THE ONE WHO WE COULDN'T SAVE

As they settled into their seats and began ordering their meals, the group fell into a serious discussion. The soft hum of conversation and the clinking of dishes surrounded them, but their focus remained sharp.

"We need to decide where to start searching," Alisan said, resting her chin on her hand. "The capital is massive, and if Dylan came through here, he could be anywhere."

"Should we split up?" Axel suggested, tapping the table with his fingers. "It might be faster if we cover more ground."

Galland shook his head. "Splitting up in a place this big could get us lost or worse. If Dylan's in trouble, we won't be able to back each other up quickly."

"Good point," Alisan agreed. "We stick together for now and focus on key areas places where he might seek shelter or someone who might've seen him."

Baskar leaned back, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "We'll start with the main market. That's where travelers gather. Someone might have noticed him there."

As their meals arrived, the conversation paused for a moment, replaced by the clatter of silverware and the comforting smell of warm food. Despite the brief respite, their thoughts remained on Dylan and the growing sense of urgency.

As they ate, the discussion continued. Between bites of their meal, they settled on a plan.

"Alright," Baskar said, setting his cup down. "We'll split into three groups. We'll cover more ground that way but stay within the capital's central district. No wandering too far."

"Good call," Cauis agreed with a grin. "I'll go with Alisan. We'll check the residential areas and nearby taverns. If Dylan's hiding, someone there might've seen him."

"I'll stick with June," Axel said confidently. "We'll search the market and the city square. He might've passed through there."

Baskar nodded. "Galland and I will check the more isolated areas places near the gates and less-traveled streets. If he left the city or got into trouble, we'll pick up his trail there."

"Meet back here in two hours," Alisan suggested, glancing at each of them. "If anyone finds something, we'll regroup sooner."

With the plan in place, they quickly finished their meals and prepared to set out, determination burning in their eyes.

As they searched, they began asking around, describing Dylan's appearance. "Have you seen a young man with purple hair?" Cauis asked a shopkeeper near the market square.

The man shook his head. "No one like that comes to mind. Sorry."

Alisan turned to a group of children playing nearby. "Hey, kids. Have you seen a guy with purple hair around here recently?"

One of the boys paused, thinking. "Purple hair? That's rare. I think I saw someone like that near the fountain a couple of days ago!"

Meanwhile, Axel and June were combing through the crowded market, stopping by food stalls and merchants. "Excuse me," June asked a fruit vendor, "we're looking for someone purple hair, a bit taller than me. Have you seen him?"

The vendor furrowed his brow. "Hmm… I did see someone like that, but it was brief. He seemed like he was in a hurry, heading toward the western district."

Axel glanced at June. "That could be something."

In another part of the city, Baskar and Galland were speaking to a guard near the southern gate. "We're looking for a friend purple hair, might've passed through here recently," Baskar said.

The guard crossed his arms. "Purple hair… yeah, someone like that caught my attention. He seemed a bit out of place but didn't cause any trouble. He was last seen walking toward the old guildhall."

Each group gathered bits and pieces of information, slowly piecing together a trail that hinted at Dylan's recent presence.

As they all regrouped in the central square, the setting sun bathed the city in hues of orange and red. Each group shared what they had discovered, but the pieces didn't form a clear path.

"Looks like we missed him," Axel muttered, frustration clear in his voice.

"We got close," June said quietly, her gaze fixed on the cobblestone street. "But it wasn't enough."

Cauis crossed his arms. "Either he's keeping a low profile, or he left the city altogether."

Alisan looked at Baskar. "What's our next move? Do we keep searching here, or do we expand beyond the city?"

Baskar sighed, deep in thought. "We'll rest for the night. Tomorrow, we'll decide if we stay or move on. If Dylan's still in the area, we'll find him."

Galland nodded. "I'll try to recover my mana as quickly as possible. If we need to move fast, teleportation will be our best option."

Suddenly, a small voice interrupted their conversation.

"Are you guys looking for a purple-haired brother?"

They all turned toward the sound, finding a young girl no older than eight standing nearby. She wore a simple dress that looked slightly worn, but her sandals and the small satchel at her side were noticeably new. A delicate bracelet dangled from her wrist, and she clutched a small wooden toy in her hands.

With a bright, innocent voice, she said, "A purple-haired brother bought me these clothes and treated me to a nice meal. He was really kind."

June crouched down, a soft smile on her face. "Did he say where he was going?"

The girl tilted her head thoughtfully. "He didn't say, but he looked worried. After we ate, he walked toward the east gate with some strange men."

Axel exchanged a glance with Baskar. "Strange men? What did they look like?"

"They wore dark cloaks," the girl said quietly, gripping her toy a little tighter. "They didn't seem nice at all."

Baskar nodded, his expression serious. "Thank you for telling us. You've been a big help."

The girl smiled shyly. "I hope you find him."

June gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We will. Stay safe, okay?"

The group quickly turned toward the eastern part of the city, their determination renewed.

As they reached the eastern part of the city, they noticed a building reduced to rubble. Civilians had gathered around, murmuring among themselves, their faces a mixture of fear and confusion.

"What happened here?" Axel asked one of the onlookers, his eyes scanning the debris.

The man shook his head, his voice trembling. "It just... exploded out of nowhere. Some people said they saw strange figures in dark cloaks entering before it happened."

Baskar narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to inspect the wreckage. "Dark cloaks… just like the girl said."

Alisan's grip on her staff tightened. "We're getting closer, but this doesn't feel right."

June took a deep breath, frost forming around her fingers unconsciously. "We should be careful. If they did this, they're dangerous."

Galland glanced at the others. "We should ask around. Someone must have seen more before this happened."

The group split up again, questioning the frightened crowd, hoping to piece together what led to the building's destruction.

Suddenly, the rubble shifted, and a dark figure burst out a demon corrupted creature with tattered wings and glowing red eyes. It screeched, flapping frantically as it tried to escape, its body marked with deep slashes, black blood dripping onto the stone.

The crowd scattered in fear as the creature soared above the street, panic spreading like wildfire. It wasn't just fleeing it was being hunted.

A moment later, a hooded figure emerged from the shadows of the crumbled building, a blade crackling with blue energy in their hand. Their gaze locked on the fleeing demon, radiating an aura of power and relentless determination.

Axel clenched his fists, stepping forward. "We've got trouble. Should we stop it?"

Baskar's eyes followed the fleeing demon. "No… Not yet. Let's see who's chasing it first."

The hooded figure leapt onto a nearby rooftop with incredible speed, continuing the pursuit without a word.

"Whoever they are," June whispered, her breath visible in the cold air she conjured unconsciously, "they're strong."

Alisan nodded, already preparing her staff. "We might have just found another piece of the puzzle."

"Let's follow them," Baskar commanded. "But be ready for anything."

They sprinted after the hooded figure, weaving through the narrow streets as the hunt unfolded before their eyes.

The demon flew erratically, its wings beating in desperation as it tried to shake off the relentless hooded figure. Its eyes darted wildly, searching for an escape route, but the figure was always a step ahead, moving with almost inhuman speed.

It veered through narrow alleys and across rooftops, knocking over market stalls and scattering debris in its path. Civilians screamed, scrambling to get out of the way.

The hooded figure remained silent, their glowing blade slicing through the air, sending arcs of blue energy that barely missed the demon. The creature shrieked, twisting mid flight to avoid the attacks, but the fear in its eyes grew more evident with each passing second.

"That thing is terrified," Alisan said, her eyes narrowing. "Not of us but of them."

Before anyone could respond, the demon made a desperate dive, heading straight for the crowd below, hoping to use the chaos as cover. But the hooded figure raised a hand, summoning a surge of energy that cut off its escape.

"It's cornered," June said, gripping her staff. "What now?"

"Let's get closer," Baskar muttered, eyes fixed on the scene. "We need to know who that hunter is before we decide our next move."

The demon thrashed in panic, its wings flapping erratically as it screeched, "You are part of us! You have the same energy as our lord! Why are you attacking me?! Aren't we allies?!"

The hooded figure remained eerily silent, their presence suffocating. They raised a hand, crackling with blue lightning. Dozens of lightning javelins formed around them, illuminating the dark alley with a blinding light.

"Answer me!" the demon shrieked, eyes wide with terror. But no response came.

With a swift motion, the hooded figure released the javelins. They shot through the air, striking the demon from all sides. The ground trembled from the impact as the creature let out one final, agonized cry before collapsing into a heap of ash and shadowy residue.

The crowd watched in stunned silence, frozen by the sudden display of power.

Axel clenched his fists, his eyes never leaving the hooded figure. "Who the hell is that...?"

June's breath caught in her throat, gripping her staff tighter. "That energy... it feels like Dylan's, but… darker."

Baskar narrowed his eyes, stepping forward cautiously. "Stay on guard. Whoever they are, they're no ordinary hunter."

The hooded figure lowered their hand slowly, turning their head slightly toward the group. Though their face remained hidden beneath the cloak, the weight of their gaze sent a chill down everyone's spine. Then, without a word, the figure vanished in a crackling surge of lightning.

Baskar's eyes widened in surprise as the hooded figure disappeared in a flash of lightning, leaving only a trail of scorched ground behind. "That speed... it's unreal," he muttered, scanning the area for any trace of the figure. "I've seen some fast ones in my time, but this… that was something else entirely."

Axel crossed his arms, visibly tense. "No way a normal person can move like that. Did you see how fast they vanished? Almost like they were part of the lightning itself."

June nodded, her brow furrowed. "It felt almost... unnatural. Like they weren't just using magic they became the magic."

Galland rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Whoever they are, they've mastered high-level lightning magic to an absurd degree. We need to find out who they are… and why they were hunting that demon."

As the group turned, they found a young woman standing behind them, her face partially obscured by the hood of a weathered cloak. Her eyes glowed faintly with a golden hue, and her voice was calm but carried an air of urgency.

"That's not a normal demon," she said. "It's been influenced by the Rift, corrupted beyond recognition. Once it falls under the Rift's control, it becomes nothing more than a mindless beast, driven by a single instinct to kill."

Baskar's gaze sharpened. "And who are you? You seem to know a lot about the Rift's corruption."

The woman slowly lowered her hood, revealing familiar features long chestnut-brown hair framing her face, her sharp eyes gleaming with confidence. "Let's just say I've been dealing with the Rift for a while." She paused, her expression hardening. "The name's Izzy."

Axel narrowed his eyes. "And why should we trust you?"

Izzy tilted her head, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "You don't have to. But if you care about finding that purple-haired friend of yours, you'll want to listen."

June stepped closer, her eyes fixed on Izzy. "You've seen him?"

Izzy crossed her arms, leaning casually against a nearby wall. "Yeah, we were companions not too long ago. We've been traveling together… well, up until recently."

Izzy crossed her arms, leaning casually against a nearby wall. "Yeah, we were in a party right now, but he's been doing his own thing lately. You know how he is shows up when he feels like it and disappears just as fast."

Axel narrowed his eyes. "That sounds like him, but how do we know you're not just spinning a story? What's your connection to him?"

Izzy smirked, unfazed. "We've got history. I'm not some stranger. I've got as much reason to find him as you do."

June stepped in, her tone more measured. "If you were traveling together before, then maybe you know something that could help. Any idea where he was headed next?"

Izzy tapped her chin thoughtfully. "He mentioned checking out the Port of Avaris, said he had a lead on something important. But like I said, we got separated before we got there."

Baskar crossed his arms, his eyes sharp. "If you're telling the truth, then we're on the same side. Help us track him down, and maybe we can trust you."

Izzy gave a small nod. "Deal. Trust or not, I'll help. We'll find him faster if we work together."

Izzy's expression shifted as a thought struck her. "Wait… I remember now. Dylan mentioned something about a relic. He said there was supposed to be one hidden somewhere in the Ashar Desert."

June replied, "We already checked the ancient dungeon. He wasn't there."

As the guard moved to inspect the area where the demon had fallen, Izzy crossed her arms, deep in thought. "Not too long before we got separated," she said slowly, "Dylan mentioned something about heading to the Plains of Vashar. He was after a sword—one that's supposed to be sealed there."

Baskar's eyes narrowed. "The Plains of Vashar… that's quite a dangerous place. If he's gone there, he must really want that weapon."

June looked concerned. "Then we need to go there next."

Axel crossed his arms. "Guess we've got our destination."

Izzy nodded. "We'll find him. I'm sure of it."