The tall and lanky figure arrived at the house, his hood slipping back to reveal his features. He was a six-eared person, his pale white hair and striking red eyes catching the sunlight.
His movements were unsteady, as if he were gasping for strength, and his white tail was carefully tucked beneath his clothing. Despite his haggard appearance, there was a maturity in his gaze that spoke of experience.
Leneth and Lily stared at the man, their eyes widening in recognition.
"Isn't that...?" Lily began.
"Yeah, it's old man Toothless," Leneth finished with a smirk.
Huffing, the man sank down onto the steps outside the house, his lanky frame folding awkwardly. He looked at the two with a tired expression before throwing out a casual retort.
"Old man, huh? I'm barely thirty, you brats!"
The siblings rolled their eyes in unison, unimpressed by his protest.
"So, what are you doing here?" Leneth asked.
Toothless straightened suddenly, his urgency reigniting as he placed his hands firmly on Leneth's shoulders.
"Where is Manasei?" he asked, his voice laced with panic.
At that moment, Goneth stepped out from behind Toothless. His outfit was simple but practical: a black cropped jacket with long sleeves, a black shirt underneath, and a black belt with a small pouch made of elastic fabric strapped to it.
Black leather pants and gray sneakers completed the ensemble, with a thin cloak draped over his shoulders, similar to the ones his younger siblings wore.
Without warning, Goneth delivered a sharp kick to Toothless's rear, sending the lanky man tumbling forward, face-first off the small stairs leading into the house.
"You doofus," Goneth said coolly. "Don't go scaring the kids with that tone."
Toothless groaned, rubbing his back as he sat up. "Hey, you could've just told me that, you know."
As he spoke, his teeth became visible; three mismatched teeth on his upper row standing out awkwardly among the others. Despite his considerable wealth, which could have easily fixed this oddity, Toothless had never bothered.
"Leneth. Lily," Goneth said, his tone firm as he turned to his younger siblings. "Stay here for a second."
The two nodded, knowing it was futile to protest. Even if they wanted to eavesdrop, Goneth would make sure they were out of earshot. Quietly, they sat down on the stairs as Goneth gestured for Toothless to follow him a short distance away. The lanky man, still rubbing his bruised back, complied without complaint.
"I'll cut straight to the chase since you seem to have an idea of what's going on. Your brother is in deep trouble this time," Toothless said.
"What do you mean?" Goneth asked, his voice hoarse.
"This morning, I noticed enforcers flooding the slums, more than I've ever seen. Some of them even came for me, somehow finding my hideout and raiding it. I barely managed to escape, but before I slipped out, I learned what they wanted from me."
"Manasei," Goneth said quietly, his expression darkening.
"Exactly. He's always found ways to get into trouble with the law, but this… this is completely different. They're not going to let him go, no matter what."
Goneth listened in silence, his mind racing as he thought back to the events of last night. He had held onto a sliver of hope, convincing himself that Manny was overreacting, that this whole ordeal might blow over in time. Maybe they could return to their regular lives soon, he had thought. But hearing this shattered that fragile hope completely.
His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white as his lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, he forced himself to ask, "What could he have done to make them act like this?"
Toothless sighed, his gaze softening as he looked at the boy. "I could guess what it might be, but… I'm afraid you won't like the answer."
"What?" Goneth's reply came absent mindedly.
Toothless hesitated, giving the boy a long, searching look. He decided against burdening him with the truth, or at least the truth as he suspected it. Goneth likely had his own suspicions anyway.
"On second thought, never mind," Toothless said abruptly. Hoping to steer the conversation elsewhere, he added, "What are your plans now?"
Goneth exhaled sharply, choosing not to press for more information. "I plan to take the kids and hide somewhere until this thing blows over. No matter the circumstances, I have faith in Manny."
Toothless nodded slowly.
—-------------------
At the warehouse, bodies littered the ground, unconscious. These were the enforcers, their uniforms dirtied and torn.
Amidst them stood a cloaked young man, his figure obscured by the tattered fabric. In one hand, he held a battered metallic pipe, its surface stained from use. With the other, he gripped the blue shirt collar of an enforcer, dragging the man to his knees. The enforcer, his body bruised and trembling, looked up at Manasei with fear barely concealed beneath his defiant words.
"You lunatic," the enforcer spat,"You think this will be the end of the chase?"
Manasei's response was calm but cold. Raising the pipe slightly, he said, "I'll only say this once. I ask the questions. Otherwise, you won't be as 'lucky' as your friends here."
The enforcer recalled the crime that had led to this manhunt, and while he couldn't be sure of the details, one thing was clear: this young man had already killed someone, and someone of good status in this city as well. Not willing to gamble with his life, the enforcer nodded weakly.
"Is this all the manpower that was sent for the arrest?" Manasei asked.
"No."
"Where are the others based?"
The enforcer hesitated for a moment, his lips pressing into a thin line. But under Manasei's glare, he broke. "Section 7, 4, and 5 of the slums. We received tips from other info brokers saying that's where you mostly operate."
Starfallen City, an island that was a sprawling metropolis with stark contrasts between its districts. The slums was one of these districts, split into 7 neglected sections riddled with poverty, crime, and limited law enforcement.
Manasei had moved between them for years, always looking for opportunities to earn money. But even with his caution, there were places he frequented more often than others, making it inevitable that someone would take notice.
Manasei processed the information in silence, his grip tightening slightly on the enforcer's collar. Then he asked his next question,"Are there any alchemists dispatched?"
The enforcer's eyes widened slightly, his surprise evident. "As far as I know... No."
Manasei's eyes narrowed, which made the man squirm as beads of sweat trickled down his face.
Before the enforcer could say more, Manasei brought the pipe down with a swift, brutal motion.
SLAM!
The enforcer crumpled to the ground, unconscious like the rest of his squad. Manasei didn't spare him another glance.
Them he turned sharply, dashing out of the junkyard with a renewed sense of urgency. His plan was clear: head to the sections the enforcer had mentioned; 7, 4, and 5, to piece together the bigger picture. While he was cautious, he didn't consider the enforcers a serious threat.
He knew the slums well, their winding alleys and hidden paths were like second nature to him. Arrogance had no place in his mindset, but he trusted his ability to outmaneuver and outwit.
As he left the junkyard and crossed into Section 4, the nearest of the three, just then….
Two shadowy figures emerged from the gloom, as if they were following him to this alley. They were clad in tight black clothing, their faces obscured by masks. The aura they carried was palpable, oppressive even. Manasei's instincts flared, and his body tensed.
There was no mistaking it, these weren't ordinary people. The distinction was as stark as a wolf moving among sheep.
Manasei halted his steps, his mind racing. He wasn't foolish enough to think he could take on two alchemists at once.
His thoughts sharpened into a single objective.
'escape. Fighting isn't an option. If I stay, I'm dead."