Two months had passed. Aurora had finally returned to her normal self,
Snowy had moved to his own house that he can call home.
All because of Stella, she had a little talk about where snowy would stay as he didn't want to stay in Luminae house.
while Snowy buried himself under training and waiting. Emily, however, hadn't stopped working, tirelessly tracking Miya's mana trail. But for two months, they'd come up with nothing.
Until today.
Snowy rubbed his eyes, staring blankly into the bathroom mirror. Another day, he thought, already preparing for the usual routine of training and waiting for news that never came. He turned the faucet on, splashing cold water on his face.
His phone buzzed in his pants as he answered it.
"Snowy."
Emily's voice on the other end sounded different—urgent.
"Miya's mana trail reappeared."
A brief silence followed. Snowy's eyes widened. Finally...
"Send me the location," he replied, already moving towards the bedroom. His usual calm was laced with something new—anticipation.
"I'm following it now. Sending you the coordinates."
Snowy quickly pulled on his cloths, the adrenaline beginning to pump through his veins. Two months of dead ends, and now… this. His phone vibrated again with the location, and without a second thought, he bolted out of the door, his form blurring into motion. The city streets passed by in a streak of gray as Snowy moved, weaving through alleys, darting around pedestrians, nothing slowing him down.
He reached the location in no time—an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city. The building was massive, with rust eating away at its steel exterior and vines creeping along its structure. This place...
According to Emily's data, this factory had been shut down years ago. There was a high concentration of raw mana in the area, a rare mana-gathering phenomenon. Only those ranked A3 or higher could withstand such intense raw mana without suffering a breakdown. For anyone weaker, the raw mana would disrupt their mana nexus, rendering them powerless.
Snowy was surely above A3 and more, His gaze lingered on the entrance for a moment before he stepped inside.
The interior was worse. Rusted machinery lined the walls, casting long shadows in the dim light filtering through broken windows. The raw mana hung heavy in the air, almost tangible. Snowy's skin prickled from the sheer density, but it didn't slow him down, his Heighten senses guided him deeper into the factory.
Then, a light tap on his shoulder.
He didn't flinch, though the thought crossed his mind. Above A3, huh? He turned his head slightly, catching sight of Emily behind him, arms crossed, a sly grin on her face.
"You're late," she said playfully.
He shot her a look, not even bothering with a reply. She pouted, clearly expecting some acknowledgment of her hardwork, but he moved on, scanning the factory with intent.
"You could at least say hi," she muttered, following after him.
Minutes passed in silence as they combed through the factory. The oppressive atmosphere weighed on both of them, the air thick with tension. Snowy's instincts told him they were close—closer than they had ever been.
Then, his foot hit something.
Snowy stopped, crouching down to clear away the debris scattered across the floor. Beneath the dust and grime, a trapdoor was hidden—barely noticeable unless someone knew what they were looking for.
"Emily!" His voice echoed slightly through the empty space.
She jogged over, her eyes narrowing when she saw the trapdoor. "What is that?"
"A staircase," Snowy replied, already prying the door open. A set of old wooden stairs led down into darkness. A strange feeling settled in his chest. Something's down there.
Emily's face twisted in concern. "You're not seriously thinking of going down there, are you?"
Snowy gave her a brief nod, already stepping onto the first stair. "Stay up here. Search the area carefully. We can't afford to miss anything."
Emily bit her lip, clearly torn between following him and her own gut instincts. "Fine. But be careful, Snowy. Who knows what's down there."
Snowy didn't respond. He began his descent, the old wooden steps creaking with every movement. The further he went, the more his heightened senses dulled. It was as if something was actively suppressing them. Strange… His grip tightened around the railing. He pressed forward regardless.
At the bottom of the stairs, an iron door loomed in front of him. Thick, rusted, and covered in strange markings—runes that pulsed faintly with mana.
Snowy stared at it for a moment. So this is the source.
He took a step back, then without hesitation, slammed his foot into the door. The iron buckled, groaning under the force of his kick before flying off its hinges and clattering onto the stone floor beyond.
Snowy stepped inside, the atmosphere suddenly changing.
Snowy stood in the doorway, his gaze scanning the dark, desolate room. The space was cold, filled with rows of dilapidated equipment, old pipes, and scattered debris. Corridors branched out in every direction, leading to rooms that seemed to go on forever. Staircases descended into darkness, the sound of water echoing faintly from below. His heightened senses, usually so sharp, were failing him—something here was blocking them.
Still, he kept searching, moving deeper into the labyrinth of hallways, hoping for the faintest trace of Miya's mana. Nothing. The longer he searched, the more unease crept into his thoughts. Where is she?
Snowy's steps echoed in the emptiness until he stumbled upon a peculiar room—a small chamber with an old, rusted table at the center. Various tools lay scattered around, stained with what looked like dried blood. It looked like… an amputation room.
The stench of blood hit him immediately.
Snowy grimaced, covering his nose and mouth with his arm as the smell overwhelmed his heightened senses. His stomach churned, but he forced himself to move away from the room, shutting off his senses to dull the overpowering scent. This place...
As he continued through the corridors, his eyes caught something unusual in one of the rooms—an old fridge. It seemed out of place in the factory, its surface stained with years of neglect. A foul odor leaked from it, so strong that even with his senses lowered, he couldn't ignore it.
Curiosity got the better of him.
Snowy approached the fridge cautiously, pulling open the heavy door. Inside, he found a single item—a small yellow bottle. The contents were a mystery; the liquid inside was cloudy, obscuring whatever was submerged in it. No scent, no mana signature. Nothing his senses could detect.
He frowned, placing the bottle back. What is this place?
Just as he was about to walk further down the corridor, something changed. He felt it—a presence. It was faint but unmistakable, lingering behind him in the shadows. Snowy's instincts kicked in immediately. He turned, searching for the source, but saw nothing.
Who's there?
Before he could voice the question, a voice spoke.
"How have you been, Snowy?"
The voice was unfamiliar—calm, almost mocking. Snowy spun around, but again, no one was there. His heart pounded in his chest, his heightened senses now on full alert. But there was no one. Nothing but the empty hall and the cold air surrounding him.
"So eager to find me, huh?" The voice came again, this time closer.
Snowy whipped around, and there—standing in the shadows—was a figure. His silhouette was tall, shrouded in darkness, but the grin on his face was unmistakable. Snowy's eyes narrowed as recognition dawned. No...
It was him. The one he despised the most. Nyx—the Shadow Dragon, as he called himself.
They stared at each other, tension hanging thick in the air. Snowy clenched his fists, anger surging through his veins as memories of his parents' deaths flashed in his mind. Without a word, Snowy's hand shot forward, aiming a punch directly at Nyx's face.
But in an instant, Nyx vanished, reappearing behind him like a wisp of shadow. Snowy spun, fury evident in his expression. He wanted nothing more than to end Nyx right there. The man had taken everything from him.
Nyx chuckled, his voice low and amused. "You look angry, Snowy. Understandable."
Snowy's fist slammed into the wall beside him, the impact shaking the entire factory. Dust rained down from the ceiling as his phone buzzed. Emily was likely checking up on him as the factory was shaking and wondering what was happening. But Snowy's focus was singular. Nyx.
"I have a deal for you," Nyx said, almost casually, as if they weren't on the verge of another fight.
Snowy's voice was laced with anger. "I'm not interested."
But Nyx's grin only widened as he caught Snowy's next punch effortlessly, holding his fist in the air. "Don't you want to know about your sister?"
The words hit Snowy like a shockwave. His anger faltered for a brief moment. Miya?
His mind raced. Why would Nyx bring her up? What game was he playing? "Why should I believe you?" Snowy growled, though his heart betrayed him with a sudden pang of hope.
"Because you came here for her, didn't you?" Nyx replied smoothly, stepping back and releasing Snowy's fist. "She's what brought you to this forsaken place."
Snowy felt a strange knot forming in his chest. Something about this conversation felt wrong, but he couldn't deny it—he did want to know about his sister. His instincts screamed not to trust Nyx, but the desperation gnawed at him.
"Tell me!" Snowy demanded.
Nyx's smile never faded. He looked almost pleased as he tossed something toward Snowy—a yellow bottle, identical to the one Snowy had found in the fridge earlier.
Snowy caught it, his eyes narrowing as he inspected the bottle. "What is this?"
Nyx crossed his arms, his grin widening. "Your sister."
The bottle felt heavier in Snowy's hand. His heart raced, confusion mingling with rage. This can't be…
Nyx's voice cut through Snowy's thoughts. "Look closer. Aren't your senses supposed to be sharp enough to know what's inside?"
Snowy's breath hitched as he felt a sudden shift—his senses, once dulled by the factory's strange aura, were suddenly free. His heightened perception kicked in, and he focused on the bottle. His hands trembled as realization crept over him.
Inside the bottle… was a brain.
His entire body froze as horror settled in.
...