Fainyx darted through the crowded streets, weaving past late-night revelers and glowing lantern posts with terrifying speed. But his burst of agility didn't last long.
A sudden, violently heavy wave of exhaustion crashed into him. His legs felt like lead, and his chest seized. Fainyx practically threw himself into the dark shadows of a narrow, deserted alleyway, bracing his hand against the cold brick wall.
He was wheezing heavily.
'I really hate this frail body,' he cursed internally, his knuckles turning white. He had used an immense amount of magic tonightgrowing massive quantities of high-tier herbs, maintaining a physical illusion to age himself up by nine years, and now sprinting.
His system was completely overloaded.
He felt the familiar, sickening rush of pressure building in his chest, crawling up his throat.
Fainyx choked, doubling over as a heavy mouthful of dark crimson blood erupted from his lips. It splattered violently against the cobblestones, staining the bottom edge of his black mask and the front of his cloak. He dropped to his knees, struggling to pull air into his burning lungs.
"Kyuuu!"
A terrified, heartbroken squeak echoed from inside his collar. Lumi poked its fluffy white head out, completely panicked by the sudden smell of blood and its master's trembling body.
The tiny weasel pressed its paws against Fainyx's neck, crying out softly, clearly begging him to stop pushing himself and just rest.
Fainyx let out a weak, raspy laugh, reaching up with a shaking hand to pat Lumi's head. 'I will, Lumi. I will rest as soon as we go home,' he promised silently.
He raised his finger, preparing to cast the chantless cleaning spell to erase the blood, just like he had done in the Aetherium.
But before a spark of mana could even form, a voice echoed at the entrance of the alley.
"Hey! I know you're down here!"
Fainyx froze.
From the perspective of the blonde elf lady, the chase had been incredibly frustrating.
One second she was right behind the cloaked teen, and the next, he had vanished into the maze of the night market.
She had been scanning the crowds, relying on her sharp elven eyes, when the sudden, unmistakable metallic scent of fresh blood hit her nose.
Her heart dropped. She followed the scent immediately, turning a corner into a dark alleyway.
What she saw made her breath catch in her throat.
The mysterious teen was collapsed against the brick wall. His black cloak was heavily stained, and dark blood was dripping from the bottom of his mask onto the cobblestones.
He looked incredibly small in the shadows, his shoulders heaving with every labored breath.
"My goodness... what happened to you!?" the elf gasped, all her previous curiosity instantly replaced by genuine panic. She rushed forward, reaching into her pouch for a healing potion.
"Were you attacked? Let me help—"
Before she could step any closer, a hand shot up from the shadows.
It was Fainyx's hand. Even under the illusion of a fifteen-year-old, his skin was deathly, terrifyingly pale. He held his palm out in a firm, undeniable gesture, commanding her to stop right where she was.
The elf halted, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you... are you okay?"
Fainyx gave a single, slow, weak nod. He refused to show weakness to a stranger. Using the edge of his thick black cloak, he roughly wiped the blood from his chin and mask.
He forced himself to stand, his legs trembling slightly, and began to walk past her toward the exit of the alley.
"Wait! You can't just walk away!" the elf protested, immediately turning to follow him. "Why are you suddenly bleeding out? And why did you run away from me in the first place? If you're injured from a beast—"
Fainyx stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face her, his violet eyes glowing coldly beneath the shadow of his hood.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cheap notebook. His fingers were still smeared with his own blood as he quickly dragged the charcoal pencil across the rough paper, leaving a stark, crimson thumbprint on the edge of the page. He tore the page out and shoved it flat against her chest.
The elf grabbed the paper, her eyes scanning the messy, blood-stained handwriting.
[ It is none of your business. Do not follow me.]
She looked up from the harsh words, opening her mouth to argue. "Listen, I just want to—"
Suddenly, a massive, unnatural gust of wind howled through the narrow alleyway. The force of the gale whipped the elf's blonde hair violently across her face, kicking up a thick cloud of dust and debris.
She was forced to squeeze her eyes shut and throw her arms up to protect her face from the sudden storm.
A second later, the wind vanished completely, leaving the alley dead silent.
The elf lowered her arms and opened her eyes.
The alley was completely empty. The mysterious, bleeding teen was gone without a single trace.
"What the..."
*****
High above the city, entirely concealed by his perfect wind magic, Fainyx was flying through the night sky. He was breathing heavily, his chest aching with every heartbeat, but he was finally safe.
'That elf lady was incredibly annoying,'
Fainyx sighed internally, wiping another drop of blood from his lip. 'Her senses are way too sharp. She found me while I was bleeding out.'
He looked down at the shrinking lights of the city below. The sheer exhaustion settling into his bones made him seriously wonder if he should just never go out again.
It was too much effort, and his body clearly couldn't handle the strain of using so much of his body too much.
'But what about my rewards from the Guild Master?' he thought, letting out a long, heavy mental sigh. 'I guess I have to go back next time.'
Within minutes, Fainyx slipped silently back through the open window of his bedroom at the Duke's estate.
The moment his boots touched the soft carpet, he dropped the illusion. His bones shifted, shrinking rapidly until he was back in his frail, six-year-old body.
He immediately cast his cleaning magic, instantly vanishing the bloodstains from his skin, mask, and cloak.
He opened a tiny crack to the Aetherium, tossing the cloak and mask inside. Lumi hopped off his shoulder, looking up at him with worried eyes. Fainyx gave the weasel one last reassuring pat before closing the portal.
He walked over to his bed, where the golem "Fain" was perfectly simulating sleep. With a wave of his hand, the golem dissolved back into raw mana.
Fainyx climbed under the heavy blankets, taking his rightful place.
His muscles ached, his lungs felt tight, and he was completely drained of stamina. But as he closed his eyes, remembering the taste of the street food and the absolute chaos he had caused at the Adventurer's Guild, a small, genuine smile touched his lips.
He was entirely exhausted, but for the first time in his life, he felt deeply satisfied.