordinary… but tonight, it felt like the mouth of a cave leading to another dimension.
Without another word, Archer and his two brothers stepped forward.
"Let's go," he said, coldly.
And into the darkness… they went.