8848

Ren's legs were about to give out from all the walking. The sudden change in weather had given him a headache. The sun was painfully burning his skin, and his hand was sweaty as he gripped Lily's hand. Haku must have felt the same, as she let go of the orange-haired girl for a moment to wipe her palms on her clothes.

A familiar pain took hold of Ren, consuming his rapidly pounding heart. The vein in his wrist began to throb disturbingly as he massaged his chest in a circular motion. His overall well-being significantly decreased, and he anxiously gritted his teeth.

Lily, as if she had heard his heart's anxious rhythm, leaned closer and asked under her breath. "Are you okay? Is it your chest again?"

Ren shook his head, not wanting to worry her. "I'm just tired."

Lily's lips parted to answer when she suddenly turned her head and stared at the bushes.

Ren and Haku exchanged a confused glance, not understanding what the girl, who couldn't see anything, was looking at.

"Wait!" Lily shushed them, her index finger to her lips, her ears pricked. "Someone's here."

Ren had heard that when one sense is lost, the others become stronger, but he never thought it would be so much that it would surpass an oni's hearing.

"A human," the orange-haired girl continued.

She let go of their hands and cautiously approached the sound that only she could hear. Ren and Haku both reached out to her at the same time, ready to lend a helping hand if she stumbled.

Lily pushed some bushes aside to get through them and reach the person rustling about nearby.

"Ezekiel?"

Zel was sitting on the ground, eating something off a skewer. With a full mouth, he looked up at the three people standing over him. It took him a few moments to comprehend what was happening. Ren questioned whether he could really survive alone in the wilderness if he were this slow.

"Where have you guys been? I got here 2 days ago, but I couldn't find you anywhere!" He jumped up, hugging all three tightly to his chest, like a dad, and moving them aside, looking up and down on them with a mix of curiosity and concern, checking if they were healthy.

A silent pause. No one knew what to say until Haku finally broke the silence with a pained confession.

"Lily went blind!"

Ren instinctively stepped on her foot, making her jump and swallow a yelp. It was like he'd stepped on a cat's tail.

Zel's hand dropped from Ren's shoulder, and his mouth fell open in shock. He took Lily's hand, his expression now one of deep worry. "What is Haku talking about?"

Lily pulled her hand away gently, a sad smile on her face. "He's just exaggerating. Actually, I can see everything, just in a total blur." She scratched her ear as if embarrassed. "Luckily, your appearances have such a strong contrast that I can find you anytime."

Ren had blue hair, a color he had never seen on anyone else. Zel's brown skin was accentuated by his long black curls and dark, shimmering eyes. And Haku... Ren could imagine the red blob that she must look like. She was clearly the most unique among them.

Zel looked at all three of them expectantly, his face a mask of concern. Besides them, no one knew about the gaping hole in the mountain, the world beyond it, or the people who lived there, born without magic. And they didn't know if they wanted to endanger Zel or anyone else.

"We tried to go through the forest next to the mountain," Ren lied, his voice flat. "A strange, never-before-seen animal attacked us. The fog was so thick we couldn't see anything, so Lily used her magic to guide us through it. But she used it for too long, and..." he paused for a moment and looked at the girl. She seemed completely normal. Her eyes still sparkled, and most of the time she made eye contact with him when he was talking to her.

Zel didn't look convinced by Ren's made-up story, but his worry was bigger, so he slid his hand down, grabbing the girl's wrist, "Come on! I'll take you home."

"I can't go back!" Lily shook him off as she stepped back like a scared animal.

Zel's hand dropped to his side. He looked like the rejection hurt him. "Why not? You can't be outside like this! It's dangerous!"

"I've been poisoned!" she shouted, silencing everyone. All that could be heard was the chirping of birds. She lowered her voice as she spoke in a pained tone. "And we're not children anymore, Ezekiel. Leave me alone!"

Pushing Ren's shoulder, she stormed off. Haku gave the two boys an apologetic look and followed her.

Zel reeled back, his mind a whirlwind. He didn't sit down this time. He just stood there, his eyes wide in disbelief. "How did she find out? I mean, what makes her think that? And who poisoned her?" he asked, his voice now a strained whisper.

"It's a long story. And it might not even be true," Ren sighed, thinking that he would not like to believe snow-dusted people. Though Lily didn't seem to question it, she also had said she felt better when she restored the image of the mountain.

"What even happened to you guys? You all look so different," muttered Zel with unease. A faint half-smile crossed his lips, a small effort to mask his own emotions. "I have some good news. I investigated Sonja's case." Ren's throat tightened at the name. "A phantom possessed her. Sonja was long dead. You didn't kill her!"

Zel was examining his face, but the new information provided no reassurance to Ren. A strange feeling came over him—something wasn't right.

"Are you sure that's possible? It's written everywhere that phantoms don't possess people. They're too weak and stupid for it."

"I'm sure. We found a lot of phantom fragments at the crime scene and on what was left of her body. They were likely after you."

Ren leaned forward with his head resting on his hand. His brow was furrowed, suggesting he was deep in thought, contemplating the problem. "But why me?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe because of my power, or maybe because you're not from here. Either way, be careful!" Zel patted his shoulder with a more genuine smile. "But now you can officially enter Ivory Concord! What's more, you've become a hero for exposing a phantom disguised as a human!"

With a small smile, Ren let Zel shake his shoulder enthusiastically. But the fact that phantoms could possess people completely terrified him. How was he supposed to know which people were good and which were not?

The quiet between them was a heavy, suffocating blanket. The conversation about phantoms and possession had left a chilling weight in the air.

Zel's arm suddenly wrapped around Ren's shoulder, a small gesture to break the tension. He pointed to both of them with his free hand.

"Look at us," Zel said, a forced, but genuine, smile on his face. "Now there are two heroes!"

The words, meant to be light, fell a little flat in the heavy atmosphere. Ren felt the irony of it all. He still felt like he didn't know anything about this world, but he had already become a hero.

Zel suddenly jumped up, the smell of burnt hair and smoking fabric filling the air. His short black cape, which was over his armor, caught fire. He started running around in circles, trying to put out the burning material while screaming. He threw himself back into the grass, his limbs going stiff. Then, with an accusatory look, he sat up and pointed at a distance.

"You! I know it was you, Lily! You can't even see! How did you know you were setting me on fire and not Ren?"

A laugh was echoing above their head, and Lily and Haku appeared out of nowhere. Lily was holding her stomach, with teary eyes, while Haku stood with a straight face that was weird for her. She looked like she was too deep in thought to enjoy the comedy that was unfolding in front of her.

While the others were arguing, Haku suddenly began to talk in a quiet voice, yet they all fell silent. Her thick red eyebrows curved in a worried expression.

"Could we go to Ebony Vow? I want to show you something."

They immediately set off without asking any questions.

Ebony Vow looked just the same; it was bustling. Unnoticed by the crowd, Zel moved through with his head wrapped in fabric.

Haku led them to a spacious building that served as the castle. Its door was open, and random people were coming in and out. A small, wooden door was nestled against the side of the house, built low to the ground, surrounded by grass and moss, hiding it from virgin eyes. This was a door that promised there was nothing but dust in a dark basement. Totally pointless to visit. The green grew thick, and a patch of leafy plants stood guard nearby. A small, simple handle was all that marked the surface, a single invitation to descend into the world below. They descended the steep stairs, disappearing into darkness. The musty air made Ren's nose twitch.

"8848," Haku's voice pierced the air.

The sound of a heavy lock clicking echoed in the darkness. A faint hum of power filled the air as the magic reacted to the password, and then, with a blinding flash, the lights turned on.