Rewinding to the time of Kai’s abduction:
Kai was staring at Montina through Eva’s screen when a man abruptly pressed a cloth against his face. His startled gasp was muffled as the world around him began to blur into a dizzying swirl of colors. He reached up to tear the cloth away, but his strength was already ebbing away.
“I’ve let my guard down,” he berated himself, his mind racing to formulate a plan. He called out, “…Eva,” his AI assistant, who responded instantly.
With the precious few seconds he had before darkness claimed him, Kai swiftly devised a plan. He instructed Eva to track his location and to rouse him once the kidnappers had left him alone. All of this was accomplished within a mere eight seconds, a testament to his quick thinking.
When he regained consciousness, he found himself in the company of the sisters. He introduced himself, his eyes darting around the room, taking in the stark, cold stone walls and the dark atmosphere of the room. The room was eerily silent, save for the distant echo of footsteps.
Once Eva relayed the news that the stage was set for his plan, he asked her to initiate it. As he turned his attention back to the sisters, his plan was simultaneously unfolding in the grandeur of the Archduke’s mansion.
Hiro was pacing the opulent hallway, his face etched with worry. Each step echoed his mounting anxiety, reverberating off the marble floors and high ceilings. It has been eight hours since Kai’s abduction, but no news on him so far. Just as Hiro was thinking about it, Sakura rushed towards him, her eyes wide and filled with fear.
“Is it true? Has Kai been kidnapped?” she asked, her voice trembling with barely concealed panic. Hiro confirmed her fears, causing tears to well up in her eyes. He quickly reassured her, his voice firm despite the situation,
“We will find him, Sakura. I promise you, we will bring him back.”
Sakura nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, a fierce determination etched on her face. As they talked things through in the corridors of the mansion, they noticed Ray alighting from his carriage, his silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of the lanterns. “Ray…,” Sakura and Hiro looked at him coming to the mansion, as they both went out to greet him.
Ray, noticing their worried expressions, approached them, his voice laced with concern, “What happened, uncle, aunt?” Hiro and Sakura exchanged a glance, their faces a mirror of worry, before they relayed the grim news of Kai’s abduction. Upon hearing this, Ray’s face hardened. “Let me help too!” his voice resolute as he insisted on joining the search.
After a heated discussion, they finally acquiesced to Ray’s insistence. Just as they were about to embark on their mission, a guard came sprinting towards them, his breath ragged from exertion. “My Lord!” he gasped out, his eyes wide with shock. Hiro, his heart pounding in his chest, asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You need to see this,” the guard urged, leading them towards the mansion’s grand entrance. As they followed him, their eyes widened in disbelief. A path, seemingly woven from threads of light, stretched out from the sky, casting an ethereal glow on the mansion grounds.
“What is this…,” Sakura murmured, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes reflecting the strange, otherworldly light. “It wasn’t here when I came…,” Ray whispered to himself. As they grappled with the surreal sight, Aiden approached them, his face grave.
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“Your grace,” he began, “Me and my knights examined the path this strange light created. It seems the light is guiding us somewhere.” As he said this, a thought struck Ray. He recalled Kai mentioning his use of Light Magic, his eyes filled with a mix of awe and apprehension. “Is it possible…?” He questioned himself internally. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he stared at the path of light.
“Could this be Kai’s doing?” Ray pondered, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. He knew he had to make a choice. He took a glance at Hiro and Sakura, who were now confused, if they should go look for Kai, or check on the source of the light path. “I will have to take the risk…,” without wasting another moment, he stepped forward, his eyes resolute. “We follow the light,” he declared, his voice echoing in the silence.
Hiro turned to Ray, his brows furrowed in concern. “Ray,” he began, his voice barely above a whisper, “What do you mean by we follow the light?” His eyes were filled with confusion, but also a glimmer of hope.
Sakura chimed in, her voice trembling, “Do you know something about this light?” Her eyes were wide with curiosity and fear, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
Ray paused, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. He doubted himself for a moment, uncertainty clouding his features. “I can’t be certain,” he admitted, his voice barely audible, “But… Kai did mention his use of Light Magic.” As he said that, everyone looked at him with curiosity in their eyes. Hiro’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, while Sakura gasped softly, her hand flying to her mouth.
Ray’s voice was steady, his eyes filled with a fierce determination that seemed to light up the room. “He’s smart. He wouldn’t leave us a clue unless he was sure he could handle it. This… this feels like something he would do.” The others exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise, curiosity, and newfound resolve. “Alright!” Hiro spoke up, “We will follow the light.” They nodded, agreeing to trust in Ray’s judgment.
Hiro turned to Aiden, his voice echoing in the silent room. “Get the knights ready. We will go ahead and you follow the path with them.” The plan was set - Hiro, Sakura, and Ray would lead, while Aiden and the knights would follow.
As they followed the path of light, it led them through the city, past the surprised crowd who were staring at the light path in awe, and towards the outskirts. The journey was silent, each of them lost in their thoughts, the only sound being the crunch of gravel under their feet.
After what felt like an eternity, the path ended at an old, abandoned warehouse. The building was bathed in a soft, ethereal glow, the source of which was the path of light they had been following. It was as if the light had chosen this place, marking it as the location where Kai was being kept.
The sight of the glowing warehouse in the desolate surroundings was both eerie and awe-inspiring. Hiro, Sakura, and Ray exchanged glances, their faces reflecting the glow of the light. There was a sense of anticipation in the air, a silent agreement that they had reached their destination.
Hiro stepped forward, his hand balled into a fist. His eyes were fixed on the glowing warehouse, his mind filled with thoughts of Kai. “This is it,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Sakura and Ray nodded, their faces set in grim determination. Hiro took a last glance at them, as he proceeded to knock on the door.
Inside the room, the kidnappers were busy discussing their next move. “Are you not done yet!?” the leader barked, as he stormed into the room. The rest of the kidnappers started to explain the planning details to him. Just then, they heard a knock on their door, causing everyone in the room to freeze.
The knock on the door echoed ominously in the room, causing the kidnappers to exchange uneasy glances. One of them, a burly man, got up to check. He peered through the peephole, his eyes widening in recognition. “It’s the Archduke!” he shouted, his voice filled with panic.
But his warning was cut short as the door suddenly burst open, revealing Hiro standing in the doorway. Before the man could react, Hiro lunged forward, his fist connecting with the man’s jaw. The force of the punch sent the man sprawling backward, knocking him out cold.
The room erupted into chaos. The remaining kidnappers scrambled to their feet, reaching for their weapons. Swords were unsheathed, and the air was filled with tension and fear.
“Where is my son?” Hiro’s voice cut through the chaos like a knife, his eyes cold and determined. The question hung in the air as the kidnappers took their stance, ready to attack.