The train rumbled as it slowly began to pull forward, its rhythmic clatter filling the silence between them. Aelius sat by the window, his cloak drawn around him as he leaned against the frame, staring out at the station. Caius, on the other hand, sat across from him, relaxed, arms crossed behind his head, boots propped up against the seat beside him.
For a while, neither spoke. The air between them was heavy, not with tension, but with the unspoken weight of what lay ahead.
Then, as the train began pulling out of the station, Caius's gaze flicked outside. A slow, knowing grin stretched across his face. "You called it."
Aelius didn't move. "Called what?"
Caius jerked his chin toward the window. "Look."
Aelius followed his gaze. Sure enough, standing near the station entrance, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza were scanning the area, their expressions a mix of confusion and determination. Natsu looked especially agitated, nostrils flaring as if trying to pick up a scent, while Erza stood stiffly, arms crossed, her brow furrowed in thought.
"You said they'd come looking," Caius said smugly, turning back toward Aelius. "Didn't even take them long. You really underestimated their attachment to you."
Aelius exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the armrest. He wasn't surprised, they were predictable, annoyingly so.
"They won't find anything," he said, voice even.
Caius chuckled. "Nah. But that won't stop 'em from trying." He tilted his head, eyeing Aelius. "Betcha red leads the charge."
Aelius didn't respond immediately, watching as the train carried them further from Magnolia, further from the guild that had spent the past few weeks trying to tether him back into their fold.
"It doesn't matter," he finally said. "They won't catch up."
Caius smirked. "Guess we'll see."
Caius stretched his arms behind his head, shifting lazily against the train seat. "So," he started, smirking, "why'd you say that red barely makes the bar for being useful? Thought she was one of the strongest in your little club."
Aelius didn't react immediately, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. The rhythmic clatter of the train filled the silence before he finally spoke. "She is. That's the problem."
Caius raised an eyebrow. "Oh, this oughta be good."
Aelius turned his head slightly, voice devoid of amusement. "She's strong, but strength isn't enough. She fights like a knight—calculated, disciplined, predictable." His fingers tapped against the armrest. "That works against things with rules. Against people like you, or the rest of Fairy Tail's usual enemies. It won't work here."
Caius let out a low chuckle. "You really do have high standards, huh?"
Aelius didn't smile. "She fights for ideals. For people. That keeps her grounded, but it also limits her. She won't do what's necessary. And at the end of the day…" His fingers stopped drumming as he exhaled slowly. "She's still weak."
Caius's grin widened. "Damn. You don't hold back, do you?"
Aelius didn't respond, his expression unreadable.
Caius shook his head, still amused. "Alright, alright. So what about the others? You wrote off the dragon slayers as weak but stubborn. What's that about?"
Aelius's fingers resumed their slow, steady rhythm against the armrest. "They're predictable, easy to provoke. They rely too much on instinct and power." His tone was flat, matter-of-fact. "They're used to fighting opponents they can overpower. Not something they can't comprehend."
Caius whistled. "Damn. And here I thought I was the condescending one."
Aelius ignored that. "They've fought strong enemies, but nothing like this. Nothing like her."
Caius's grin faded slightly, though the amusement never left his eyes. "Right. Neshi." He rolled his shoulders, letting out a sigh. "Guess that's why we're the ones on this train instead of them."
Aelius simply nodded.
Caius watched him for a moment before smirking again. "Well, if nothing else, this trip's gonna be fun."
Aelius glanced at him, unimpressed. "And why is that?"
Caius smirked. "Because someone's going to die. And that's always fun to watch."
Aelius didn't react at first. He simply stared ahead, expression unreadable, as the rhythmic clatter of the train tracks filled the silence between them. Then, finally, his voice cut through the noise, low and even. "You're only saying that because it won't be you."
Caius chuckled. "Damn right." He turned his gaze toward the window, watching the blurred landscape roll past. "Not planning on kicking the bucket anytime soon."
Aelius exhaled, crossing his arms. "Optimism won't keep you alive. Not against what we're walking into."
Caius shot him a sideways glance. "And pessimism will?"
"It keeps me prepared," Aelius replied coolly. "And it stops people from getting killed when they don't need to be." He looked back out the window, his eyes narrowing. "But it won't matter. Whether it's one of us or whatever we're fighting, someone will die."
Caius let that sit for a second, then grinned. "See, now that's the Aelius I remember. Grim, brooding, and always thinking like a dead man walking." He let out a short laugh. "You always talk like you're counting down to the end of something."
Aelius side-eyed him, unimpressed. "You're enjoying this."
"Of course I am," Caius said without hesitation. "What's more exciting than a little chaos, a little bloodshed? Besides, if you're right, and someone's dying no matter what, then we might as well enjoy the trip there."
Aelius exhaled sharply through his nose, but whether it was amusement or exasperation, even he wasn't sure. "You haven't changed."
Caius shrugged. "Neither have you."
Aelius didn't argue. He simply leaned back against his seat, eyes still fixed on the passing world outside.
Caius, meanwhile, sprawled out in his seat, resting one boot on the edge of the opposite bench. His axe sat beside him, its handle within easy reach, though his posture was relaxed.
"So, how long is this trip gonna take?" he asked, tilting his head lazily in Aelius's direction.
"You're the one who knows where we're going. You tell me," Aelius replied, his gaze fixed out the window, watching the shifting landscape blur past. His tone was flat, disinterested, but there was an edge of irritation beneath it.
Caius smirked. "Touchy. If I had to guess, a few hours, assuming nothing delays us. You ever been to Black Hollow?"
Aelius didn't react to the name, though his fingers idly tapped against the armrest. "No."
"Didn't think so," Caius said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Not exactly a vacation spot. Just a little town out in the middle of nowhere, barely on the maps. Kind of place where people don't ask questions. Probably why she's there."
Aelius turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "And what exactly is there?"
Caius shrugged, though his grin didn't fade. "You'll see soon enough."
Aelius exhaled slowly, his gaze returning to the passing landscape. "Anything that involves Neshi is already worse than it sounds," he muttered.
Caius chuckled, clearly unbothered. "Still, Someone's gonna die." His smirk widened. "That's always fun."
Aelius turned to him then, eyes sharp and unreadable. "If we don't handle this right, it might be everyone."
Caius's grin lingered, but his gaze flickered with something deeper—excitement, maybe, or anticipation. "Guess we better handle it, then."
—
The train rattled along the tracks, the steady clatter filling the silence between them. Aelius remained still, watching the blurred landscape pass by through the window, while Caius still sat sprawled out across his seat, one boot propped on the bench opposite him, his axe resting close by. The tension between them had settled into something quieter now—a mutual understanding, even if unspoken.
Caius finally exhaled through his nose, tilting his head toward Aelius. "Still doesn't make sense," he muttered. "Why Neshi asked me, of all people."
Aelius didn't look away from the window. "It means she's desperate."
Caius chuckled darkly. "Yeah, no kidding. The two of us don't exactly get along, y'know. She hates me. And I can't say I like her much either."
Aelius finally turned his head, his gaze sharp. "Then why did you agree to come?"
Caius let the question hang in the air for a moment before shrugging. "Thought it'd be fun. You know how I get when there's a fight worth having." He grinned, flashing teeth. "Besides, if she's this desperate, whatever we're walking into is bound to be entertaining ."
Aelius narrowed his eyes slightly, studying him. "You just want to see someone die."
Caius didn't deny it. Instead, he stretched his arms behind his head, his expression amused. "Someone always does, don't they? The real question is who."
Aelius exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You're reckless."
"And you're predictable," Caius shot back. "But you're still here. Still answering when people call for you."
Aelius said nothing.
The train continued on, the rhythmic motion soothing in its own way. Outside, the terrain had begun to change, shifting from rolling hills to jagged cliffs in the distance. Wherever they were going, they were getting close.
Caius leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his crimson eyes glinting with intrigue. "So," he drawled, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, "Any idea what kind of nightmare we might be walking into?"
Aelius didn't answer right away. His gaze remained fixed on the window, watching the landscape shift from rolling hills to the jagged edges of cliffs and dense forests. The quiet stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Then, finally, his voice cut through the low hum of the train.
"It's Neshi we're talking about," he said, his tone laced with something between irritation and inevitability. "That means it's either something worse than anything she's ever faced before, something catastrophic, something she probably brought on herself. Or…" His gaze flicked toward Caius, unreadable. "She just wants attention because she got bored."
Caius barked out a short, amused laugh. "That does sound like her. You think she actually needs us, or are we just entertainment until she figures it out herself?"
Aelius didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the landscape rushing past the train window, the dull, rhythmic clatter of the tracks filling the space between them. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady, detached.
"I think she's in trouble, or at the very least needs your specific.....skill set."
Caius scoffed, shaking his head. "Sounds about right. But still, why me? She and I can't stand each other. If we were stuck in a room together, we'd probably try to kill each other."
Aelius's expression didn't shift. "Maybe that's exactly why she called you."
Caius arched a brow. "What, because she thinks I'll fail?"
Aelius let out a slow breath, somewhere between amusement and irritation. "Because she enjoys conflict. It's her version of fun. And if she's in real trouble, dragging someone she hates into it makes things more interesting for her."
Caius snorted, shaking his head. "That does sound like her." Then, a thought struck him, and a slow, knowing grin spread across his face. "But why not call you? She loves messing with you. Something about trying to break that whole cold, unshakable indifference of yours."
Aelius remained still, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. His expression didn't change, but there was a certain weight in the silence that followed.
Caius chuckled. "What, did she finally give up on you? That'd be a first."
Aelius finally turned to look at him, his voice quiet but edged with something unreadable. "Or maybe she knew better than to waste her time."
Caius raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. That woman thrives on wasting time—especially when it comes to you."
Aelius exhaled through his nose, a ghost of a bitter smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Then maybe she realized she never actually mattered enough to waste mine."
Caius let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Damn. That's cold, even for you."
Aelius didn't respond, turning his attention back to the window. His fingers drummed idly against the armrest, but there was an unmistakable tension in his posture.
Caius watched him for a moment before stretching out with a lazy grin. "Well, whatever her reasons, you're here now. And that means either this job's important enough to drag you back into the mess, or it's a complete disaster waiting to happen." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Either way, it's gonna be fun."
Aelius didn't argue, but he also didn't agree. He just kept watching the world blur past as if trying to see what kind of ruin was waiting for them ahead.
The rhythmic clatter of the train filled the silence between them, a steady, droning noise that neither seemed inclined to break for a while. Aelius remained focused on the passing scenery, his mind turning over possibilities, while Caius leaned back against the bench, twirling a small dagger between his fingers with absentminded ease.
Eventually, Caius let out a sigh, tilting his head toward Aelius. "Alright, let's say she did just call me for fun—her twisted little version of it. But let's also say it's worse than that. What exactly are we walking into?"
Aelius didn't look at him. "You tell me," he said flatly. "You're the one who spoke to her."
Caius chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, but I figured you'd have some grand, brooding theory by now. You're good at those."
Aelius finally turned to him, his gaze sharp. "It's Neshi. That means we have two possibilities. Either she's stirred up something far beyond her control, or she's baiting something into following her." He exhaled slowly. "Both are equally dangerous."
Caius smirked. "Dangerous for who?"
Aelius didn't immediately answer. His fingers tapped against the armrest again, slow and deliberate. "Depends on how careless she's been."
Caius let out a low whistle. "See, this is what I missed. You always have that doomsday way of talking. No wonder she likes getting under your skin."
Aelius rolled his shoulders. "She doesn't. She just enjoys trying."
Caius grinned. "Right. And I bet you'd just love to sit this one out, huh?"
Aelius didn't respond to that, which only made Caius's grin widen.
The train rocked slightly as it rounded a bend, and Caius let his gaze wander out the window, watching as the landscape began to shift. The station was still a long way off, but he could feel it—the weight of something looming just out of sight.
"You ever think about what you'd be doing if you never got wrapped up in all this?" Caius asked suddenly, his voice almost too casual.
Aelius tilted his head slightly but didn't meet his gaze. "No."
Caius laughed. "Yeah, figured. You're not exactly the reminiscing type." He tapped the hilt of his axe. "Guess it doesn't really matter, huh? We always end up right back where we belong."
Aelius closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, they were colder. "That's one way to put it."
Caius watched him for a beat longer before chuckling under his breath. "Oh yeah. This trip's gonna be real interesting."
Aelius exhaled slowly, the weight of the situation pressing against his mind like an iron vice. He tilted his head slightly, gaze still fixed ahead. "If this is some joke on Neshi's part," he muttered, voice eerily calm, "I'm killing you both."
Caius blinked, processing the words before he let out a sharp laugh. "Hold on," he said, pointing a finger at Aelius with exaggerated disbelief. "Did you just—was that a joke?"
Aelius didn't respond immediately, but there was a slight shift in his posture—so subtle it was almost imperceptible.
Caius grinned. "Oh, it was a joke. Or at least part of one." He leaned back, still looking at Aelius like he had just witnessed a miracle. "Damn. You really have been spending too much time with that guild."
Aelius rolled his eyes. "You're insufferable."
Caius smirked. "And you just tried to be funny. What's next? A heartfelt speech about friendship?"
Aelius turned his head just enough to shoot him a withering look.
"Alright, alright," Caius chuckled, holding up a hand in mock surrender. "Still, I'm gonna savor this moment. I think that's the first joke you've cracked since I met you."
Aelius didn't reply, shifting slightly in his seat as the train rumbled beneath them. The silence stretched between them again, but this time, there was something lighter about it—just a fraction less suffocating.
Caius tapped his fingers against the hilt of his axe, still smirking. "This trip's already paying off. I got to see the impossible."
Aelius exhaled through his nose. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
"Oh, I will," Caius said, stretching out with a satisfied grin. "Because if this really is a joke on Neshi's part, I'm making sure I'm far enough away when you try to kill us both."
Caius sat up straighter, his grin faltering slightly, as another thought hit him. "Hey, wait a minute—why do I have to die?"
Aelius didn't even glance at him. "Collateral."
Caius scoffed. "Oh, that's rich. I'm the one who got the damn call. I'm the reason we even know she needs help." He gestured broadly as if trying to illustrate some grand injustice. "Shouldn't that at least get me some kind of immunity?"
Aelius remained unfazed. "You entertained the possibility that this is a joke."
Caius blinked, then let out a laugh. "That's what this is about? You're gonna off me just for considering it?"
Aelius finally turned his head slightly, his voice as dry as ever. "You know her as well as I do."
Caius opened his mouth, then paused. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "...Okay, fair point."
Aelius leaned back against his seat. "Exactly."
Caius folded his arms, shaking his head. "Still, kinda rude to lump me in with her."
Aelius let the silence stretch for a moment before replying, his tone still unreadable. "If this turns out to be real, you'll probably get yourself killed anyway."
Caius raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "Oh? Worried about me?"
Aelius didn't answer, his gaze already fixed back on the landscape speeding past the train window.
Caius chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."
Caius let out a long sigh, stretching his arms behind his head. "You know, for a guy who doesn't trust anybody, you sure are quick to jump into someone else's mess."
Aelius didn't look at him. "This isn't about trust. It's about understanding what happens when she's left unchecked."
Caius raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like she's some kind of natural disaster."
Aelius finally turned his head, his gaze sharp beneath the mask. "She is."
For once, Caius didn't have a joke ready. He studied Aelius for a moment, then let out a short chuckle. "Alright, fair enough." He tilted his head. "So what's your angle here? You didn't have to come. No one's making you."
Aelius was quiet for a moment, his fingers tapping idly against his knee. "Someone has to be there when it all goes wrong."
Caius let that sit between them, watching as the scenery blurred past outside the train window.
Then he smirked. "You really think we're walking into something that bad?"
Aelius didn't blink. "Yes."
Caius let out a low whistle. "Damn. And here I thought you had no sense of adventure."
As the train rattled along the tracks, the station lights in the distance growing closer, the weight of what lay ahead settled between them like an unspoken challenge. The air inside the cabin was thick with the steady hum of movement, punctuated only by the occasional announcement over the intercom.
Caius tapped his fingers against his knee in an idle rhythm. "So, what's the plan when we get there?"
Aelius barely spared him a glance. "Find her. Figure out what she's gotten herself into. Contain it."
Caius smirked. "And if it can't be contained?"
Aelius was silent for a moment, then finally said, "Then we end it."
Caius let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Damn, you're really all business, huh? No 'maybe we should talk to her first,' or 'let's see if there's another way?' Just straight to the killing blow."
Aelius closed his eyes briefly as if reining in the urge to explain something obvious. "You don't waste time negotiating with a wildfire. You put it out before it spreads."
Caius grinned. "See, this is why we get along."
Aelius didn't dignify that with a response.
The train gave a small lurch as it began to slow, the lights of the approaching station casting long shadows across the cabin. A voice over the intercom announced their arrival.
Caius stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Well, time to see what kind of hell she's dragged us into."
The train hissed as it came to a slow stop, steam rolling off the tracks as the metal frame groaned from the journey's wear. The station was nearly empty, save for a few late travelers stepping off their own carriages, the occasional worker going about their business and the distant hum of the city beyond. The lights flickered slightly, casting long, distorted shadows across the worn wooden platform.
Aelius was the first to step off, moving with the same measured, deliberate pace he always carried. His cloak barely rustled as he walked, his eyes flickering beneath the shadow of his hood. Behind him, Caius stretched, rolling his shoulders with a low groan before slinging his axe onto his back.
"Well," Caius muttered, glancing around. "Not exactly the liveliest place I've ever been."
The city they had arrived in wasn't particularly large—just a midpoint between the capital and the smaller settlements beyond. A necessary stop before reaching the isolated town they were headed to. Even at this hour, the streets weren't completely dead, but they weren't thriving either. Lanterns and scattered neon lights cast an eerie glow, reflecting off the damp cobblestone streets.
Aelius stopped at the edge of the platform, taking in the city's presence in silence.
Caius stepped up beside him. "So," he started, resting his hands in his coat pockets, "are we just passing through, or are we supposed to be looking for something here?"
Aelius didn't respond immediately. Instead, he lifted a gloved hand slightly, fingers barely moving as though testing something unseen. He didn't need to speak for Caius to recognize that look—the subtle stiffness in his stance, the way his head tilted slightly like he was listening to something no one else could hear.
Caius raised an eyebrow. "You picking up something already?"
Aelius lowered his hand. "The air's off."
Caius blinked, then sighed. "Right. Gotta love when you get cryptic right out the gate. The air's off how?"
Aelius didn't turn to him, his voice flat. "Touched. Not by magic, not by anything natural. Just... something else."
Caius frowned, glancing around as if expecting to see something lurking in the city's shadows.
"Something recent?" he asked.
Aelius nodded once.
Caius let out a short laugh, though there was little humor in it. "Well, that's real comforting. And here I was hoping we'd get a nice, peaceful stroll before running into any nightmares."
Aelius finally turned, green eyes unreadable beneath his hood. "You should know by now that peace is never part of the equation."
Caius smirked. "Yeah, yeah. A guy can dream."
The two stepped off the platform and into the city streets, their boots barely making a sound against the damp stone. The town they were heading to wasn't far—just beyond the outskirts of this settlement, another hour or two's journey at most.
As they left the last flickering lights of the city behind, Caius cast a glance at Aelius, who walked beside him in silence. The road stretched ahead, winding through patches of dry grass and scattered trees, the town still an hour or so away. The sky overhead was clear, the moon casting long shadows across the path.
"You know," Caius said, breaking the quiet, "I keep thinking about something. You don't strike me as the type to walk into a mess blind. And yet, here we are, heading straight for Black Hollow."
Aelius didn't look at him. "I know enough."
Caius smirked. "Sure, but the fact that you had to learn about it from me means you didn't know it existed before now."
Aelius was silent. He wasn't about to argue against a fact.
Caius exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I mean, I get it—Black Hollow isn't exactly on anyone's list of places worth knowing. But it just proves my point. If it was important, you'd have heard about it before now."
Aelius didn't slow his pace. "Places don't have to be important to be dangerous."
"Fair," Caius admitted. "But that town? It's been rotting for years. There's nothing there but a bunch of people waiting for the ground to swallow them. Whatever Neshi dragged us into, she picked the perfect place for it."
Aelius gave a slight nod. He had already gathered that much from Caius's earlier explanation. A town forgotten by the world, barely holding together, filled with people too stubborn or too afraid to leave. The kind of place where trouble could brew unnoticed.
"You think she's actually in danger?" Caius asked after a moment.
Aelius didn't answer right away. Then, finally: "Maybe."
Caius raised an eyebrow. "That's it? 'Maybe'?"
Aelius's voice remained cold. "Like I said, she's unpredictable. If she's asking for help, it means she's either made something worse than she can handle, or she's amusing herself at our expense."
Caius scoffed. "That woman thrives on chaos. If she's gotten herself in over her head, it's because she wanted to see what would happen."
Aelius didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. The air carried a faint chill, the scent of damp earth lingering from a recent rain. The closer they got to Black Hollow, the more the land seemed to shift—not in any visible way, but in the weight of the silence, the absence of life. The trees lining the road were gnarled and half-barren, their twisted limbs stretching toward the sky like skeletal fingers.
Caius kicked a loose rock off the path, watching it tumble into the darkness. "I don't get it," he muttered. "If this place is as much of a dead end as I remember, what could she possibly want here?"
Aelius's cloak rustled as he adjusted it slightly. "If she didn't tell you, it means she didn't think you needed to know."
Caius let out a short laugh. "Yeah, sounds about right. Always playing games." He glanced at Aelius. "And you, you're just walking into this without any of the pieces?"
Aelius finally looked at him, his gaze unreadable behind his mask. "I don't need the full picture to know how this ends."
Caius tilted his head, intrigued. "Oh? And how does it end?"
Aelius's voice was steady, almost bored. "I've said this already"
Caius chuckled. "Yeah yeah. Someone going to die."
They walked in silence for a while longer, the road ahead barely visible in the dim moonlight. Eventually, distant shapes began to emerge—outlines of crooked buildings, roofs sagging under the weight of time. The air grew heavier, tinged with something stale, something long past decay. Black Hollow wasn't just rotting; it was waiting.
Caius stretched his arms behind his head. "Welcome to the Hollow," he said with a smirk. "Hope you weren't expecting hospitality."
Aelius didn't answer. He hadn't expected anything at all.
As they entered the outskirts of Black Hollow, the town's decay became more apparent. The wooden buildings leaned at odd angles, their foundations eroded by years of neglect. Faint lantern light flickered in a few windows, but there was no real warmth to it—just the kind of glow that suggested someone was inside, watching, waiting.
Aelius's steps remained steady, unaffected by the oppressive air that clung to the streets. Caius, on the other hand, took in the sight with an easy grin, hands in his pockets as if he were strolling into a familiar haunt.
"Not much has changed," he remarked, kicking a loose board from the path. It splintered against the ground, brittle with age. "Still looks like a place where people come to disappear."
Aelius scanned the buildings, noting the faint movement behind the curtains, the way shadows shifted unnaturally even when there was no wind. "How much do you actually know about this place?"
Caius shrugged. "Enough to know nobody here is gonna be happy to see us." He gestured toward a faded sign hanging from a post ahead. The paint was chipped and peeling, but the name was still legible: The Hollow's Rest. A tavern, if it could still be called that.
Aelius didn't hesitate. He walked up the worn wooden steps and pushed the door open without ceremony. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the lingering scent of alcohol gone stale. A few patrons sat hunched over their drinks, their faces half-hidden in the dim candlelight. Conversations halted the moment Aelius and Caius stepped inside.
Caius let the door swing shut behind them with a smirk. "Real friendly place, huh?"
Aelius ignored him, his gaze sweeping the room. The bartender, an older man with sunken eyes and a permanent scowl, stared at them in silence.
"We're looking for someone," Aelius said, his voice cutting through the stagnant air.
The bartender didn't blink. "That so?"
Caius leaned against the counter. "A woman. Probably causing trouble. Maybe setting something on fire."
The bartender's expression didn't change, but his grip on the glass he was polishing tightened slightly. "You'll have to be more specific. Trouble's the only thing that keeps this place breathing."
Aelius exhaled quietly. "Neshi."
The name landed like a stone dropped into a still pond. The air seemed to tighten, the already quiet room growing even more suffocating. A few of the patrons exchanged glances, one of them muttering something under his breath before standing up and slipping out the door.
The bartender set his glass down. "Don't know her."
Caius clicked his tongue. "Lying's a bad habit, old man."
The bartender narrowed his eyes but didn't respond.
Aelius, unfazed, adjusted his cloak and turned toward the stairs leading to the upper floor. "She's here."
Caius arched an eyebrow. "And you know that how?"
Aelius started walking. "Because no one in this town is stupid enough to react that strongly to someone who isn't here."
Caius grinned. "Heh. Can't argue with that."
The air in Black Hollow was thick, heavy with the scent of damp wood and old stone. The town barely held itself together, its streets lined with crumbling buildings and lanterns that flickered as though they might give out at any moment. It was the kind of place that felt abandoned even when people were still living in it—like the earth itself had long since decided to forget it existed.
Aelius and Caius walked through the quiet streets, boots scuffing against uneven cobblestone. The town was still, too still. The few figures they had passed on their way in had all watched them, silent, eyes lingering too long before quickly turning away. The weight of their stares hadn't gone unnoticed.
Caius let out a slow breath. "So, how much do you wanna bet they know exactly where she is and just aren't telling us?"
Aelius didn't break stride. "No bet."
Caius snorted. "Figures." His gaze flickered toward a hunched figure standing near what passed for a tavern in this place—a squat, rotting building with a faded sign swaying in the wind. The man, wrapped in tattered layers, watched them carefully, his face shadowed beneath a hood.
Aelius veered toward him without hesitation. "We're looking for Vanessa." His voice was even, but there was no room for argument in it.
The man's posture stiffened. "Don't know anyone by that name."
Aelius tilted his head. "Neshi, then."
The man hesitated for only a second before shaking his head. "Ain't nobody here by that name either."
Caius crossed his arms. "Oh, come on. At least put in a little effort when you lie to us."
The man's mouth pressed into a thin line, but before he could speak, a woman stepped out from the shadows of the tavern's entrance. "You're wasting your time," she said. "No one knows who you're talking about."
Aelius studied her, noting the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers twitched at her sides. She was lying. Poorly.
"Try again," he said. His voice remained calm, but there was a shift, a subtle weight behind the words that made the woman flinch.
Caius leaned against a wooden post, watching with mild amusement. "See, here's the thing—when people actually don't know something, they don't get all nervous when you ask."
The woman scowled. "We don't want trouble."
"You already have trouble," Aelius said simply.
The silence stretched between them. The woman's eyes darted toward the man beside her, but he was looking anywhere except at them. Aelius could see it now—the unease, the barely-contained fear. Whatever was going on, they knew. And they were terrified of it.
It was the man who finally cracked. "She's—" He swallowed. "She's out by the old church."
The woman shot him a sharp look, but he refused to meet her gaze. "They were gonna find out anyway," he muttered.
Aelius wasted no time. He turned sharply, heading in the direction they had pointed out. Caius followed, smirking over his shoulder. "See? Was that so hard?"
The answer, of course, was yes. And whatever had made it so difficult for them to speak… was waiting ahead.
The old church stood at the edge of Black Hollow like a skeleton of something long dead, its wooden beams warped with time, its stained-glass windows cracked or missing altogether. The bell tower loomed above them, a silent, hollow husk. What had once been a place of faith was now a ruin, swallowed by decay.
Aelius and Caius stepped onto the worn stone path leading up to the entrance. The night air was still, thick with the weight of something unspoken.
Caius huffed. "Well, this is inviting. Exactly the kind of place I'd expect Neshi—Vanessa—whatever name she's using today, to hole up in."
Aelius was about to respond when something fast shot out from the church doors. A blur of movement, a streak of chaotic energy barreling straight toward him—
And then—impact.
Aelius barely had time to register what was happening before the full weight of Vanessa slammed into him, knocking him backward onto the ground. His cloak fanned out against the dirt as she landed squarely on top of him, arms thrown around his neck in an enthusiastic grip that nearly crushed the air from his lungs.
"Ae-li-us!" she sang, voice practically vibrating with excitement.
Aelius exhaled sharply, his patience already fraying. "Get. Off."
Vanessa either ignored him or simply chose not to care, beaming as she pulled back just enough to stare at him, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief. Her silvery hair, streaked with faint traces of color that seemed to shift in the dim light, framed her face in wild, unkempt waves.
"Oh, I missed you!" she declared dramatically. "Did you miss me?"
Aelius didn't answer.
Vanessa pouted, her lower lip sticking out. "You so missed me."
Caius, still standing a few steps away, burst out laughing. "Oh, this was worth the trip. I almost forgot how much fun she is."
Vanessa finally turned her head to notice him. Her expression flipped in an instant—one second, delight; the next, something resembling deep offense.
"Ugh. You're here?" she huffed, sitting up on Aelius's stomach, arms crossing in a dramatic display. "I didn't ask for you."
Caius smirked. "One, you did, and two, You needed someone with working brain cells."
Vanessa gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as if physically wounded. "How dare you!"
Aelius, deciding he had tolerated this nonsense long enough, shifted his weight. In one swift motion, he shoved Vanessa off of him, sending her rolling onto the dirt beside him. She landed on her back, blinked up at the sky, and then immediately sat up as if nothing had happened.
"Well, that's rude," she muttered. Then, as if flipping a switch, she grinned again. "But anyway! You're here! That means you got my message! Which means—ooh! OOH! Did you bring snacks?"
Caius blinked. "What."
Vanessa groaned, flopping backward dramatically. "You guys never bring snacks."
Aelius pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his cloak. His patience was already running thin. "Why are we here, Vanessa?"
She blinked up at him innocently. "Because you came?"
Caius snorted. "Yeah, that clears everything up."
Vanessa pouted again but didn't argue. Instead, she rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin up in her hands as she grinned at them both.
"Well," she finally said, drawing out the word, "you are here now, so I guess it doesn't matter how I got you here. What does matter is what we do next."
Aelius narrowed his eyes. "Which is?"
Vanessa's expression turned mischievous. "Oh, you know. Survive."
Caius sighed. "Of course."
Aelius didn't react, but there was a certain weight behind his gaze now. He had expected trouble. This confirmed it.
Vanessa grinned wider, kicking her feet behind her like an excited child. "Ooh, don't look at me like that! You'll love this one, promise!"
Aelius doubted that very much.