Chapter 106 ( Part 17)
The fourth morning arrived with clear skies and a warmth that hinted at the afternoon heat to come.
Alok walked toward the basketball court with Rihan at his side. Ravel followed a few steps behind, his hands in his pockets, his eyes scanning the crowd with the same restless vigilance he had carried for days.
He had become more watchful since the cricket match. He didn't say anything about it, but Alok noticed the way his gaze lingered on the shadows between tents, the way his shoulders tensed when someone in dark clothing passed too close.
Sera was already there, standing near the court's edge, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She looked up as they approached.
"You came," she said.
"You said your school was playing," Alok replied.
"I said they were playing. I didn't say you'd come."
Alok didn't answer. He found a spot near the railing and waited.
The match was between Valdris and Aerion.
Valdris wore green and gold. Aerion wore sky blue and white. The players moved with the same intensity that had marked every match of the tournament sharp passes, quick cuts, the constant rhythm of feet against the court.
Alok watched the game with the same attention he had given the matches before it. He noted the players' strengths, their weaknesses, their habits.
But more than that, he watched for something else.
The woman in the dark jacket. The man in the black coat.
Neither was there.
He scanned the stands again. Nothing. No familiar shadows, no hidden figures. Just students and spectators, cheering and shouting.
They're not here, he thought. Why?
He watched the match unfold, but his mind was elsewhere.
The game was tight from the very first whistle.
Lyra Swiftfoot moved like water, weaving through the Aerion defense with a grace that seemed almost effortless. Her passes were sharp and precise, finding teammates in impossible gaps. Her shots were accurate, her footwork flawless.
Aerion fought back with equal intensity. Talia Skyborn dominated the air, her leaping ability giving her an advantage few could match. Every rebound was hers. Every loose ball seemed to find her hands.
Alok watched the two players with interest. Different styles, he thought. One relies on speed and precision. The other on strength and power.
They're both skilled. But they're not being watched.
He scanned the stands one more time. Still nothing.
Why are they skipping this match? What's different about it?
Valdris won by three points. The crowd cheered. Lyra Swiftfoot raised her arms, her face split in a rare smile. Talia Skyborn shook her hand and walked off the court without looking back.
The crowd began to disperse.
Alok remained where he was, his mind still turning over the same questions. The noise of the departing spectators washed over him, but he barely registered it.
Rihan walked over to him. "You've been quiet all match."
Alok didn't respond immediately. Then he spoke:
"They weren't here."
"Who?"
"The people in dark clothes. The woman. The man in the black coat. They weren't here."
Rihan frowned. "Maybe they're not interested in basketball."
"Then why were they interested in boxing and volleyball and cricket?"
Rihan had no answer for that.
They walked away from the court, the noise of the crowd fading behind them.
Alok was quiet for a long moment. Then he asked:
"Rihan, these people in dark clothes have you ever seen them at other festivals?"
Rihan looked at him, surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, have they been here before? Previous years?"
Rihan's expression shifted. He was silent for a moment, thinking.
"Now that you mention it... I have heard stories."
Alok stopped walking. "What kind of stories?"
Rihan rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. "I wasn't here for the first few years. But some of the older students used to talk about it. People in dark coats watching the matches. Taking notes. Talking to players after the games."
"Taking them?"
"No one said they took anyone. But some players stopped showing up to later matches. People assumed they were injured or had left early."
Alok's jaw tightened. "And no one questioned it?"
"They were students from other schools. People figured they had their own reasons for leaving."
Alok stared at him for a long moment.
"And you're only telling me this now?"
Rihan shrugged, uncomfortable. "I didn't think it was important. It's just one of those things people talk about. Rumors. You know how it is."
Alok shook his head slowly. "It's not just a rumor, Rihan. I saw it happen. Three matches. Three different players. And each time, someone in dark clothes was watching."
He paused.
"And Stian Vale is gone now. He didn't just leave. He was taken."
They walked in silence for a while.
Rihan broke the quiet. "What do you think they're doing?"
Alok shook his head. "I don't know. But I'm going to find out."
He thought about the man in the black coat. The woman in the dark jacket. The players who had been watched and the ones who had disappeared.
This is bigger than Vaelia, he thought. This is bigger than the tournament.
This is something else entirely.
He looked at Rihan. "You said these people have been coming to the festival for years. How many years?"
Rihan frowned. "I'm not sure. Five, maybe more. Some of the older students said they used to see them when they were younger."
"Five years." Alok let the number sink in. "That's a long time."
"Yeah."
"And in all that time, no one ever found out who they are?"
Rihan shook his head. "No one who talked about it ever followed up. It was just something people whispered about."
Alok was silent for a long moment.
Five years. Five years of watching. Five years of taking players.
And no one ever found out why.
The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and red.
Alok stood at the edge of the festival grounds, watching the lights flicker to life. The noise of the crowd was distant now, muffled by the wind.
Rihan stood beside him, his hands in his pockets.
"Tomorrow," Rihan said. "Football. You're playing, remember?"
Alok didn't respond immediately. His mind was still on the dark figures, the missing players, the years of unanswered questions.
Then he nodded.
"Yeah. I remember."