"Where the hell did he go?" Kail's father asked as everyone looked around for Kail.

Kail watched from a shadow along the wall. He had turned his body into a shadow and had merged with the shadows in the manor. He smirked at their confusion.

With this ability, I can get away with anything. The possibilities were endless.

"How did he just disappear?" his mother asked as she rushed back outside, wondering if he had slipped out.

"We didn't even hear his footsteps," Storm said with an annoyed frown.

Spider, currently in his spirit form, entered the foyer and looked around for Kail. He could feel him close by but didn't see him. He focused his attention briefly on Kail's family before noticing a hand motioning for him, sticking out of the shadows along the left wall by the front door.

Startled but quickly realizing what was going on, he rushed over to the small hand and watched it disappear. "Kail, you can turn your whole body into shadows and merge with shadows?"

When no reply came, he looked back at Kail's family. His parents were ordering the servants to look for Kail. He frowned when a strand of his web was set vibrating from Kail's father brushing against it.

His mind was filled with data, including information about what was in one of his pockets.

Kail's father was carrying an extremely rare artifact from ancient times. There were only three known to exist.

It was an amulet made with a bloodstone wrapped in an intricate gold casing. To use the amulet, one had to place it on the back of the neck. The amulet would then fuse with the body and give full control of the wearer to whoever placed the amulet.

It could even be used to simply stop someone from using their element.

Spider glared at him. Is he planning on using that on Kail? I'm not even surprised he was able to obtain it. He's a grand duke, after all.

He wasn't certain on what to do with the current situation as the Phoenix family and servants searched high and low for Kail. Kail's plans would most likely have to be put into action now thanks to the amulet.

"Stay here, Kail. I'll go speak with Nova." Spider sprinted out of the foyer, his spirit body passing unnoticed through the living as they rushed about the manor, walking right through him.

Kail was worried by Spider's expression. I knew they were planning to do something to me! He was glad that he had trusted his gut feeling.

He anxiously waited for Spider to return as he continued to watch everyone search for him.

Esmerelda, Kail's mother, was visibly becoming upset and even starting to cry. "Where is my baby?" she shouted as she ran right past where Kail was hiding.

Kail frowned. Now I feel guilty but I can't show myself. I can't trust any of them even if she is truly worried about me.

Spider rushed toward Nova in another part of the manor. Nova was hiding in the attic. Nova was invisible to the naked eye but Spider knew his exact location thanks to his webs spread all throughout the manor.

"Nova, Kail's father is planning to use the Bloodstone Amulet on Kail," Spider said immediately upon reach the Night elf.

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Nova frowned. "I'm surprised he even has one. The fact that he went to the lengths of obtaining it is appalling. I don't understand how he could do this to his own son."

"I don't understand it either but right now we need to focus on what to do now. Kail is stuck hiding in the shadows while the family and servants are looking for him," Spider said, feeling his webs vibrating crazily.

"We need to get him out of here as quickly as possible. It's too dangerous here. I'm guessing his father has enough power to obtain one of the other two Bloodstone Amulets if we steal the one he currently has." Nova stood up as he spoke. He had been sitting cross-legged.

"He does. Even if we do manage to get him out of here, his family and the royal family will stop at nothing to hunt him down."

Spider's words hung in the air as Nova recalled how he had slipped into the city.

"I know routes under the city that can get us out without being seen. Besides, you said he is hiding in the shadows. I'm sure that the rascal can easily use that to hide from everyone searching for him," Nova said with a bit of a mischievous grin.

"Where will we go?" Spider asked.

"We will head to my village. He can grow up there before we begin the great journey he must take." Nova walked over to the attic door.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's just hope the gods watch over us on the way," Spider said before leaving Nova to return to Kail.

Kail was relieved to see Spider when he returned. "What's the plan?" Kail asked. No one was around them.

"Nova said we will leave and head to his village. You'll grow up there and then we can continue with the original plan of traveling," Spider explained.

"Sounds good. Better than having to watch my back constantly while living here," Kail replied. "But how are we going to leave the city? I don't have much mana left. I won't be able to leave the city in the shadows."

"Nova said there are underground pathways we can take. He probably was talking about the sewers."

Kail was disgusted at Spider's words but he knew it was a necessary route to take if he wanted to escape the city safely. "We should go now. We can gather supplies once we escape the city."

Spider nodded. Nova soon joined them a few minutes later. "Ready?" Nova asked as Spider became visible just enough for him to point out Kail's location.

"Ready," Kail responded quietly. "I'll stay in the shadows for as long as I can so let's get going."

The three hurried out the door after making sure the coast was clear. A raven let out a loud caw from its place in one of the trees lining the driveway.

Several others followed, releasing their caws like a chorus of nightmares. A chill went through Kail's body at the sound.

The sun had risen further into the sky, barely fighting the cold with its weak warm rays. Even in the shadows, Kail could feel the chill of the autumn morning.

It helped keep him awake. His small body was struggling to fight off the exhaustion of pulling an all-nighter and using up so much of his small amount of mana.

He followed Spider who followed Nova. Spider had a web attached to Nova to keep track of the invisible elf. The web was wrapped around their ring fingers.

Kail left the shadows five minutes after they left the manor. They had managed to merge with the thick festival crowd that still filled the city streets.

Thanks to the festival, no one paid any mind to Kail's presence. Anyone would assume that he was out enjoying the morning festivities.

The trio entered an alley behind some shops. A manhole was located in the middle. Nova lifted the heavy metal cover and Kail went down first. Spider followed and Nova went last, pulling the cover back over, submerging the trio in complete darkness.

Nova summoned a light orb to his palm once his feet touched the slimy stone flooring beneath the wooden ladder. The stench from the thick watery sludge further below where they stood made them gag.

Kail couldn't hold down his food and vomited. Spider rubbed Kail's back as Nova dry heaved, fighting the urge to vomit as well.

Once their stomachs settled, the trio hurried along the path. They traveled through the twisting maze-like tunnels for a few hours. Kail ended up needing to be carried on Spider's back, too exhausted to keep going.

He woke up from his sleep when he heard Nova opening a barred gate at the end of an open tunnel. The gate had let out a very loud metallic creak as it was pushed open, entering his dream and rousing him from his slumber.

The sun blinded him for a moment and he blinked against the harsh light. They were now wading through a shallow brown pond.

The smell wasn't as bad now but he still gagged and scrunched up his face in disgust. Kail prayed that they would be able to find a place to bathe soon.

Spider was glad that the nasty sewage didn't stick to him but he still felt unclean as he followed Nova out into the forest that surrounded them in a small walled-in area.