"Kita, snap out of it!" Raya yells at Kita.

A shiver passes down Kita's spine as she sees the lady with white hair walking away. Her body slowly fades into the light behind Raya's head as Raya's voice suddenly warps Kita back to reality.

She blinks a few times in confusion, wondering what just happened as the faint image of a village-like marketplace fades from her mind.

"Mom," Kita mumbles, glancing over Raya's shoulder as she recalls her white hair swaying ahead of her.

But there's no one there.

"Are you okay?" Raya asks with concern in her voice

"I-uhh," Kita stammers, trying to find the right words to describe how she feels but that's the last thing on her mind right now.

"We'll be heading to the room," Raya says to the concierge at the front desk, reaching out to grab the key to the hotel room.

"I just saw my Mom," Kita utters, still in a dazed state as Raya walks her down the hallway, to their room. "I look just like her,"

Raya swings the room door open, squeezing Kita past her before guiding Kita to the bed and sitting her down.

"Listen, Kita. I understand how important that is to you, but it's a bad sign,"

"What?" Kita's head whips to Raya. "How?"

"Your soul is calling to you, Kita,"

"How's that a bad thing?" Kita asks.

"Because it's close by," Raya says. "Don't you feel it?"

She does. The void within has felt more intense than ever before. It's felt this way since they arrived in the city but Kita didn't make much of it. She just figured she was feeling a little sadder than usual. But now that Raya mentions it, Kita can feel its calling. It draws her closer, and if it's this nearby, that must also mean…

"I can feel it," Kita says with a shudder in her voice.

Raya's attention suddenly turns away from Kita. Out of the corner of her eye, Kita can see Raya drawing a blade from her hip but doesn't pay any mind to it.

"The dark one is here too," She adds, looking up at Raya to find her facing off with two strangers who've somehow made their way into the room.

"Who the hell are you?" Kita asks in a moment of panic as she stands to her feet.

Twins. Two pale-skinned twins, both with golden locks and purple eyes, stood glaring at both Kita and Raya. Their eyes are emotionless and hypnotizingly beautiful. The young man has his locks flowing down to his shoulders, whereas his sister has a short side cut with a fluffy fringe covering her eyebrows. Both of them are dressed in abyssal clothing as if they're designed for travelling amongst shadows.

"Hurtful," The lady twin responds with a monotonous snarl.

"How did you get in here?" Raya asks with frustration in her voice.

"We've been following you since you arrived in the city," The brother answers.

Raya steps forward with her dagger primed and ready to strike. But as her foot shuffles, both twins take a step back and raise their hands in submission.

"We aren't here to fight," The brother adds.

"Sneaking into people's bedrooms is a pretty good way to start a fight," Kita scoffs.

"True," The sister scoffs in her monotonous voice.

"Is that her thing?" Kita asks, slightly irked. "She speaks just one word at a time, huh?"

Both the twins chuckle at Kita's remarks.

"Some things never change," The twin brother smirks. "My name is Alex. This is my sister Caity,"

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"What are you doing in our room?" Raya asks.

"It's a room for only two," Kita adds, trying to be cheeky.

Caity simply points a finger at Kita.

"We came to talk to her," Alex says.

"Then talk," Kita says, still untrusting of these two room invaders.

"Relax," Caity says, "We're trying to help you,"

"So she can speak like a normal person," Kita says.

"Look, Chevo knows you're in River City," Alex says.

"So?" Kita scoffs.

Both the twins glanced at each other in confusion before looking back at Kita.

"He wants you dead," Caity says with a blunt, emotionless tone in her voice.

"Why would Chevo want Kita dead?" Raya asks.

Both twins' eyes shift from Raya to Kita, expecting Kita to explain the situation. She suddenly feels anxious under the pressure of their gaze as they wait for an explanation she doesn't have.

"Well?" Kita asks, a little frustrated by her discomfort.

"You don't know?" Alex asks.

"Hmmm," Caity mumbles.

"Know what?" Kita asks.

"To make a long story short. You were one of his assassins. He trained you many rotations ago, Aaand… You stole from him and ran away," Alex says.

"Huh?" Kita responds, stunned by this information considering she has no idea what Chevo looks like.

"You were like family to him," Caity adds, "He doesn't trust many people like he trusted you,"

"So what, you came here for revenge or some shit? Jealous classmates?"

Both the twins chuckle again, "He trusts us more than he ever trusted you, idiot," Caity quips.

"We just wanted to check on you," Alex adds.

"We were friends or something?" Kita scoffs.

"Something like that," Alex says, scratching behind his head. "He used to send the three of us on jobs together,"

"Hmph," Kita grunts, unable to recall any of what she's being told.

"What is Chevo doing in River City?" Raya asks.

"Is that why you're here?" Alex asks in return. "For Chevo?"

"We're here to help out a friend," Kita says.

"A lot is going on right now," Alex levels with them. "It isn't safe for you to be here,"

"What am I, a child?" Kita barks. "I don't need some strangers trying to babysit me,"

"Same old Kita," Caity smirks, placing a few leaves into her mouth and chewing incessantly.

"We'll help you," Alex says. "What exactly are you doing here?"

Kita glances at Raya, trying to get a read on what she's thinking but Raya simply returns a shrug.

"There's a kid named Jan, he was about to get sold off by Vlad,"

"A kid?" Alex raises an eyebrow. "Why would you care about some kid?"

"I'm not the asshole you knew," Kita says.

"You sure about that?" Caity asks, chewing obnoxiously with her mouth open.

Kita raises her hand at Caity. Contemplating shutting up this cheeky woman. It'd be really satisfying to take her soul right about now.

"Woah," Alex says, raising his hand and stepping in front of his sister to calm them both down.

"We'll help you find him," Alex adds. "Anything else we should know?"

Kita lowers her hand, still eyeing Caity who's now barely visible over Alex's shoulder.

"He's soulless, like me," Kita responds.

Both twins' eyes widen with concern, "Shit," Alex mumbles under his breath.

"What's the problem?" Raya asks.

"Chevo's in River City because there's some soulless kid he's looking for," Alex answers.

"What?" Kita asks, now more concerned about Jan. "Why would Chevo want a soulless kid?"

"I don't know," Alex answers.

"This doesn't sound good," Raya announces, now worried as well. "We need to figure out what's going on,"

"I agree," Alex nods.

"Bands back together then," Caity jests.

"Caity and I will go and see what we can find from Chevo. He's been real secretive about everything but if we hear anything about Jan we'll let you know," Alex says.

"I was thinking we should invade Vlad's group. Sneak in there and see what we can find," Raya says.

"Ok," Alex confirms, "Let's meet back here in two days with what we find,"

"Hmm," Kita mumbles, starting at Caity, "I'm not so sure I trust you,"

"Pfft," Caity scoffs, "We're the closest thing you have to family,"

"One invasive-ass family," Kita says, stepping forward in frustration. But Raya steps in front of her to subdue her irritation.

"Alright," Raya nods, "We'll meet you back here in two days,"