"Wakey, wakey, sunshine," a raspy voice pierced through Aeron's foggy mind. Groggily, he opened his eyes, his vision still blurred. His head throbbed, and as he tried to move, he realized he was tied to a chair.
Around him stood about ten people, their appearances ragged and unkempt. They looked like criminals—eyes glinting with malice and smirks plastered on their faces.
"Oye, he's awake," one of them exclaimed, nudging another.
"Where am I?" Aeron asked, his voice hoarse, struggling to take in his surroundings.
"In the sweet paradise of the Gutterfangs," another replied with a mocking grin.
Before the smirking man could continue, one of the others slapped him upside the head. "Don't call us that!"
The first one scowled, rubbing his head. "What's wrong with the name? It represents us well!"
"Shut up!" the other snapped, clearly embarrassed.
Aeron, still disoriented, strained to remember what had happened. The image of the monster flashed in his mind. Panic surged through him. "Where is that monster?!" Aeron shouted, his voice filled with rage and confusion.
From the corner of the dimly lit room, a familiar, eerie sound echoed. "Don't you know it's mean to call a cute little girl a monster?"
Aeron froze as he turned toward the voice. His heart sank. The same crying little girl stood there, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't you dare use that face!" Aeron snarled, his anger boiling over.
The girl's lips twisted into a wicked grin as her form began to change. Her small frame contorted, her skin rippling grotesquely until the hideous monster from the forest stood before him once more. "So you prefer this version of me?" it sneered. "How flattering."
Aeron's jaw tightened, his hands balling into fists against the ropes that bound him. "Who are you people?" he spat, his voice laced with disdain.
One of the criminals shrugged casually. "Oh, we're just your run-of-the-mill low-quality criminals."
"Hey, don't insult us like that!" another chimed in, feigning offense.
"Low quality is all we are," the first retorted, rolling his eyes.
The monster interjected with a sickeningly sweet tone, "I lure people here, they sell their internal organs, and I get to feast on what's left. Isn't it beautiful? Coexistence in perfect harmony."
"Harmony?" Aeron snapped, his eyes blazing. "You call this living in peace? How pathetic. Murdering innocents—what kind of harmony is that?"
One of the thugs leaned in close, pressing a knife to Aeron's throat. "Shut your mouth. What do you know about how hard it is to survive in this world?"
The criminal's eyes narrowed as he studied Aeron's uniform. "Wait a second… You're one of those soldiers from the other world, aren't you? Here to kill the Demon King, huh?"
The room erupted into laughter. "He can't even protect himself, and he thinks he can kill the Demon King?" one jeered.
Aeron gritted his teeth, his mind racing. "And you're the reason townspeople keep disappearing every day?" he accused, his voice steady despite the danger.
"So what if we are?" one of the criminals sneered. "What can you do about it? You won't live long enough to tell anyone."
A man in a blood-stained apron, clearly a doctor of sorts, stepped forward, inspecting Aeron like a butcher sizing up his next cut. "Let's just take out his organs and get this over with," he said, his tone cold and clinical.
The others stepped aside, giving the doctor room. One of them smirked, gesturing toward Aeron. "He's all yours, doc," he said in a mocking, singsong voice.
The laughter and jeers filled the room, but Aeron's mind was already racing, searching for a way out. The fear was there, but so was the fire.
When they were about to drag Aeron to the blood-stained table, a gunshot rang out, shattering the tense silence. A bullet pierced the shoulder of the closest criminal, causing him to collapse with a scream of agony.
"Smoke Veil!" Miley's voice echoed sharply as she cast a spell. Thick, swirling smoke erupted into the room, blinding everyone. The criminals coughed and stumbled, shouting in confusion as the dense fog robbed them of their sight.
The rusty door suddenly burst open with a loud crash. Kael stormed in like a force of nature, his figure barely visible through the haze. Without hesitation, he threw Aeron over his shoulder, securing his grip tightly.
"Get after him!" the monster roared in fury, her voice guttural and echoing. "Don't let them escape!"
"Earthen Barrier!" Miley's voice cut through the chaos as she cast another spell. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and chunks of dirt and stone surged upward, forming a makeshift wall that blocked the entrance. It groaned under the weight of the criminals attempting to smash through it, buying them precious time.
Kael sprinted through the dark forest, his footsteps light yet determined. The damp earth and rustling leaves blurred past him as Aeron groggily shifted on his shoulder.
"This is the second time I'm carrying you," Kael muttered, a hint of dry humor in his voice despite the urgency.
Aeron, still dazed and struggling to keep his eyes open, managed a faint grin. "You're still counting, huh?"
Behind them, muffled shouts and the distant sound of pursuit echoed through the woods.
"Barrier's weakening!" Miley called, running alongside them. "I can slow them down, but not for long."
"Don't stop running," Emma said breathlessly, glancing over her shoulder.
As they broke through the tree line and re-entered the town, Emma let out a sigh of relief. "I think we're safe now," she said, though her voice still carried a note of caution.
Kael gently set Aeron down on the ground, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?"
Aeron nodded weakly. "Yeah...I'm ok," he replied, though his pale complexion betrayed his words.
"You don't look so good," Emma said, kneeling beside him with worry in her eyes.
"Don't worry," Aeron reassured her, his voice low but steady. "I'm fine."
"How did you guys even find me?" he asked, trying to shift into a sitting position but failing.
"When we noticed you were missing, we asked the locals. They saw you leaving with a girl, heading into the forest," Emma explained, still watching him closely. "What happened out there?"
Aeron managed a small smirk despite the pain. "I solved the missing case." He tried to stand, but his legs gave out, and he sank back down with a grunt.
"Take it easy!" Emma said, steadying him.
"What did you find out about the missing case?" Kael pressed, his voice calm but firm.
Later that night…
"This will be your quarters for the night," Leo said, gesturing to the modest room in front of them.
Aeron and the others stepped inside, their eyes scanning the simple space. The room was furnished with two double beds, a small wooden table, and a lantern that cast a faint, flickering glow.
"All of us have to share this room?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow.
Leo sighed, his expression apologetic. "With the recent missing cases, the town's economy has taken a heavy hit. We can't afford anything better at the moment. I hope you'll understand."
Kael shook his head, offering a reassuring smile. "It's alright. Thank you for everything you've done for us."
Leo gave a small nod, relief flashing across his face. "See you in the morning. Rest well." He closed the door gently behind him, leaving the group in silence.
A few moments later…
"You should get some sleep," Kael said, his voice steady as he glanced at Aeron, who was staring at the celling.
"I can't sleep," Aeron murmured, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
"Still thinking about what happened today?" Kael asked, his tone softer now.
"It's stuck in my head," Aeron admitted, running a hand through his hair. His face was pale, his usual resolve buried under the weight of the day's events.
Kael leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms. "From what you've described, that creature is Morgra. She's no ordinary monster—that's a tough one to deal with," Kael said thoughtfully. His voice dropped slightly, almost as if speaking to himself. "Who would've thought that monsters and humans could work together like that... for something so horrifying."
When no response came, Kael turned his head. He found Aeron had fallen asleep mid-thought, exhaustion finally taking over.
Kael let out a quiet sigh and pulled the blanket over Aeron, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Goodnight, Aeron," he whispered.
On the other side of the room, Emma lay awake, her golden eyes glinting faintly in the dim light. She had heard every word of their exchange. Her face was calm, but her mind was racing, replaying Aeron's account of the monster and the criminals. A sense of unease settled in her chest as she stared at the ceiling, the weight of their mission pressing down on her.
Kael shifted, closing his eyes. Soon, the room fell silent, save for the soft rhythm of their breathing and the distant murmur of the river outside.