The town was quiet the next morning, but Frank knew better. Silence was rarely a sign of safety—it was the calm before the storm.
He walked through the marketplace, checking in with the vendors and townsfolk. Their gratitude was quiet, almost fearful, as if they didn't yet know whether to trust the boy who had saved them. Frank didn't mind. Recognition was not his goal; protection was.
But as he rounded a corner, he felt it—a presence, heavy and deliberate, just out of the corner of his eye. He stopped.
A tall figure, cloaked in black, watched from the rooftops. Not moving, just observing. Frank froze, heartbeat steady but tense.
"So, the little hero shows himself," a voice whispered from the shadows. It wasn't loud, but it carried, dripping with malice.
Frank's grip tightened on his stick. "Who are you?" he called.
The figure didn't answer. Instead, they vanished as suddenly as they appeared, leaving only a faint echo of their presence.
Frank's mind raced. Whoever this was, they weren't one of the hooded attackers—they were far more calculating, far more dangerous. Someone who had been watching, studying his movements, waiting for the right moment.
Leo appeared behind him, eyes wide. "Spenser… did you see that?"
Frank nodded. "Yes. And we're no longer just defending ourselves from random attacks. Someone is targeting the town, and now they've noticed us."
He scanned the rooftops and alleys, imagining the figure observing, waiting, planning. Frank felt a thrill of fear—and excitement. Fear, because the danger was real. Excitement, because this was the first time the stakes had become truly personal.
"The time for learning in silence is over," Frank said. "We have to prepare. The town needs more than a boy who stands. It needs a protector. And that means training, planning, and anticipating every move before it happens."
Leo's hands clenched into fists. "Then let's get ready. I want to help."
Frank nodded, placing a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "Good. We'll face them together. But remember—this is only the beginning. Whoever that is, they're patient. They're smart. And they'll test us."
The shadow of the figure lingered in Frank's mind, a dark mark against the town's morning light.
And somewhere deep in the alleys, a whisper floated on the wind: