Chapter 36 The disappearance

Chapter 36 The disappearance
Tsukia's POV

The next day came. I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep while overthinking in bed, until my eyes suddenly snapped open to the morning light.

I sighed and rolled over to check the clock on my bedside desk and it was already 10:00 AM.

"Another day, another disaster to come," I murmured, my voice raspy and my eyes still heavy.

"What did you say, little disaster?" A familiar voice suddenly cut through the air. My eyes flew open and I stood upright, rolling over again to see who it was.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I threw a pillow at Nightshade, but he caught it perfectly with one hand, effortlessly avoiding the hit.

"You should've knocked first! Hello? This is a girl's room," I added, my face turning red and flustered.

"Jasmia is missing." Nightshade placed the pillow on his lap. His tone was so serious that I immediately sensed he wasn't joking.

"Huh? How?" I demanded, jumping out of bed to confront him.

"Lori said she was already missing by the time he woke up," Nightshade said.

"I’ve already assigned Nishin to look for her in her snake form; her abilities give us an advantage in the search." Nightshade added as he stood up.

"Stay here. Lori and I will look for Jasmia," Nightshade commanded.

"Huh? Why should I? I’m going to look for her too and I can make my own decisions," I fought back.

"You still have that issue with the lieutenant. What if you cross paths with them again? Do you think they’ll let you go this time, after what they said that day?" Nightshade’s voice sounded protective, as if he couldn't bear the thought of us getting into trouble or being found by the police.

I was so frustrated that the words wouldn't even form on my tongue. He was right, but I couldn't just stay here and do nothing.

Feeling completely dominated by Nightshade’s words, I rushed toward the bathroom and threw myself inside, slamming the door behind me to shut out the world.

A moment later, I heard Nightshade walk over. He leaned in, resting his palm slowly against the wood of the door.

"Don't worry," he whispered, his voice softening. "We'll definitely bring her back." Then, I heard his footsteps fade as he left the room.

Even with him gone, I was consumed by emotion. There was no way I was following his orders.

Jasmia was more than a friend as our bond was a sisterhood for me already, and I wasn't going to let her just vanish. I refused to let this "unexpected event" just happen.

I started to brainstorm, pacing the small space and trying to piece together a scenario that made sense.

Why would she leave in the first place?

I leaned over the faucet, watching the water drip steadily into the sink. As I dove deeper into my thoughts, a memory surfaced.

Her sister.

I remembered the way Jasmia had into a panic attack just at the sight of her.

I questioned myself silently.

What did her sister have to do with this disappearance, and could she be the reason Jasmia was gone?

I unlocked the bathroom door and slowly creaked it open, expecting Nightshade to be long gone.

As I glanced around my empty room, I noticed a protective container of food sitting there with a note attached. I walked over and picked it up.

"Feed yourself. Follow my words and this is for your own sake, Aile Tsukia. Don't be stubborn." — Nightshade Ash

I looked down at the meal. It was my favorite, cream-popped bread cheese with tender chicken.

Despite how much I loved it, I couldn't bring myself to touch it.

I was caught between guilt and frustration. I knew Nightshade was only trying to protect me, but I needed to be independent. They can't protect me forever and I have to learn how to stand on my own.

I stepped out the front door and looked down the hallway; it was completely empty. I guessed they were already gone.

The thought of checking Jasmia’s room crossed my mind as maybe she’d left behind some hidden clue about where she had gone.

The door wasn't locked, so I slipped inside. Her room was usually organized and cozy, but her bed was a total mess.

I assumed she had jumped up unexpectedly and hadn't even bothered to fix the sheets, It looked like an act of desperation.

Jasmia was usually the cleanest person among us, always keeping everything neat and tidy.

Seeing her bedsheet crumbled like this made it clear she had been in such a hurry that she didn't care about anything else.

I glanced toward the window and noticed one of the curtains had been shoved aside. When I leaned in, I could see the roads and the city unfolding beneath the apartment.

Had she looked out the window and seen something that made her rush out? But why would she do that? She should have woken us up.

Why would she go out there all by herself?

I kept questioning myself, hoping my theories were wrong. As I watched the city from above, scanning the roads and the people walking below then suddenly I spotted a couple of police patrols, and my eyes widened as the pieces clicked together.

Speaking of the police...

Did she catch a glimpse of her sister from this window and rush down to find her?

If that was the case, she should have been back by now.

Why hadn't she returned?

I rushed to the elevator to get outside. As the doors opened at the ground floor entrance, a tall figure with broad shoulders and bright orange hair stepped out in front of me.

It was Denra.

"Tsukia?" he said. I ignored him and tried to push past, but in an instant, a flicker of blue fire flashed.

Before I could even blink, he was standing in front of me again. I froze, now I understood why he was considered one of the greatest.

"I know what you're trying to do. Don't," he warned, grabbing my wrist.

"Nightshade, isn't it?" I muttered, assuming Nightshade had said and told him to keep an eye on me.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes, his deep dimples showing as I glared at him fiercely.

"Nightshade seems to li—" He cut himself off and sighed, slowly letting go of my wrist. "Nevermind. You seem determined, and I like that spirit."

"I see your type, Nightshade..." he hissed under his breath with a chuckle.

I was left completely confused, wondering what he was even talking about.

"Huh?"

"Go," he whispered, looking down at me because of his massive height as his eyes flickering with those strange, silent flames.

I nodded in thanks and rushed outside. As the sun hit my skin, I made a beeline for the area Jasmia's window overlooked.

Once I reached the spot, a stretch of sidewalk with a bench nearby as I searched the area. I observed the place over and over, but it seemed so normal.

As if nothing had happened.

Still, I kept thinking if I was right and Jasmia rushed down here because she saw her sister.

why hasn't she returned?

Suddenly, my vision flickered with a flashback tied to this specific spot. It was a vision of Jasmia seeing her sister and throwing her arms around her, only for her so-called sister to shove her to the ground and point a gun at her.

My breath grew short at the sight of it. I don't even know why I’m seeing these things.

Are they even real?

When I glanced back at the ground where Jasmia had been pushed, another vision materialized.

The Lieutenant was there, cupping Jasmia's cheeks and talking to her, but I couldn't hear what was being said.

As the vision vanished, I collapsed to the ground gasping for air.

It felt as though seeing those images consumed a massive amount of my mana. I never knew I possessed that kind of power, my abilities are truly the one who remains mystery.

As I scanned the road again, I saw Nishin running toward the apartment in a massive hurry.

"Nishin!" I shouted as she noticed my voice quickly and glanced my way, she then immediately changed her path to run toward me instead.

"Tsukia, Tsukia!" As she got closer, I could see the distress on her face. I knew right then that she had found something.

"I already tracked Jasmia down!" she said, her expression full of worry.

I grabbed her hand, desperate for answers. "She’s in the forest near the river—where you’ve been training near home," she panted, out of breath.

My eyes widened, I couldn’t believe she was there of all places. Nishin’s gaze turned deadly serious.

"She’s surrounded by police. They seem to be questioning her, but she's refusing to answer," she added.

The moment I heard that, my blood ran cold. I stood up, ready to bolt, but Nishin stopped me.

"Wait! I’ll inform Nightshade," she said.

"Don’t contact him," I said firmly.

"Why?" she asked.

"Just... please," I replied.

"Then I’m going with you, Tsukia," she demanded. I nodded in agreement, and as I turned to look for transportation, Nishin stopped me again.

"Just ride me—we’ll go there instantly!" she said. My eyes sparkled. This would be my first time ever riding a serpent.

I watched as she transformed into a massive black cobra with piercing red eyes. She was a terrifying monster, but looking around, I noticed the people nearby didn't seem to see her.

As if she knew what I was thinking, she said, "It’s my power, don’t worry about them. Hop on!"

She bent down, her scales hard and shiny. I hopped on, and the moment I did, we were moving so fast it felt like riding a jet. I gripped her scales tight, holding on for dear life so I wouldn't fall over.