Blater (sitting at the table and placing his sniper staff beside him):
"Bon appétit! I haven't seen anyone eat with this kind of ferocity since we hunted the 'Desert Tiger' last year. Is your hometown food really that good, or were you truly starving?"
Pikos (with a mouth full):
"Blater, hunger in our land is the people's number one enemy—but in this world, hunger feels like a cosmic punishment! This roasted meat deserves an epic poem in its praise."
Darius:
"Leave the meat and focus on the conversation. Blater, you've seen our skills—what do you think of us now? Are we fit to become citizens of Siwar?"
Blater (looking at them seriously):
"Honestly, I'm astonished. I've never seen techniques like Master Romilius's, nor the sharp instincts you possess. Nirar told me you're 'travelers,' but I feel there's a much bigger story behind you. Where did you truly come from?"
Romilius (wiping his hands with a napkin):
"Since you were a fair judge, Blater, I'll tell you the truth—one your mind may find hard to believe. We came from the White Gate, the one the explorer Leus opened centuries ago, by your reckoning."
Blater (dropping his cup and pushing his chair back):
"What? Leus's Gate? Are you saying you're from the First World? The world of giant trees and endless seas?"
Ortinus:
"Yes. Leus opened the breach at the moment of our voyage, and the Exchange happened. He is now in our land, and we are stranded here, searching for a way back."
Blater (whispering in shock):
"That explains everything… the clothes, the style, even that look in your eyes, Ortinus. Leus is a legend here, but we thought his story was just a myth to inspire explorers. For you to be living proof of another world… this could shake the very foundations of Ziola."
Nirar:
"And that's why we're here, Blater. We need gold and supplies to reach Achil. The journey is long, and time is not on our side."
Blater:
"Achil? The road there is suicide! The passes are sealed, and beasts aren't the only threat to travelers. But before we talk about travel, there's something disturbing the peace of Siwar."
As the conversation intensified, a young security soldier hurried over, his face pale. He leaned close to Blater's ear and whispered words that made the sniper's expression shift from astonishment to deep scowl.
Blater (angrily):
"What are you saying? Another victim? In the middle of the commercial district?"
Soldier:
"Yes, Commander. The same method… no trace of blood, and the body looks as if it's been completely drained of life. Panic is spreading through the market."
Darius:
"What's going on? Is there a problem with the accounting?"
Blater (standing and grabbing his staff):
"If only it were that simple. We have a serial killer roaming the town for a week now. We call him 'The Black Bird.' He kills his victims in broad daylight and vanishes as if he never existed. We've only ever glimpsed the edge of a black cloak."
Ortinus (standing firmly):
"A serial killer? In a city equipped with all this technology?"
Blater:
"Technology is useless against someone who leaves no thermal trace or energy signature. He's a professional—or perhaps not even human. Excuse me, I must go to the crime scene."
Romilius:
"Blater, perhaps we can help. We are strangers—our eyes may see what your eyes, accustomed to this world, cannot."
Blater (thinking for a moment):
"It's dangerous, but if you insist… come with me. Perhaps your skills are exactly what we need to unravel this mystery."
They arrived at an alley near the Grand Market. The area was cordoned off by security forces. In the center lay the body of a man who appeared to be in the prime of his life, yet his skin was ash-pale, his eyes frozen open in terrifying shock.
Nikos (kneeling to examine the body):
"I've seen many things at sea, but this… this wasn't done by knife or arrow. This man was emptied from the inside."
Nirar:
"Look at his neck… there's a small blue mark, shaped like a feather—the one you carry, Ortinus—but inverted and dark."
Ortinus (touching the feather in his pocket, feeling an intense cold):
"The feather is growing strangely cold… as if it's warning me."
Blater:
"This killer doesn't murder for money—the victim still has all his belongings. He's searching for something else… or perhaps harvesting a specific kind of energy."
Pikos (shivering):
"Guys… can we go back to the restaurant? I feel like this killer might crave the sheep meat I ate."
Darius:
"Quiet, Pikos. Blater, were there any witnesses?"
Blater:
"One vendor said he saw a tall shadow heading toward the Old Clock Tower seconds after the murder. But the tower is abandoned and surrounded by corrupted energy fields."
Ortinus:
"Then that's our next destination. Blater, we're with you in this. Siwar gave us gold, and we'll give it the head of this killer."
Blater:
"Your resolve is fierce, people of the First World. Prepare yourselves—facing the Black Bird is nothing like a duel in a fighting arena.
He is death itself."