"I'll go ahead," Noel said.

The shadows at his feet folded inward, swallowing his outline in a blink as he murmured, "Shadow Step." One moment he was there, the next he was gone, leaving only a faint ripple in the darkness where he'd stood.

Behind him, Noir slowed and turned back toward the others. She took the lead without a word, nose low, ears alert, guiding Elyra, Elena, and Laziel through the uneven terrain so they wouldn't lose their way. Noel had the device. That made her the compass now.

Elsewhere, a shadow shifted.

Noel emerged behind two familiar figures, stepping out from the dark cast by a broken wall as naturally as breathing. Selene and Clara were only a few meters away, backs half-turned, attention fixed down the street ahead.

A sharp chill ripped through the air.

Noel twisted aside as an ice projectile tore past where his head had been, shattering against stone with a violent crack. A second followed immediately, then a third, forcing him into motion again as frost bloomed across the ground at his feet.

Instinct took over.

"Shadow Step."

His form dissolved just as another shard screamed through the space he'd occupied. He reappeared several paces away, half-crouched, shadows already gathering again as more ice formed in Selene's hands, her expression tense and focused.

Then she hesitated.

The mana signature. The way the shadows moved.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"…Noel?" she called, uncertainty cutting through the edge in her voice.

Noel stepped out of the darkness again, this time slowly, hands visible, posture relaxed despite the lingering frost in the air. "Yeah," he said. "It's me."

The ice in Selene's grip dissipated instantly. She exhaled sharply, shoulders dropping as the tension bled out of her stance. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "You appeared out of nowhere. I felt your presence and thought you were another one of them."

Clara turned fully now, relief flashing across her face before concern took its place. "You scared us," she admitted, then frowned. "How did you even get here?"

"Shadow Step," Noel replied simply. "We came from another island. The others are on their way."

Selene shook her head once, a rueful breath leaving her. "Sorry about that," she said again, more calmly now. "When you appeared, I felt your presence spike out of nowhere. With everything happening on these islands, I couldn't risk hesitating."

"You did the right thing," Noel replied without hesitation. "If I were in your place, I'd have done the same."

That seemed to ease her a little.

Clara stepped closer, her eyes scanning him quickly, as if checking for injuries before she even realized she was doing it. "You said the others are coming," she said, then paused, the real question surfacing. "What about Marcus?"

"He's fine," Noel answered immediately, his tone firm enough to leave no room for doubt. "He's with Roberto. Everyone got scattered across different islands when this started, but no one's been lost."

Clara's shoulders slumped in visible relief. She pressed a hand lightly to her chest, letting out a breath she'd clearly been holding for a while. "Thank gods…"

Noel continued before the moment could linger too long. "The plan is to regroup all of us. But these islands aren't just obstacles. There are things here tied directly to the Second Pillar. We've already dealt with one of them. The more we clear out, the better our chances later."

Selene nodded slowly, her expression sharpening again as she absorbed the information. "Then we should stay here and wait for the others," she said. "Together."

Normally, Noel would've agreed.

Instead, his gaze flicked past them, toward the street beyond, shadows subtly tightening around his feet. "That was the idea," he said. "But I came ahead on purpose."

Both girls stiffened.

"There are people moving toward you," Noel continued, voice lower now. "Island natives. They're close. Close enough that waiting quietly isn't an option."

The relief of reunion thinned, replaced by something heavier.

"Then we don't have much time," Selene said, already shifting her stance.

Noel nodded once. "Exactly."

The sound reached them before the figures did.

Metal scraping against stone. A dull, uneven rhythm that echoed down the narrow street, growing louder with every step. Selene's eyes snapped toward the source, her body tensing as two silhouettes emerged between the ruined buildings.

A boy and a girl.

Both young. Both moving stiffly, as if dragged forward by invisible strings. Thick chains wrapped around their torsos and limbs, etched with the same oppressive mana Noel had felt across the other island. The links pulsed faintly, tightening with each step, guiding them forward whether they resisted or not.

Clara's breath caught. "They're—"

"Bound," Noel finished quietly.

His expression hardened.

"They're not enemies," he said immediately, stepping half a pace forward. "They're being controlled by the Second Pillar. None of this is their choice."

The boy's arm lifted unnaturally, fingers curling as mana gathered. The girl's eyes were unfocused, empty, as if she were watching the world through someone else's gaze.

"No killing," Noel added, sharper now. "We take them down without ending them. Once they're out, I'll cut the chains."

Selene glanced at him, surprised. "You can do that?"

Noel blinked once, genuinely caught off guard. "Yeah. Can't you?"

Selene frowned. "I've never tried. Those chains aren't normal bindings."

"I figured," Noel said. "You're a genius with magic. I assumed—" He shook his head once. "Doesn't matter. I'll handle it."

Another step forward, and the air shifted.

A chunk of earth tore itself free from the street and shot toward them.

The projectile screamed through the air, forcing Selene to react instantly, frost blooming around her hand as she deflected it aside. The impact shattered stone against a wall, dust and debris exploding outward.

"So much for taking it slow," Noel muttered.

He glanced at both girls, voice steady despite the chaos beginning to unfold. "Remember. Out of combat. Nothing lethal."

Selene nodded, ice already forming along her fingers. Clara stepped into position beside her, mana stirring as she prepared to support.

The chains rattled louder as the two controlled figures advanced, power building around them.

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