Zayne held a cigarette between his fingers, ash scattering at his feet as he held his phone. He looked at the screen and dialed a number.
With a sharp beep, the call connected. A cold voice spoke, "Zayne, I need a good reason as to why I'm being called at 1:36 AM. "
Zayne composed himself, speaking in a solemn tone, "Reporting to the Chairman. The Young Master wishes to return quickly. He said... he said he misses you..." Zayne added the last part quietly.
Dead silence answered from the other side. Then, "...Are you certain that's my son?"
Zayne sighed. "Well, it's more complicated than that. I have confirmed that Wilhelmina is by the Young Master's side and has acknowledged him."
"What? Zayne, you do realize what this means, right?"
Zayne took a long drag of his cigarette, blew the smoke out, and said calmly, "Yes, Chairman, I know what this means. The Fragment of Darkness has descended and, most likely, formed a Covenant with the Young Master. I suspect it happened during the Young Master's accident. This Covenant will be difficult to break if we want to preserve his life."
The line went quiet. After a long pause, the magnetic, frigid voice spoke once more.
"Arrange one of the family's private jets for the trip. A Warp Gate might expose Nox to the Church of Light, so do not use one. Get to Septurion quickly. Arrange for any number of Xenon Warriors at the Master Stage or above. Your priority for now is to bring Nox back, then I'll decide what to do next. Oh, and keep an eye on Wilhelmina. Make sure to bring her back as well."
Zayne's furrowed brows eased up. "I understand. Though there is no need to arrange Xenon Warriors as bodyguards. One of me is enough."
"Alright then. Return quickly."
"Yes, Chairman."
The call disconnected. Zayne rubbed the back of his neck, continuing to smoke. He spent the rest of the morning making meticulous phone calls. Looking down at the door lying uselessly on the floor, he sighed.
"I'm too old for this."
------------------------------
Four hours later, Zayne was dressed in his sharp, black butler uniform. He prepared a massive breakfast feast, then went to wake Nox. He cradled Meimei gently in his arms as he addressed the youth.
"Young Master, wash up and come out for breakfast. Don't take long; we'll be leaving before 6:30 AM."
Nox groaned in protest but dragged himself up. He walked into his massive bathroom, heading straight for the sink.
*Splash!*
Nox threw cold water onto his face and stared into the mirror. He looked at the dark-skinned boy in the reflection—silver eyes heavy with fatigue, coily hair sticking out like a piece of modern art. He brushed his teeth, bathed, dressed, and walked to the kitchen, all in a complete daze.
The moment he bit down on a sausage, his mind snapped awake. His eyes flicked around the room, searching for the butler. Zayne was nowhere to be found.
Anxiety gripped Nox. 'Does Zayne know about Veil? How? Who is Veil really? What did Meimei mean? Why did Zayne call Meimei Wilhelmina? Ugh, why are things so complicated now?!' He agonized over the mounting questions.
Right then, Zayne stepped out of the elevator and headed straight into the kitchen. He took in the sight of his Young Master devouring food with a deeply frustrated expression.
"Young Master, we're leaving in fifteen minutes. I packed the bags and sent them ahead. Meimei is downstairs in the lobby."
Nox's silver eyes flicked to Zayne. He nodded in acknowledgement but kept staring at his plate like it held the secrets of the universe. He desperately wanted to ask a "few" questions, but the words trapped themselves in his throat. Zayne stood to the side, waiting patiently and pretending not to notice the youth's internal struggle.
After a few minutes, Nox set his cutlery aside and stood up.
"I'm done."
"Alright then, let's leave."
Nox glanced back at the half-eaten table, then at Zayne.
"Don't worry, Young Master. I have already made provisions for this."
Hearing this, Nox moved toward the elevator with Zayne following close behind. They stepped inside and descended to the ground floor.
Once in the lobby, Nox immediately spotted a black pet carrier. It was ostentatious—embedded with white gemstones around golden bars, featuring a thick fur covering over the handle.
Nox's eyes twitched. He leaned back toward Zayne and whispered, "I thought we were keeping it low-key."
Zayne smiled, whispering back, "It is low-key. I originally wanted to use a solid gold cage encrusted with diamonds."
Nox was left entirely speechless.
Zayne's eyes swept the lobby. There weren't many people present; it was only 6:00 AM, after all.
Master!
A voice echoed in Nox's mind.
'Meimei, how are you?'
The pet carrier shook slightly. Master! I'm hungry~!
Nox sighed internally. 'Don't worry. When we get on the plane in a bit, you can eat as much as you want.'
Meimei mumbled in a teary mental voice, Promise?
Nox huffed. 'Promise.'
Yay! Master is the best!
Nox snorted. Zayne picked up the carrier, and the pair made their way out of the building toward a sleek, black luxury car modeled after a Mercedes. Once Nox settled comfortably into the back seat, Zayne slid smoothly into the driver's seat and ignited the engine.
"Why use a wheeled car?" Nox asked, looking out the window. "Isn't a vehicle like this just a collectible back home?"
Zayne paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Well, Young Master, we are currently in Racca, on the continent of Terraverde. The technology to support hovercrafts and high-tech vehicles isn't common here like it is back in Septurion. Even this car, which is outdated back home, is highly sought after here."
Nox hummed, closing his eyes to listen. Zayne drove steadily away from the property.
Ten minutes into the drive, a violent explosion rocked the air from the direction they had just come.
*BOOM!*
Nox's eyes snapped open. He spun around to look out the back window.
"What was that?!"
Zayne responded casually, "I blew up the penthouse."
Nox's mind went entirely blank. He turned to look at Zayne in sheer horror. Zayne caught his expression in the rearview mirror and chuckled.
"Relax, Young Master! I paid a handsome sum to the building management to evacuate the premises beforehand. I personally checked every room to ensure no one was left inside. I simply wanted to erase our traces with a fire. Leaving loose ends always creates issues later."
He explained this cheerfully, but it only made Nox feel cold all over.
"...If you want to hide our traces next time, choose a quieter method."
Zayne smiled warmly. "As you wish, Young Master."
Nox leaned back against the leather seat and closed his eyes, his hand resting near the carrier.
"'Brat!'"
A deep voice resonated directly in his mind. Nox's eyelids flickered, but he didn't move his body.
'What is it, Veil?'
"'Let One teach you something crucial."'
Nox furrowed his brows. 'Crucial?'
"Yes! One must teach you how to conceal your Aura. As a Vessel, you need to master this immediately. If certain factions detect your presence now, you will be hunted down and killed."
'Makes sense', Nox conceded. 'How do I hide this Aura you're talking about?'
"'Aura is simply a person's raw power leaking into the environment. The stronger the individual, the heavier the impact on the physical surroundings. Aura is also entirely unique to the soul. To hide it, imagine pulling the immediate atmosphere back into your core. Invert the flow, and you will retract your presence."'
Nox frowned internally. '... What happens when a person with a stronger Aura stands near someone weaker?'
Veil's shadowy visage manifested slightly, bubbling just beneath the fabric of Nox's shirt.
"'An excellent question! Normally, the dominant Aura completely suppresses the weaker one. If they are equal, they clash violently. However, those who possess ties to the Divine carry an Aura that can never be truly suppressed by a mortal, no matter how faint it is. That is why One is telling you to retract it manually. The Dark Elf driving this car cannot mask the divinity forever."'
Nox hummed in silent understanding. He shut his eyes tighter, focusing entirely on manipulating his inner energy according to Veil's instructions.
All the while, his shifting facial expressions were being watched intently by Zayne through the mirror.