Author's Note: To clear up confusion, this chapter is set in the present day and on the Northern Islands of the Elor Planet, Zero's home planet. It is also written in the third-person perspective because it is set in the present; this will be the case for all present-day chapters.
Zero Langham | Northern Elor | Present Day
A knock suddenly echoed through the cabin.
The sound immediately diverted both Zero's and Renzo's attention from their conversation. For nearly an hour, Zero had been recounting his life to his Master, slowly explaining the events that had led him to where he was now. Zero's narration of his first team dinner nearly five years ago was cut short by the rapping on the door.
Tat! Tat! Tat!
Zero looked toward the wooden door, his breathing becoming uneven. He wore only a white tunic shirt and brown khakis. His legs, previously crossed together on the floor, quickly uncrossed as he prepared to move.
Renzo, startled similarly by the knocking, kept a straight face.
The cabin was located deep within the northern forests of Elor, far away from the larger cities and most civilization. Few people travel to the north, especially during the colder months. The only large city is on Jorgun Island, which spans 109,407 square miles. The actual city, Kofov, was located inside the Seith Kingdom.
The Seith Kingdom was established over four centuries ago and remains independent. They disobey and consider themselves not subject to the rule of the World Council, the government for all lands throughout Elor.
The last attempt of the World Council to lay siege to the Seith Kingdom was nearly seven decades ago. It was an utter failure due to the condition of Jorgun Island. The island is in a constant state of blizzards, storms, or hail. The city of Kofov, the only established city in Seith, is divided into five districts, each tens of miles apart.
The World Council has not yet mapped out the entirety of Jorgun Island or the Seith Kingdom. So, any expeditions are a failure because it's virtually impossible to find the Kingdom itself or the five districts of Kofov.
Several hundred people have taken up residence on the nearby islands of Jorgun, where conditions are much tamer. One of these people is Renzo.
Zero looked at Renzo expectantly, to which Renzo whispered, "Go hide..."
There was a level of seriousness in Renzo's voice that assured Zero he'd be fine. He stood from his chair and quickly looked around the cabin before Renzo pointed toward a door that wasn't originally there when Zero had awoken.
"Go in there. Stay quiet."
Zero hesitated for a moment before moving toward the room. He opened the door, stepped inside, and carefully closed it behind himself.
Renzo waited until Zero was through the door before turning toward the front entrance. With the wave of his hand, the door disappeared!
Any access to the room Zero was sent into had vanished!
Another knock echoed through the cabin. This one was considerably louder. Renzo slowly approached the door before placing his hand around the handle. He opened it, revealing two men standing outside.
The first thing Renzo couldn't help but notice was that they were similar. Exactly similar. The pair of men, dressed in wool clothing and thick jackets, were twins.
They were practically identical. Their facial features were the same, their dark hair was cut to the same length, and even their expressions seemed almost perfectly synchronized.
On top of their wool jackets, they wore black coats that reached down toward their knees, along with matching trousers and polished boots. Neither man appeared particularly intimidating at first glance, but there was something unsettling about the way they stood outside the cabin.
Neither of them revealed an ounce of expression. The twin on the left spoke first.
"Sir Renzo Calder, the Supreme Council, Elders of the World Council, summon you. Furthermore, they wish for you to be informed about another situation."
Renzo studied him for several seconds before responding, "I'll have to change first before meeting the Elders. What is the separate issue?"
The second twin stepped slightly forward, his face expressionless.
"A fugitive on the loose, someone you know dearly. Zero Langham."
Despite trying his best to keep a straight face, his eyes showed concern. The twins exchanged a brief glance before looking back toward him.
"Surely you know what is happening with him," the first twin said. "The World Council has issued a warrant for his arrest. Your close ties to the fugitive make you a conflict of interest. The Elders summon you to prevent any issues from occurring due to this conflict.
"We'd like to look around. You can change during our inspection. Afterward, we will escort you to Celestiala."
The atmosphere between the three men grew increasingly tense, but Renzo eventually stepped away from the entrance. The twins entered the cabin.
Zero, trapped inside the dimensional room, cannot hear any footsteps or sounds from the real world. Although the room is disguised as a plain closet, Zero knows Renzo's Innate Technique is at play.
One of the twins began searching the main room, looking behind the furniture and examining the various shelves around the cabin. The other moved toward the kitchen, opening cabinets and checking the small rooms connected to it.
Several minutes later, the twins returned to the main room. Getting their bearings together, they face Renzo, who is now properly attired for the trip.
"If you are to ever encounter Zero Langham, you should report his location straight to the Elders. That is your duty as a member of the Top Ten."
Renzo gave him a blank expression and an even more blank answer.
"I'll keep that in mind."
The other twin slowly approached the doorway before stopping.
"You should understand that the World Council is taking this matter seriously. Keep within your lines and fulfill your duty." While he said these words, he opened the door. The piled-up snow, at least four inches deep, covers the land. Due to this island neighboring Jorgun, it shares some similarities in conditions.
The twin raised his hand straight, letting Renzo out first. Renzo complied, understanding he was in no position to argue or refuse. While he passed through his doors, the twin muttered, "Don't interfere."
Renzo stared at the twin for several seconds before fully stepping out of his home. After a long stare, he left the doorway. The twins stepped outside, following him, and allowed Renzo to lock up his cabin.
Renzo walked alongside them, escorted by them, down the snowy path leading away from the cabin, remaining in the doorway until they disappeared beyond the snow-covered trees.
Whilst walking, one twin looked back, glancing through the window of the empty house.
***
While Renzo was locking his door a few moments ago, with an unnoticeable hand-wave, he connected the dimensional room back to his house.
Zero, after hesitating for a brief moment, unlocked the door. As he stepped into Renzo's house again, the room behind him disappeared, along with the door.
After glancing around and not being able to find Renzo, he scurried to the kitchen to look out the window. Zero, expecting Renzo to be outside to wave off the visitors, looked out joyfully.
Instead, he caught a glimpse of two identical-looking men escorting Master Renzo away from his home into the tree line.
Panting heavily, he dropped to his knees. As much as he tried to hold them back, a couple of tears escaped.