The moon was hovering high in the night sky, casting its silvery glow all over the isolated, overgrown lot on the outskirts of Redux City.
The creaks and groans of the rusty fences was a noise that was constantly being made, only matched by the moving of bushes and overgrown plant life as Arthur made his way through the empty space, his black trench coat billowing slightly in the cold night breeze.
"Nothing." Arthur muttered to himself, his sharp eyes narrowed as he took in the scene, every detail searing itself into his mind.
This was where Morgana Carrington, Sylvia's sister, had been last pinged on her phone's GPS before she was taken.
However, looking at this, it seems like the Elven elite had already returned here and swept the area clean. Although the area was messy due to the overgrown plant life, there was not a single sign Arthur could see of a struggle.
No footprints or broken branches, no scrap of clothing left behind. The Elves were very thorough is seemed, using their natural Nature magic to mask their tracks and leave no evidence.
Still, none of this particularly deterred Arthur, as he knew better than to solely rely on physical clues alone in a world of magic & mysticism. Being a Mythical Wolf Spirit gave him powers far beyond even the more powerful Natural Spirits.
When he concentrated, he could tap into his connection to the Aether and the Spirit World to reimagine what had happened, piecing together events that had long since been erased through the passage of time of the influence of perpetrators.
He knelt, pressing his palm to the ground. A ripple of energy emanated from his hand, spreading across the empty lot like a whisper of light.
Arthur's vision blurred, and the world around him shifted, the present melting away to reveal the past. Shadows became phantoms, replaying the final moments before Morgana's abduction.
As the past was revealed, Arthur saw Morgana. She had golden hair that frame her youthful face, with vivid green eyes and wolf ears covered in soft, black fur, that constantly twitched in a cute way.
However, Arthur could see the hurried expression on her face as she ran, constantly trying to connect a call with her phone.
However, Arthur, unlike her, could instantly understand that a signal blocker was silently placed around the surrounding area, stopping Morgana from contacting her sister Sylvia.
She tried to run through the bushes, moving as fast as he small body could take her as her green eyes were wide with fear as she could hear the Elven assailants closing in on her.
"STAY AWAY!" She growled out as she arrived at a dead end, turning back to spot several tall figures cloaked in dark Elven garbs. The figures didn't respond, immediately casting spells to restrain Morgana.
Arthur's expression remained indifferent as he spotted one of the Elves strike Morgana hard across the face, knocking her unconscious before tossing her over their shoulder and walking away while contacting a superior Arthur thought could be Lucius.
"The disgusting Wolf-Bred Half-Breed has been captured, we'll bring her to the secure location and wait until you arrive." The Elf said, and the call was hung up after.
As the Elves left the location, the vision faded, bringing Arthur back to the present once more. Now, with much more information, he headed far towards the location the Elves had left towards, combing that area.
There. A faint, almost imperceptible shimmer stained the earth, dried blood. Arthur's lips pressed into a thin line. Elven magic had nearly erased the evidence, but it wasn't enough to fool him.
He reached into his coat, withdrawing a small vial. Using a clean cloth, he carefully collected a sample of Morgana's blood, sealing it inside. Blood carried a connection to its owner, one that he could use to track her down.
He stood, sliding the vial into his pocket and casting one last look around the empty lot. He had enough to make a start, but he needed more information.
He needed to understand Lucius Carrington's influence in Redux City, his network, his allies. If he wanted to find Morgana and bring her back safely, he would have to step carefully.
********
Arthur had long left the desolate area, walking amongst the streets of Redux City, which was well known for its nightlife, both the vibrant and the criminal.
Although there were Superheroes and Police Officers, there was just an extensive amount of crime as well, persons desperate to climb the social hierarchy in any means necessary.
Arthur didn't particularly care, walking through the city towards his house as he kept thinking about Lucius and Morgana, coming up with a plan of what he would do tomorrow on his investigation.
Although Morgana was not dead as of yet, as Arthur could determine that using her blood, she was severely injured at the current moment, which means he needed to act quickly before they finally end her life.
As he walked further, he noticed a group of gang members attempting to block his path.
"Oi, looks like we've got ourselves a lost pup," the largest of them sneered. He was a massive man with a scar running down his left cheek and a bat slung over his shoulder.
The rest of his group, four in total, surrounded Arthur, their weapons glinting under the dim streetlights, "Out a bit late, aren't ya?"
Arthur's gaze shifted lazily from one gang member to the next. He made no move to reach for a weapon or tense his muscles. He merely sighed, his hands remaining in his coat pockets, "You really want to do this?" His voice was calm, almost bored, but there was an undercurrent of something dangerous beneath the surface.
One of the other gang members, a wiry man with tattoos running down his neck, laughed. "Look at him! Acting all tough and cool. You're in our territory now, dog. Hand over your wallet and any valuables, and we'll let you go."
Arthur tilted his head slightly, but before he could respond, he heard a soft, indignant huff. "This really is too much," a female voice muttered.
Arthur glanced to his right, noticing a woman standing a few paces away. She had long white hair and wore a simple, elegant outfit, a crisp blouse tucked into slacks, the kind a professor might wear. She seemed more annoyed than frightened, her bright pink eyes observing the gang members with barely contained irritation.
It was Ayame, though Arthur didn't know it. She wasn't FoxLight right now, but her civilian self, an esteemed Magic Professor at the city's principal University.
"Stay back, miss," Arthur advised, his voice low but authoritative, "This won't take long."
Ayame's eyebrows rose, a flicker of curiosity in her gaze. Akeno, her Spirit fox companion, who remained invisible to the gang members, whispered telepathically to her, "This Werewolf has a strange aura."
Arthur's attention returned to the thugs. He sighed, tired of the encounter already. "Last chance," he warned, his eyes narrowing, "Walk away."
Scar-face let out a bark of laughter. "You're outnumbered, idiot!" He lifted his bat, swinging it down with brutal force.
But Arthur moved faster than any of them could register. In one fluid motion, he sidestepped the blow, grabbing the bat mid-swing and yanking it out of Scar-face's grip.
With a casual flick of his wrist, he sent the gang leader stumbling backward. The others hesitated for a fraction of a second, stunned by his strength, before charging at him.
Arthur didn't bother to use Magic. As a Spirit Wolf, his body was as strong as it could get, and so he just overpowered the other gang members trying to attack him.
Two broken arms there, a couple broken legs here, and some broken ribs for everyone, and soon, all of the gang members were sprawled out on the ground, groaning as they coughed up blood, some of them even unconscious.
Arthur dusted off his hands, turning back to Ayame, narrowing his eyes as he sensed a Spirit nearby, "You shouldn't be out here alone," he said, his tone serious but not unkind, "It's dangerous."
Ayame's eyes sparkled with amusement, her lips curving into a small smile, "I think you handled the danger just fine," she replied, her voice light. She tilted her head slightly. "But thank you for the concern."
Arthur regarded her for a moment, as if trying to assess something. Then he nodded, "Be careful," he said simply, before turning to leave, his coat swirling around him as he continued moving to his home.
Ayame watched him go, her smile fading into a thoughtful expression, "Akeno, what did you sense?" she asked telepathically.
The little fox spirit shimmered into visibility, landing gracefully on her shoulder. Her nine miniature tails swished with unease, "His aura…very strange compared to normal Werewolves. We should keep an eye on him."*
Ayame's eyes narrowed. She had been in the hero business long enough to trust Akeno's instincts, "Interesting," she murmured, glancing in the direction Arthur had gone, "Very interesting."
With that, she turned on her heel, heading back toward her apartment, her mind already buzzing with questions.