Ethan called Mark later that night after receiving his text. When Mark answered, Ethan breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Oh, thank God—you're alive," he said.

    Mark rose a brow, one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding his phone. "Did you think I was dead?"

    "You could have been," Ethan pointed out. "What if he saw you?"

    "I was hiding behind some trees," said Mark. "He glanced my way once but there was no way he could've known I was there."

    "So... when are you going to do it?" asked Ethan tentatively through the line, and Mark pressed his phone harder against his ear, trying to hear clearer.

    "Do what?"

    Ethan paused for a moment before saying again: "The Tear Stealer—"

    At the sound of his name, Eyes' screen pinged through the darkness. She jumped, pulling up their live feed. "Mr. Edward!" she called. "It's them."

    "...when are you going to kill him?" continued Ethan.

    A silence fell over the line, and Dark walked up to Eyes' desk, staring down at the screens with a tired yet intense gaze. His robes lazily fluttered at his feet.

    "I..." Mark paused, the sound of his car rumbling through the audio. "I don't know."

    "Have you changed your mind?" asked Ethan.

    "No," said Mark, letting out a laugh. Dark merely stared. "No, no, I'm still going to kill him."

    Eyes glanced over her shoulder at the Tear Stealer, whose gaze remained vacant, unable to read.

    "Seeing him today... I have a lot more to learn before I can go through with it."

    The line paused again, and Ethan lapsed into a serious tone. "I'm not telling you to not do it," he said, "but—you have to think about your options." He paused. "What if they catch you? What would you do then, Mark?"

    The Tear Stealer took a step closer to the screens, eager to hear his response. A pause came over the audio again, this time more tense.

    "They won't catch me," said Mark after a while, voice tight. "They never do."

    "But if they do," Ethan pressed on. "Look, I don't want to lose you, Mark, but I also don't want to stop you from going through with this. You just need to be smart about it. And—no—don't even start saying that killing the Tear Stealer is gonna be like another one of your celebrities."

    Dark's eyes fluttered at that, and Eyes turned to look up at him, her brows shot up.

    "Is he...?" she whispered.

    "I won't, I won't," huffed Mark. "I'll come up with something soon, though."

    Ethan chuckled at that. "Well, tell me before you try to kill him," he said. "I want to kill with you at least one more time before you disappear off the face of the earth."

    Mark laughed, and Eyes snapped her fingers in knowing at Ethan's statement. "Don't worry. We'll have plenty more victims before then. See ya soon, Ethan."

    "See ya."

With that, the call ended, leaving Eyes and the Tear Stealer staring at white static. A silence fell over them, and Dark looked down at Eyes.

    "If you hear them make any more plans concerning me or other Evolveds," he said, his voice a low, regal drawl, "tell me." Eyes nodded, and Dark tightened the silver clasp around his neck that kept his shawl in place. "It looks like I have to take a trip to the Other Side."

    Eyes' brows rose, mouth falling open. "Sir—why?"

    A grave look fell across the Tear Stealer's face, and he drew himself back. "I need a favor."

    With that, he turned away to his quarters, preparing himself for an unorthodox visit.

———

The Tear Stealer stood at the doorway of his mansion, gazing into the darkness and preparing himself for the visit. He adjusted the silver clasp of his black shawl, hands clad in leather gloves. Then, with a final, tranquil breath, he stepped off the porch and walked into the woods.

    Dense thicket brushed past him, dark and daunting, yet oozing with a sense of calm. Twigs and leaves snapped and rustled beneath his feet, worn through regular traffic. Up ahead, the moonlight grew stronger, filtering through the trees and casting highlights over the Tear Stealer's graven features.

    After nearly an hour of walking, warm village lights peeked through the trees up ahead. He quickened his pace, robes flowing as he walked. He passed through an invisible barrier, that shimmered a faint purple as he walked, and the rustling beneath his feet faded to faint clicks as the thicket became stone road.

    He stood on the side of the road, gazing down the pathway at the small village—its houses spoke of warmth and happy living, built up with white brick or wood panels, sheltered by straw roofs. The design of the village mimicked that of the 19th century—completely separated from the modern world.

    Though the village spoke of quiet and tranquility, there still stirred its people. Nocturnal Evolveds.

    As he walked down the stone pathway, gazes followed him, varying in emotions—some scared or worried, some in awe, others enraged. A few of the Evolveds even spat at him or murmured his name as he passed them.

    Walking further, under a street lamp, stood a black horse attached to a carriage. He neared it, finding a man sitting at the front reading a book.

    "Excuse me, sir," said Dark, reaching for his wallet and slipping out two golden coins. "I'd like to go to X Amani, please."

    The man looked down at him, eyes widening as he realized who he was. He waved his hand. "Don't pay me," he said. "Please, get in, sir."

    The Tear Stealer smirked, bowing his head in thanks and clambering into the carriage. A whip cracked through the air, and the horse whinnied; the carriage lurched into motion, and the click of the horse's hooves echoed through the village as they sped off to the location.

Dark brushed back the black curtain, peering through the open window and watching the village pass by. Slowly, the houses began to thin away, and trees marked a demarcation between village and city. Though small, more modern buildings sprouted from the ground, pulsing with more life than the quiet village. The carriage slowed in the slightest, still hasty, as Evolveds roamed every part of the paved roads.

The Tear Stealer closed the curtain, gazing ahead and at the back of the driver's head. He had to stay hidden—the less he showed himself to people, the less they would talk. Information traveled fast with Evolveds, after all.

Music and chatter pulsed through the city, loud and cacophonous. Cars honked and tires screeched; other horses from the village neighed in protest. Dark relaxed in his seat, posture still impeccable, a sense of nostalgia running through him at the sound of the bustling city.

The carriage bumped over a pothole, and the Tear Stealer slid to one side of the seat, hand gripping at the edge of the window. He huffed a laugh, remembering the chaos of the city.

"How is she doing?" he called through the rectangular opening, catching the driver's attention. "Your horse."

Dark leaned forward in his seat, careful not to let his face show. Through the opening, he could see everything—the lights, the sloping buildings, the people. It put a smile to his face.

"She's always anxious in the city," said the man. "I do apologize, sir."

"No need," he said. "I'm used to a bit of mayhem."

They continued through the city, compacted for its small size. Off in the distance, separated from the noise, stood a grand mansion, dismal and dim in comparison to the city—like it was shut off. Despite its cold appearance, it was enormous and daunting, looming over the city. The sight of it made Dark's face fall.

Antinstine's estate.

The horse turned into a darker part of the city, still bustling yet less bright—torn down in places and shattered glass littering the sidewalks. Up ahead, the words 'X Amani' gleamed in bright, static pink letters: a club. Music pulsed down the entire street, vibrating the floors and the sides of the buildings. Evolveds filtered in and out of the club, some worn and others freshly dressed for mindless partying.

They slowed to a stop at the side of the road, and the man leaned back and turned his head towards the opening, glancing at the Tear Stealer.

"If I may ask," said the man, curious and afraid, "what business do you have here? A-are you going to see... him?" He adjusted his hands on the bridle. "Are you coming back to the city?"

    Dark clambered out of the carriage, shoes clicking on the floor as he landed. He tossed a coin at the man, who fumbled to catch it.

    "Any word that I was here and you're dead to me," he said, voice low in warning. The man gulped and straightened himself, nodding.

    "Yes, sir. Thank you."

    The Tear Stealer smiled, waving him off, and headed towards the pulsing building, face falling back into its graven expression.

    Time for that favor.

Introducing a new character next chapter 😏

Thank you so much for reading, and have a great day!
-Kassian