No More Ghosts

The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken thoughts.

Kael sat on the edge of a broken table, his fingers idly tracing the surface. The remnants of their last failure lingered in the air—dust unsettled, books half-open with no owner left to read them. The contact was gone, either missing or dead, leaving behind only whispers of knowledge they were too late to grasp.

But Kael wasn't planning on waiting for the next breadcrumb to fall into his lap.

"We find someone else," he said. His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was clear. "Someone still alive."

Ronan exhaled sharply. "You're acting like that's easy."

Varian, standing by the shelves, finally turned to face them. "There's someone who might still be around," he admitted. "Used to be part of the same network. Paranoid, secretive. But if anyone knows what happened here, it's them."

Kael straightened. "Where?"

Varian hesitated. "They don't exactly live in a place you can just walk into."

"Then we force our way in."

Ronan scoffed. "Of course you'd say that."

Kael's gaze snapped to him. "You have a problem?"

"Yeah, actually," Ronan shot back, arms crossed. "Every time we push forward, we get tangled in something worse. You really think we're going to get answers this time? Or are you just desperate to feel like you're in control?"

The words struck something in Kael, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he let the irritation simmer beneath his skin. "We're running out of options."

"We still have options," Ronan countered. "You just don't like any that involve waiting."

Kael stood up slowly, leveling Ronan with a cold stare. "You can sit around and wait for someone else to pull the strings, then. I'm done being led in circles."

Ronan clenched his jaw, but after a moment, he exhaled and looked away.

"Fine," he muttered. "But if this goes sideways, don't act surprised."

Kael didn't respond. He had already made his choice.

The lead took them to a district far removed from the rest of the city—where crumbling buildings leaned against each other like drunks in an alley, and the streets were thick with the scent of old iron and decay.

No one lingered here unless they had something to hide.

Varian led the way, though even he moved cautiously. "This place doesn't take kindly to outsiders."

Kael was already aware. The sensation of being watched crawled along his spine, but he ignored it. They had a purpose, and hesitation wouldn't serve them now.

The deeper they went, the fewer signs of life they saw. Then, finally, they reached their target.

A building, half-swallowed by vines, sat at the end of a narrow street. The windows were covered, the door reinforced.

Varian approached first. He knocked once. Twice.

Nothing.

He tried again.

Still no answer.

Kael was already stepping forward. "We're not waiting."

He pushed against the door. Locked.

So he kicked it in.

The wood cracked and swung open, revealing a dim interior. Dust hung thick in the air. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with handwritten notes and loose parchment. A workspace cluttered with ink-stained tools stood at the center.

And then—

The air shifted.

Something moved.

Kael barely had time to react before a force slammed into him, sending him staggering back.

The figure moved like a phantom, their presence almost unnatural. A blur of motion as they swept into view—a hooded figure, their face obscured, but their intent clear.

A warning.

Kael barely ducked in time as something sliced through the air where his throat had been. His instincts kicked in, his body twisting as he retaliated.

But before he could strike, the figure was gone again, moving too fast for the eye to follow.

Varian took a step back, hands raised. "We're not here to fight."

The figure hesitated, though their stance remained guarded. A voice, sharp but quiet, finally cut through the silence.

"Then you shouldn't have broken in."

Kael narrowed his eyes. "We're looking for answers."

"That doesn't mean you deserve them."

The pressure in the room was suffocating. Whatever this person was, they weren't just a scholar.

They had power.

And Kael had no intention of leaving without what they came for.