Aisha was still in the hunter Steven's house. That night, a strange howl pulled her from sleep, echoing through the darkness like a voice from another time.
She rose from bed and opened the windows—only to be met by a night so deep, it felt as though time itself had stopped.
Just then, a flicker in the dark caught her eye: glowing eyes, watching her from the shadows.
She swallowed hard, refusing to believe what she'd just seen. But her mind offered only one name:
White Wolf.
With trembling hands, she slammed the window shut, but the icy chill still wrapped around her—like it had seeped into her bones. Then, a soft shimmer of sand sparkled in front of her. She slowly turned around, heart thundering in her chest.
"Sanathiel..." she whispered, unaware she had spoken his name aloud.
He wasn't there, not physically. But his presence lingered in the air, carved into the very essence of the space around her.
A loud bang at the front door shattered the silence.
Alarmed, Aisha hid the sand under her bed, threw on her shoes, and rushed downstairs—hoping to find Rasen.
But instead, a large man stumbled into the house, drenched in sweat and blood. Steven. Behind him was Adrian.
"Where's Rasen?" Aisha demanded.
Adrian lifted a hand, trying to calm her as he helped Steven.
"Aisha, please. Bring some water. And the first aid kit."
But she wasn't listening.
"What did you do to him, Steven? Where the hell is Rasen!?"
Exhausted but still arrogant, Steven cast a cold glare in her direction.
"If you want answers, girl, wait your turn. I'm in no mood for your tantrums."
"I won't move until you tell me!" she shot back, body rigid with tension.
Steven sighed, tossing his soaked shirt onto the table.
"You seem to forget your place here. You're a guest. And one who's quickly wearing out her welcome."
Adrian stepped in quickly.
"Aisha, not now. Let us treat him first."
But she refused to back down. Her concern for Rasen burned too fiercely.
Steven, with a calculated smirk, finally responded.
"Your little human chose to leave. What kind of hunter would I be if I stopped him?"
His words sent a cold stab through her chest, but her eyes never wavered.
"I'm not leaving until I know the truth," she snapped.
"Get out of here, girl!" Adrian barked, his voice laced with warning.
Aisha couldn't contain her fury. She grabbed a glass of water and threw it straight into Steven's face.
"If anything happens to Rasen, it's your fault! I won't be a pawn in your twisted game—not for Falco's memory!"
Steven froze, violet eyes burning with dangerous light.
"Do that again, and I won't be so forgiving," he said, voice deadly calm.
Adrian pulled her back, pushing her toward the stairs.
"Take her to the room," he ordered.
Once there, Steven tossed an old diary onto the table in front of her.
"You want answers? You'll find them here.
Just be careful what you wish for—you might not be ready."
Aisha's breath caught.
The worn-out book belonged to her brother, Falco Valuare.
As she flipped through the pages, his past unfolded before her: the story of a young man haunted by loss, yet forged by the fire of survival.
She read until sleep overtook her, the diary still clutched in her hands.
At dawn, she awoke to find the door to her room slightly ajar. Confused, she stepped into the hall—and found Adrian waiting.
"Rasen will make it, Aisha. I promise."
"Where is he?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Adrian tried to soothe her, explaining that Rasen was undergoing the hunter's initiation. But his words brought no comfort.
Steven, cold as ever, had only this to say:
"Stop asking questions. Your human's fate isn't your concern anymore."
Tension thickened the air until Adrian stepped forward, taking charge.
"That's enough. We're going to find him."
With a single gesture, he opened a portal.
A brilliant light enveloped them—and when it faded, they stood on a massive bridge overlooking a wild, roaring river.
Steven walked ahead, gaze fixed on the horizon.
"This place... this is where it all began—for me, and for Falco."
Flashback: Master Falco
Steven's childhood had been nothing but loss and anger.
The Black Plague had devoured his village, leaving him nothing but bones and silence.
Then came Falco.
A stranger, cloaked in grit and purpose, knelt beside the feral child.
"Be quiet, kid. You're starving. Share my food. Lead me out of here."
Steven had growled like a cornered dog. But Falco had patience—and strength. In time, the boy came to trust him, to rely on him.
"If you want anything in life," Falco once said as they sat by a fire, sharing a loaf of bread, "you fight for it."
That moment burned bright in Steven's memory—guiding him even now.
Back to the Present
Steven turned to Aisha.
"You think you can understand this world, girl? This place chews up the weak."
But Aisha didn't flinch. She met his gaze with quiet fire.
"I don't care what you say. I'll find Rasen. I'll face whatever I have to."
Something shifted in Steven's eyes—just for a second.
But his voice remained cold.
"Then brace yourself. The road ahead is not kind."
The chapter ends with Aisha clutching her brother's diary, her heart filled with questions, determination, and the courage to uncover the truth—while Steven and Adrian watched, each haunted by their own past.