The night was unnaturally silent.
Vicky walked through the narrow streets of the mysterious city, broken lamps hanging like dead stars above him. Luka followed behind, footsteps soundless, eyes sharp. Since the vision ended , a strange unease lingered in Vicky's chest—as if something unseen was slowly moving toward him.
Then—
Footsteps.
Fast. Desperate.
A shadow rushed past the broken alley ahead.
"Please—stop chasing me!"
A girl's voice shattered the silence.
Vicky stopped instantly.
She stumbled into the open street, breathless, fear written clearly across her face. Her cloak was torn, her hands trembling as she looked behind her again and again.
"You did it!" she shouted toward the darkness behind her. "You're the one who did it! I'll tell everyone—every single person!"
Before she could run further, three figures emerged from the shadows.
Men.
Their faces were covered, their movements practiced. One of them reached for her arm.
"Too late," one growled. "You saw something you weren't supposed to."
Vicky didn't move.
Not yet.
His eyes narrowed as he observed them carefully—their footing, their breathing, the way they surrounded her. Luka noticed his hesitation and remained still, awaiting a command.
The girl struggled violently.
"Let me go! My brother didn't do anything! He's innocent!"
Brother?
That single word made Vicky step forward.
"Luka," Vicky said calmly, "check the surroundings."
Luka closed his eyes.
The air shifted.
For a brief moment, the darkness itself seemed to bend toward him.
"There are no reinforcements nearby," Luka said quietly. "They planned this."
Vicky exhaled slowly.
"Then we act."
One of the men noticed them.
"Hey—this doesn't concern you."
Vicky met his gaze, expression unreadable.
"It does now."
The man lunged.
That was when Luka moved.
He didn't shout. He didn't roar.
He simply appeared.
In the blink of an eye, Luka stood between the girl and her attacker. His hand wrapped around the man's wrist—then twisted.
A sickening crack echoed.
The man screamed and collapsed.
The other two froze.
"What the—?!"
Luka's eyes glowed faintly red.
"You have ten seconds," he said calmly. "Leave."
Fear replaced arrogance.
They ran.
The girl fell to her knees, shaking, tears streaming down her face. Vicky crouched beside her, careful, gentle.
"You're safe now," he said.
She looked up at him, eyes wide.
"…Thank you."
Vicky didn't ask her name yet.
Instead, he asked, "You said your brother is innocent. Where is he?"
Her lips trembled.
"They took him. He tried to stop them, and now they're going to kill him."
"Show us," Vicky said.
They followed her through ruined streets and broken corridors until they reached an abandoned underground chamber. Inside, a boy was tied to a stone pillar, bruised but conscious.
"Brother!" she cried.
The men guarding him barely had time to react.
Luka raised his hand.
The chains binding the boy snapped instantly, as if crushed by invisible pressure.
The guards collapsed unconscious—no wounds, no blood.
Just fear etched on their faces.
The boy coughed, breathing heavily.
"Hey," Vicky said softly. "You're safe."
The girl hugged him tightly, sobbing.
After a moment, she turned to Vicky and bowed deeply.
"My name is Arelia," she said. "And this is my brother, Eren."
Eren looked at Vicky with a mixture of gratitude and confusion.
"…You're not normal, are you?"
Vicky smiled faintly.
"No. But neither is this city."
They led Vicky and Luka to a hidden shelter nearby, where a few others waited anxiously.
A tall man stepped forward, sword resting at his side.
"So you're the ones who saved them," he said. "I'm Kael."
His gaze lingered on Luka—but he said nothing.
Arelia looked at Vicky seriously.
"If you hadn't come… we'd be dead."
Vicky glanced around the shelter, then back at her.
"Then maybe our meeting wasn't an accident."
Luka stood silently behind him.
Far away—beyond this city, beyond reason—something stirred.
But here, in this broken shelter, four strangers had crossed paths.
And none of them yet understood what that truly meant.