Ludwig’s speed was unnerving. Despite the chaos and the bustling streets filled with panicked citizens, he moved with uncanny agility, weaving through the crowd with a precision that Alva could barely match. Her lungs burned as she struggled to keep pace, her breath coming in labored gasps, though she prided herself on her endurance as a swordswoman.
Yet Ludwig didn’t even seem winded.
When he finally came to a halt at the mouth of a shadowy alley, she nearly stumbled to a stop behind him, her hands braced on her knees as she fought to catch her breath. The alley opened into a dim, narrow street where silence reigned, a stark contrast to the distant cacophony of the masquerade’s turmoil.
“Hold on a bit!” she wheezed.
Ludwig turned to her, his finger pressed against his lips. “We’re close,” he whispered, his eyes fixed on an unassuming building at the end of the darkened lane.
Alva followed his gaze. “That place?”
Ludwig gave a slow nod. “Traces of souls. They’re pouring into that house.”
She blinked, bewildered. “What do you mean ‘traces of souls’? How can you even—”
“Questions later,” Ludwig cut her off. “Black Tower Academy student, remember?” He tapped his chest with mock confidence, hoping she wouldn’t push further.
Alva crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced, but she held her tongue. She looked at the building more closely—its weathered exterior and dimly glowing windows gave it the appearance of just another old, forgotten home. “It doesn’t look out of place,” she muttered.
“Look closer,” Ludwig said, his voice sharp. “See that ‘big guy’ near the door?”
She squinted, finally noticing the two hulking figures stationed near the entrance. At first glance, they seemed like ordinary men draped in flowing cloaks. But as she stared, unease settled over her.
“What about them?” Alva asked as she took in the view.
“They’re not human,” Ludwig said, his voice low.
Her frown deepened. “I can understand your aversion to harming humans, even I don’t want to do that even if they’re criminals, but If they’re not human then what are they then?”
“Djinn,” Ludwig said bluntly.
Her stomach turned, though she tried to hide it. She wasn’t well-versed in dealing with supernatural entities, but apparently, she seemed to know what that was. Though Ludwig had no idea if the common folks knew what a Djinn was since only he could see their information through his [inspect], her reaction told him that she knew of their existence.
“Are you sure that they’re Djinn?” she asked tightening her grip on her sword.
“Completely. And this building reeks of black magic,” Ludwig added, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the ethereal chains spiraling into the house, visible only to him through his mask.
Alva hesitated, gripping the hilt of her rapier tightly. “So what’s the plan?”
“I’m going in,” Ludwig said.
She raised an eyebrow. “The door is locked, and those ‘not-human’ guards will see you coming a mile away. How do you plan to—”
“I’m not sneaking,” Ludwig interrupted. “I don’t have the skill for that.”
“What then?”
“Step back,” Ludwig said, extending his arm. “I have no idea what’s about to happen, so you might want to give me some space.”
She didn’t argue. Something about his focused expression made her comply, retreating several steps as he prepared a spell.
“[Frenzied Spirits],” Ludwig muttered.
The moment the words left his lips, his body was drained of energy as his mana pool was completely consumed, leaving him lightheaded and trembling. For an instant, he thought the spell had failed.
Then all hell broke loose.
The djinn at the entrance began convulsing, their humanoid forms writhing as fire erupted from their bodies. Screams that sounded both human and otherworldly echoed through the alley as their robes disintegrated into ash, revealing their true forms—searing masses of unbridled flame struggling to maintain coherence.
The two djinn spiraled into a frenzy, their blazing forms smashing into nearby walls, reducing parts of the alley to rubble. Flames licked the air, casting terrifying shadows on the nearby buildings as their incandescent shapes flickered like candles in a storm.
Alva’s jaw dropped in shock, her eyes darting between the fiery chaos and Ludwig. “What did you just do?”
Even Ludwig seemed stunned. His hands trembled as he realized the spell’s unintended effects. ‘The hell was that?’ he thought.
The spell [Frenzied Spirits] was supposed to summon malevolent spirits to attack indiscriminately, yet it had instead driven the djinn into a frenzy, forcing them to revert to their elemental forms.
He pieced it together quickly. “They’re spirits. The spell must have affected them directly,” he muttered under his breath, filing the revelation away for later.
“What was that? They just went berserk,” Alva hissed, snapping him back to the present.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s move!” Ludwig barked, rushing toward the now unguarded entrance.
She hesitated only for a moment before following, her rapier already drawn.
When they reached the door, Ludwig fumbled, trying to pry it open.
“Step aside,” Alva said curtly, shoving him aside.
With precise, lightning-fast strikes, she slashed through the door in quick succession. The wood fell apart, cleanly sliced into perfect sections, leaving the entrance exposed.
“I apologize for doubting you earlier, about them being human…” she said, her tone earnest but tinged with sarcasm. “Seems Black Tower students do know their stuff.”
“Save the compliments,” Ludwig said, stepping into the darkened threshold. “We don’t have much time before they realize what’s happened.”
The two entered the ominous building, leaving behind the crackling flames of the frenzied djinn.
Inside, the air was thick with an oppressive energy that seemed to press down on them from all sides. Faint whispers echoed through the dimly lit corridors, voices overlapping in an incomprehensible cacophony that sent chills down Alva’s spine. And the smell of incense proliferated the place.
“What is this place?” she asked, gripping her rapier tighter.
“Looks like a hideout,..” Ludwig said grimly.
“A hideout for who?”
“And we’re about to find out what.”
The pair moved deeper into the building, their footsteps muffled by the heavy silence that seemed to devour sound. Ahead, the flicker of faint, unnatural light beckoned, promising answers—and most certainly…danger.