Sealed Fate That Can Never Escape

"Isn't this just an empty city?"

Staring at the buildings in front of them, Lumine was silent for a moment before she began to look around. Soon after, she returned her attention back to Arthur. She noticed his eyes squinting before looking back at her.

"H-hey..."

"Huh-ah?"

Breaking their gazes onto each other, William walked between them in annoyance. "We should hurry up and continue."

"...Alright."

Lumine gave him a cold glare, but William ignored it. Then, they nodded in unison before continuing.

As Arthur and his friends continue to venture deeper into the unfamiliar city, a sense of isolation settled upon them. The once lively streets now lay deserted, devoid of any signs of life. The doors of houses stood ajar, windows broken, and the silence was so thick that their footsteps seemed to echo loudly in the emptiness.

Lumine's voice quivered as she broke the silence, "This place gives me the creeps. It's like a ghost town."

Leo nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the barren streets. "It wasn't suppose to be like this... This is the same city where Athan and my master found me and my sister."

Lumine turned her attention to him, her eyes squinting. "Can you stop calling her your sister? It's really creepy. You two are not even blood-related and as she would often flirt with you."

Leo scratched his cheeks and looked away. He couldn't even retort since what she was saying was true.

After walking for quite sometime, William stopped as he looked around. "We need to find something, anything, that might lead us to Athan. Let's split up and search these buildings."

Sophia, always practical, chimed in as she observed William from behind. She had a rough idea on why William is rushing, but she didn't mentioned it to her friends, "Good idea. Just be careful, everyone. Who knows what could be lurking around here."

They divided into pairs, each pair entering a different building to search for clues. The air inside was musty and still, with dust motes dancing in the beams of sunlight that filtered through the broken windows. William and Sophia explored each shops, their footsteps echoing on the creaky wooden floorboards. While Arthur, Lumine and Leo continue to explore the streets and other buildings.

Lumine picked up a faded photograph from a dusty shelf, her voice barely a whisper. "Look at this. It's a picture of someone. Maybe it's a clue?"

Leo examined the photograph. "Uh... We are looking for Athan. Not someone from a random photo we find."

Lumine suddenly became flustered and looked away. She says embarrassingly, "I know that..." Her eyes began to wander off before landing at a certain figure from a distance.

"Oh, look! There's a person."

....

...

..

Meanwhile, William and Sophia scoured what seemed to be an abandoned library. Old books lined the shelves, their pages yellowed with age. William pulled a leather-bound journal from a shelf, flipping through its pages. "Hey, check this out. It looks like someone was documenting the history of this village."

Sophia leaned in to read, her expression remaining impassive. "According to this, the city was hit by a mysterious fog years ago. Monsters began to appear very often, while many people started disappearing. Those who remained were forced to leave..."

"Let's go." Before she could finish, William turned around to walk away. From behind, Sophia eyes furrowed as she look at his back in silent.

Soon, Sophia's voice broke the silence that hung heavy in the abandoned library, "What's the rush?" Her steps faltered as she stared at William's back, suspicion clouding her eyes.

"I'm not rushing," William replied, his tone chilly and defensive.

A faint, knowing smile tugged at Sophia's lips as she crossed her arms. "Really? It certainly seems like you're in quite the hurry to find Athan... Are those doubts still eating away at you?"

William's gaze hardened, his fingers instinctively curling around the hilt of the sword at his side.

"Don't think I haven't noticed, Sophia. You're concealing something, an ability you've been keeping hidden from all of us, even Arthur. I may not know the details, but rest assured, I can uncover it whenever I see fit. And if you persist with these unnecessary questions, I won't hesitate to expose it to everyone."

He closed the distance between them, his eyes locking onto Sophia's with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. Leaning in, he added, "Are we clear?" His words held an unspoken threat.

Just as William turned to continue his exploration, Sophia's next words struck a nerve he had thought was impenetrable.

"You're still the same, William. Despite what people say about change, your true nature always finds a way to emerge. The tragedy with Persia's death only brought back the real you."

Her cold smile cut through him, opening old wounds. "A selfish boy who'd willingly inflict pain on others to achieve his desires. Am I wrong?"

A surge of emotions surged within William, his hand clenching into a tight fist, his nails digging into his palm.

His control wavered, and he grabbed Sophia's collar, forcefully pressing her against a crumbling wall. "That's enough," he hissed, a potent mix of anger and frustration evident in his voice.

Meeting his rage with calculated composure, Sophia continued, "Does it hurt to be reminded of your past? Well, let me jog your memory further – you're the reason my brother is dead." Her eyes remained locked onto his, unyielding.

"An insignificant error on his part led to his demise, and you were more than willing to capitalize on it."

William's knuckles turned white as he fought to keep his anger in check. Sophia's accusations stung, laying bare his guilt.

She pushed him away with a measured force, her gaze unflinching. "I'm not the type of person who would seek vengeance, so don't worry."

His retort caught in his throat as Sophia released a heavy sigh.

"But I'm here to confirm your suspicions. "Athan" is indeed the mastermind. Behind Persia's death, behind the massacre at the academy."

Her gaze bore into his, a chilling smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry, he's the puppeteer orchestrating everything. Maybe he had it all planned from the beginning, perhaps even before his own secret was exposed. Or then again, who knows?" Her playful tone sent a shiver down his spine.

"All I know that you'll be meeting your beloved fiancee once again while I'll be reunited with my brother in a manner that'll be unexpected for the both of us."

Confusion knitted William's brow as he demanded, "What are you implying?"

"Our fate has already been sealed the moment he was born."

Sophia chuckled, her unwavering gaze locking onto his as she turned away, resuming her exploration.

"Time will reveal all."