SHADOW TRAIL IN BASKA

Lyon sat still, eyes closed, scanning his memories for a precise location in Baska he could teleport to without drawing suspicion. The moment one clicked—

"AHHHHHHH!" he screamed, snapping his eyes open. "Hey—HEY Exca! Are you there?!"

"What's it this time, Lyon? I was just about to sleep," Exca's voice came through, laced with irritation.

"This man—this thing—he's just standing here like some polite noble, but I can feel the madness crawling underneath his skin. His aura's insane. If I'd teleported into Baska with him like this, the kingdom's Shinras would've fried me alive!"

"Oh, that?" Exca yawned. "Yeah, I already cast a Renshi-concealment spell on him. He's basically giving off normal human vibes now. No one's gonna detect him."

"You idiot," Lyon growled under his breath, cutting the telepathy. "He does everything without saying a damn word. Is this still a partnership or am I just his errand boy?"

Behind him, Sasaki spoke up, startling Lyon.

"So… what did my other self say? Did he give the location of the boy and the woman?"

Lyon froze. He thinks Exca and him are the same person? That's... disturbingly convenient.

"Yeah," Lyon lied, keeping his voice steady. "But it's an old location. We'll need to search the nearby kingdoms."

"Hah! Finally. I've been itching for a fight." Sasaki cracked his neck and fists, eyes blazing crimson with excitement. "Let's go stomp that old lady and drag the boy home."

Looks like a cheerful young noble, Lyon thought, but underneath… he's a loaded weapon just waiting to detonate.

With a single motion, Lyon drew a Renshi teleportation circle on the ground. The air shimmered—and in a flash, both men vanished from Guhan and reappeared in the heart of Baska Kingdom, just outside its capital walls.

"Don't speak. Don't act. Just follow my lead," Lyon muttered quickly.

Damn, I almost called him Sasaki again. One wrong word and I might wake the demon inside.

Meanwhile, Jackson and Marcel blinked into existence miles behind them, maintaining the distance from their prior tracking circle. They landed inside an empty town square under the cover of night, its cobbled streets eerily silent.

Jackson immediately grabbed Marcel by the arm and ducked behind a large fruit stall. "Don't make a sound."

Marcel whispered, "What's the new plan? If we get too close, your father will sense your Renshi signature. We're risking exposure."

"I'm not stupid," Jackson replied. "We'll keep our distance—but I'm tagging Sasaki with a Renshi tracker. That way, even if we lose sight, we'll trace him anywhere."

"Since when do you carry a tracker?" Marcel asked, surprised.

Jackson smirked. "I just thought of it now."

"You cocky—Wait, I think I have a Renshi storer!" Marcel dug into his pocket and pulled something out. "…Wait. It's just a rock."

Jackson slapped his forehead. "A rock? You idiot!"

"Hey! A rock's still usable! Can't you transfer Renshi into it?"

"Fine, give it to me." Jackson infused the stone with a faint thread of his Renshi, careful to keep it minimal.

"There. It won't stand out. Sasaki's own monstrous Renshi—even if concealed—will overshadow mine completely."

Marcel snorted. "See? The rock was useful. You're welcome."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Jackson said, brushing past him. "Let's just plant it and stay out of sight."

The boys crept out from behind the building, scanning the streets.

"...AHHHHHHH! They're gone!" Marcel yelped, voice echoing down the empty square.

"SHHHH!" Jackson hissed. "Damn it! They must've used another teleportation seal."

"We're doomed! How do we get back to Guhan? Do you know how far Baska is on foot?!"

The quiet night air of Baska wrapped around them like a veil as Jackson and Marcel strolled through the moonlit streets with no real destination in mind. Tension brewed with every step.

"So that's your biggest fear?" Jackson muttered, eyes forward. "Not the boy they're about to capture or the woman they plan to kill? You're just scared we'll be stuck here?"

"Shut up," Marcel snapped, jaw tight. "Of course I'm thinking about them too. But my father always told me—'put yourself before anyone else.' That's been my rule since I was ten."

Jackson stopped, turned to him, his gaze fierce. "Then maybe it's time to rewrite that rule. Being a Shinra isn't just about strength. It's about standing for something—fighting for those who can't fight for themselves. Friends. Family. Even strangers. That's what I believe in. And I expect you to start living by that too."

Marcel fell silent, chewing on the weight of those words as they resumed their walk, the cobbled stones echoing beneath their feet.

Are you one percent sure your father won't actually kill the woman?" Marcel asked, not meeting Jackson's eyes.

" I know him. He might sound like he's following the special darkside knight orders, but he's trying to save everyone in his own way. I can feel it."

"I don't know... I heard his voice, Jackson. It was him asking how to eliminate her."

"Then we follow them," Jackson said, voice sharp. "We plant this tracker on Sasaki. We track them. We find the truth."

"Fine," Marcel agreed. "But we need to move—"

"Hey, kids! What are you two doing out so late?" came a voice behind them.

They froze.

A patrolling Shinra, tall.. in blue-black capes, stepped out from the shadows.

Marcel whispered, "This is bad. What do we tell him?"

Jackson turned around and bowed slightly. "Sir, we got separated from our parents. We've been looking all day… we were just heading to a motel to rest."

Marcel cringed internally. Too direct you idiot, he thought. He's gonna see right through—

"Oh really?" the Shinra replied. "Well, this isn't a great town to be stranded in. And motels don't take charity here. Do you have money?"

As Jackson was about to respond, Marcel blurted, "No sir! We don't. We were hoping to plead for a place to stay just for the night."

The Shinra raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "This isn't a kingdom of pity. But I've got two boys your age at home. Come with me. You'll rest there."

Relief washed over them like rain after fire.

"Thank you, sir," they said in unison, following the man into the heart of the capital.

At the Shinra's house, his wife welcomed them with warm smiles and even warmer food. Exhausted, Jackson and Marcel wolfed down their meals and collapsed onto guest mats, asleep before their heads hit the pillows.

Meanwhile, in the kingdom where the trio are…

Morning sunlight poured through the window of a quiet motel where Alfie groaned in blissful sleep. Rebekah stretched and stood beside the bed.

"Good morning, Master," she said brightly.

"Morning, Rebekah. Sleep well?" Lucy replied from her seat, arms crossed.

Rebekah beamed. "I did. Wait—you stayed awake watching us?"

"Only for a bit," Lucy smiled. "You two looked too peaceful to interrupt."

"Ughhh, wake up, sleepyhead!" Rebekah yelled, shaking Alfie's shoulder.

"Mmmm… five more minutes… you can handle yourself…" Alfie mumbled.

Rebekah grinned and—SMACK!—landed a slap across his cheek.

Alfie shot up like lightning. "Wha—Rebekah?! Are you crazy?! You don't slap your elders!"

"Elders?" Rebekah folded her arms. "You mean old fools who sleep through missions?"

"Alfie, that's enough!" Lucy shouted from the bathroom, the sound of water halting for a second.

Alfie clammed up and slunk into a chair. "Hmph. What did you wake me for, anyway?"

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Master let us sleep in. It's already past eight. If we don't move now, we'll be riding all night again."

"Ohhh, baby honey badger still stressing over a little travel?" Alfie teased. "I don't mind long nights. A good sleep is all I need."

"This isn't night, idiot!" Rebekah retorted.

"That's the beauty of it. Sleeping till morning—that's what makes it a real night's rest," Alfie grinned, hands behind his head.

"You're impossible…" Rebekah muttered.