It was Victor's first day on patrol in District 2. He woke up early to prepare everything he needed for the mission. As he brushed his teeth, a chime from his location device caught his attention. To his surprise, the device also functioned as a communicator for calls and messages.
'What a useful device,' he thought while walking over to answer the call. "Hello, good morning. What do you need?"
A cheerful voice came from the other end. "Good morning, Sir!"
Victor raised a brow, recognizing the caller. "Oh, Toby? What is it?"
"I just wanted to let you know we'll meet directly at District 2, rooftop of Collar Building," Toby replied enthusiastically.
"Ah, I see. Alright, I'll head over now."
After their brief conversation, Victor finished brushing his teeth and got dressed, ready to begin his day.
*
[5:45 AM]
The three of them gathered on the rooftop of a building. The wind was strong, and the city below was eerily quiet, with most people still fast asleep.
"Yo! Good morning, Sir!" Toby greeted with his usual energy.
Victor lit a cigarette, placing it between his lips. "Just call me Victor. No need for formalities."
Mark, gazing calmly at the city below, muttered, "It's so quiet… and freezing cold."
Toby laughed. "Didn't you say before that the cold doesn't bother you?"
"Shut up. Everyone feels the cold."
Toby burst into loud laughter. The three stood there in comfortable silence, watching as the sun slowly rose over the horizon.
*
The group spent the entire day patrolling District 2. It was a large area, so they eventually decided to split up and cover more ground.
While walking through a narrow street, Victor noticed a familiar face.
"Oh, Maeyley?"
The young girl's face lit up. "Mr. Noir!" she exclaimed excitedly. "How have you been? Wait a second… Is that an SSDC uniform? Does this mean you're a detective now?!"
Victor scratched the back of his head, giving her a small smile. "Ah, yeah. Actually, it's my first day on patrol."
"Really? Does that mean you're assigned to District 2?" Maeyley asked eagerly.
"Looks like it," Victor replied with a chuckle, then noticed the shopping basket in her hands. "What are you up to, Maeyley?"
"I'm just picking up a few things to decorate my room."
"Is that so? Are you heading home now?"
"Not yet. There's one more shop I need to find."
"Alright, let me help you look for it."
Victor accompanied Maeyley, helping her find the shop she was looking for. Once they did, he stuck around to assist her with shopping. When they finished, he walked her to the bus terminal.
As Maeyley boarded the bus, she waved enthusiastically at Victor. He waved back, standing there until the bus disappeared from view.
*
[6:00 PM]
The team's duty for the day had ended. Their location devices indicated that another squad was now on duty, so the three of them left District 2 together. Since they lived in different areas, they hailed separate taxis and went their own ways.
It had been an unexpectedly quiet day, and Victor couldn't help but feel relieved. When he arrived home, he slipped off his shoes, hung up his coat, and went straight upstairs to change. Afterward, he headed to the bathroom, sinking into the hot tub to relax.
'Ah, nothing beats this after a long day at work,' he thought, letting the warm water soothe his tired body.
After a few minutes, he stepped out, had a simple dinner, and, with no paperwork to handle, went to bed early.
*
[3:30 AM]
Victor woke to the sound of his alarm. His routine was the same as the previous day—preparing quickly before heading to the usual meeting spot with his team.
[5:30 AM]
The three of them met at the rooftop again. This time, they coincidentally arrived early, catching each other just as they entered the building.
"Oh, you're early today," Toby said with a grin.
Mark stretched, looking exhausted. "I couldn't sleep well last night, so I got up early," he muttered, sighing.
Victor chimed in with a small smirk. "It's better to be early than late, don't you think?"
"Exactly!" Toby replied enthusiastically.
Once on the rooftop, the conversation turned more personal. Victor broke the silence with a question.
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you two?"
"Twenty-four," Mark replied.
"I'm twenty," Toby added, flashing a cheerful smile.
Victor raised a brow, a hint of concern crossing his face. 'They're so young… too young for this kind of dangerous work.'
"Why?" Toby asked, noticing his expression.
Victor hesitated before speaking. "Why did you join the SSDC? You're both so young. There's so much more you could do with your lives. Why risk it all for strangers?"
Toby's face softened, and his voice turned thoughtful. "It feels good to hear people say thank you. To know you've made a difference. It's like using a forbidden spell—putting others before yourself. I'd rather be the one to get hurt than watch helpless people suffer."
Mark nodded in agreement. "And as for family… we don't have any left to worry about."
Victor's gaze lingered on them, sensing the weight of their words.
Mark continued, his voice steady but somber. "Toby and I were neighbors. We were coming home from school one day when the Riftborn appeared. An A-rank Riftborn fell right on Toby's house, completely destroying it… with his parents still inside."
Silence filled the rooftop. Toby stared off into the distance, lost in thought.
Mark swallowed hard and went on. "My parents rushed outside to check the commotion. When they saw the ruins of the Quinns' house, they froze. They spotted us, but before they could say a word, the Riftborn struck them down with its massive hands. We… we just stood there, too terrified to move."
Mark's voice cracked, but he pushed through. "The monster noticed us, and I thought we were next. But before it could get any closer, it exploded into nothing."
He paused, as if reliving the moment. "That's when we saw Sir Tomas. He was the only squad leader who worked alone, refusing to take on a partner. He brought us to the SSDC headquarters. We stayed there for two weeks, but those weeks were… hollow. We didn't eat, drink, or move from our beds. Every time we woke up, we just stared at the ceiling."
Toby remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Mark's tone grew even quieter. "They used feeding tubes to keep us alive. Eventually, Sir Tomas told us he would adopt us, and for a while, things got better. He trained us, taught us magic, gave us a purpose. But then… he was gone. Barely two years after he took us in."
Victor felt a feeling of guilt. He hadn't known the depth of their pain. Behind their smiles and cheerful demeanor, they carried heavy burdens. The rooftop grew silent again, with only the wind to fill the void.
'They're just hiding their sorrow,' Victor realized. 'Smiling to mask the weight they carry.'
Before the mood could grow any heavier, Victor stood up, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. He exhaled a thin trail of smoke, breaking the silence.
"Let's start our patrol," he suggested. "It's easier to get through the morning when you're not dwelling on things. Wherever Tomas is now, I'm sure he's proud of you both."
His words seemed to lighten the atmosphere. Toby and Mark exchanged glances, their somber expressions giving way to faint smiles. Encouraged, they stood, brushing off the weight of their emotions.
As they walked toward the edge of the rooftop, Victor's gaze wandered to the alley below. Something caught his eye—a man in a tight, shadowy corner. He wore a long, black coat reminiscent of a pastor's robes. There was an strange stillness about him, and Victor couldn't help but feel uneasy.
'Who's that?' Victor muttered to himself.
Mark and Toby followed his line of sight. Their casual demeanor shifted instantly, their eyes widening in alarm. Without hesitation, they both leapt off the rooftop, their movements sharp and purposeful.
"Toby!" Mark shouted mid-air.
"On it!" Toby replied, his hands glowing with an ethereal light. "Marking Spell… Chrono Mark!"
Toby's voice resonated as the glowing light shot from his hands, forming shimmering runes in the air. They latched onto the man's shadowy figure below, illuminating his location with pulsating energy.
Victor, still on the rooftop, narrowed his eyes, trying to discern what had spooked them. He extinguished his cigarette against the railing and descended, though at a slower pace. He didn't want to draw unnecessary attention.
By the time Victor reached the ground, chaos had already erupted. The man in black darted through the maze of narrow alleys, moving with inhuman speed. Toby and Mark were in hot pursuit, their spells lighting up the dim surroundings.
"Stop running!" Mark shouted, summoning a barrier of golden light to block the man's path.
But the stranger didn't stop. Instead, he raised his hand, and a shadowy force shattered the barrier into pieces.
Victor finally caught up, keeping a calculated distance as he observed the unfolding scene. 'Who is this guy?' he wondered.