Eventually, they left.

I was left with nothing but an address—and a choice.

The business card sat in my hand, the embossed lettering catching in the dim streetlight.

The Midnight Sons.

I turned it over, scoffing under my breath. What a name.

Sounded like some underground cult. Or maybe a biker gang with a thing for dramatic flair. Either way, it wasn’t exactly reassuring. My luck being what it was, this was probably a setup. A scam. Or worse—an actual, legitimate job.

Still, the offer was there. If I showed up, it meant I was in. If I didn’t… well, they’d figure it out.

Right now, though? Bigger problem.

I had nowhere to sleep.

Going back home was off the table. Too risky. Too many eyes that might recognize me.

And money? Yeah, let’s not even get into that. If I had any, I’d be flat on my back in a real bed by now, maybe even enjoying the luxury of a hot shower. But instead?

I was out here. Wandering.

Looking for an abandoned building. An alley. A quiet corner.

Somewhere to crash where I hopefully wouldn’t get stabbed in my sleep.

"Hah… wish I could just get some sleep." I muttered, rubbing my temples.

The exhaustion was creeping in, heavier than before. I hadn’t even noticed it earlier, but the pavement beneath my feet was damp. Had it rained? Or was I just so out of it that I was hallucinating?

Where the hell am I even going?

Home? That was a risk. Too many eyes. Too many questions. But did I really have any better options?

Then—

"STOP."

Not from the streets. Not from some voice in the distance.

Inside my head.

Ruk.

I stiffened. He wasn’t even summoned, yet I could hear him, clear as day. That was new.

"What?" I whispered, scanning the empty street, heart pounding.

"Just stop right there."

I froze, every muscle in my body locked in place.

My eyes darted left. Right. Behind me. Ahead.

Nothing.

No movement. No figures lurking in the shadows. Just an empty street, dimly lit by flickering lamplight.

So why the hell was Ruk stopping me? And more importantly— What the hell did he see… that I didn’t?

"Hey—Ruk, what is it?" I muttered, my voice low but sharp.

"Look to your left. Do you see a building?"

I turned, my gaze landing on an old, two-story structure wedged between taller, more modern buildings. It wasn’t massive, but it had this... abandoned feel. Peeling paint. Cracked windows. A sagging sign above the entrance, half-covered by a tattered sheet.

"Yeah. I see it. Why?"

"You need to go inside."

I frowned. Excuse me?

"That place?" I scoffed, shifting on my feet. "You’re telling me to walk into some random, busted-up building in the middle of the night? Why?"

"Something’s in there."

That made my stomach tighten.

"Something? What, like a presence? Energy? Bad vibes?"

"Exactly."

My eyes flicked back to the structure, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Just another forgotten building, probably filled with squatters and broken furniture.

"You sure? 'Cause it just looks like a condemned shithole to me."

"Do I sound like I’m joking?"

That shut me up.

"And if I don’t look at it?" I asked.

Ruk huffed. "Your choice. But I’m telling you… there’s something weird inside. I can feel it."

I stood there, staring at the door, mind blank for a second. "Tsk. If this is some kind of shithole, like I said—you're helping me clean up."

No response.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Figured.

Well, whatever. If this really was hell, then at least I had a witness to my stupidity.

I stepped forward.

Knock. Knock.

Silence.

No footsteps. No shifting inside. Nothing.

I exhaled through my nose, glancing around.

That’s when I noticed it—the old-looking bell beside the door.

Oh.

I stared at it and then I touched it.

Ding.

The sound rang out. Not loud. Just… enough. Almost like it was coming from inside rather than outside, which was just creepy enough to make me reconsider my life choices.

The cold wrapped around me like an old, clingy ex. I stuffed a hand into my sweatshirt pocket, biting back a sigh.

Damn, it was freezing.

And, of course, this was the same sweatshirt I’d been wearing since I got thrown into that dungeon.

Classy.

But I waited.

One minute.

Then—

The door creaked open.

A woman stood there.

Not too tall, not too short—average height, I guessed. Purple hair, tied back. Skin tan, Black jacket. And her eyes—

Her right one? Dark brown.

Her left?

Closed.

A scar ran across it. Clean. Precise. Like someone had intended for it to stay shut.

And somehow, that made her more intimidating than if both her eyes had been open.

"Well, don’t you look like a lost kid."

Her voice had that edge—half-amused, half-something else. The kind of tone that made it clear she wasn’t someone you just stumbled across.

She leaned against the doorframe, smirking. One arm resting casually, like she had all the time in the world.

I, on the other hand, stood there like an idiot. Hands shoved deep in my pockets. Fingers twitching—partly from the cold, partly from her.

Something about her presence had my instincts on high alert. But not in a run-for-your-life way. No, this was something different. Something I couldn’t pin down.

Then—

Thud.

She tapped her fingers against the wooden doorframe. Once. Twice. Slow. Rhythmic.

"You got five seconds to tell me what you want," she said, tone light but sharp. "Or I start deciding for you."

Oh, hell no.

What the hell was I supposed to say? Oh, my summon sent me to this creepy-ass building and now I’m just gonna blunder inside because he said so?

I was going to kill Ruk after this.

"Tell her you’re here to look for Cinders."

Ruk’s voice cut through my head.

What the fuck is a Cinders?

No response.

Fucking typical.

Meanwhile, she took a step closer. Slow. Deliberate.

And then she lifted her hand, index finger pointed at her wrist like she was checking the time.

"Tick." She smirked.

One step closer.

"Tock. Three seconds left, sweetheart."

I swallowed.

GODDAMN IT.

"I-I’m here to look for Cinders."

It came out rushed, like I had just blurted it to save my own skin.

Well, at least I didn’t get punched in the throat. Yet.

She stopped mid-step, eyes locked onto me, the smirk wiped clean off her face. The air between us felt tighter, heavier, like the moment right before a storm rolls in.

And then I caught it—the smell. Sharp, bitter. Tobacco. She reached into her jacket, pulled out a cigar, and flicked a lighter to life. The flame flared, then settled into a soft glow as she lit up, inhaling slow.

"You don’t look like you know what the hell you just said, boy."

Smoke curled from her lips as she studied me, waiting.

"Yet, here you are."

Jesus, Ruk. What the hell is this Cinders shit? You could’ve gotten me killed just now. She looks like the type to break kneecaps for fun, and I’ve got a strong suspicion she wouldn’t hesitate to start with mine.

I kept my mouth shut, but she moved in closer, boots clicking against the floor. Another drag of the cigar, another cloud of smoke thick enough to choke a lesser man.

"So tell me, sweetheart..." Her voice was low now, smooth in a way that made it more threatening, not less. "Who the hell whispered that name in your ear?"

I forced myself not to bite my lip, not to shuffle, not to look like I was about to start lying through my teeth.

Ruk. Ruk, you bastard, if you don’t start talking, I’m throwing you into the next oncoming truck.

Silence.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Lucky me. Just the best summon in the world. Top-tier assistance, really. Five stars. Would definitely recommend.

I exhaled through my nose, ran a hand up to the back of my neck, and forced out, "I’m… seriously looking for Cinders."

She took another slow drag of her cigarette, exhaled, and muttered, "That’s a great response… for a goddamn fool."

Cool. Great. Love that for me.

"But at least," she went on, tapping ash onto the floor, "do you have any money to show me?"

Ah. That. That, I did not have.

I shifted my weight, cleared my throat, and gave her my best I’m definitely not broke as hell face. "I, uh… I don’t have anything right now. Just came to look."

She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Oh, sweetheart. Then time’s up. Bounce your ass back outta here and come back when you’ve got something real to offer."

Then, just like that, she turned on her heel, done with me like I was some annoying kid.

"We don’t run a charity, you know. Come back when you have something to give."

SLAM.

The door hit its frame hard enough to rattle my teeth. And just before it shut, I swore I caught the tail end of another muttered insult.

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

I sighed through my nose, turned back down the alley, and resumed my what-the-hell-am-I-doing-with-my-life walk like none of that had even happened.

"Hey, Ruk."

Silence.

"Ruk?"

More silence.

"AMARUQ, YOU...HAAH! DAMN IT."

Still nothing.

I dragged a hand down my face. So, let me get this straight—he dragged me all the way out here, convinced me to knock on the door of what was clearly a den of questionable decision-making, then left me hanging the moment things got dicey?

Yeah. What a bitch.

I smacked the wall beside me in frustration as I walked, muttering under my breath.

The universe really had a hell of a sense of humor.

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After all that absolute shitshow, I finally managed to find a place to crash. A rooftop. Not exactly five-star accommodations, but luckily this one was free rent. No one's kicking me out, and I’m not dead in an alley. So, win-win.

The place smelled like old beer and piss. Scattered wood scraps, empty bottles, and a few questionable stains littered the concrete. Real cozy. But at least it was quiet.

I let out a long breath, staring up at the sky. Was I overthinking this whole "don't go back home" thing? Maybe. Maybe the guild wasn’t even looking for me. Maybe I was just paranoid.

But then again, paranoia had kept me alive so far.

I shifted, using a pile of wood as a makeshift pillow. My body finally started to relax. It wasn’t comfortable, not even close, but at least it was still. Peaceful.

Then, of course, Ruk had to ruin it.

"What happened?"

"Your brilliant plan flopped."

"You didn’t get inside?"

"Nope." I exhaled, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "And aren’t you supposed to be, I don’t know, watching through my eyes or something? Why the hell didn’t you hear what that woman said earlier?"

"That’s not how it works." Ruk’s voice was calm, but I could tell he was holding back an eye roll. "It takes a lot of energy for me to talk to you when I’m not summoned. Keeping an open link drains me, so I shut it off unless it’s important." He paused. "I apologize."

Huh. So that’s why he went radio silent when I needed him most. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have walked straight into that weird-ass building in the first place. Then again… something about that place still had me curious.

I waved him off, then stretched my arms over my head. "Kneel."

Ruk materialized in front of me, his fur bristling slightly from the cold night air. Even for a wolf, he was massive—larger than life, yet somehow still subtle enough to disappear when needed.

"Guess I’ll just have to go back later."

"What did she say?" he asked.

"Come back when I have money." I muttered, lying back against the rooftop, hands folded behind my head.

"And what exactly did you sense inside?"

"Can’t say for sure… but it felt familiar."

"Familiar how?" I frowned, turning my head toward him.

"Like… something from my memory, but blurry. I don’t know why."

Oh, great. Just another thing to add to my ‘what the hell is going on?’ list.

I sat up with a groan, my back aching from the cold, unforgiving rooftop. Laying on concrete wasn’t exactly a five-star experience.

Sigh.

"Ruk."

He turned his head slightly but didn’t say anything.

"What do you think about raiding another dungeon?"

It was a thought I’d been entertaining for a while. Money, experience—hell, even if the team ended up hating my guts, I could just stick to myself and do what needed to be done. Being in a group wasn’t exactly something I was used to, but if I wanted to survive in this world, I had to start thinking ahead.

Ruk let out a slow exhale. "It’s your call." Then, without another word, he flopped onto his side.

Wow. Incredibly helpful.

"Yeah, thanks for that. Real insightful."

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I woke up with a start, blinking against the morning light.

Oh, shit.

I sat up so fast my neck cracked. I forgot to unsummon Ruk. Just passed out like a damn fool.

I scrambled to look around. Nothing. He wasn’t here.

"Hey, Ruk." My voice was groggy, still heavy with sleep.

No response.

Great. Either he’d gone feral in the streets or—

"You bastard."

I nearly jumped out of my skin. His voice rang in my head, low and irritated.

"You just fell asleep like a rock. Left me hanging. Do you know how much energy it takes for me to stay materialized overnight?!"

I let out a long breath, rubbing my face. Goddamn, at least he didn’t eat someone.

"My bad, won’t happen again." I muttered, stretching out my stiff limbs.

And then—the smell hit me.

Oh, fuck.

Something was foul. Not just foul—feral. Like piss, sweat, and something else. Something worse.

"What the hell is that?" I groaned, scanning my surroundings. Broken bottles, rotting wood, trash piled in corners. No surprise this rooftop smelled like hell’s back alley.

Then I looked down.

My sweatshirt. My pants.

The same damn clothes I’d been wearing since the dungeon.

Since the dungeon.

I inhaled sharply. Wrong move.

Jesus, I smelled like death.

I needed new clothes. Immediately.

This shit I was wearing? Unacceptable. It had seen blood, sweat, near-death experiences, and whatever the hell else had latched onto it. At this point, burning it might be the only humane thing to do.

But how the hell was I supposed to get new clothes?

Steal?

No—I wasn’t that desperate. Yet.

Maybe the guild had some spare gear lying around. Guilds had resources, right? I could ask when I got there. Worst-case scenario, I’d find some other way.

I pulled the business card from my pocket, flipping it between my fingers.

Midnight Sons.

I glanced at the address.

Hollis Point.

…

Wait.

Hollis Point?!

I stared at the card. Squinted.

Then I flipped it over, like maybe, just maybe, there was some fine print that said, "Just kidding, we’re actually close by."

Nope.

It was a whole-ass neighboring district.

"What the fuck," I muttered under my breath.

How the hell was I supposed to get there with no money?!

I stomped my foot against the rooftop, frustration bubbling up. This just kept getting better and better.