Shion and Seirou stood stiffly in front of Ryoma, who was seated but radiating a stormy aura. His glare alone was enough to pin them both in place.
Before Ryoma could open his mouth, Shion shot his hands up in surrender. "This time it's not our fault! We were keeping an eye on both of them, but they both—"
"They both what?!" Ryoma's voice cracked like thunder, cutting him off.
Shion immediately took a step back, fumbling for words. "Uh—vanished. Just… vanished."
A tense silence followed. Ryoma exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose before turning his sharp gaze to Seirou instead. "Enough. Let's not waste time. I don't have a good feeling about this."
————
Astra weaved through the crowded stalls, muttering as she went. "Water, water—seriously, in a place this big, why is finding plain water harder than finding glowing dumplings?" She sneezed as another vendor waved incense sticks near her nose and glared. "I'm cursed…"
Finally, she spotted a stall selling clay cups of fresh spring water claiming heavenly water. She tossed a gold coin onto the counter, grabbed one, and carefully started making her way back through the press of people.
But fate wasn't done testing her. As she hurried along, Astra rounded a corner and bumped squarely into someone, the cup almost tipping out of her hands.
"Ah—!" she gasped, steadying it at the last moment, then looked up—and her eyes widened. "Wait… it's you, aren't you? You're the one I bumped into at the gates earlier."
The young man blinked, then his lips curved into an amused smile. "Oh… so it's you again. I didn't recognize you at first with the veil."
Astra adjusted the veil covering her face and let out a small laugh. "Seems like fate has a strange way of throwing us together."
"Or maybe you're just not watching where you're going," he teased lightly.
She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at her mouth. "It's just one of my bad habits." Her fingers tightened slightly on the cup. She hesitated for a moment, then tilted her head curiously. "By the way… what's your name?"
The young man only smiled, already turning to leave. Without looking back, he called over his shoulder, "If we bump into each other again, I'll let you know."
Astra blinked, then huffed, turning away. "Mysterious, are you?" she muttered, but a small chuckle slipped out. Raising her voice just enough for him to hear, she added, "Fine then—hope we run into each other again."
He lifted a hand in a casual wave as he walked off, disappearing into the flow of people.
Astra shook her head, still smiling faintly—until her eyes widened. "Oh no… Seiya!"
Clutching the cup tighter, she quickened her pace, weaving through the crowd as she hurried back. But when she reached the spot where she had left him, her breath caught.
Empty.
The bench was vacant, save for the lingering warmth of the crowd and the din of street noise—the clatter of carts, vendors calling out their wares, children laughing as they darted between stalls. But Seiya was nowhere to be found.
"Where did you go, you fool…" she muttered under her breath, her steps quickening as she scanned the bustling street. She pushed past shoulders, skirts, and cloaks, searching every direction, her annoyance building with each heartbeat. "First you eat yourself sick, and now you disappear like little chick—Seiya!"
No answer.
Her frustration spilled into quiet curses, but then—
Her breath hitched.
Across the throng, a pair of eyes gleamed—cold, piercing, unblinking. For a moment, the noise of the street dulled to nothing but the rush of blood in her ears. A chill sliced down her spine, freezing her mid-step. Her chest tightened, and pain flared sharp in her temples, forcing her to clutch her head.
She blinked through the sting, but when her vision cleared, the eyes were gone. The crowd swallowed them whole.
"No…" Her lips trembled as she staggered forward, her gaze darting desperately in every direction. "This can't be happening. Not him again!"
Her pulse hammered as a single, dreadful thought clawed through her mind. That demon… again. What if he took Seiya?
Her breath came in shallow gasps. No, no, no! Where did he go?
She forced her legs to move, weaving through alleys, pushing past stalls, searching desperately for any sign of him. "Seiya!" Her voice cracked into the chaos of the streets, but no one answered.
Her feet carried her farther, Suddenly, the noise fell away.
Astra slowed, blinking in confusion. Just a moment ago, there had been laughter, shouts, everywhere. Now—nothing. No vendors, no children, no bustle of feet on stone.
The air had grown colder, too. A faint wind snaked through the narrow lane, raising goosebumps along her arms.
Her steps echoed unnaturally loud in the silence as she turned in a slow circle. The lanterns here burned weak and dim, their light flickering as though struggling to stay alive. The street was empty—completely deserted.
"Where in the hell…" she cursed, her voice sounding too sharp against the quiet. "Where did I end up? What is this place?"
Her throat tightened, unease coiling in her chest.
Then—
Her heart skipped a beat.
From behind her, closer than breath, came a whisper low, chilling, laced with an unnatural echo:
"You are inside my snare."
Astra spun on her heel, her breath sharp and ragged. No one but empty streets stretched in every direction. Her skin prickled, sweat beading along her temple despite the chill.
Then the voice coiled around her again, smooth and venomous, right at her ear.
"Who are you searching for?"
Her fists clenched. She darted through the narrow alleys, only to find every turn circling back to the same desolate street. The laughter that followed her was low, quiet—like claws dragging across glass.
"Pathetic. Running in circles. Do you even know where you are?"
Her head throbbed, vision twisting. She staggered, forcing her voice to rise above the echo. "Enough! Where are you? Come out! Or are you scared of getting kicked again—you dumbass demon!"
Silence. Then, from the shadows ahead, a pair of emerald eyes snapped open—burning, furious.
Astra's breath hitched. Her knees threatened to give way, but before she collapsed, a strong grip caught her arm, steadying her.
Huozhen stepped into the pale glow, his emerald eyes gleaming like sharp blades. He leaned closer, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.
"Still squawking, little wren? Trembling, yet pretending to be strong. Tell me… do you really think your feeble defiance will save you like last time?"
Astra jerked, trying to free herself, but stumbled backward, crashing onto the cold ground. Her chest heaved, memories of their first encounter clawing through her mind, making her breaths ragged and sharp.
Huozhen knelt smoothly in front of her, smirk deepening as he observed her struggle. "Weak… you are still so weak," he murmured, then his expression darkened. "I despise weakness."
Leaning in, his hand tightened slightly on her throat, tilting her head with unnerving precision. His voice dropped to a low, cold whisper:
"The fate of the weak… is to be shaped, crushed, and claimed by the strong."
Astra coughed violently, summoning every ounce of her strength, and shoved his hand away. Gasping, eyes blazing, she spat out, "Who said I'm weak!"
Huozhen blinked slowly, then let out a low, mirthless chuckle. "So… you're not weak, little wren?"
Astra's eyes narrowed, fire sparking in her gaze. "Don't call me that," she spat, voice trembling with both fear and defiance.
He leaned closer, a teasing smirk playing across his lips. "Oh? Such spirit… yet so small. Tell me, how long do you think that courage will last before it crumbles?"
Astra clenched her fists, stepping forward. "Mock me all you want, but I'm still standing, aren't I? Unlike you, I don't need to scare others to feel powerful!"
Huozhen's eyes glimmered with a dangerous amusement. "Oh?" He tilted his head, circling her like a predator sizing up prey. "Such fire… it's adorable."
"I'm not adorable!" Astra shot back, voice shaking.
"You call me weak?" Astra rasped, glaring down at him despite his grip. "But it's you demons who are truly weak — hiding behind fear, playing with innocent lives to feel powerful. That's the act of cowards, not strength."
Huozhen's smirk faltered, replaced by a flash of fury. In a blur, he raised her by the neck, lifting her off the ground. Astra's vision blurred, dizziness washing over her as he pressed closer, whispering coldly,
"You dare speak to me like that?"
Her head spun as he slammed her against the wall. She gasped for air, dazed and weak, as he stepped forward, looming over her.
"How dare you," he snarled. "You were lucky to escape last time… but now, little wren, you belong to me." His lips curled into a thin, dangerous smile. "It took far longer than I expected to catch you again. Do you have any idea how much effort it cost me to find you?" His voice dropped, sharp with resentment. "I haven't forgotten…not for a single moment how you kicked—how you escaped me."
He knelt slightly, humming as he contemplated, his voice menacing. "What should I do… kill you now, or cage you, little bird?"
Astra's head pounded, ears ringing. Though she could barely focus, she understood his intent. Slowly, she inched back, then pushed off the wall and sprinted.
Huozhen laughed, a sound that twisted through the air, echoing in her mind. "Run, little wren… run. But you're trapped. Every step, every breath you take here, is inside my domain. Every pain you feel… every wound… it will echo in reality. Try escaping—see if your mind can outpace me."