Smoke lingered in the slums like a warning.
Vishnu's heart pounded louder with every second that passed without Bhagya. His eyes darted around the chaotic streets—searching for a glimpse, a clue, anything. Kira walked beside him, irritated and unbothered in equal measure, the hum of his blade resting quietly against his back.
They had asked dozens of people.
A fruit seller shook his head without interest.
A wrinkled woman swore she saw nothing.
A gang of idle teens just laughed and walked away.
"Where did he go...?" Vishnu muttered, pain leaking into his voice.
"We're wasting time," Kira snapped, glancing around. "No one here gives a damn. You think anyone cares about a missing kid in a place like this?"
But Vishnu refused to give up.
He gripped a passerby. "Please, have you seen a boy—eight years old, black robes, brown skin, small braid on his—"
Before the man could answer, a soft voice called out:
"I saw him."
Both turned sharply.
A girl stood at the edge of the alley. No older than Bhagya. She wore worn-out clothes, her hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Her eyes—too knowing for her age—held them both in quiet calm.
"You saw him?" Vishnu stepped forward, desperate. "Where?"
The girl nodded. "A man took him. He gave him something to eat, then carried him off. Toward the old industry ruins. No one stopped him. But I saw."
Kira's eyes narrowed. "You expect us to believe that?"
The girl didn't flinch. "I can take you there."
She turned and began walking without waiting for permission. Vishnu followed instantly, and after a brief hesitation, so did Kira.
They weaved through winding alleys, crumbling buildings, and flickering neon signs half-swallowed by dust. Not a word was exchanged. Vishnu kept glancing at the girl's back, something about her presence oddly comforting—almost familiar.
Finally, the towering shadow of the abandoned industry came into view. Rusted gates. Cracked windows. A graveyard of machinery long forgotten.
The girl stopped.
She pointed at the complex. "He's in there."
Vishnu turned to her, heart swelling with gratitude. "Thank you. You saved my son. I don't know how to—"
But she was gone.
No footsteps. No shadow. No trace.
"...Where did she go?" Vishnu murmured.
Kira scoffed. "Relax. Probably just walked away. We're strangers. Maybe she got scared."
Vishnu stood still for a second, scanning the empty alley she had vanished into.
Then he nodded.
Without another word, the two entered the ruin—where blood, fate, and fire awaited.