The journey back to the Guild was swift but silent. The atmosphere was tense with unspoken thoughts.
No one dared break the stillness. Each step was weighed down by the memory of what they had encountered beneath the earth.
Grant and Misha kept stealing glances at Shin. Their eyes betrayed awe and caution.
The image of him surrounded by foxfire, his bi-colored eyes gleaming with otherworldly power, haunted them. Yet true to their word, not a single mention of glowing eyes, ancient energy, or the truth of Shin's form passed their lips.
Trust was a fragile thing, and they clung to the thread Shin had extended. By the time they reached the towering gates of Laginaple, dusk had already settled across the horizon.
The sky bled with hues of orange, violet, and rose as the city's torches flickered to life. Life in the streets bustled on with cheerful ignorance.
People went about their evening routines, unaware of the darkness that had nearly clawed its way to the surface just hours ago. The four of them walked through the city like ghosts.
Laverna kept her arms crossed and her eyes forward. Shin remained a shadow in motion, detached from the world around him.
Grant and Misha were quieter than usual. They were respectful, shaken, but firm.
Inside the Hunters' Guild Main Branch, heads turned. Whispers followed.
Word had already spread that there'd been another spike in howler activity. This party had returned, alive and with one casualty.
They moved up the grand staircase toward the Guild Master's chamber. Their boots were heavy against the polished stone.
When they entered, Guild Master Davis sat behind his desk, frowning at a clutter of maps and scrolls. His sharp eyes flicked up, assessing each of them in a heartbeat.
"Report," he ordered without preamble.
Grant stepped forward, his voice steady but laced with a somber note. "The howlers were nesting in a ruin within the Alden Woods. We engaged and destroyed the nest."
Davis's brows knit further. "Injuries? Casualties?"
Grant swallowed his fear and continued. "We lost Corrin Harris, our archer."
A shadow crossed Guild Master Davis's face. He nodded slowly, eyes dimming with the weight of yet another young life lost.
"I'll inform his next of kin. Damn shame. So young. But life moves on."
The Guild Master wrote a parchment using a magic tool, letting the pen write by itself. Then he cleared his throat.
There was a brief pause before Davis gave a curt nod. He gestured toward the door.
"Grant. Misha. You're dismissed."
Misha hesitated, casting one last glance at Shin. She nodded and turned.
Grant followed close behind, though his steps were slower and more reluctant. When the door clicked shut, Davis pushed away from the desk and moved to stand before them.
His arms crossed as he studied them in silence. It was as if he were weighing their very souls.
His voice dropped to a low, measured tone. "You destroyed the nest, yes. But I know it wasn't just that. That site was old, far older than you realize."
"I've been monitoring howler movements across provinces for months. That ruin wasn't just another den."
Shin didn't respond. His eyes met Davis's evenly, unreadable as stone.
The Guild Master stepped closer. "Tell me the truth. Something stirred, didn't it? I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling that a thing... something that was never meant to awaken."
Laverna's gaze flicked toward Shin. The images from earlier flashed through her mind—the ancient markings on their bodies, the vision of the unknown King and Queen, the way the orb's power had rewritten something inside them.
Still, neither of them answered. Davis sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Listen carefully. I know you don't believe me, but I believe that the Kingdom of Laginaple is under siege. Not officially. Not publicly. But something's happening."
"Their borders are thinning, not from war, but from within." Shin was about to say something, but Davis stopped him by moving to the table and unfurling a map.
The map revealed red marks and notations sprawled across several territories. "Organized monster activity. Towns are disappearing without a trace. Ruins unearthed, then destroyed."
"Rumors of the Imperial Crown having relations with darker forces. This is no coincidence."
Shin's voice was low and measured. "Why... are you telling us this?"
Guild Master Davis looked at them both, worry clear in his eyes. Up close, Davis had bags under his eyes, a sign of the stress he masked beneath his tough exterior.
"I believe that my sister and my brother-in-law are possessed by an evil power. I don't know how to prove it, but I'm certain that they are not their real selves."
Shin was confused at the thought. Laverna asked, not believing what the Guild Master was saying.
"Then what happened before the Harvest Festival? Will it fall on deaf ears once more?"
Guild Master Davis looked at Laverna with sincerity. "I swear on the Ravencraft name, what happened to that secret meeting will not change. Justice has already been served and will not be reversed, but now is not the time to discuss that."
Laverna wanted to speak more, but Shin stopped her, raising his hand to let the Guild Master talk. He continued.
"For years, I've known my brother-in-law and sister. They're the same as the ones you've encountered after everyone had left. But they have hidden dealings with unknown forces, something that they don't want me to know."
He looked at Shin, then placed a huge folder in front of him. "I believe it was after they met your family, Shin."
With the mention of his family, Shin's heart began to beat faster. If it's connected to the past, then he must do something.
He must deliver the vengeance that his bloodline seeks. His hand trembled, suppressing his emotion.
As if by instinct, Laverna laid her hand on Shin's hand. Her touch surprised him, but that jolt of warmth grounded him.
He looked at Laverna as if thanking her for that small but meaningful gesture. Whatever Shin uncovers from that folder will change everything for his life mission.