The night air in Bosco was cold and quiet, blanketing the city in silence as Nova and Muscle crept through the shadows. They reached an old, crumbling building nestled between two worn-out shops. Moss climbed its broken walls, and a crooked wooden door creaked as Muscle pushed it open.
"This is my home," Muscle said with a grin.
Nova blinked. "Wait... you live here? Alone?"
Muscle nodded, stepping over a pile of broken bricks. "Yeah. Been alone for a while now."
Nova hesitated. "What about your parents?"
Muscle's expression dimmed. He sat down against a wall and stared into the empty space. "They died."
"...Died?" Nova repeated quietly.
Muscle let out a breath, his voice steady despite the weight in it. "It's not new for you, is it?"
Nova looked away. "No. It's not."
Muscle set up a small bonfire in the center of the room using broken wood. The flames crackled to life, casting shadows along the walls. He skewered two fish on sticks and began roasting them.
They sat quietly, the fire's warmth contrasting the cold truths they both carried.
Nova broke the silence. "So what's your dream, Muscle?"
Muscle shrugged. "I don't really know. I guess I just like adventures. You said you're searching for Eluria, right? Sounds like the grandest adventure of them all. So… I joined you."
Nova smiled faintly. "You really like adventures, huh?"
"Yeah. But what about you?" Muscle turned, curious. "Why do you want to find Eluria?"
Nova poked at the fire with a stick. "Some say it holds power, gold, diamonds… maybe even answers. I don't know. I just know I have to find it."
Muscle raised a brow. "Do you know where it is?"
Nova shook his head. "People say it's at the edge of the world. No sea route. No map. Just myths and rumors."
Muscle leaned back and sighed. "What if Eluria's not real? Just a fairy tale?"
Nova looked into the fire. "Then I guess I'm chasing a dream. But I'll chase it anyway."
The fire crackled between them for a moment, before Muscle's tone darkened.
"I saw my parents die with my own eyes," he said. "It was brutal. The only person who ever saved me was my grandfather."
Nova looked at him. "Where is he now?"
Muscle's eyes narrowed. "He left one day… said he was going to the nearby shop. Never came back."
Meanwhile, deep within Rua City, a streetlight flickered in a dark alley. A lone man walked beneath it tall, muscled, tattoos covering his arms and legs. A chain dangled from his neck, glinting in the dim light. He approached a shopkeeper who was closing up for the festival.
The shopkeeper looked up nervously. "Can I help you?"
The tattooed man stepped closer. "You heard about the thief?"
The shopkeeper nodded. "Yeah. Talk of the town."
"You know where he is?" the man asked, voice low.
"No idea," the shopkeeper replied quickly.
The man's eyes narrowed. In an instant, he grabbed the shopkeeper by the throat and squeezed. The shopkeeper choked, struggling, before gasping out, "Who… who are you?!"
The man leaned close and whispered, "Zorlak Meson."
With a snap, he crushed the shopkeeper's neck. Blood splattered the walls. Zorlak let go of the body, letting it fall limp onto the ground.
He walked into the darkness, murmuring to himself, "Tomorrow… this town will burn."
Back in the abandoned building, Muscle had already fallen asleep near the fire. Nova sat alone on the rooftop, staring at the moon above. The city slept peacefully, unaware of the storm that was coming.
Nova closed his eyes, his voice a whisper.
"I will find Eluria."