The Bookkeeper

"There's something I can do," MK called out, desperation edging his words. "Form Shift can give us the protection we need to move, but I need to know—how far out is the city?"

His gaze fixed on Noelle with an intensity that spoke volumes, the protective instincts of a guardian blazing fiercely and undeniablely.

Desperation flickered in Raiden's eyes as they darted wildly, his form still dancing away from the relentless sand. The howling wind made detecting mana creatures all but impossible, but if Levi and Freya spoke the truth, direction was irrelevant now. They needed only to break free from the storm's grip, then worry about finding their proper path to the city.

"Let's head to the south!"

MK whipped toward Raiden, offering a resolute nod. His crimson eyes ignited with power, and the golden aura that had been streaming from his body suddenly condensed, hardening into a shimmering cube that surrounded them.

Though the wind had stopped its relentless assault, MK trembled under the strain, sweat beading on his face while his features set in fierce resolve, teeth grinding together.

"We need to hurry!" MK shouted over the chaos as they pressed forward, though his movements lagged behind. The sheer violence of the wind left him no choice but to take cautious, controlled steps—even the slightest rush of panic could send him spiraling into the storm's maw.

Raiden's thoughts spun wildly as dread crept in. At this devastating pace, remaining in the desert much longer would bleed MK's mana dry, leaving them defenseless.

"I could nullify his weight, make him weightless so I can carry him," Leo offered, eyes fixed on MK. "The question is—will that interfere with his power?"

"Don't worry, I can handle it," MK replied, the words rasping through his desert-burned throat.

Leo caught Raiden's eye with a brief nod. In one fluid motion, he canceled out MK's weight and lifted him with ease onto his shoulder, their bags and gear coming with them.

MK's protective cube flickered, its surface sending out a surge that rippled against everyone inside and made them grab for balance. He tightened his focus almost immediately, bringing the shield back to steady strength.

"Faster! We need to be faster!" Raiden ordered, desperation bleeding into his command.

MK strained against Leo's shoulder, maintaining their protective barrier with fierce concentration as they traversed the desert. The journey proved less grueling than Raiden had anticipated. Though the heat leached every drop of moisture from their bodies, they eventually reached solid ground at the base of a towering dune.

Exhaustion drove them to their knees, their lungs burning though they'd traveled merely three miles. Noelle, however, appeared untouched by the brutal journey and immediately began scanning the landscape for traces of the city.

Noelle exhaled slowly and flicked away her sand-dusted aether cigarette. "Klein's a bastard," she said with cold indifference.

Raiden shifted his attention toward him as Aeris helped MK drink some water.

"Whatever direction we chose, the city was always our destination."

Raiden stood and ascended the sandy slope to join her. He traced her line of sight to the city spread before them—an expanse of golden sandstone buildings adorned with bulbous domes, sweeping arches, and towering minarets.

The avenues pulsed with life as robed inhabitants moved through them, their forms shrouded entirely in cloth that masked even their mouths.

The city pulsed with activity yet felt utterly devoid of life. Sunlight carved deep into its heart while bone-dry air whispered against the buildings with the endless hiss of shifting sand.

The atmosphere hung thick and suffocating, so oppressive that even the wind seemed to recoil from entering.

No greenery existed, no creatures stirred, no hint of moisture remained—only the distant echoes of hollow voices and the stark shadows that sunlight carved across barren stone.

Raiden drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as a sharp ache rippled through his frame. "So this is Dark City."

Freya pulled a black cloak over her face as she climbed up to join them. "Yes… this is what most cities look like now."

Raiden's gaze shifted to Freya as questions flooded his mind about the agony Noor's people must have endured simply to survive. Even the act of swallowing felt like grinding sand between his teeth.

"This city doesn't truly awaken until nightfall." Freya adjusted her cloak into place. "We need to find our targets before the sun goes down."

Noelle's lips curved into a smirk. "These people already look like corpses—what could they possibly do that would make us need to run?"

Levi climbed up to join them, his hands buried deep in his pockets. "In Noor, cities like Dark City treat death as routine—every night brings fresh pleasure in culling their numbers."

As they remained motionless, a pack of sand wolves began closing in on them. Their brownish forms appeared gaunt and drained, stripped of both nourishment and moisture, with hollow stomachs that made their ribs painfully visible from a distance.

They bared their fangs with saliva streaming from razor-sharp teeth, yet something held them back from striking.

Raiden stepped a few paces away from the group, his eyes fixed on the wolves. He felt no urge to harm them—he could see their desperate hunger and understood it. Soul's overwhelming aura had clearly intimidated them, making any attack unnecessary.

"Let's leave, guys…"

Without waiting for a response, Raiden started down the mountain and passed its perimeter, heading straight for the city below.

Looking at the city's lifeless condition, Raiden began to doubt they could ever locate the Apex Circle. Steve, the leader of the Transmitters, had described them with such reverence that Raiden had formed an image of prestigious, influential figures.

He'd anticipated finding something akin to Klein's Nightmare Cohort and their grip on Westland City. But in this wasteland of a place, how could they expect to uncover the pages?

A few steps into his stride, Raiden turned to check behind him and spotted the others walking casually in his wake, keeping their distance. He had no intention of slowing down for them—he was perfectly content to see this through on his own.

Soon enough, Raiden approached the city's edge where two weathered yellow towers flanked a street, likely the ruins of an ancient gate. A handful of elderly Noorians, devoid of both aura and mana crests, gathered there and watched him with obvious interest. They could tell immediately that he wasn't one of them.

Before he could enter the city, a ragged kid about eight years old sprinted toward him and grabbed his hand. No aura, no mana crest—completely magicless. Raiden turned on him instantly, annoyed, a thought away from smacking the kid in the head.

But the kid stared up at him with piercing blue eyes, his hair so dirty Raiden couldn't tell whether it was brown or just grime.

His irritated expression faded instantly, replaced by a smile. He wasn't seeing a kid anymore—he saw an opportunity.

"Do you want water?" Raiden asked gently in Noorian.

The kid's eyes sparkled with excitement as he nodded eagerly. His desperation alone told Raiden he could exploit him further.

"Come with me," he said as they began walking toward the others. "What's your name?"

The boy looked down. "Nico."

"That's a nice name, Nico," Raiden said with a smirk as they approached the others.

"Have you heard of the Apex Circle, Nico?"

Nico paused, his eyes flickering rapidly as they darted across the floor. He tried to yank his hand free, but Raiden held it tight, that rehearsed smile never wavering.

"Don't be scared, Nico." He crouched down beside him and touched his dry cheek. "I'm not like them. I'm here to get rid of them for you."

It was an empty promise, but from the kid's expression, he knew the Apex Circle was killing them each night. False promises like that were his only way in, and that worked on everyone in this city.

The others closed in an instant. Raiden gestured toward Leo. "Water, Leo," he said in Persian.

Leo hurried to toss him a sack of water, and the moment Nico saw it, his expression shifted—transfixed by the water as he would have drooled if his body had any moisture left.

Raiden gestured for him to open his mouth and poured him a little water. Nico let out a loud, satisfied sigh—clearly his first taste of clean water. But Raiden gave him only enough to create need, not satisfy it.

"Take us to the Apex Circle, Nico." He smiled softly. "And I'll give you the whole sack."

Nico was startled for a moment, his eyes sparkling with excitement, he couldn't quite hide. He was too scared to let himself hope.

"Do you promise to kill them?" Nico muttered, his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Don't worry about that, Nico." Raiden's smile never wavered. "I'll do what I have to."

Nico finally looked up and smiled. "Okay, Mr. Hero."

He gripped Raiden's hand and pulled him left. Raiden had to run to match the kid's pace as they climbed a sandy hill. Nico pointed into the distance, and Raiden activated Gaze Beyond instantly.

Four tents spread across the encampment in a rough circle. A low wall, barely reaching the middle of the tents, enclosed the area with a clear entrance. Crates, pots, rugs, and baskets were scattered around the perimeter.

A few young men stood before it—seemingly drunk, but glowing with white aura. Raiden tossed Nico the water without a glance, and the kid immediately bolted down the hill, clutching his prize.

The moment Raiden turned and saw the kid was gone, he smiled. "We can't tell if it's really them until we get there." He gestured behind him. "But the circle is back there."