As he kept running, despite being short of breath, a strange question suddenly crossed his mind. Zavi instinctively slowed his pace, speaking to himself.
Who was he really? How did he know that a group of robed men was in the Forgenate District?
He glanced sideways and saw Ren's serious expression, as if he were hiding something. Zavi shook his head. He chose to focus on saving his mother first and investigate everything else later.
Twenty minutes later, not far from where they were, two different roads appeared; the one on the right led to the Tezny District, while the one on the left led to the Forgenate District.
He scanned his surroundings before turning left.
Zavi realized it after walking down that road.
It felt strange, unsettling, and faint whispers drifted through the air. His thoughts began to wander into darker places.
A streetlamp flickered on his left, while on the right, the shadows of buildings and his own shadow ran alongside him.
He slipped his right hand into the pocket of his coat, ready to draw his revolver if anyone tried to harm him.
Not long after that, the two of them paused briefly to catch their breath, then continued forward, entering the Forgenate District.
Meanwhile, Zavi took out his pocket watch, opened the cover, and saw that it showed 6:45 p.m. His eyes widened. He realized it had already been forty minutes since he left home.
He closed the watch and slipped it back into his trouser pocket. Zavi took two steps forward, approaching Ren, who was shaking out his shirt.
"Is it still far?" Zavi asked, breathing heavily.
"No," Ren replied casually. Then he added, "And there's no need to hide anything, Zavi. I know you're suspicious of me. Just say it." His blue eyes stared without blinking.
"You mean…?" Zavi stammered.
"Hmph, forget what I just said." Ren turned away and gestured with his chin, signaling that it was time to move.
Zavi ran behind him, still thinking about his brother's words. Remembering them only made him more irritated.
"Damn him," he muttered with a cynical smile, recalling Ren's almost mocking expression.
Suddenly, in front of them, a group of evil spirits appeared, flying rapidly toward them like bullets.
The spirits pierced straight through Zavi's body, and moments later, his body collapsed limply onto the stone road.
Ren heard the sound, turned around, and rushed to help his brother.
But it was too late. Zavi had already lost consciousness, and his soul was being dragged by the evil spirits to the realm where they resided.
Ren growled in fury, glaring at the group of spirits as they quickly turned back, intending to attack their next target, which was him.
"Damn evil spirits! Get out of this world!" Ren shouted.
He swiftly reached into his coat pocket, drew his pistol, and aimed it forward.
The spirits knew the gun would not affect them. Gray mist formed, shaping itself into a mocking smile.
Ren grinned wickedly, realizing they had underestimated him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Smoke poured from the barrel after the final shot. Three bullets streaked forward, shattering the smiling mist and piercing through a building wall.
Several evil spirits hovered silently in the air, merging into a single form resembling a human, but with a fish-like tail below.
The spirit burst into loud laughter. Its strange voice pierced Ren's ears, fueling his irritation. Moments later, purple-black grains the size of corn kernels appeared directly above the spirit.
Unnoticed by the evil spirit, the purple-black grains dripped down like rain. In an instant, the spirit's form shattered into fragments, growing smaller and smaller until its existence in this world vanished completely.
"Damn you, human," it screamed in its final second before disappearing.
The three bullets embedded in the wall pulled themselves free, flew backward, and slid back into Ren's pistol.
"Ugh, damn it," Ren muttered irritably as he returned the gun to his coat pocket.
He walked over to Zavi's unconscious body, trying to wake him and continue their journey as quickly as possible.
Zavi's consciousness slowly returned, and his eyes opened little by little.
"Where am I?" Zavi tried to sit up but failed. "Damn, my head hurts," he said softly, touching his forehead.
Ren glanced at him briefly without speaking. He bent down slightly, extending his arm to help his brother up.
"Take my hand."
Zavi froze when he heard Ren's words. His blue eyes shimmered as he stared intensely at his brother's face, and they locked eyes for several seconds.
At last, he smiled faintly and took Ren's hand before standing. Zavi realized he had just been saved by him.
Still, the suspicion he had felt earlier lingered in his mind. He wanted to voice what was swirling in his thoughts, but his tongue felt heavy. In the end, he chose to bury the questions in his heart.
Zavi brushed the dust off his coat and let out a deep breath.
"Thank you for helping me," he said briefly, even though he did not fully understand what Ren had done earlier.
As for the small purple-black orb, Ren did not tell Zavi that it was connected to his supernatural power.
He did not want his siblings to follow in his footsteps, and more than anything, Ren wanted them to live long lives and eventually have families of their own.
"Let's hurry. It's already dark, and if we're late, the robed group might leave Moran."
"So, can you move?" Ren asked coldly, though deep down he was worried about his brother's condition.
Since childhood, Zavi's body had always been weak. He could only lift loads under fifty kilograms, and anything heavier would overwhelm him no matter how much he forced himself.
Worst of all, he would pass out for hours. Their mother had worried about Zavi's condition from the time he was seven until he turned twenty.
Ren and Isabelle knew about it, but the original Zavi had thought it was nothing serious, believing it did not affect his body.
"Huh, I'm fine, even if my head's still throbbing," Zavi replied briefly.
Ren fell silent for a moment, thinking, before saying, "Don't push yourself. It's better to just go home."
Zavi seemed not to hear those words. He reassured his brother that he was fine and insisted on searching for their mother until they found her.
Hearing that, Ren was conflicted. He paused, thinking two steps ahead before deciding.
"The risk is on you," he said shortly.
Zavi responded with a nod. After that, the two of them decided to head toward the far edge of the Forgenate District, the largest area of the city, surrounded by several rows of trees.
Even though the distance between Chapena District and the town square was already far, not to mention Forgenate District, they did not give up on bringing their mother home.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the boundary between two areas. Before them stood a massive building, covered in green moss and thick bushes.
"They're here," Ren said, holding his breath as he pointed at the large iron gate.
"But how do we get inside?" Zavi asked awkwardly.
"Ah… in that case, let her distract them." Ren straightened his arm and opened his right palm.
Zavi was confused, not knowing what Ren was doing.
What is he actually doing? Is it some kind of divination, or more precisely, is he going to use a talisman? I know talismans in this world possess terrifying power, unlike those on Earth.
Moments later, from the middle of the road, a cold, piercing female voice echoed.
"So you're here, Master," the woman said as she walked closer.
Ren immediately turned, calmly approaching the long-haired black-haired woman. Her brown eyes stared at him intensely, and she wore a black lace dress adorned with gold accessories, bracelets, and gleaming rings on her ring finger.
"I placed you here correctly," Ren whispered softly. Then he continued, "Inside that building, there are several hostages, including my mother. Your task is to distract them, while my brother and I deal with some of the robed men. Maybe."
"Yes, Master," she replied coldly, then ran toward the building to carry out Ren's order.
Ren chuckled softly as he walked back to Zavi. "It's time to save them," he whispered, staring at the massive building covered in creeping vines.
Half an hour earlier, in the Chapena District. Isabelle sat on the white sofa, her hands clenched, hoping her brothers would return with their mother. Her anxiety made the living room feel even more suffocating.
A few seconds later, light footsteps approached from the direction of the door, making Isabelle turn her head instantly.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Isabelle swallowed hard. She stood up and walked closer, but fear stopped her a few steps from the door.
What if it isn't them?
She thought.
"Who's there?" Her voice trembled.
Silence. No answer.
Her instincts made her step back twice. Isabelle quickly turned, intending to go to her room. As she stepped onto the first stair, the knocking came again, this time accompanied by a cold wind creeping along her neck, as if something were whispering for her to open the door.
Isabelle froze. Fear tightened her chest, but staying silent only made the sound feel more insistent. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, curiosity forcing her to turn back and slowly approach the door.
Her trembling hand reached for the doorknob. The final knock still echoed in her ears, its rhythm slower now, yet commanding.
The air in the living room felt colder than before, as if something were standing right behind the door.
She took a deep breath and slowly turned the handle.
Click.
The door opened just wide enough for a hand to slip through. Isabelle peeked out, facing a woman with neatly tied black hair, wearing a black velvet hat adorned with a cream ribbon and a row of fine feathers curving elegantly at the top.
Her brown eyes glanced sharply at the visible part of Isabelle's face.
"Don't be afraid," she said gently. "My name is Zeta Audervin. Are your brothers inside the house?" she asked.
"Ah… Zavi? He left about fifteen minutes ago," Isabelle replied, her heart pounding. Afraid that the earlier knocking had been done by a supernatural being.
"Um… are you human?" Isabelle asked nervously.
Zeta tilted her head, confused, and answered with a single word. "No."
Isabelle's anxiety slowly eased, thinking the knocking had been done by a supernatural being or a prankster. Still, she had not expected a woman to be bold enough to come out at dusk.
"It might be better if we talk inside." Isabelle held the door slightly open as she waited for a response.
"No… thank you for the information," Zeta said indifferently.
She turned and walked away calmly, choosing to return to her own home. Her visit had been solely to ask how Forn had ended up in that state.
But she failed to find the cause since Zavi had already left. Like it or not, Zeta decided to visit again tomorrow and hoped Zavi would be home on Tuesday.
"What was with that woman?" Isabelle muttered in confusion, then quickly shut the door tightly.