Chapter 34: A Reason to Fight
Daylan was chained to a post in a pitch-black room, his shirt torn away as the orb on his chest pulsed faintly—he remained unconscious.
From time to time, people entered the room to check if he had woken up. Some even tried to beat him, hoping the pain would rouse him. But he felt nothing. Though he still breathed, it was as if he had ceased to exist.
While he remained trapped in the room, Medora and Astara searched tirelessly for him. A few people claimed to have seen him—he had approached them with questions about the Phantoms. Though he hadn't mentioned their names, the specific details he shared made it clear to Medora and Astara that he was asking about them.
Their search stretched on for hours, yet they found nothing—only scattered accounts from people who had seen him, none knowing where he'd gone. The fear of losing Daylan loomed so heavily that rest and sleep became distant thoughts, overshadowed by their growing desperation.
They pushed through the day and into the depths of night, hope slowly slipping through their fingers. They knew Daylan wouldn't return home—it was Astara's territory—but curiosity got the better of them. When they arrived, they were met only by Zira and Giselle—Daylan's mother.
Telling them he was missing felt too heavy, too soon. Until they had more answers, they chose to keep his family in the dark.
Offering a vague excuse for his absence, they quickly left and returned to the streets, the weight of uncertainty pressing harder on their shoulders.
Hope was slipping away, but Medora refused to give in. She stood firm, vowing not to rest until she found Daylan. Astara tried to reason with her, to convince her to take a break—but Medora wouldn't hear it.
"You can rest if that's what you want, Asta. No one would blame you. After all, you're only with Daylan because you want his help with your family, right? I won't hold you to this if it's too much for you. But I can't rest—not until I know my Day is okay."
She wore a faint smile, then turned and began to walk away.
Astara watched Medora quietly as she walked away, then eventually followed after her. "If he's helping with my mission," she said softly, "then I guess I also need to take this seriously."