Jackal shuffled down the bustling streets of Argentum, his cloak draping around him like a tattered shadow. The fabric was worn and frayed, marked by burn holes from the acidic spits of the giant centipedes they had encountered earlier.

He pulled his hood lower, trying to shield himself from the unfamiliar sights and sounds that engulfed him. He would gaze up looking for the floating pieces of lands that contained homes or other stalls but found none. The little Taivas thief wasn't used to this place as everything was solid and grounded, with streets that stretched endlessly, ending at points he couldn't see. The architecture itself was foreign, with gloomy buildings looming overhead, casting long shadows that made him feel small and vulnerable.

The air was also different from back home. Maybe it was because of his twinkling air magic that had an effect on how he felt towards the air or maybe it was because he was used to the air in Ventus, especially Taivas.

Jackal had always been nimble on his feet, but here, everything felt different. He glanced around, taking in the vibrant market stalls and the throngs of people, their laughter and voices swirling around him like a chaotic melody. It was overwhelming, and a knot of unease twisted in his stomach.

As he walked, he passed by a group of guards patrolling the street, their armour gleaming in the sunlight. Jackal felt a wave of nervousness wash over him. They were imposing figures, and he knew that if he were caught doing anything suspicious, there would be no escape. He had learned the art of slipping away in a crowd or escaping through the labyrinth of Taivas, but here, the streets were unfamiliar and could lead to any dead ends, leaving him with a gnawing sense of anxiety.

He had to constantly remind himself who he was right now "I'm just a dumb looking kid. A dumb looking kid. A dumb looking kid" he would murmur to himself.

Homura, who pranced along beside him was sneering at everything, Jackal could tell by the way the orange fox would bare his teeth at any passing person.

As they moved deeper into the heart of the city, Jackal's senses remained sharp, taking in the sights and sounds that buzzed around him. Merchants called out to potential customers, children laughed and chased each other, and the tantalising smells from food stalls wafted through the air. He ignore all that because he needed to find information, to make sure they were indeed in Argentum, as Artemis had instructed or he would get an ass whooping from Artemis-sensei.

However, there was a temptation to lift something—anything—from the nearby stalls was strong, the colourful trinkets and shiny goods calling to him like a siren's song. But he forced himself to resist. He clenched his fists, feeling the rough texture of his cloak beneath his fingertips. "Focus," he whispered to himself, reminding himself of why he was here.

Stealing would only draw attention, and in this unfamiliar place, he couldn't afford to make mistakes.

Jackal's silver eyes would dart around from one person to another as he thought of his next move. Should he ask someone about their whereabouts or should he observe and find the information himself?

The slight wind made his cloak flap as walked along side with Homura. He would make sure not to lose his way, remembering each wooden building and stall so he could return back to the entrance gates and back to Artemis and Ciel who were waiting for their return with the information needed. The urge to bump into someone purposely just to slip his hand into one of their coin pouches was tempting.

Maybe just one harmless bump and a little theft along the way wouldn't hurt anyone.

So, the little thief deciding his little side quest, strolled along pretending to mind his own business as he strolled towards an incoming man and bumped into him.

"Oi! Brat watch where your going" he hissed, spatting out angrily.

"Sorry sir, I was in a daze and didn't watch where I was going" Jackal said sheepishly pretending to act innocent and oblivious.

Homura growled at tall figure and the man wrinkled his nose in disgust at the sight of Homura. "Tch filthy runt and his filthy dog" he grumbled and stormed off.

Beside him, Homura's demeanour shifted dramatically. The insult had struck a nerve, and the fox's eyes widened with fury. He bristled, his fur standing on end as he growled low in his throat, his instincts kicking in. Jackal was taken aback as Homura prepared to pounce; his wild eyes fixed on the retreating figure of the man.

"H-Homura, wait!" Jackal exclaimed, instinctively reaching out to grab the fox's tail just as he was about to leap. The moment he caught Homura, the fox wailed in protest, his anger flaring up as he twisted and bit Jackal's hand in retaliation. "Ow!" Jackal winced, pulling back instinctively and letting go of Homura's tail. The sharp sting of the bite sent a jolt through him, but he quickly composed himself, trying to suppress at the accomplishment of stealing a silver coin from the man.

Homura stood on all fours growling at the man, his sharp amber eyes glaring at the man as if surging up a plan to get back at him.

Jackal rubbed his hand that was slightly bleeding from Homura's bite. He wiped the oozing blood with his cloak as he watched the man disappear into a tavern.

"Let's go Homura. I got what I wanted" Jackal said with a supressed smile, his heart pumping with excitement at the silver coin he stole as he slipped into the pockets of his dirt covered and tattered trousers.

As they turned a corner, Jackal's ears pricked at the sound of two older men discussing something in hushed tones. He slowed his pace, instinctively leaning closer, and Homura, sensing his intent, fell silent, his ears twitching in curiosity. "...the execution is set for 2 days from now," one man said, his voice thick with worry. "They say the dragon will face the gallows along with the two others who got in the way of the Dragon Ministry."

Jackal's heart raced at the mention of the execution. This was the information he had been seeking. They were indeed in Argentum, and time was running short.

He stood and his attention shifted around, observing his surroundings, from building to person and the difference between Argentum and Taivas.

'So, this is what Argentum looks like.... Pretty ugly' he thought to himself believing Taivas was much more pleasant to the eyes than this dump.

Turning the soles of his shoes, he made a turn and began to walk back to where they had entered.

"Come Homura lets go" Jackal quipped with a jog and a look of relief etched on his expression, happy he could leave this unnerving and unfamiliar empire. Homura growled under his breath but followed suit of the young Taivas thief whose cloak flapped against the wind as he walked, making their way back to the entrance of the gate.

Jackal maneuvered his way through the throngs of people with practiced ease, his small frame and nimble feet making him almost invisible as he weaved past towering, well-dressed nobles and busy merchants. Beside him trotted Homura, the small fox whose red fur drew occasional curious glances. As he did, he passed a mercer's rack which caught his eyes, and he stopped to observe it.

There were cloaks and he immediate thought of Artemis-sensei and Ciel. They could use them to hide in Argentum without getting caught. Jackal glanced around cautiously, making sure no one paid too much attention as he approached a mercer's rack brimming with plain brown cloaks.

He carefully sifted through the coarse fabric of the cloaks, his fingers brushing over the edges as he selected two that looked large enough to shroud both Ciel and Artemis-sensei from prying eyes.

"Can I help you with something, boy?" The mercer, a stout man with a trimmed moustache and a disapproving frown, eyed Jackal's tattered clothes with visible distaste. Jackal's shirt was torn at the sleeves, his cloak and shoes peppered with holes from his last brush with a colony of giant centipedes and their acidic spit. Dirt smudged his face and hands, and his wild, unkempt hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush in months.

The mercer sneered, crossing his arms. "These aren't for beggars. On your way, boy."

Jackal glanced down at his clothes, momentarily self-conscious but quick to shrug it off. His chin lifted defiantly. "I'm buying these," he said, standing his ground, his hand moving to his pocket.

The mercer raised an eyebrow, looking Jackal up and down. "Oh? And how exactly are you planning to pay, rat? That fox of yours isn't worth much, I'm afraid," he scoffed, casting a disdainful glance at Homura, who let out a low, warning growl.

Jackal frowned but was unfazed by the mercer's words, the thief was used to these kinds of treatments.

They weren't new to him.

He reached into his pocket, feeling the weight of the silver, he'd swiped earlier, but decided against using it. Instead, he pulled out a handful of copper coins, that were changes of the blade he got from the gold he gave.

"I'm paying," Jackal insisted, his tone sharp and confident, holding out the coppers. The mercer hesitated, surprised that Jackal had any money at all. He reached out to take the coins but held them back for a moment.

"Fine," he grumbled, taking a closer look at Jackal's filthy attire. "But you'd better not dirty the fabric with those grubby hands."

Jackal felt his cheeks burn but didn't let it show. "I'll take two cloaks," he replied, flicking the coins into the mercer's hand.

Reluctantly, the man handed over the cloaks, muttering something under his breath about "ragged urchins" and "wasting good fabric on street rats." Jackal's nose wrinkled in annoyance but said nothing as he took the cloaks and tucked them under his arm.

"Come on, Homura," he murmured, nudging the fox, who was now baring his tiny, sharp teeth at the mercer. Together, they slipped back into the crowd, Homura casting one last glare over his shoulder at the oblivious merchant.

Once they were a safe distance away, Jackal stopped in a quiet alley to inspect the cloaks. He gave one a shake, feeling the satisfying weight of the woollen fabric. Though they were simple, the cloaks were sturdy and would blend well into any crowd.

Homura gave a soft chuff as if to say, nice work.

Jackal beamed with a giant grin that went from ear to ear. The little thief clutched the cloaks tightly as he slipped through the bustling streets, heading toward the city gates where he planned to reunite with Ciel and Artemis-sensei outside in the forest.

As he neared the shadow of the towering city gates, he slowed down. A group of knights, clad in Auruem's dark blue and silver armour emblazoned with the royal crest of Aurum, stood blocking part of the path. They were deep in conversation, oblivious to Jackal as he edged closer, half-hidden behind a wooden cart stacked with barrels. The tone of their voices had drawn his attention; they sounded tense, guarded, even a little fearful.

"...Another cave, this time north of River Town," one knight muttered, scratching the edge of his jaw. His face was pale, as though haunted by whatever he had seen. "Farmers have left in droves. Said they found ritual markings on the walls. Dark shit."

"Same story as the last three reports. Hands severed and placed in circles around a fire pit, blood sigils... it's the Dark Users, no doubt," replied another, his voice carrying a chill that raised the hairs on Jackal's neck.

The youngest of the group, barely more than a squire, glanced nervously at his companions. "I thought the Dark Users were gone, or at least... hidden. Why are they appearing now? And...what are they trying to accomplish with these... sacrifices?"

The first knight's jaw tightened, his expression turning grim. "It's no coincidence. These sacrifices aren't random. We all know about the locks, right? The ancient seals holding the orcs in the Mountains of Ithora? There are rumours... whispers that these rituals, these... offerings... are meant to break the seals. The Dark Users are trying to unleash them again."

"Orcs," muttered the younger knight, his face paling. "They can't really break the seals, can they?"

"I just thought it was just a legend. Like the Great King" another knight said chiming in.

"Who knows?" The older knight replied, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "But there's something else. There's been talk of something even worse... a shadow that moves between these caves, something that's no longer human. Farmers who hear screeching cries in the forest say they feel it watching them, following them back even when they flee to the cities."

Jackal's fingers tightened around the cloaks, his pulse racing as he pieced together the knights' words. Dark Users, human sacrifices, and orcs... but something even more dangerous hiding in the shadows? He knew he'd have to tell Artemis and Ciel about this.

One of the knights, his gaze darting around the busy square, added in a low voice, "If they're trying to break the seals, it means they're getting desperate. I overheard a priest say it's because something has changed, something they fear." He glanced around, as if wary of eavesdroppers. "They're growing reckless."

Jackal crouched lower behind the barrels, his ears straining to catch every word the knights were saying.

The youngest knight's face was pale, his voice barely above a whisper. "But... if they're trying to break the seals... What if the orcs are unleashed again?"

"Bah!" An older knight, his grizzled face etched with disdain, cuffed the young one on the shoulder with a heavy hand. "Rumours, lad. Nothing but old wives' tales to scare children." He scoffed, glancing around at the others. "You're too green to know it, but half the talk about Dark Users is nonsense. Nothing's changed."

The young knight winced but kept pressing. "Sir, with all due respect... the markings, the hands, the sacrifices—those aren't tales. And the farmers are abandoning their homes. Doesn't that mean something?"

One of the other knights, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up, his voice lower and more serious. "Nonsense or not, His Majesty King Lyte has taken this seriously enough to start sending patrols to investigate. Some of the best knights have been dispatched to check these caves and guard villages nearby." He glanced around as if to make sure no one else was listening. "Even Prince Damon's trained men have been assigned to look into it."

The older knight scoffed again, shaking his head. "It's just the king playing politics, giving people something to believe in." He rolled his eyes. "Dark Users, orcs, shadows creeping around... It's no different from the old stories. And those never amounted to anything either."

"But Sir," pressed the youngest, "what if there really is something out there? These aren't just stories anymore. These are real places, real sacrifices..."

The older knight turned, exasperated, and smacked the younger knight once more on the back of his head. "That's enough of your nonsense. King Lyte has it under control. Let him and his council worry about it. You're a knight, not a storyteller. Your job is to do what you're told and leave the rest to the higher-ups."

Murmuring settled over the group, but the knights eventually nodded, falling silent as they prepared to move on.

Jackal swallowed hard, resisting the urge to turn and sprint back to the others. He didn't dare risk drawing the knights' attention, so he slipped quietly around the barrels, taking a roundabout path to the gates to avoid them. The weight of what he'd heard sat heavy in his chest, mixing with a deep unease that was almost palpable.

Once he was far enough from the knights, he picked up his pace, his mind racing. The Dark Users, the orcs, and now this shadow lurking around the caves... He'd never heard of such things back in Taivas.

Reaching the city gates at last, he glanced over his shoulder once, spotting the knights fading into the crowd behind him. Then, steeling himself, Jackal slipped through the gates and sprinted toward the outskirts back towards the forest, where Artemis-sensei and Ciel were waiting.

As Jackal slipped away from the knights, their grim conversation still fresh in his mind, an icy chill crawled up his spine. He remembered, suddenly and vividly, the day he'd first encountered the Dark Users. It hadn't been long ago—just a month or two, in fact—though it felt like a nightmare he'd buried in the back of his mind.

He could still see the cloaked figure looming over him, black eyes like pits of endless night. Cold hands had gripped him tight. The Dark Users needed hands—human hands—for the circles they carved into the ground as part of their offerings.

A shiver ran through him, his hand instinctively rubbing his wrist, as if the ghostly grip of that Dark User still lingered there. Was that why they'd wanted him for? Why they'd come so close to ending his life that day? He didn't doubt it.

It was Artemis-sensei who'd saved him. He hadn't even heard her coming, but suddenly she'd been there, a whirlwind of knives and ferocity, tearing through the Dark User's defences as though they were made of smoke. She had killed them all with a skill and ruthlessness he hadn't thought possible, leaving nothing but their dead bodies for the bugs and maggots to feast on.

If not for her, he was sure his life would have ended in there, his severed hands left in some unholy circle. The thought made him shudder so deeply that he stumbled, clutching the cloaks tighter against his chest as he forced himself back to the present.

He took a steadying breath and pressed on, pushing those grim memories to the back of his mind. They were closer to the gates now, the bustling crowd thinning out as they neared the outskirts of Argentum. Jackal's heart was still racing, but he forced himself to focus on the present. He was safe now, away from those dark figures, and he wasn't alone. Artemis-sensei and Ciel were waiting for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Artemis leaned against the rough bark of the tree, her kunai twirling around her fingers with practiced ease. The blade caught the dappled light that filtered through the leaves, flashing rhythmically as she spun it. Her blue eyes were fixed on some distant point in the forest, lost in thought, calculating and cold. Despite her relaxed stance, she was clearly deep in contemplation, her mind lost in thoughts of what her decisions may bring.

Across from her, Ciel sat on a large, flat rock, watching her with quiet curiosity. There was something undeniably captivating about her—the intensity of her gaze, the sharp precision of her movements, her unwavering focus. And, though he hated to admit it, she was beautiful, with a fierce, untouchable aura. But she was also infuriating, difficult, and far too quick to bruise his ego. He winced slightly, recalling their earlier encounter and how she tackled him to the ground so effortlessly. If it wasn't for his strength out strengthening hers, he would have been lying on the ground on his pool of blood by now.

On his shoulder, Sereia, the tiny water fairy, perched like a little guardian, casting occasional death glares at Artemis. Sereia had clearly made up her mind about this stranger, and her delicate wings quivered each time Artemis's kunai flashed in her direction.

Finally, breaking the tense silence, Ciel cleared his throat. "So," he began, carefully picking