The heavy wooden doors burst open with a loud thud.
"Commander! I—I have urgent news!" Ahriman stumbled into the office, his breath ragged, his face paler than usual. Sweat glistened on his brow, and his wide, frantic eyes darted across the room.
Jafar, who had been focused on sorting through a mountain of documents, tensed at the intrusion. He turned toward the disheveled figure in the doorway, his concern evident. Erebus, however, barely lifted his gaze from the stack of parchment before him.
"At this hour?" Erebus muttered, his voice edged with irritation. "Make it quick."
Ahriman struggled to steady his breath. "T-The Mistress… Y-Your wife—she—" He faltered, the weight of his words strangling his voice.
Erebus set his papers down deliberately. His dark eyes, cold and unreadable, locked onto Ahriman with unsettling intensity. "What about her?"
Ahriman swallowed hard. "She's… gone missing."
The words crashed into the room like a thunderclap.
"What?" Jafar's response was immediate, sharp.
Erebus remained still, his expression unreadable, but the air in the room shifted. The subtle clench of his jaw, the slow curl of his fingers into a fist—Jafar could sense the storm brewing beneath his composure.
"Explain," Erebus demanded, his voice unnervingly calm. A dark aura seemed to radiate from him, heavy and suffocating. "Where were you?"
Ahriman stiffened. He could feel the fury simmering beneath his master's exterior, waiting to consume him.
"This isn't the time for interrogation, Master," Jafar interjected hurriedly. "The Lady is our priority. If an intruder is involved, we must act swiftly. Ahriman, take us to the last place you saw her."
Erebus exhaled sharply, pushing aside the papers. Without another word, he strode out of the room, the others trailing behind.
---
The corridors were dimly lit by flickering sconces, casting restless shadows against the stone walls.
"Where is Nemesis?" Erebus asked as they climbed the stairs to the second floor.
"The young Lord was asleep, my Lord," Ahriman answered quickly. "The Lady wished to visit the garden of ice, and she insisted I escort her. She—she then asked me to fetch her medicine, and I had no choice but to obey her command."
He hesitated, feeling Erebus's gaze pierce through him like a blade.
That look… He's furious. He'll kill me this time.
"Jafar," Erebus said without breaking stride, "question the staff. Find out if anyone was on this floor before she disappeared. As for you—" He turned to Ahriman. "Summon all squadrons to the main hall. You and Ciaran will oversee the investigation within the territory."
Jafar nodded and rushed off while Ahriman quickly departed to fulfill his orders.
A faint disturbance in the air made Erebus pause. Something… shifted.
Beneath his boot, something metallic glinted in the dim light. He stepped back and crouched, picking up a small, familiar piece of metal.
Leo's collar…
A breeze stirred unnaturally around him, sending a faint ripple through the air. His gaze sharpened as realization dawned.
"Illusion traps," he muttered.
His eyes darted around the corridor. If illusion trap was triggered, then—
"Don't tell me…"
He pressed his hand against the cold stone wall, searching for a trigger, a hidden mechanism—anything that would reveal the trap's secret. But after several futile attempts, frustration gnawed at him.
With a sharp exhale, he turned on his heel and strode out of the building.
---
Outside, the fortress was in turmoil. Squadrons of soldiers spread out in teams, scouring the territory for any trace of their Mistress.
Erebus glanced up at the sky. The sun hung high, painting the heavens in an unsettlingly vibrant blue. The season was shifting, a reminder of time's indifferent march forward.
Wisps of ethereal blue light flickered into existence around him. The fire-like entities danced, spiraling in tight circles before aligning themselves in a row.
They're guiding me....
With an impatient grunt, he followed their lead. They wove through the outer courtyards, past the towering fortress walls, until they arrived at the colossal stone statues guarding the gates. Erebus knew this place well—his wife seldom ventured here.
Still, he followed the wisps as they hovered before an ancient stone wall engraved with intricate patterns.
He placed his hand at the center of the glowing formation. The air pulsed. The stone beneath his palm drank in his power, drawing on his essence. A deep, rumbling sound echoed as the wall shifted, revealing a dark passage beyond.
Erebus narrowed his eyes.
"A hidden passage… leading underground?"
He stepped through cautiously, ensuring no one had followed him.
---
The air inside was thick and damp, heavy with the scent of mildew and ancient stone. No torches lined the walls, but Erebus had no trouble adjusting to the darkness.
For ten long minutes, he walked in silence until the passage split into four separate tunnels.
He studied them carefully. The first two were narrow, only wide enough for a human to pass. The third was broader—large enough for wagons or beasts of burden. The fourth, however, was… strange.
He inhaled deeply, analyzing the scents.
The wide passage reeked of animal musk and decay. One of the narrow ones carried the stench of rot and blood. The others smelled only of damp stone and stale air, with a faint breeze drifting from the depths.
His gut twisted.
If she was taken, they wouldn't have brought her through the open routes.
Grimacing, he chose the tunnel tainted with the unmistakable stench of death.
---
The darkness thickened as he advanced. The sound of shackles rattling, muffled cries, and low groans slithered through the air. Erebus clenched his fists.
He knew this place.
The underground dungeon.
The prison where only the most wretched criminals were condemned to rot.
His steps slowed. She wouldn't have come here willingly… The mere sight of blood made her faint.
Did I choose the wrong path?
Doubt clawed at him—until a faint, familiar scent reached his nose.
He stiffened.
His pulse quickened.
"It's hers."
Luciana had been here.
And that meant—she was in more danger than he had feared.