"Good... it looks similar," Dusk murmured as he finished drawing a set of intricate strokes and circles across his palm using the faintly glowing liquid Lock had left behind. The smell was odd—like iron and herbs—its touch cold against his skin.
He sat cross-legged on the creaky floor, brows furrowed in concentration. A dim candle flickered beside him, throwing dancing shadows on the wall. Dawn sat nearby, munching on a rice cracker while curiously watching her brother.
Dusk was Dawn's brother, after all. If she was a ball of sunshine, he was the quiet dusk after a long day—steady, protective, and endlessly stubborn. And right now, despite not knowing a thing about real magic, he was trying his best. People said sorcery was evil, that it brought curses and misfortune. But Dusk didn't care.
For him, real evil was hunger —the gnawing pain in his stomach, the sight of his sister going to bed without food. If magic could stop that, then evil or not, he would learn it.
Taking a deep breath, Dusk raised his glowing hand over the tiny silver rat toy on the ground. "Monstra mihi res occultas prope," he recited carefully, every word rolling awkwardly off his tongue.
For a moment, nothing happened. The inscriptions on his hand flickered once before fading completely.
"Nothing is happening," Dawn said, poking the toy rat with a stick, her voice disappointed.
"Maybe I said it wrong?!" Dusk blurted, panic flashing across his face. He clenched his fist as if that could force the magic to work.
Dawn giggled and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't mind, Brother. Maybe it's shy."
Her innocent smile eased his frustration for a second—until the toy twitched.
The siblings froze.
With a soft squeak, the little rat suddenly came to life, its tiny limbs moving as it circled around them.
"Hahaha! It's moving! It's moving, Brother!" Dawn shouted, jumping with pure joy. "Brother Mouse is alive!"
Dusk blinked in disbelief, his mouth half-open as he watched the toy scamper in excited circles. Then, as if possessed by purpose, it darted under their bed and began headbutting one of the wooden legs repeatedly.
"What's it doing?" Dawn crouched beside it, wide-eyed.
"I think... it's showing us something," Dusk said slowly. He set the toy aside and went under the bed, brushing aside the dust. His fingers traced the leg until he felt a faint groove. He pushed—and the wood shifted slightly upward with a soft click.
From the hidden compartment, a small rolled-up parchment and a folded piece of paper tumbled out, coated in dust.
Dusk picked them up carefully, heart pounding. Scribbles filled the parchment—symbols, strange circles, and numbers he didn't understand.
"This must be it," he whispered, eyes gleaming with triumph. "We found it."
"Found it! Found it!" Dawn clapped her tiny hands, hopping in excitement.
┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉
Dusk and Dawn moved quietly through the winding alleys, their footsteps echoing faintly off the damp stone walls. A few rough-looking thugs lounged against crates and barrels, watching the two siblings pass. But none of them dared to interfere. Word had spread—Seid's warning and the church's protection made these kids off-limits.
Dawn clung to Dusk's hand as they turned corner after corner, weaving their way through the maze-like streets. The smell of old wine and garbage mixed in the evening air.
They hadn't reached the slum district yet when Dusk decided to take another turn toward the main road. The moment they stepped out—
BAM!
The impact sent Dusk stumbling backward. He barely managed to keep Dawn in his arms as they both fell to the ground. For a heartbeat, he didn't care who they'd hit—his eyes darted to his sister. She was safe, unhurt. Only then did he breathe out in relief.
"Ahh, f*ck—watch where you're going!" a harsh voice snapped.
The tone was sharp, commanding, the kind that came from someone used to authority—or abuse of it.
Dusk froze. The voice was painfully familiar. Slowly, he looked up.
A tall man with a nasty sneer glared down at him. His eyes were cold, cruel—the kind that made your stomach twist. The man spat on the ground and muttered, "Tch… useless brats."
Dusk's heart stopped for a moment. He knew that face. That scar running across the chin, that ugly smirk.
It was Robert.
The same Chief Guard from Lightrest City—the one who had arrested him, mocked him, and almost hurt that innocent girl.
Before Robert could say more, another man placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Robert, stop making trouble. We still need to find that thing."
"Tsk…" Robert clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed.
The other man walked towards them —another city guard from Lightrest. Both of them were out of their jurisdiction here in Ram City, but that didn't seem to bother them.
"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Robert muttered, glancing back at Dusk. But the space where the children had been standing was now empty.
Dusk had already grabbed Dawn's hand and dashed away down the narrow street.
Behind them, Robert squinted and frowned. "That kid… wait a second." His eyes widened as the memory clicked into place.
"Oh… it's him."
---
Robert hand was about to lift and Young girl's skirt.
"Guard, they weren't doing anything wrong. They're good people."
But got interrupted by Dusk.
---
Though it took him a moment, Robert finally remembered where he'd seen that boy before—the brat who had ruined his fun back in Lightrest City. The memory of that day flickered in his mind, and his brow twitched with irritation.
"Oh… it's him," he muttered, his expression twisting into a sneer. "He even has a cute little sister …" A low, perverted chuckle escaped his throat as his tongue brushed across his teeth.
"Don't do anything stupid," the man beside him warned, placing a firm hand on Robert's shoulder. "We're here for that thing, remember? We can't afford any noise in Ram City."
Both of them were guards from Lightrest, not locals. Outside their jurisdiction, they couldn't throw their weight around as easily—not without drawing the attention of the city watch or worse, the church.
Robert clicked his tongue, his grin never fading. "Alright, alright. I know the rules," he said, turning his gaze back toward the direction the children had run. His eyes gleamed with malice. "But once we find that thing…"
He licked his lips and whispered darkly, "I'll make sure those kids don't run next time. I will make him watch as I play with his Bunny Sister."