The Night of no Return

That night.

The alley was cloaked in darkness; the only sound was the faint rustle of wind against the damp walls.

"What did you do, Rethrus? Eri's voice was barely above a whisper, but the sharpness in her tone cut through the silence. Her eyes were narrowed, her body tense.

"This is the job. Rethrus' tone was calm but firm. "First, we need to get him somewhere no one can find him."

Kaeli glanced at the unconscious dwarf knight lying on the ground, his brows furrowed.

"Hayst… fine." Kaeli sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But you're going to pay us big for this."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll contract a dungeon tomorrow," Rethrus muttered, his mind already calculating the next steps.

"Now…" Eri crossed her arms, eyeing the unconscious body. "How do we move him without anyone noticing?"

The three exchanged glances, the weight of the situation settling on them.

"Aren't you mercenaries? You should know what to do." Rethrus whispered, his tone sharp as they stood in the dark alley.

"Right…" Kaeli muttered. "But I use wind, and Eri doesn't use magic.

Do you know any water experts?" Rethrus asked.

"Yeah… but they're too far from here."

Rethrus cursed under his breath. "Damn… no invisibility potions in my bag either."

Kaeli glanced at the unconscious knight. "We don't have much time."

"Argh…" Rethrus ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. Let's hide him here."

He knelt, conjuring a barrier around the knight."That should hold."

They tied the knight tightly and poured multiple sleeping potions over him—courtesy of the families, who knew of Rethrus' infamous struggles with insomnia.

"That should keep him out for a while," Kaeli muttered, wiping his hands.

In Rethrus' room, darkness filled the air, the silence almost too perfect.

'Huh… where is he? '

A thought echoed from beneath Rethrus' bed. The spy, in his water form, was hidden beneath the floor, blending seamlessly into the shadows.

The door creaked open.Three figures entered silently.

'They're here…' The spy's thoughts stirred with curiosity.

Yet… no one spoke.'Why so quiet?

'Kaeli closed his eyes, his breath steady as he meditated. A cold wind stirred within the room, spreading like an icy whisper that kissed the air.

'Ho… that's kinda chilly…' the spy mused, still hidden.

Kaeli opened his eyes and whispered to Rethrus.

Rethrus gave a slight nod.

Suddenly, tendrils of shadow crept from beneath Rethrus' feet, snaking under the bed.

'What…?'The spy's form rippled, but it was too late.

"Gotcha."The shadowy hand wrapped around the watery mass, dragging it from beneath the bed.

Rethrus pulled the struggling form out, his grip tightening as Kaeli conjured a wind barrier around the room, sealing them inside.

The watery form shimmered, shifting violently, but Rethrus raised his hand, a dark blast forming at his fingertips.

"Change back," he commanded, his voice low and deadly.The threat was enough.

The spy, trembling, shifted into his human form, his body solidifying as fear consumed his eyes.

"I'm the strongest for a reason," Rethrus murmured coldly, the darkness around him making him seem more like a demon than a boy.

Kaeli and Eri stood beside him, their presence equally menacing as they loomed over the frightened man.

"Let's finish this," Kaeli whispered, his tone icy.

At the Frings Mansion.

"My Lord." A servant entered Lord Frings' chamber, holding a sealed parchment.

"What is it?" Frings asked, his tone bored yet expectant.

"A report… from the spy." Frings' eyes sharpened.

"Read it." The servant unfolded the parchment.

"It says… Rethrus is home already, sleeping."

Frings leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Good to hear."

"Shall I have the spy keep watching, my lord?"

"Of course," Frings said softly, his eyes gleaming with hidden intent.

"Tell him to keep me updated… always."

"Yes, Milord," the servant bowed before slipping out.

In the streets.The night air was thick with tension as the four moved silently, concealed by a layer of invisibility.

Ahead of them, the spy stumbled along, barely able to keep pace, his breaths shallow and quick.

As they stopped in a narrow alley, Kaeli, Eri, and Rethrus pointed their weapons at him.

"So," Rethrus whispered, his voice calm but laced with a dangerous edge. "What exactly did the Frings family tell you to do?"

The spy swallowed hard, his eyes darting around as if searching for an escape.

"They… they just told me to monitor your every move. That's all!"

"Why?"

"I don't know… I swear!" His voice cracked, desperation bleeding through his words.

"They never told me why…"

"Ahhh…" Kaeli sighed, glancing around. "We're going to attract attention if we keep this up."

"Let's keep moving," Rethrus muttered.

They continued down the dimly lit streets until they reached a secluded area.

"Now, do your thing," Rethrus ordered.The spy hesitated but nodded shakily. He knelt, murmuring an incantation. A faint glow enveloped the unconscious knight as the spell rendered him invisible as well.

"Good." Rethrus conjured a shadow hand, lifting the knight's body effortlessly as they moved toward their destination.

At Kaeli's house. The dim glow of a single lantern cast flickering shadows across the room. Two figures were tied down on chairs, their wrists bound tightly with enchanted chains.

The dwarf knight sat slumped, unconscious, while the spy was trembling, his face pale as he glanced at his restraints.

"Please… I'm only a spy… "I don't know anything! I swear…"

"Your name?" Kaeli asked coldly, standing over him.

"Gerard… I'm just a hired hand. The Frings family paid me… please… I'll do anything, just don't kill me."

Rethrus, leaning casually against the wall, watched the trembling man with a detached expression.

"So, Rethrus," Kaeli asked, his voice low.

"What should we do about him?"

Rethrus tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as he considered.

"The spy comes with me," he said finally. "He'll report back to the Frings family… with the information I want him to give."

Gerard's face paled further, his body tensing as the weight of Rethrus' words sank in.

"And the knight?" Kaeli's gaze shifted to the unconscious dwarf.Rethrus' expression darkened.

"I want you to interrogate him. Find out everything about…"

He paused, his voice dropping. "The incident." Kaeli and Eri exchanged glances. Rethrus had already told them the real reason for their mission here.

"Okay…" Eri nodded. "And after that… what do we do with him?"

Rethrus shrugged, a wicked glint in his eye."I don't care."

He smirked, his gaze shifting to Eri. "You can kill him if you want."

He winked at her. Gerard's breath hitched as a wave of terror washed over him.

"Please… I… I can be useful…" His voice was barely above a whisper now, eyes wide with fear.

Rethrus didn't even spare him a glance.

As they walked back through the dimly lit streets, cloaked in a veil of camouflage magic, Rethrus kept a steady pace, his thoughts racing.

The city was quiet, but Rethrus knew better than to let his guard down.With a flick of his wrist, Rethrus conjured a shadowy thread, weaving it carefully into a necklace around Gerard's neck.

"What's this?" Gerard asked, his voice trembling as he felt the cold, eerie magic settle against his skin.

"It's one of my new spells," Rethrus murmured, not looking back.

"If you walk too far away from me… it'll tighten… and keep tightening… until it kills you."

Gerard's face went pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead."You're bluffing…"

Rethrus turned slightly, his eyes cold and unreadable. "Try me," he murmured, his tone devoid of emotion.

Gerard swallowed hard, his knees feeling weak.

In reality, Rethrus was bluffing. The chain was nothing more than a harmless illusion, a simple shadow construct that would dissipate with a thought. But Gerard didn't need to know that.

"I don't care anymore what happens," Rethrus muttered under his breath, his mind sharp and calculating. "I need answers."