He Discovered in a Workshop This Time

While the words of Lerin were still echoing in Alucard's mind, he was suddenly surprised by the silence of the crowds that had been moving around him. He looked around, following the people as they dispersed. Lerin said in a quiet voice, "The speech is over. They got what they needed. Everyone knows that what was said here today won't change anything, and nothing will be different tomorrow. But it remains an important reminder."

They headed in different directions, returning to their lives, which had not undergone any real changes. There was no sign that they had absorbed what had just happened. The platform, which had been the center of attention, suddenly turned into just a piece of wood. Raiv was dismantling the planks and carefully separating them, scattering the wooden pieces as if they were mere scraps, completely ignoring the presence of the crowd that had been fixated on him moments ago. He began to move, his steps steady, in a direction that wasn't yet clear. It seemed as though he wanted to leave that place, but without drawing attention to himself. Alucard felt the need to catch up with him before he said anything. He heard Lerin's voice, and then Misa, her friend, approaching them. They were talking about the subject, but he didn't care about what they were saying. Lerin and Misa's words passed through him as if they didn't touch his mind. Lerin responded to Misa in a calm tone, her words flowing continuously, but Alucard's mind was with Raiv.

Raiv was moving further away. Alucard began to follow him, finding himself moving toward him without thinking. His steps quickened slightly as he got closer, but his mind was empty of any questions about Lerin's opinion or Misa's words. He was simply heading toward Raiv without looking back. At the same time, Lerin was watching Alucard with a faint gaze, not stopping her conversation with Misa. "Alucard won't go far," she always thought.

They continued walking until they entered a part of the colony that Alucard had never seen before. The place was different from the areas he usually passed through. The paths were narrow, the walls of the buildings close together, and the air there was somewhat suffocating, making Alucard feel uneasy. Raiv finally stopped in front of a small wooden door. This place was Raiv's workshop. He gently pushed the door open with his hands and entered without looking back.

Raiv's workshop was like a repository of the past and the future at the same time. The place was filled with things that might be broken, but all of them held potential that wasn't immediately obvious. The walls of the workshop were covered with crowded shelves, filled with old tools and carefully collected scraps. On the scattered tables, there was a mix of metal parts, wires, and wooden pieces assembled with precision, waiting to be transformed into something new. The tools were scattered here and there, some of them looking advanced while others were old, as if each piece carried a story.

The air in the place was saturated with the smell of metal and burning materials, making the atmosphere more intense. Some clay pots hanging on the walls appeared irregularly, some filled with strange components, while others were just old pieces that had been carefully refurbished. There were broken clay pots that had been fused together to form new and practical structures. The books scattered around the place took up a noticeable space, some in good condition while others were very worn. Their old, yellowed pages contained strange texts, written in ancient languages or symbols that weren't easy to understand. It seemed that those books had survived from a distant time, perhaps from the era before the moon's departure, and some of them contained information about topics from that era.

Raiv placed the wood from the platform in a corner of the workshop. He arranged the pieces on top of each other, wiped his hands on his clothes, and then headed toward a table filled with scraps. Before he could start anything, he heard footsteps stopping at the door. He didn't need to turn around.

"Why are you here?"

Alucard stepped forward. "I wanted to know where you were going."

"And now you know. This is my workshop. I restore what can be used, modify it, and sell it. Nothing more."

He turned slowly to look at Alucard. For a moment, it seemed as though he was studying him with his eyes, then he said, "What year are you from? A.D. or B.D.?"

Alucard raised his eyes. "B.D., I was born after the departure."

Raiv didn't comment directly. He looked at Alucard's white hair for a few moments, then said, "White hair... Have they all become like this?"

Alucard didn't know if the question was directed at him or at himself, but he answered, "No, it's not common."

Raiv spun a hammer between his fingers, as if thinking about something else, then said, "So, what do you really want here?"

Alucard didn't respond immediately. He looked at one of the books on the table, then said, "I want to know more. About what was before the departure."

Raiv laughed softly, placed the hammer on the table, and said, "You're very late for that kind of question. But since you're here... maybe you can find some answers for yourself." He gestured with his hand to the contents of the workshop before asking, "What's your name, boy?"

"Alucard."

"Alucard, do you work?"

"Yes, in exploration boats."

Raiv raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Really? That's surprising. I have two young men working in the same field, not much older than you. They're the ones who brought me most of these items. It's great to see people like you, doing good work, Alucard."

"Really? I thought you were the one working in them."

Raiv chuckled softly, then said, "No, I can't work in two places at once, boy. What's gotten into you? Don't make me laugh at the minds of the young these days."

Alucard ignored his comment and asked, "What are the names of the two young men who work for you?"

"Klaus and Janemba."

"Klaus and Janemba?"

"Yes, they're very tanned. What I like about them is that they're known for their way of wandering around the forest and exploring without being noticed. They've even scared the other workers several times."

Alucard thought. Maybe he knew them. Working in exploration boats is full of strange faces, and people there don't care much about each other. Everyone has their reason for working and searching in the forests surrounding the river. The boat was their means of reaching those distant points, and often the reason for advancing in this field was always family-related.

Then he asked, "Do they live with you? Are you their father?"

"You could say that, but it's much deeper than that. I'm the one who saved them and named them during the catastrophe, when they were just children. They're twins."

Things began to become clearer to Alucard. Raiv might be one of the first inhabitants he had spoken to so openly. That in itself was a discovery worth noting.

Alucard said, "They didn't work today, right? No one worked today except me."

Raiv replied, "No, they're still out there. They've been staying there for three days now."

Alucard's eyes widened, and he said loudly, "That's unusual!"

Raiv shook his head, "Yes, Alucard, but I know their capabilities. They're the best in this field, without a doubt. First-class adventurers, they've reached the farthest points that none of you dared to approach. They've even faced shadow trap creatures."

"Shadow traps? What are those?"

Raiv replied in a calm voice, "They're the most lethal creatures for researchers like them. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know them, because only researchers who have advanced in this field have been able to find them. And most of those who found them didn't return."

Alucard was surprised by his words, as if everything Raiv said was hitting him with a new shock and making his heart race.

Raiv continued, looking at Alucard, "They're giant birds. With huge wings resembling chicken wings, but with very sharp legs. Their heads are similar to wolves, with sharp teeth."

Alucard couldn't imagine this creature. His mouth was slightly open as if the words had come out of him suddenly. "Giant birds? Wolves in their terrifying form?" He didn't even know the meaning of the word "wolves." The idea itself was unbelievable. "Is... is it possible for everything to be that big? How did they face them? How many of these creatures were there? Do such things really exist, in this cold, gloomy world?"

Raiv answered, ready to explain more and more to this curious boy and his questions. "These shadow creatures, no one knows how they appeared, but they know how to blend into the shadows with great skill, as if they're part of them. They disappear in one moment and appear in another. They exploit the shadows, made of them. But the most dangerous thing about them isn't just their appearance, but their ability to deceive. They master the game of sounds brilliantly. They can mimic children's voices, cries for help, even animal sounds. All of that to confuse their victims, to bewilder them, to make them think they know what's happening, but in reality, they're falling into a trap. They're a type of highly evolved creature, carrying astonishing intelligence and special abilities that make them more lethal than any other creature in the wild. It's hard to escape from them because they know when to attack, how to attack, and they capture their prey without mercy. And when you fall into their trap, nothing can save you. Their sharp teeth, resembling daggers, will be the last thing you see. You'll feel them piercing your body before you know what's happened. They leave no room for survival. They master deception more than anything else, to the point where you'll feel like you're following something familiar, something that seems safe, before you find yourself their victim. So, if you hear a strange sound in the shadows, or if something seems off in the distance, stay away...." Suddenly, the doors burst open, and two young men entered, one dragging the other, who seemed completely exhausted. Klaus fell to the ground at the same moment, his eyes glazed over. There were clear wounds on his body, especially on his back, where there was a deep scar, bleeding profusely. The scar penetrated deep into his body, as if something sharp had torn through the flesh and skin with precision, ripping his clothes in that area. It wasn't just a wound; it was the mark of something extraordinary. Janemba's face showed tension and anxiety, his green eyes showing no signs of fatigue. He was completely bald, and his body was covered in heavy clothing bearing the marks of a long journey. In his hand was a heavy bag, filled with what seemed to be spoils from the trip. As he lifted the bag onto his back, Janemba said in a voice full of concern, "Their numbers have increased."