The grandfather clock in the castle lobby rang loudly.
Dong... Dong... Dong...
Nine times.
The sound echoed through the quiet halls.
Nick lowered his cards and looked toward the dark window.
A frown appeared on his face.
"Nine o'clock."
Darven placed his cards on the table.
"They should've returned hours ago."
Nick stood immediately.
A bad feeling had been growing inside him since sunset.
At first, he thought Eyrx and Vaeryn were simply enjoying themselves.
Now that excuse no longer worked.
"I think they're in trouble."
Darven slowly rose from the sofa.
"In this huge forest?"
"How are we supposed to find them?"
Nick grabbed his coat.
"One step at a time."
"We start with the lake."
The castle garage was almost completely dark.
Only a single lantern illuminated the dusty vehicles inside.
Nick hurried toward an old buggy.
"Please start."
He turned the key.
Nothing happened.
His heart sank.
"Not now."
Jumping out, he checked everything.
Then he noticed the fuel gauge.
Empty.
Nick covered his face.
"Of course."
Darven sighed.
"This is exactly what Eyrx would do."
After refilling the tank, Nick tried again.
The engine roared to life.
Both men immediately climbed inside.
The buggy sped into the night.
Cold wind swept across the forest road.
The moon hung high above the mountains.
Owls called from the darkness.
Leaves rustled in the trees.
The forest looked entirely different at night.
What felt peaceful during the day now felt like something out of a nightmare.
Darven held a rifle across his lap.
"You think they're really at the lake?"
Nick kept his eyes on the road.
"Vaeryn mentioned fishing."
"It's our best lead."
The headlights cut through the darkness as they drove deeper into the wilderness.
Thirty minutes later—
Nick suddenly slammed the brakes.
Darven almost flew forward.
"What happened?"
Nick pointed ahead.
A vehicle stood abandoned beside the road.
Their vehicle.
Eyrx's car.
Both men jumped out immediately.
The area was silent.
Too silent.
No voices.
No laughter.
No sign of Eyrx or Vaeryn.
Nick searched around the car while Darven checked the nearby trees.
Then something caught Nick's eye.
A silver object lying beside the tire.
He picked it up.
His expression darkened.
"Eyrx's pendant."
Darven returned holding a metal canister.
"I found this."
Nick examined it.
His eyes narrowed.
"Sleeping gas."
The realization hit both of them instantly.
Someone had taken them.
Tension settled heavily between them.
Darven clenched his fists.
"So they were kidnapped."
Nick rubbed his forehead.
"Why did I let those idiots go alone?"
"We wasted too much time."
Darven looked toward the dark forest.
"What now?"
"We search."
"Everywhere."
For the next hour, they ran through the wilderness.
"Eyrx!"
"Vaeryn!"
Their voices echoed through the trees.
No answer came back.
They checked the lake.
Nothing.
They searched hunting trails.
Nothing.
The deeper they went, the darker the forest became.
The wind carried strange sounds through the mountains.
Every shadow looked like a person.
Every movement made them stop and look.
Yet there was nothing.
Eventually they reached the flower valley.
Moonlight illuminated thousands of pale flowers.
The area looked beautiful.
Almost unreal.
Nick immediately recognized it.
"They came through here."
Darven nodded.
The grass had been trampled.
Someone had passed recently.
They continued climbing toward the mountain.
The steep path drained their energy.
Several times Darven nearly slipped.
Each time Nick grabbed him before he fell.
Finally they reached the highest point.
Both stood breathing heavily.
Darven scanned the area.
Then something glimmered near a rock.
He walked over and crouched.
"Nick."
"Look."
Several empty bullet shells lay scattered across the ground.
Nick examined them carefully.
"Hunting."
"They definitely came here."
Darven looked around.
"No bodies."
"No blood."
"No signs of a fight."
Nick nodded.
"They were taken after they left."
"Which means someone was watching them."
The thought made his stomach twist.
This wasn't random.
Someone had planned it.
Back at the road, Nick made a decision.
"We're going to town."
Darven glanced at Eyrx's car.
"What about that?"
"Leave it."
"If the kidnappers return and see it's missing, they'll know someone is tracking them."
Darven grabbed the rifles from inside.
Both climbed into the buggy.
Moments later, they disappeared into the darkness.
Heading toward the nearest town.
Toward answers.
Elsewhere...
Eyrx slowly opened his eyes.
His head felt heavy.
His entire body ached.
The first thing he noticed was the rope binding his wrists.
The second was the armed guards surrounding him.
A rough wooden warehouse stretched around him.
Crates.
Weapons.
Lanterns.
Strange symbols painted on the walls.
Then he noticed something else.
Vaeryn wasn't there.
His heart immediately tightened.
"Vaeryn!"
No answer.
Eyrx struggled against the ropes.
"Where is she?!"
Several men laughed.
Then a familiar figure stepped forward.
The scar-faced leader.
Nerf.
He pulled out a chair and sat directly in front of him.
"Calm down."
Eyrx's eyes burned with anger.
"What did you do to her?"
Nerf smiled.
"She's already on her way."
"To the Fifth Realm."
For a moment Eyrx froze.
"What?"
Nerf leaned back.
"Relax."
"She hasn't arrived yet."
"Traveling through Siphra takes time."
Eyrx immediately tried awakening his power.
Nothing happened.
Again.
Nothing.
A strange feeling spread through his body.
Empty.
Weak.
Missing.
Nerf laughed.
"Looking for something?"
Eyrx's eyes widened.
"What did you do?"
Nerf snapped his fingers.
Two small crystal containers floated into the air.
One contained glowing green energy.
The other glowed blue.
Both were protected inside transparent magical spheres.
Eyrx instantly recognized the green energy.
His power.
His face turned pale.
"You stole it?"
Nerf grinned.
"There are many kinds of abilities in this world, boy."
"You aren't special."
Eyrx pulled against the ropes.
"Untie me."
"I'll beat you without my power."
The room erupted with laughter.
Nerf simply sat there.
Watching him.
Like a hunter watching trapped prey.
Suddenly one of his men entered.
"Boss."
"The two men from the castle reached town."
Nerf's smile widened.
"Good."
"Let them search."
He looked back at Eyrx.
Then toward a large clock hanging on the warehouse wall.
12:00 AM
The hands aligned perfectly.
"Prepare the transport."
"Tomorrow's auction begins."
"And this boy..."
His grin became colder.
"...will be sold in the Fifth Realm."
The lantern flames flickered.
For the first time since waking up—
Eyrx felt genuine fear.