Someone?

The towering city walls loomed before them, carved from dark stone that seemed to drink in the daylight. The closer they got, the more Viole could make out—ornate iron gates, guards standing rigid in their gleaming armor, and beyond them, streets teeming with life.

Ha-eun stopped just short of the entrance, glancing over her shoulder. "Stay close," she murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

Viole clenched his fists. He had no intention of being led around like a lost dog, but the strange sensation still roiled in his gut—powerful, unfamiliar. He wasn't ready to test its limits just yet.

As they approached the gates, one of the guards stepped forward. His armor was different, the crest on his chestplate intricate and unfamiliar. He studied Ha-eun with wary eyes.

"You again," the guard muttered. "Didn't think we'd see you back so soon."

Ha-eun's lips curved into a smirk. "I go where I please."

The guard exhaled sharply but stepped aside. "Don't cause trouble."

Viole barely had time to process the exchange before Ha-eun grabbed his wrist and pulled him through the gate. The moment they entered, the noise of the city swallowed them whole—vendors shouting, horses clattering against cobblestone, and the murmurs of countless people moving through the streets.

The air was thick with unfamiliar scents—roasted meat, ink, something floral and sweet. It was overwhelming, but Viole forced himself to focus. He had questions.

"What is this place?" he demanded, pulling free from Ha-eun's grasp.

She raised an eyebrow. "The City of Umbra," she said, as if that explained everything.

Viole frowned. "And why are we here?"

Ha-eun's gaze flickered to something in the distance. "Because someone wants to meet you."

Viole followed her line of sight and felt his breath hitch.

At the far end of the bustling square stood a lone figure, clad in a flowing black cloak, face hidden beneath a deep hood. But even from a distance, Viole could feel the presence radiating from them—something dark, something familiar.

The stirring inside him intensified, a shadow curling through his veins. His pulse quickened.

Whoever this person was, they weren't just waiting for him.

They knew exactly what he was.

And they were about to change everything.