The waterfall thundered through the forest valley, crystal water crashing against dark stone as mist drifted through the air like smoke.
For once…there was peace.
Tom was already half asleep on a warm rock near the edge of the river that was connected to the the waterfall.
"I'm telling you right now," he said lazily, "when we become legends, I better get a castle."
Lucas splashed water at him immediately.
"You can't even survive camping."
Tom sat upright.
"THAT'S because nature hates me personally."
Kierran ignored the two completely, standing waist-deep beneath the waterfall with his eyes closed, letting the cold water wash away the exhaustion from their journey.
Arthur sat nearby at the edge of the water, staring at his reflection silently.
His mother's face lingered in his mind again.
Weak. Smiling. Apologizing to him for being sick.
Arthur clenched his fists beneath the water.
"No matter what," he whispered to himself, "I'll save you."
A sudden gust of wind swept through the valley.
The waterfall mist stopped moving naturally.
Kierran's eyes opened instantly.
"…Something's wrong."
The air vibrated faintly.
Blue particles began appearing around the waterfall.
Lucas stepped back carefully.
"Aether?"
Tom looked around nervously.
"Please don't tell me we're getting attacked while bathing half naked."
Then—
A voice echoed from above the cliffs.
"You people seriously pick the worst places to relax."
Arthur's eyes widened immediately.
Standing atop the waterfall was a familiar figure wearing a dark coat, silver hair shifting in the wind.
Alex.
Tom nearly screamed.
"HE'S ALIVE!"
Alex smirked faintly before jumping from the cliff.
He landed effortlessly on the water itself, blue Aether rippling beneath his boots.
Arthur stood quickly.
"You disappeared."
"Had work," Alex replied casually.
But Arthur immediately noticed something.
Alex looked exhausted.
Dark circles rested beneath his eyes, and faint cracks of blue energy flickered along his right arm before vanishing again.
Kierran noticed too.
"You've been fighting."
Alex gave a dry laugh.
"When am I not?"
For a moment, the tension eased.
Lucas folded his arms.
"So what now? You teleport us somewhere mysterious again?"
Tom pointed aggressively.
"CAN YOU AT LEAST WARN US FIRST THIS TIME?"
Alex opened his mouth to reply—
Then suddenly froze.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The blue glow in his eyes flickered.
Arthur frowned.
"Alex?"
A strange symbol suddenly appeared in the air beside him — a golden eye surrounded by rotating rings of Aether.
Kierran's expression darkened immediately.
"A Watcher signal…"
Alex's face lost all humor.
The symbol pulsed once.
Then a voice echoed from within it.
Cold. Calm. Powerful.
"Alex."
Everyone went silent.
Even the waterfall itself seemed quieter.
Alex lowered his head slightly.
"…Boss."
Tom whispered nervously.
"Why does his voice sound like he can destroy planets…"
The Boss continued.
"You are needed immediately."
Alex's jaw tightened.
"I'm in the middle of something."
"This takes priority."
The golden symbol brightened violently.
For the first time since meeting him…
Arthur saw genuine tension appear on Alex's face.
"What happened?" Alex asked quietly.
A brief silence followed.
Then the Boss spoke again.
"The demons are moving."
The entire valley fell silent.
Lucas frowned.
"Demons…?"
Kierran's eyes narrowed sharply.
The Boss's voice became colder.
"A fracture near the northern borders has reopened. Three of our Lieutenants are already dead."
Tom's face went pale instantly.
"THREE?!"
Arthur stared at Alex.
Even he looked shaken now.
"That's impossible," Alex muttered. "The seals were stable."
"They were," the Boss replied. "Which means someone opened them."
A heavy silence settled over everyone.
The golden symbol pulsed again.
"We believe this is connected to the Void activity."
Arthur felt his chest tighten at the mention of the Void.
Alex looked toward him briefly before turning back to the signal.
"What's my mission?"
"Investigate the fractures. Find out who is helping the demons cross over."
The air suddenly became heavier.
Then the Boss added one final sentence.
"And Alex…"
"…if the boy truly carries the resonance we sensed…"
The golden eye slowly turned toward Arthur.
"…keep him alive."
Arthur froze.
Before he could speak—
The signal vanished.
The waterfall roared loudly once more.
Silence.
Tom blinked repeatedly.
"Okay…I officially hate mysterious old men."
Lucas looked at Alex carefully.
"What did he mean by 'the boy'?"
Alex didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked directly at Arthur.
For the first time…
There was uncertainty in his eyes.
Then blue Aether slowly began surrounding his body again.
"I have to go," he said quietly.
Arthur stepped forward instantly.
"Wait—"
But Alex raised a hand.
"If the Boss himself contacted me…" his expression darkened, "…then things are already worse than we thought."
The Aether around him intensified violently.
The mist around the waterfall spiraled upward like a storm.
Arthur clenched his fists.
"Will we see you again?"
Alex smirked faintly despite everything.
"You idiots attract trouble everywhere." Alex snaps his fingers and a notification pops up on Arthur's screen
**New update: You have received two days additional time to rescue Alexi Ravenheart**
Then his expression became serious again.
"Stay away from anyone wearing gold."
Before anyone could ask why—
Alex vanished in a flash of blue light.
Only the roaring waterfall remained.
Rain started hammered against the forest without mercy.
Water crashed down the rocky cliffs of the waterfall while thunder growled through the dark skies above. The air smelled of wet stone and pine, and cold mist drifted between the trees like wandering spirits.
Arthur Ravenheart stood still as the old man created a new house . Purple strands of Aether flickered faintly around his skin before he finds himself inside a house.
Nearby, Kierran sat on a couch with his feet in the bucket of warm water.
"You've been standing there for like ten minutes," he called out. "Trying to become one with nature or something?"
Arthur rolled his eyes.
"Shut up."
Kierran grinned.
A few meters away, Lucas sharpened one of his short blades while watching the forest from a window carefully.
And leaning against a wall nearby…
Tom silently observed all of them.
The older man's eyes narrowed slightly toward Arthur.
"Your Aether flow is unstable again."
Arthur is wet due to the rainfall before tom created the house, soaked black shirt clinging to him.
"I know."
"No," Tom replied calmly, "you don't."
Arthur frowned slightly.
Tom pushed himself off the bed and walked closer.
"Aether responds to emotion. Fear. Anger. Obsession." His eyes locked onto Arthur's. "And right now yours feels… restless."
Arthur looked away toward the window.
His mother.
Every step of this journey kept bringing him back to her.
Kierran suddenly stretched his arms dramatically.
"Alright, enough serious talk. We survived demons, nearly died twice, and haven't eaten properly in forever. I say we deserve one peaceful night."
Lucas snorted.
"With you around? Impossible."
Kierran threw a small rock at him.
Before Lucas could retaliate—
Tom's expression changed instantly.
Sharp.
Cold.
"…Quiet."
The rain continued falling.
But something felt wrong.
Arthur noticed it too.
The forest had gone completely silent.
No birds.
No insects.
Nothing.
Then—
drip.
A single drop of water landed beside Arthur.
When Arthur looks up the house no longer
has a roof , not only that but...
the rain above them had stopped moving.
Arthur slowly looked upward.
Every raindrop in the sky was frozen in place.
Kierran stood up immediately.
"What the hell—?"
A low vibration spread through the air.
BBBBMMMMMMMM—
The river trembled violently.
Lucas grabbed his blade.
Tom stepped forward slowly, eyes scanning the area.
"Get behind me."
The pressure hit them a second later.
An overwhelming wave of crimson energy exploded through the forest.
BOOOOOOOM—
Trees bent violently outward.
The waterfall split apart.
The house now completely destroyed as they jumped out to land near a tree
Arthur nearly lost his footing as dark red mist spread between the woods ahead.
Then footsteps emerged from the shadows.
Slow.
Heavy.
A tall figure walked out from the forest.
Its body looked human at first glance.
But black cracks stretched across pale skin like shattered glass, glowing faintly red from within.
Six shadow-like arms unfolded from its back.
And its eyes—
deep crimson.
The creature smiled.
"…Interesting."
Kierran whispered under his breath.
"A demon???"
The creature's gaze slowly moved across the group before stopping on Arthur.
Its smile widened unnaturally.
"There it is."
Arthur felt cold instantly.
"What are you talking about?"
The demon tilted its head.
"You carry the scent of something ancient."
Black Aether flickered violently around Arthur's arms.
Tom immediately stepped in front of him.
"You shouldn't be here," Tom said coldly.
The demon's crimson eyes shifted toward him.
"…well now look what we have here ."
The words echoed strangely from its mouth.
Like it hated saying it.
Tom's expression darkened.
"So you know what I am."
The demon chuckled softly.
"I know your kind abandoned the north."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
North.
That was where Alex had gone to investigate the cracks.
Tom subtly noticed Arthur reacting.
But before anyone could speak—
the demon vanished.
Arthur's eyes widened.
Too late.
BOOOOM—
Tom blocked a massive strike inches from Arthur's face as one of the demon's shadow arms slammed against his forearm.
The ground beneath them shattered instantly.
Water exploded upward around the collision.
Kierran and Lucas rushed forward together—
—but the demon only smiled wider.
"You truly don't understand what stands beside you."
Then its crimson aura erupted outward—
—and the entire forest shook violently.
(Meanwhile)
Rain poured endlessly across the empty streets.
Each step sent pain shooting through Sunny's body as he stumbled through a narrow alleyway, one hand pressed tightly against his side.
Blood slipped between his fingers.
His breathing was uneven.
Fast.
Shaky.
The fight at the forest replayed endlessly inside his head.
That man…
No.
That thing.
Sunny slammed himself against a brick wall, nearly collapsing as thunder shook the city above him.
His grey mist flickered weakly around his feet before fading.
"…Damn it…"
Every muscle in his body hurt.
The stranger had overwhelmed him completely.
Not just physically—
but mentally too.
The way he split the mist apart…
The way he spoke about Aether…
It felt like fighting someone who understood his power better than he did.
Sunny gritted his teeth and forced himself forward again.
He needed to keep moving.
Instinct screamed at him that the man was still nearby.
Watching.
The alley eventually opened into an abandoned subway entrance partially hidden behind rusted fencing.
Sunny staggered down the stairs.
The underground station was dark except for flickering emergency lights overhead.
Water dripped from cracked pipes.
The air smelled like rust and wet concrete.
Perfect hiding spot.
Sunny slid down against one of the walls and exhaled painfully.
For the first time since escaping—
silence.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Then suddenly
Sunny's eyes snapped open instantly.
A figure sat across the station platform in the darkness.
Calmly watching him.
Sunny's heart nearly stopped.
Grey mist exploded around him instinctively.
But the figure raised both hands slightly.
"Relax," the voice said. "If I wanted you dead, I would've attacked already."
A young man slowly stepped into the dim light.
Messy silver hair.
Dark clothes.
Sharp amber eyes.
And strangely enough…
he looked around Sunny's age.
Sunny didn't lower the mist.
"Who are you?"
The silver-haired boy glanced toward Sunny's injuries.
"You ran into one of them, didn't you?"
Sunny's expression hardened immediately.
"You know that thing?"
The boy went quiet for a moment.
Then:
"…Yeah."
Thunder rumbled faintly above the underground station.
Sunny studied him carefully.
No visible weapons.
No Watcher markings.
But something about him felt…
wrong.
Not dangerous exactly.
Just unnatural.
The silver-haired boy leaned back against the wall.
"The fact you escaped is impressive," he muttered. "Most people don't survive even meeting him."
Sunny frowned.
"Him?"
The boy nodded slowly.
"One of the Hounds."
The name alone made the station feel colder.
Sunny's jaw tightened.
"What are they?"
The silver-haired boy looked directly into Sunny's eyes.
"The things that hunt people connected to the cracks."
Silence.
Water dripped somewhere deeper in the station.
Sunny slowly stood despite the pain.
"…And how do you know all this?"
The boy smiled faintly.
Not friendly.
More tired than anything.
"Because," he said quietly, "I've been running from them longer than you have."
Then—
the lights overhead flickered violently.
BZTTTT—
Both of them froze.
A heavy pressure suddenly spread through the underground station.
Sunny's eyes widened instantly.
No way.
Not again.
Footsteps echoed slowly from the tunnel deeper underground.
One.
Two.
Three.
The silver-haired boy's expression darkened immediately.
"…He found you already.
The underground station fell silent.
Only the sound of water dripping through cracked pipes echoed through the darkness.
Footsteps continued from deep within the tunnel.
Slow.
Steady.
Getting closer.
Sunny immediately forced himself upright despite the pain tearing through his body.
Grey mist flickered weakly around his hands.
Across from him, the silver-haired boy cursed under his breath.
"We need to move. Now."
Sunny kept his eyes locked on the tunnel.
"You think it's that guy again?"
"I'm not waiting to find out."
The pressure in the station continued growing heavier.
The emergency lights above flickered violently.
BZTTT—
The silver-haired boy grabbed his bag from the floor.
"There's another exit through the maintenance tunnels," he said quickly. "Come on."
Another set of footsteps echoed.
Closer this time.
Sunny clenched his jaw.
Every instinct screamed at him to run.
The silver-haired boy turned sharply.
"You escaped once already. Don't get stupid now."
Sunny finally nodded.
The two immediately moved deeper into the station, limping through the dark maintenance corridor beside the tracks.
Rust covered the walls.
Loose wires sparked overhead.
The pressure behind them followed slowly.
Like something was calmly walking after them.
Not rushing.
Not worried.
That terrified Sunny more.
The silver-haired boy suddenly stopped at a metal maintenance door.
"There."
He shoved against it hard.
It wouldn't move.
"…Seriously?"
Sunny glanced behind them nervously.
The footsteps were getting louder.
The silver-haired boy slammed his shoulder into the door again.
Still stuck.
Sunny growled in frustration and pushed beside him.
BOOM—
The rusted door finally burst open.
Cold air rushed through.
The two stumbled into another abandoned platform on the other side.
Completely dark.
Sunny immediately froze.
Someone was already standing there.
A silhouette.
Small frame.
Long dark hair.
The figure stood silently beneath the flickering station lights wearing a black hoodie and dark pants.
The silver-haired boy instantly stepped back.
"…Wait."
The pressure in the air felt different now.
Not crushing like before.
Sharper.
Focused.
The figure slowly lifted her head.
A girl.
Probably around their age.
Sharp silver-grey eyes reflected faintly in the darkness.
Neither of them recognized her.
But something about her presence felt… unnatural.
Sunny narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?"
The girl looked between them calmly before her gaze settled on Sunny's injuries.
"…You fought a Hound."
Not a question.
A statement.
Sunny's expression hardened immediately.
"How do you know that?"
The girl ignored the question completely.
Instead, her eyes shifted toward the tunnel behind them.
The footsteps had stopped.
Silence filled the station again.
Then the girl quietly muttered:
"…That's bad."
The silver-haired boy frowned.
"You know what's chasing us?"
The girl slowly reached into her hoodie pocket.
Sunny immediately tensed—
—but instead of a weapon…
she pulled out a small cracked pendant glowing faintly red.
The instant it appeared—
Sunny's grey mist reacted violently.
SHHHHHH—
The mist spiraled wildly around him like it was afraid.
The girl noticed immediately.
Her calm expression shifted for the first time.
"…You can use resonance?"
Sunny's heart pounded.
Nobody outside that man had called it that before.
The silver-haired boy stared between the two of them.
"Okay," he muttered nervously, "either we start explaining things really fast…"
A low growl suddenly echoed from the tunnel behind them.
…or we're all dead."