Morning light crept across the stone streets of Crestfall’s east district, pale and sickly, as though even the sun hesitated to touch this part of the kingdom.

  Rhen Calder walked at the front, hand resting near the hilt of his sword. Akitsu Shouga followed beside him, hood low, face hidden, footsteps silent. Lemon floated lazily near their shoulders, eyes darting in every direction.

  “…Nothing,” Rhen muttered. “No crowds. No disturbances. No sign of panic.”

  Lemon clicked his tongue. “Which makes it worse. Places like this are never quiet without a reason.”

  Akitsu scanned the rooftops and alleyways. “If the corpses only appear at night, then one should have appeared last night.”

  Rhen nodded. “Which means whatever is doing this is either hiding extremely well… or moving freely without being noticed.”

  They passed abandoned market stalls, their tarps flapping weakly in the wind. A broken lantern rolled across the road, clinking softly.

  “This district feels… wrong,” Lemon whispered. “Like it’s waiting.”

  The next second—

  Akitsu stopped.

  Rhen noticed immediately. “What is it?”

  Akitsu turned his head slightly. “There.”

  A narrow alley lay between two decaying buildings. The shadows inside were thick, unmoving.

  At the far end sat a man.

  He was hunched against the wall, skin gray like ash, bones pressing sharply against stretched flesh. His breathing was shallow. In front of him lay a small leather pouch, half-open, its contents spilling faint black powder onto the stone.

  Ashveil.

  The old man trembled as he tried to reach for it—but his arm fell short, fingers shaking uselessly.

  “…Damn,” Rhen muttered.

  Akitsu stepped forward.

  Rhen followed closely behind. “Akitsu—be careful.”

  The old man’s head twitched.

  Slowly, painfully, he turned toward Akitsu.

  His eyes were sunken, glassy, unfocused.

  His arm lifted again—this time toward Akitsu.

  Lemon hovered closer. “Ashveil… finding it here is rare, but not impossible. Some smugglers still circulate it in dying districts.”

  Akitsu bent down and picked up the pouch.

  The old man made a hoarse sound—half plea, half growl.

  Akitsu’s voice was calm. “It’s sad.”

  Rhen frowned. “Sad?”

  “He’s far beyond saving,” Akitsu continued quietly. “Ashveil hollowed him out long ago.”

  The old man’s arm trembled violently, fingers clawing weakly at the air.

  Rhen clenched his jaw. “The kingdom’s priority shifted. From Ashveil eradication… to Valenreach and Crestfall’s political tension.”

  Lemon looked away. “And people like him get forgotten.”

  Akitsu stood, slipping the pouch into his pocket.

  They turned away.

  Behind them, the old man’s arm fell to the ground.

  “…You took his drugs,” Rhen said after a moment.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  Akitsu didn’t slow. “I won’t let him waste away in a false reality.”

  Rhen frowned. “You’re saying—”

  “He’ll die slowly,” Akitsu said. “But he’ll die awake.”

  Lemon nodded. “Cruel, but honest.”

  Rhen exhaled. “This district is clear.”

  Akitsu agreed. “We should move.”

  “Crystal Mine,” Rhen said. “If there’s unnatural decay, something underground could be involved.”

  Akitsu nodded. “Then we go now.”

  The Crystal Mine loomed like a wound carved into the mountain.

  As they entered, the air grew colder, thicker with dust and mineral scent. Crystals embedded in the walls reflected dim lantern light, painting the tunnels in fractured colors.

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  The deeper they walked, the more alive the mine became.

  Workers hauled carts, hammered scaffolding, shouted orders.

  But when they noticed Rhen—

  Conversation died.

  Eyes followed them.

  Narrow. Hostile.

  “They don’t like outsiders,” Lemon whispered.

  “They don’t like authority,” Rhen replied calmly.

  Halfway through the mine, a bearded middle-aged man stepped in their path.

  “Captain,” he said, nodding respectfully. “It gets dangerous the deeper you go.”

  Rhen inclined his head. “Thank you. We’ll be cautious. We’re only searching for something.”

  The man studied Akitsu for a moment, then nodded and walked away.

  At the deepest point—

  A dead end.

  Akitsu frowned. “Nothing.”

  Rhen scanned the walls. “No hidden passages. No residue.”

  Lemon crossed his arms. “Then we’re barking up the wrong tunnel.”

  Akitsu turned. “We could check the other branches.”

  “No,” Lemon said sharply. “Think about it. Bodies appeared in the east… then spread west.”

  “…Meaning the source is outside,” Rhen said slowly.

  “The forest gate,” Lemon finished. “Someone came from Everdawn Forest.”

  Akitsu nodded. “Let’s move.”

  They passed through the eastern gate without incident, Rhen’s authority ensuring no questions.

  Everdawn Forest welcomed them with towering trees and filtered golden light.

  They searched.

  Paths. Roots. Clearings.

  Nothing.

  Then Lemon stopped.

  “…Wait.”

  He hovered near Rhen’s shoulder, eyes narrowing.

  “What is it?” Rhen asked.

  Lemon drifted toward a nearby tree and pressed his nose to the bark.

  He froze.

  “…That smell.”

  Akitsu approached. “What kind?”

  Lemon inhaled again, slower this time. “I’ve never smelled anything like it. Not animal. Not human.”

  Akitsu examined the bark. “Something touched it.”

  Rhen knelt. “Can you track it?”

  Lemon shook his head. “Not a trail. But… if I get close enough again, I’ll recognize it.”

  Rhen stood. “Then we need a body.”

  Akitsu tilted his head. “Using Lemon like a K9 dog?”

  Lemon puffed up. “I am far superior to a dog.”

  Rhen blinked. “What’s a K9 dog?”

  “…Never mind,” Akitsu said. “Let’s return.”

  Permission came swiftly.

  With Selene Vael’s authority and the High Council’s approval, they were escorted to the morgue.

  The staff looked uneasy.

  “We don’t normally allow this,” the attendant said.

  Rhen nodded. “I understand. Thank you.”

  A body was placed on the table.

  It was intact—but already rotting far too quickly.

  Lemon dropped onto it.

  The attendant paled. “Is that… allowed?”

  “He’s helping,” Rhen said flatly.

  Lemon sniffed.

  Once.

  Twice.

  Then—

  “That’s it.”

  He floated off the table and moved across the room, stopping suddenly.

  “Same scent,” Lemon said. “Exactly the same as the tree bark.”

  Akitsu’s eyes narrowed beneath his hood.

  “So the source touched both.”

  Rhen straightened. “Then whatever is causing this… moves between forest and kingdom.”

  They thanked the staff and left.

  Rhen exhaled as the doors closed. “Research room.”

  Akitsu nodded. “We’re closer than before.”

  Lemon crossed his arms. “And I really don’t like what we’re chasing.”

  The kingdom outside remained silent.

  And somewhere—

  That scent lingered.