White fog stretched endlessly over Shadowhaven.
At the center of the dark kingdom stood a castle — silent, towering like a monument built from death itself. Black spires pierced the sky while countless crows circled above, their cries echoing across the fog-covered cliffs.
Seris stood before the massive gates alone.
Cold wind brushed against her silver hair as she stared at the place she once called home.
Or rather—
The place that destroyed her.
The gates slowly opened.
GRRRRKKKK—
An eerie darkness waited beyond the entrance. Violet lanterns flickered faintly within the castle halls, illuminating a path she knew far too well.
The crows suddenly erupted into the air.
CAW—!
CAW—!
Their cries filled the sky like a warning.
A silhouette stood at the far end of the entrance hall.
Tall.
Motionless.
A man dressed in formal black attire stepped forward slowly beneath the dim lantern light. A single silver lens covered his left eye, glinting faintly whenever lightning flashed through the stained windows behind him. White gloves. Calm posture.
"Welcome back… Moonveil."
Silence filled the hall. Seris' eyes slowly narrowed.
In this moment, the Seris who smiled in Aurelian vanished with the fog behind her. What walked through those gates was not the Royal Knight of Aurelian.
But the assassin Shadowhaven once feared most.
Far from the main harbor of Shadowhaven.
The ship stopped near the jagged cliffs at the eastern side of the island, hidden beneath thick fog and crashing waves. No docks. No lights. Only black rocks swallowed by white mist drifting endlessly across the sea.
The captain of the ship lowered a small wooden boat into the water.
"This is as far as I go."
Kael looked toward the towering silhouette barely visible through the fog. "…You're seriously calling this the safest route?"
The captain snorted. "Kid, I smuggled three foreigners into Shadowhaven alive. That alone deserves respect."
Taren stepped carefully onto the soaked rocks. "…Could've dropped us somewhere less cursed-looking."
He pointed toward rusted drainage tunnels hidden between the cliffs. "That sewer route connects beneath the inner districts." He crossed his arms. "Trust me. You do NOT want to enter through the main gates."
The fog shifted briefly.
For a split second, the massive black silhouette of Shadowhaven appeared beyond the cliffs before vanishing again beneath the mist. Even Kael stayed quiet.
Lio stepped off the boat last and adjusted his cloak calmly. "You gave us a hard time getting here."
"You gave me a harder time accepting the job."
Lio smirked faintly. "Fair enough." He paused briefly. "By the way… I didn't catch your name."
The captain lit another cigarette lazily.
"Franco."
"…Thank you, Captain Franco."
The captain waved dismissively. "Save the gratitude for when you leave this island alive."
The boat slowly disappeared back into the endless fog.
Leaving the three alone.
Cold mist covered the island completely. Visibility barely stretched beyond several meters as they approached the drainage tunnel hidden within the cliffs.
Kael frowned. "…This place feels dead."
"No," Lio corrected quietly. "…It feels hidden."
Taren looked around nervously. "…That somehow sounds worse."
Lio pointed toward the darkness inside the tunnel. "We move quietly from here." His expression sharpened slightly. "And be careful of leeches and bats. They're everywhere."
"…I hate this island already."
The deeper they descended, the worse the tunnel became. Dark water reached their boots while thick moisture dripped endlessly from the ceiling. Bats screeched within unseen corners while pale leeches clung to the wet walls like living stains.
"This place is disgusting," Kael muttered.
"You've said that six times already," Lio replied calmly.
"Because it keeps getting worse."
Taren suddenly stopped walking. "…Did something move behind us?"
Silence.
Then—
SPLASH.
Something slipped beneath the water. Taren immediately walked faster. "…Nope. Not dealing with that."
Eventually, a rusted sewer hatch appeared above them. Lio carefully pushed it upward.
CRRKKK—
Fog spilled down into the tunnel immediately.
One by one, they climbed outside.
Shadowhaven.
The kingdom was buried beneath endless mist. Thick fog swallowed the streets, the rooftops, even the towering structures above.
Violet lanterns glowed faintly through the haze like ghostly eyes watching from afar. People moved quietly beneath cloaks and veils, their silhouettes appearing and disappearing within the mist almost unnaturally.
The plaza felt alive, yet silent.
Merchants sold strange herbs, poisons, blades, and black-market goods beneath dim lanternlight while masked figures exchanged whispers in corners hidden by fog.
No one smiled.
No one lingered.
Even the bars felt uneasy. Music echoed faintly from within taverns, but every sound felt muffled beneath the heavy mist covering the kingdom.
Taren lowered his voice slightly. "…I don't like this place."
"You're not supposed to," Lio answered.
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly as they entered a narrower street. "…We're being watched."
The moment he said it, a silhouette vanished within the fog above a rooftop.
Then another.
Then another.
Not footsteps. Not movement, just presence.
Taren stiffened immediately. "…No, seriously. I feel it too."
Lio's hand subtly moved closer toward the dagger hidden beneath his cloak. "From the moment we stepped onto the island," he said quietly, "they already knew we were here."
Far above the lower districts of Shadowhaven.
Two figures stood silently atop an old watchtower swallowed by white fog.
From that height, the entire street below could barely be seen through the mist. Only faint silhouettes moved between violet lanterns and narrow alleyways.
The little girl swung her legs slowly at the edge, crimson eyes fixed below the mist.
"Ohh…" she whispered softly. "Looks like rats entered from the sewers."
Behind her, the massive silhouette of a man rested a giant blade over his shoulder.
"Should we kill those rats?" his deep voice rumbled.
The girl tilted her head slightly, watching the three figures disappear deeper into the fog-covered streets.
"…Not yet." A faint smile slowly formed on her lips. "Let's see what they're after first."
The fog thickened around them. And somewhere beyond the mist of Shadowhaven. Something was already hunting them.