The city that night was unusually silent, drowned in a thin mist that flowed between the alleys like the breath of a sleeping ghost.
The cold air carried the scent of metal and sea, and the sound of waves coming from the harbor mixed with the hurried echo of footsteps on the stone ground.
In a dark spot behind rows of old buildings, Laener, William, Nila, and Henry were preparing to move, their faces wrapped in tension and focus.
Each one was checking their gear—tightening a leather belt, reviewing a weapon, or making sure the magical seal on their wrist was active.
A faint glow from a blue crystal in William's hand lit their faces for a moment, reflecting determination in their eyes.
William: "Make sure no one notices us… the back roads will be our path. We can't appear in the public streets."
Henry, putting on his cloth cap and hiding his silver hair, said:
Henry: "I've mastered disappearing more than fighting in my life. Don't worry about that."
Nila chuckled softly, then lifted her small dagger and fastened it to her belt again:
Nila: "Then let's move before the moon loses its light."
The four moved silently through the back alleys, their steps echoing faintly on the wet cobblestone like whispers of the wind.
The old lamps flickered with a sickly yellow light, and the shadows stretched as if watching them from the walls.
Behind them, Kaesi, Casper, Laurence, and Maria stayed in the café — their mission clear: make Therins Luskar fall into the trap.
At that moment, the harbor was buried in heavy stillness.
The sea was dark, the docked ships swaying slowly under the moonlight that drew silver threads on the waves.
The smell of salt and iron mixed with the greasy stench of old cargo ships.
Lorth stood at the edge of the pier, the breeze playing with his gray hair as he stared into the tide.
He spoke in a deep, calm voice:
Lorth: "And now that each of us knows the other's goal, will you tell me anything useful from your conclusions?"
Standing before him, Artina's golden hair flowed in the sea wind, her golden eyes glinting like calm embers.
She said coldly:
Artina: "You're searching for Reinhardt under that name, but his real name is Lithiv Etway. He was one of the leaders of the Noble Army that fell two years ago."
Lorth's expression changed slightly, and even the waves seemed to pause.
Lorth: "You mean Reinhardt was someone of high standing? Even higher than you?"
Artina, lowering her gaze slightly, said with a tone of regret:
Artina: "Unfortunately, yes. But now… you could say he's a globally wanted criminal. No one can fully track or understand him. Even now… we are being watched by him."
Lorth frowned and glanced toward the crows perched on the nearby ship masts.
Lorth: "How so?"
Artina lifted a finger toward the sky:
Artina: "See those crows flying around? He can watch through them, using a forbidden spell — the Unconscious Control Magic."
Lorth: "So he's a dark mage too?"
Artina smirked lightly, her tone sharp:
Artina: "Not just a dark mage as you think. He's a Voider."
Lorth gasped, the wind rising around them as if nature itself shared his shock.
Lorth: "But they're extinct… how is that possible?"
Artina: "He's the last of them, and he uses a spell to stop his aging."
Lorth, stepping slowly toward the water, asked:
Lorth: "Do you know where he is now?"
She shook her head.
Artina: "No, but I'll search the files here. I was assigned to find him in the first place. I did see him at the auction today, but attacking him there is forbidden — political reasons of this cursed city."
Lorth turned away, his footsteps echoing on the damp wood.
Lorth: "If you find anything useful, come to the Night Flame Café. You'll find me there."
Meanwhile, the assault team had reached the edge of the mansion.
The abandoned estate loomed large and eerie, covered in ivy drooping from its shattered windows.
The wind howled through the cracks, whispering secrets no one wanted to hear.
William raised his hand, forming a small blue circle of light before them, and spoke telepathically:
William: "Are you ready?"
The team's reply came clearly in his mind:
Team: "Yes."
Before he could take another step, he heard faint footsteps behind him.
He turned quickly to see a man in a dark suit and gray hat standing with a familiar smile.
Man: "What? You're going to a party without me? That's rather sad."
William smiled despite the tension.
William: "Didn't expect you this fast."
The man stepped closer, his eyes gleaming under the brim of his hat — unmistakably Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock: "So, the target is Therins Luskar, correct?"
William: "Exactly."
In the café, the atmosphere was entirely different.
The light was warm, the smell of roasted coffee mingled with the ticking of the old wall clock.
Kaesi and Maria sat at a table playing cards, while Casper was polishing the compass they had just obtained.
The compass pulsed faintly with light, whispering of unseen power.
Meanwhile, Laurence lay unconscious in his room, his quiet breathing barely audible.
Kaesi: "I don't think this is going to work."
Maria smiled as she placed another card:
Maria: "That's why I keep winning."
Suddenly, the café shook violently.
A loud crash followed as dust and glass exploded inward.
A wave of cold air swept through the room.
From the haze stepped Therins Luskar, within the body of a massive puppet covered in glowing red runes.
Therins: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My apologies for the rude entrance, but I'll be brief — hand over the compass, and things will go smoothly."
In an instant, Casper dashed forward like a storm and punched the puppet's stomach with full force —
—but the body burst into a swarm of black crows, filling the room with shrill cries.
Therins' laughter echoed from all directions:
Therins: "Hahaha! Did you really think that would work on me?"
Across the room, another puppet body formed, and Therins lunged to strike Casper's face.
Before the blow landed, Lorth emerged through the dust and sliced off Therins' hand in one swift motion.
The wooden fragments scattered across the floor.
Lorth: "Come on then, show me what you've got, Lithiv Etway."
Therins, chuckling darkly:
Therins: "Damn… didn't expect so many of my names to be revealed this soon."
Suddenly, a massive storm of crows erupted, covering the walls and ceiling, their screams deafening.
Therins: "Come now, show me what you've got… my former partner, Lorth!"
Lorth: "Tsk."
Inside the mansion, William and the others advanced through the damp corridors, the air thick with decay.
Old portraits seemed to watch them with faded eyes.
Then, the hall flooded with a strange green glow.
Hundreds of tiny butterflies appeared from nowhere, their glass-like wings shimmering.
They gathered into a vast spiral, and from its center emerged The Butterfly — a woman with cold eyes and a black dress wrapped in living wings.
She raised her hand, and all the butterflies blazed green at once.
William: "Take cover!"
The group leaped from the windows just as the explosion tore through the hall, shattering glass and shaking the ground.
Smoke and dust filled the air.
Laener, rising amid the rubble:
Laener: "I'll handle her. You deal with Therins."
Others: "Got it!"
He jumped back inside through the opening.
In a flash, the butterflies swarmed him like a hurricane of light and wings.
He activated his enhancement magic — red energy lines flared along his body — and he charged through them, dagger in hand.
He struck at her neck and succeeded in cutting it—
—but she vanished instantly, reappearing behind him and stabbing him in the abdomen.
Butterfly: "Strange that you didn't recognize this face, Laener… Time must've made you forget."
He froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Laener: "That's impossible…"
She smiled coldly.
Alice (The Butterfly): "It's quite possible — with the Crow on my side."
Elsewhere in the mansion, William, Henry, and Nila burst into the main hall.
The walls were covered in symbols drawn in blood, and candles melted slowly in the corners.
In the center sat Therins Luskar in his true body, engulfed in a living black shadow.
William: "Count your seconds, Therins — they'll be your last!"
Therins smiled wickedly, his eyes glowing like bloodstained emeralds.
From his shadow emerged dozens of warped creatures — faceless beings that screamed with inhuman voices, blocking the way.
Therins: "Have some fun with them for a while…"
He moved toward the window, but William was faster.
He dashed forward, grabbed Therins by the collar, and the two of them crashed out the window, rolling across the rooftop.
Therins: "Oh… the retired crime lord himself, facing me in person? What an honor for you — fighting someone who ruled crime before your mother was even born!"
William, tightening his grip, said coldly:
William: "You talk too much."
And as the sound of distant waves mixed with the raging wind around the collapsing mansion,
the night itself seemed to ignite —
marking the beginning of a battle no one would ever forget.