Daylan was chained to a post in a pitch-black room, his shirt torn away as the orb on his chest pulsed faintly—he remained unconscious.
From time to time, people entered the room to check if he had woken up. Some even tried to beat him, hoping the pain would rouse him.
But he felt nothing. Though he still breathed, it was as if he had ceased to exist.
While he remained trapped in the room, Medora and Astara searched tirelessly for him. A few people claimed to have seen him—he had approached them with questions about the Phantoms. Though he hadn't mentioned their names, the specific details he shared made it clear to Medora and Astara that he was asking about them.
Their search stretched on for hours, yet they found nothing—only scattered accounts from people who had seen him, none knowing where he'd gone. The fear of losing Daylan loomed so heavily that rest and sleep became distant thoughts, overshadowed by their growing desperation.
They pushed through the day and into the depths of night, hope slowly slipping through their fingers. They knew Daylan wouldn't return home—it was Astara's territory—but curiosity got the better of them. When they arrived, they were met only by Zira and Giselle—Daylan's mother.
Telling them he was missing felt too heavy, too soon. Until they had more answers, they chose to keep his family in the dark.
Offering a vague excuse for his absence, they quickly left and returned to the streets, the weight of uncertainty pressing harder on their shoulders.
Hope was slipping away, but Medora refused to give in. She stood firm, vowing not to rest until she found Daylan. Astara tried to reason with her, to convince her to take a break—but Medora wouldn't hear it.
"You can rest if that's what you want, Asta. No one would blame you. After all, you're only with Daylan because you want his help with your family, right? I won't hold you to this if it's too much for you. But I can't rest—not until I know my Day is okay."
She wore a faint smile, then turned and began to walk away.
Astara watched Medora quietly as she walked away, then eventually followed after her. "If he's with my family," she said softly, "then I guess I need to take this seriously too."
They returned to the western side and continued their search, unwilling to give up. Meanwhile, Daylan remained unconscious, showing no sign of waking.
The night slipped away, and still they searched. Medora had used her healing magic relentlessly to keep their stamina up, but by dawn, her energy was drained. Her magic faltered from exhaustion, and she was more worn out than ever.
They wandered through narrow alleys, gripped by the grim thought that maybe he'd been killed and left to rot in some filthy corner, a feast for the rats. Medora leaned against the buildings for support, her steps sluggish, her strength nearly gone.
While passing through an alley, they spotted Mr. Enzo and his guards entering a nearby building. A jolt of energy surged through Medora as she and Astara moved cautiously, making careful, deliberate steps toward the entrance.
Seeing Enzo was enough to confirm their suspicion—Daylan might still be alive, and Mr. Enzo had him. The thought alone ignited a fire in them; they were willing to burn the entire building down if that's what it took to get Daylan back.
But they couldn't act on impulse. Not yet. They needed to stay sharp and observe their surroundings carefully before making a move.
Astara, using her heightened hearing, realized there was no one on the surface level of the building, despite having seen Enzo and his guards enter. Intrigued, they made their way inside and discovered a rusty and dusty metal gate lying flat on the floor.
As Medora and Astara carefully made their way into the tunnel, Enzo and his team were busy injecting pills into Daylan's body—meant to keep him paralyzed even if he woke up. They also applied electric shocks, trying to force him back to consciousness through pain.
Medora and Astara finally made it into the tunnel. They had no idea how strong the people inside were—but one thing was certain: if Daylan was in there, they weren't leaving without him.
Astara took a deep breath, calming her nerves and steadying her senses with her eyes closed. The moment she opened them, clarity washed over her—she knew exactly where Daylan was.
Just as they moved to enter the room, Astara's ears caught the sound of dozens of footsteps approaching from both ends of the corridor. They scrambled to hide in one of the nearby rooms, but the door wouldn't budge.
Realizing that battle was now inevitable, they both summoned their swords—blades gleaming in the dim light—and prepared for war.
Enzo and his team's brutal methods seemed to be working—Daylan was beginning to wake. His eyes fluttered open, vision blurry, only to find Enzo standing before him, his potbelly jutting out and aimed directly at him.
That ridiculous, childish hat still sat crooked on his head, just as it always had.
Daylan's mind raced, struggling to make sense of the situation. His vision remained blurry, but he could clearly see the man before him—Enzo. But how? How was this possible?
In that instant, a few guards rushed out just as Daylan's eyes met theirs. It was clear something was happening outside—but Daylan heard nothing. All his senses were numb. He remained in the dark room, trapped with Enzo and his most trusted guards.
Enzo stepped closer, grabbed Daylan's face, and slapped him hard. But Daylan didn't feel a thing. He stared at Enzo in confusion. Dark Spiral isn't activated, he thought. So why can't I feel anything?
What's going on? Why can't I move or feel anything?
He watched Enzo's mouth move, but not a single word reached his ears. The silence was deafening. Before he could make sense of it, Enzo gave a simple gesture—and his guards moved in to beat him.
Punches rained down on him from both guards, landing one after another before he could even register the first. The assault was relentless, a blur of pain he couldn't fully feel. It only stopped when Enzo raised his hand.
Blood trickled from Daylan's mouth and nose as he lowered his gaze, silent and broken.
Enzo stepped in front of him again, mumbling something Daylan still couldn't hear. The silence pressed in, heavy and unnatural. Before Daylan could even try to understand or respond, Enzo gave another gesture—and the guards moved in to beat him once more.
While Daylan endured relentless torture, Medora and Astara had already cut down the entirety of Enzo's team—except for two powerful foes, twins. The remaining men stared at them with twisted, lustful eyes, as if they longed to devour their flesh and worship their bones.
Medora and Astara weren't interested in playing games—they had to save Daylan.
Without wasting a moment, they launched into a fierce battle with the twins. But the twins only smirked and toyed with them, never drawing a sword or striking back. Like predators circling wounded prey, they seemed intent on showcasing the vast difference in their strength.
Daylan, on the other hand, was being tortured relentlessly, never given a chance to speak. Though he felt nothing, his body reacted instinctively—blood dripped steadily from his wounds, his limbs trembled, and his temperature surged uncontrollably.
At this rate, if I don't do something, I might die. I need to get out of here… I need to get home before Medora and Astara start to worry. But why did I collapse in the first place?
I couldn't move then… and I still can't now. Is it because of the orb?—he glanced at his body to the orb faintly pulsing on his chest.
Daylan turned his head toward Enzo, watching his lips move in silence. Desperate to understand, he activated Spiral Mind—hoping it would let him hear what the man was saying.
*This kid… How arrogant had he become?* He felt angry and pissed.
What? Is this all you can think of?
Daylan then glanced at one of the guards.
*Why is he still tolerating this brat? He should let me kill him!*
None of them had anything useful to offer him anymore—but now, he had to leave. That meant finding a way out of his current nightmare. Daylan tried to force himself up, but his body wouldn't respond. The moment he stopped struggling, Enzo gave another gesture—and the guards moved in to beat him again.
Meanwhile, Medora and Astara felt their pride being torn apart—especially Astara. The twins' taunts stung deep, and neither of them was willing to hold back any longer. They were ready to go all out.
Just as Enzo signaled his guards to stop the beating, a voice echoed in Daylan's mind—his system had finally spoken.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
New Task Available
Objective: [Defeat them (0/3)].
Duration:[3 hours].
Reward: [?].
Warning: Refusal to complete the task by the given time will result in an equivalent penalty.
Right…
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Penalty: [Regression to the day of Fate Trial].
Daylan smirked. If he was being sent back anyway, that was all the more reason to finish Enzo off—once and for all.
Energy Manifest