CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT: THROUGH THE ILLUSION

The sun had barely begun its ascent, casting soft golden hues across the sky. A crisp morning breeze swept through the quarters, carrying the lingering scent of damp earth and fresh foliage. The city beyond was slowly stirring to life—the distant chatter of merchants setting up their stalls, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against stone, and the occasional bark of a stray dog echoed through the streets.

Inside their temporary lodging, the morning was quieter. Nicole was already awake, seated by the window, watching the sky shift from deep blue to a softer shade of dawn. The moment was peaceful—until Ken ruined it.

"So… are we really going to see that old man?" he asked, leaning lazily against the doorway, arms crossed.

Nicole exhaled through her nose, amused but unsurprised. "Yes, Ken. We are."

Ken sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair. "You're seriously betting on a guy who was snoring when we got there?"

Nicole smirked. "He was sleeping, not dead."

Ken raised a brow. "Could've fooled me."

She shook her head, returning her gaze to the window. "He might know something. We won't know unless we ask."

Ken huffed but didn't argue. "Fine. But if he starts talking about how things were 'better in his day,' I'm walking out."

Nicole chuckled. "Noted."

The morning had only just begun, and already, Ken was making it entertaining.

Ken stretched his arms over his head with a loud yawn, then glanced toward the other room. A slow smirk crept onto his face.

"Well, well," he mused, tilting his head. "Sleeping Beauty's still out cold?"

Nicole rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her small smile.

Ken's smirk deepened. "Should I go wake him? Maybe with a nice bucket of cold water? Or, better yet, a friendly little shock to the system?" He wiggled his fingers like he was about to summon electricity, his tone dripping with mischief.

Nicole shook her head, amused. "Let him sleep for a while," she said simply.

Ken blinked, then placed a dramatic hand over his chest. "Wow. Who knew Nicole had a soft spot?"

Nicole shot him a deadpan look. "He barely got any rest last night."

Ken shrugged, still grinning. "Fair enough. But don't blame me if he wakes up grumpier than usual."

Nicole just exhaled, turning back to the window. "That's your problem, not mine."

Ken leaned against the table, crossing his arms as his grin faded slightly. A moment of silence passed before he spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

"You think he'll be okay when he wakes up?"

Nicole glanced at him, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. Ken wasn't usually one to voice concern so openly, but there was no teasing in his expression now—just genuine curiosity. Maybe even a little worry.

She sighed, looking toward the closed door. "I don't know."

Ken exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "He looked… different the other night. Not just tired—something else."

Nicole nodded, understanding what he meant. "Yeah. But he's Liam. He's stubborn. He'll push through it, like he always does."

Ken studied her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I guess you're right." But there was still an edge of doubt in his voice.

Neither of them said anything after that, letting the quiet morning settle between them.

The sound of a door creaking open broke the silence. Ken and Nicole turned their heads as I stepped out, rubbing the back of my neck, my hair even messier than usual. My half-lidded eyes and sluggish steps made it clear—I had just woken up, and I wasn't thrilled about it.

Ken smirked. "Well, well. Look who finally decided to join the living."

I shot him a tired glare before dropping into a chair. "Talk too much this early, and I might rethink not strangling you in your sleep."

Ken chuckled, completely unfazed. "Good morning to you too, sunshine."

Nicole, hiding a small smile, slid a cup of water toward me. "You actually slept longer than I expected."

I took the cup without a word, taking a slow sip before exhaling. "Guess I needed it."

Ken raised a brow, exchanging a glance with Nicole before leaning back in his seat. "Well, now that Sleeping Beauty is awake, what's the plan? We still visiting that old man, or are we finally accepting that this might be a dead end?"

Nicole gave Ken a look, unimpressed. "We're not giving up just because you lack patience."

Ken held up his hands in surrender, his smirk never faltering. "Hey, I never said give up. Just saying, old man might not even remember his own name, let alone anything useful about Dain."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "We're going. Whether he knows something or not, we won't know until we ask."

Ken shrugged. "Fine, fine. But if he starts rambling about his youth and how things were 'better back in the day,' I'm out."

Nicole rolled her eyes but smiled slightly. "Noted."

I finished my drink and stood, stretching out the stiffness from my body. "Let's get this over with."

As we made our way out, Ken muttered under his breath, "Just saying, if this old guy turns out to be a waste of time, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so.'"

I shot him a side glance. "Yeah, yeah. You can have your moment later."

Ken grinned. "Looking forward to it."

As we walked toward the old man's quarters, my gaze drifted to Nicole's back. I wasn't sure why, but something about being around her this morning felt… different. A part of me—one I barely recognized—felt nervous. It wasn't fear, it wasn't annoyance, but it was something unfamiliar.

My mind kept circling back to last night, to whatever that moment was. A conversation? An understanding? Something more? I didn't know. It was the first time I had shared something like that with anyone, and I wasn't sure what to do with it.

Ken's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You good, man?"

I blinked and forced my gaze forward. "Yeah. Let's just get this over with."

Ken gave me a look like he wanted to say something but decided against it. Probably for the best.

When we finally reached the old man's quarters, the place looked just as worn and quiet as it had yesterday. The wooden door creaked slightly as Nicole knocked, waiting for a response.

A long silence stretched between us.

Ken sighed, crossing his arms. "If he's still asleep, I swear—"

Before he could finish, slow, shuffling footsteps sounded from inside. The door cracked open, revealing a pair of sharp, tired eyes peering out at us. The old man, wrapped in layers of faded robes, looked us over before letting out a low grunt.

"Took you long enough to come back," he muttered. "Well? You coming in or not?"

Nicole nodded politely, stepping inside first. Ken and I exchanged a glance before following her in.

"Hmph. If you were gonna waste my time, you should've done it all at once instead of coming back to bother me again."

Ken muttered under his breath, "Well, someone's in a good mood."

The old man shot him a sharp glare. "You got somethin' to say, boy? Speak up before my ears decide they don't wanna work today."

Ken held up his hands in surrender. "Nothing, old-timer. Just admiring the warm welcome."

The old man scoffed, hobbling toward a rickety chair and lowering himself into it with a groan. "Hmph. You people come knockin' at my door first thing in the morning and expect me to be all smiles? Damn kids."

Nicole, ever the diplomat, stepped forward. "We appreciate your time. We just need to ask you a few questions."

He waved a wrinkled hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Sit down if you must, but don't go makin' yourselves at home. And speak up! My patience ain't what it used to be."

I stayed near the door, watching the old man with careful eyes. I had no problem dealing with stubborn or difficult people, but this guy? He had a special kind of grumpiness that made me wonder if he actually wanted to help or if he just liked having someone to yell at.

Nicole sat forward, her voice calm but firm. "We're looking for someone. His name is Dain."

The old man snorted, leaning back in his chair. "Never heard of him."

I narrowed my eyes. Liar.

Nicole, undeterred, softened her approach. "Please, if you know anything, we need your help. This whole thing feels… off. And we don't want to go at it blindly."

The old man grumbled something under his breath, drumming his fingers against the arm of his chair. He let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "Damn kids, always sticking their noses where they don't belong…" He peered at Nicole, then at me and Ken, before finally shaking his head. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

We all leaned in slightly as he continued.

"I've known Dain since he was a boy," he muttered. "And if there's one thing I can tell you for certain, it's that he didn't just wake up one day and decide to betray the throne. That man was loyal—more than most."

Ken crossed his arms. "So, what changed?"

The old man scoffed. "Something must've happened, obviously. But will that stupid King tell anyone? Of course not. He's too busy sitting on his ass pretending he's got everything under control."

Nicole blinked. "You don't seem very fond of the King."

The old man barked out a laugh, full of bitterness. "Fond? Hah! That idiot couldn't rule his way out of a paper bag. Too proud to listen, too blind to see what's right in front of him. The fact that Dain is gone and no one knows why? That's not on Dain. That's on him."

I exchanged a glance with Ken. This was exactly what we needed—a confirmation that something wasn't adding up.

Nicole pressed on. "Do you have any idea where Dain might have gone?"

The old man frowned, the deep lines in his face hardening. "No. But if I were you, I'd start by figuring out what exactly the King isn't saying."

His gaze landed on me, sharp and knowing. "That's where your answers are, boy."

As we turned to leave, the old man suddenly let out a loud grunt. "Wait."

Nicole stopped first, glancing back at him. "What is it?"

He scratched his stubbled chin, brows furrowed. "Might've just remembered something… but don't get your hopes up. Not entirely sure."

Ken scoffed, arms still crossed. "A minute ago, you said you didn't know. Now you 'might' have remembered? You sure you're not just sending us on a wild goose chase, old man?"

The old man shot Ken a glare so sharp I thought he might throw something at him. "Listen here, you sharp-tongued brat—when you're my age, let's see how much you remember! Probably won't even recall your own damn name."

Nicole stifled a chuckle, while I just shook my head. Ken, for his part, smirked. "Sounds like an excuse for forgetfulness."

"Sounds like I should knock you upside the head," the old man grumbled before turning back to Nicole. "Anyway, like I was saying, I think I might know where Dain could be. No guarantees, but it's a place to start."

Nicole's expression turned serious. "Where?"

The old man leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly. "There's an old outpost, deep in the northeastern valley. It's been abandoned for years, but if Dain's hiding—or being hidden—that'd be a damn good place to do it."

I exchanged a glance with Ken and Nicole. This was something. Finally, a lead.

I frowned. "Why there?"

The old man leaned back with a grunt, rubbing his temple like he was tired of all our questions. "Because that place meant something to Dain. Back when his old man wasn't a damn drunk, they used to train there. Spent hours at that outpost, just the two of 'em." He sighed, shaking his head. "Can't say for sure he's there, but if I had to bet, that'd be my guess."

Ken let out a low whistle. "So, we're just chasing memories now? Great. Next thing you'll tell us is that Dain's ghost is haunting the place too."

The old man's eyes snapped to Ken, and for a second, I thought he was going to get up and smack Ken. Instead, he pointed a shaky but firm finger in his direction. "If I was twenty years younger, I'd beat the shit outta that smug face of yours."

I smirked, watching as Ken held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying. You seem to be recalling things real conveniently all of a sudden."

The old man huffed. "Convenient my ass. I'd like to see you remember a damn thing when you're my age, you cocky little shit."

Nicole pinched the bridge of her nose. "Alright, before this turns into a fight, let's focus." She turned back to the old man. "Thank you for telling us. We'll check it out."

He grumbled something under his breath before waving us off. "Yeah, yeah. Now get outta here before I regret helping you brats."

Outside the house, I stretched my arms and exhaled, the crisp morning air filling my lungs. Then, glancing at Ken with a smirk, I said, "Seems like you don't get along with old people."

Ken scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "What can I say? They see me and realize their youth is long gone. Jealousy's a bitter thing."

Nicole chuckled. "Or maybe they just have a low tolerance for your attitude."

Ken placed a hand over his chest, feigning offense. "My attitude? Nicole, please, I'm a delight."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Alright, enough. Let's get going."

Ken groaned dramatically, stretching his arms behind his head. "Are we really gonna check out this old outpost? I mean, we just got a half-sure guess from a man who can't even remember where he left his own shoes."

I crossed my arms, leveling a stare at Ken. "Are you asking us to abandon the kid?"

Ken sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm saying maybe we should fact-check before running off on some half-baked lead."

Nicole shook her head. "Every second we waste doing that puts Prince Elias in more danger. If there's even a chance he's there, we have to move now."

Ken clicked his tongue, clearly not happy about it, but after a moment, he exhaled heavily. "Fine, fine. But if we get there and it's just an abandoned wreck, I'm calling dibs on complaining first."

We arrived at the outpost, the place looking as abandoned and lifeless as expected. The air was still, save for the occasional rustling of leaves, and the structure itself was weathered with time. It seemed like no one had been here in years.

After what felt like hours of wandering, Ken threw his hands up in frustration. "Alright, that's it. Either we're going in circles, or this place is just one giant, pointless—"

"This is an illusion," I cut in, my voice firm.

Ken, who had already given up on this wild chase, blinked at me. "How the hell do you know that?"

I exhaled through my nose. "Because Dain has done the same to me."

Nicole frowned, glancing around. "But how did it happen? It's not like we ran into Dain."

I crossed my arms, glancing around at our surroundings. "There are plenty of ways to trap someone in an illusion without ever getting close," I explained. "According to Sage Henri, an illusionist can set triggers—things that, once activated, trap you in their illusion without them needing to be anywhere near you."

Nicole's brows furrowed as she listened. Ken just sighed, looking unimpressed.

"But that depends on how strong the illusionist is," I continued. "And from what I experienced last time, Dain is no amateur—he's powerful."

Ken let out a groan, rubbing his face. "Great. So we're stuck in some mind game? And here I was hoping we were just lost."

I shot a glare at Ken, who was already looking annoyed.

"What?" he muttered, clearly pissed.

I crossed my arms. "We're in this mess thanks to you."

Ken scoffed, throwing his hands up. "How the hell is this my fault?"

I gave him a deadpan look. "Maybe because you've been nagging nonstop."

Ken arched a brow. "Your point exactly?"

I exhaled sharply, motioning toward the ground. "The stacked stones. You knocked them over."

Ken blinked, then frowned. "So?"

"So," I drawled, "that was the trigger, you dimwit. You set off the damn trap when you kicked them over."

Ken awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Oh… sorry."

I sighed and dragged a hand down my face, resisting the urge to strangle him.

Nicole, ever the voice of reason, turned to me. "Is there a way to break the illusion?"

I nodded. "Yes. I can break us out."

Ken let out a dramatic sigh of relief. "If it involves punches, I'm out."

I shot him a smirk. "As tempting as it is to pay you back for last time… no, it doesn't involve pain." I took a step forward, motioning for both of them. "You two should come close to me."

My shadow surged forward, overcoming the space warped by the illusion. Within the next minute, the world around us shifted, and we found ourselves standing at the entrance of the outpost.

Just as we were about to relax, a flicker of light caught my eye—more like the brief glint of something metallic catching the sunlight. My instincts screamed at me, but before I could fully react, Dain was already in front of Nicole, his sword raised with terrifying precision. His speed left almost no room for her to counter.

But I was already moving.

Before the blade could meet her neck, I willed the surrounding shadows to form a weapon in my grasp—a scythe, crude but solid enough to intercept his strike. Steel clashed against shadow, a burst of force rippling through my arms. I hadn't expected the sheer weight behind his attack, and since my weapon was only a makeshift construct and not the true Death Scythe, it failed to hold.

The moment my guard broke, Dain capitalized. A sharp, crushing kick slammed into my abdomen, stealing the air from my lungs. The impact sent me hurtling backward, my body smashing through trees before I finally skidded to a stop in the dirt. Pain exploded through me, but I barely had time to process it.

Dain wasn't just fast—he was relentless.

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