Lay sat quietly on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall.
My sister is late, he thought. She should have been home from school by now.
The sudden ringing of his phone broke the silence.
An unknown number.
He hesitated, thumb hovering over the screen, then answered.
"Hello?"
A calm voice replied, "Hello, Lay. How are you?"
Lay frowned. "Who is this?"
"I am Ray," the voice said.
The moment he heard the name, Lay froze. A vision exploded in his mind—himself on a battlefield, energy crackling around him as he fought a powerful enemy.
Ray's voice continued, cold and unyielding. "I have kidnapped your sister."
Lay's heart slammed against his chest. "What did you say?!"
"Come to the Battle of Crystal," Ray said. "Win the match if you want to save her."
"Where is she?!" Lay shouted.
The line went dead.
Breathing heavily, Lay grabbed his phone and opened Google Maps. A location appeared—fifty minutes away.
He clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms tightening as determination burned in his chest.
"No matter what," he whispered, voice low but fierce, "I will save her."