Found Him

The silence after Shimmer's last words clung to the tunnel like a wet cloak. The stone wall before them, lifeless and unmoving, seemed almost to mock them, as if daring them to find another way.

And then Arletta stepped forward.

There was no wind-up, no glow of power or elaborate flourish. Just one calm, casual motion of a single fist raised and then brought down into the stone wall with a hollow, thunderous boom.

Shards of debris flew out like fragments of glass caught in a silent explosion. Dust bloomed like a flower of gray smoke, curling through the chamber as the shattered remains of the passage scattered into the tunnel beyond. What remained was a dark, yawning corridor, blacker than shadow and colder than death.

Shimmer blinked. She blinked again, then slowly looked to Arletta, who casually dusted her knuckles, her expression neutral, save for a faint upward curve at the corner of her lips.

"…What the hell? Where were you keeping that punch, Chainie?"

Arletta just smiled, coyly this time, her cheeks faintly coloring.

And Shimmer stared.

That was when she really saw her beyond the shadows, the dim light, and the stoicism. Arletta's hair, long and untamed, was the color of river-washed chestnuts. Her eyes were pure onyx, endless and reflective, as if she carried echoes of a galaxy in her gaze. Her frame was lean, built for speed, not brute strength but every muscle moved with a grace that came from deadly precision. Everything about her, her stillness, her movement, her presence, was beautiful in that dangerous, haunting kind of way. A silent storm dressed in skin.

Shimmer sighed heavily and crossed her arms.

"You know, I don't get why my dad hasn't gone for you yet."

Arletta stiffened.

Her entire body froze, like a statue mid-movement, and the moment their eyes met, a deep flush crept across her pale face. She looked away quickly, adjusting the collar of her cloak with sudden urgency.

Shimmer tilted her head. "Oh? So you have thought about it."

Arletta didn't respond, her face still turned, just a flicker of motion at the corner of her lips, almost like a sigh.

Shimmer narrowed her eyes slightly, but there wasn't bitterness in her gaze, only understanding.

"…Right. He only sees you as his loyal subordinate. Not a woman."

That hurt Arletta. It was subtle, but the twitch in her brow and the way she bit her lower lip betrayed it.

"If he did go for you, though, I don't think you'd say no. Even Obsidian or Chrysanthemum wouldn't. The worst of women fall for my dad, and honestly… can you blame them?"

Her tone grew almost playful. "He's handsome. Powerful. Cold. Has that 'I'll-destroy-nations-for-the-people-I-care-about' vibe. Women love that. Especially the evil ones."

Arletta's expression twitched again, but this time, her eyes glanced at Shimmer with something faintly amused. A smirk, perhaps. She didn't deny it.

"And he's not nice. But when you're close to him? He's like a force of nature that'd tear the world apart to protect you. That's way better than 'nice.'"

Arletta nodded, a short, simple dip of the head.

The moment broke as they stepped through the shattered wall. The chamber beyond was dimly lit, flickering with green light from lantern crystals embedded into the icy walls. The space was wide, almost like a dungeon cell designed for beasts too large for cages.

And in the center of the room, chained to the ground like a discarded animal, was Veyn.

He looked awful. Blood stained half his tunic, and fresh bruises had bloomed across his skin like ink spots under glass. Metal cuffs held his wrists, ankles, and throat, pinning him to a cold obsidian slab sunk into the ground. A strip of cloth had been shoved in his mouth to silence his screams, though even now, they could hear the muffled groans as he writhed in pain, trembling.

But he was alive. Barely.

Shimmer stepped forward and sighed heavily. She crouched beside him, squinting.

"Tch, figures. Damn… looks like they tore into you bad. But hey, at least you're breathing."

Veyn groaned through the gag, his eyes barely open but they widened when they saw her. Shimmer.

His confusion was evident, even under all the agony.

Before he could react, Arletta moved forward, her eyes narrowing at the chains. She lifted her palm, and thin threads of gold tether-light erupted from her fingertips. With a flick, she sent them into the bindings, and the metal screamed as it bent, cracked, and finally shattered.

Veyn collapsed forward, gasping against the ground as the gag fell away. Blood trickled from his lips.

He waited, expecting a healing spell, or a potion, or even a bandage. But nothing came.

Arletta just stood back, silent.

Veyn coughed and looked at her in confusion.

"W-why… aren't you healing me?"

Shimmer shrugged. "She wasn't told to. He said to keep you alive, not comfortable."

Veyn groaned. "Typical…"

Then his head tilted again, staring harder at Shimmer.

"Wait. You came? Why are you here?"

Shimmer scratched her head with the flat of her blade.

"Long story. I was bored. And pissed. And apparently, you're too important to die, so here I am."

She sat back, resting the zweihander across her shoulder.

"Though, it's ironic. My Body Reconstruction doesn't work on others. Guess it's an Aeterium thing. Only purebloods can share it. I'm not. I'm… broken. Born from sorrow and a dead god's dream. My tether only works for me."

Her voice fell to a low mutter. "But Runner... somehow, she's got it. A full body reconstruction ability, even though she's just a human girl."

She clenched her fist. "I'm jealous of her."

Arletta looked at her, her eyes narrowing slightly, but she said nothing.

Just as Veyn opened his mouth to speak again, a sound tore through the chamber.

A roar.

Not just a beast's howl, but a shattering, soul-ripping cry. The kind that didn't just echo off stone but in the bones. The chamber walls trembled slightly. The air grew colder.

Veyn's body tensed. "That… that wasn't human."

Shimmer stood, her eyes sharpening. "No. It wasn't."

Arletta didn't move, but her gaze darkened. Her fingers twitched, ready to act.

Whatever it was… it had heard them.

And it was coming.