The next morning, Ryuto stood on the edge of the forest outside the capital, his thoughts swirling as the early sunlight filtered through the trees. Malachai had vanished without a trace, leaving more questions than answers, and Ryuto's gut told him that they couldn't afford to wait any longer. If Malachai was truly their ally, or worse, if he wasn't, they needed to find him fast.
The rest of the group gathered behind him, ready to set out on the hunt. Roland tightened the straps on his armor, while Ruda crouched near the forest floor, sniffing the air for any sign of their quarry. Nina stood close by, quiet and thoughtful, while Celeste kept her distance, her eyes hard and her posture stiff. The tension from the night before still hung heavy between them.
"We should split up into pairs to cover more ground," Roland suggested, glancing at Ryuto for approval. "Malachai could be anywhere by now."
