Suddenly, Noah, as well as Yuan and Varis vanished, leaving behind a small wisp of smoke.
The transition was instantaneous and completely silent, executed with a surgical, low-profile velocity that bypassed the natural laws of physical movement.
The dense pressure that had temporarily warped the atmosphere of the alleyway vanished along with them.
The narrow lane returned to its superficial state of absolute normalcy, leaving behind only a tiny, faint curl of gray vapor that drifted lazily for a fraction of a second before the evening breeze scattered it into nothingness.
A second later, a middle-aged man in a stained leather apron turned the corner of the brick grain repository, a heavy crate of imported barley balanced against his thick shoulder.
He froze mid-step, his boots skidding slightly against the granite tiles as his gaze locked onto the exact spot where the three cloaked figures had been huddled a moment prior.
