“Good morning…” A sleepy Alisha said as she stifled out a yawn. "Good morning." Erin casually replied as he glanced at her face, that had yet to recover from her slumber. “Good morning you two! I hope I'm not late! " Adelina exclaimed sharply as she ran towards them, seemingly, out of breath. "Hey take it easy Adelina, you didn't have to rush!" The blonde haired princess reassured her while touching her back sympathetically. "Now that everyone's here, let's get going." Erin announced as soon as Adelina had caught her breath, and leaded the way.

"So this… is this place?" Alisha inquired as the three of them stood outside a somewhat rundown building with a sign picturing a large bird hanging from a wooden poll. "Is something the matter Alisha?" Adelina asked in a tiimid tone as usual, realising the discontent in her voice. "She's just a typical rich girl no need to worry Adelina." Erin explained to her with a smirk. “Why you… I'm not… I'm not typical!!” Alisha replied swiftly and furiously as she denied the young man's accusation. "See?" He continued with his teasing remarks as Adelina nodded in agreement, as if she just realized. “While the three teenagers were bickering with each other the door of the pub swung open revealing the poorly lit space inside, and with it the bittersweet odor of ale. The princess gulped nervously, convincing herself that she must, indeed, step inside. As hers and Erin's eyes met, the young man nodded and stepped inside, shortly after the stuttering man who opened the door walked out and fell flat on his face. Inside the pub, most of the tables were vacant, while others were still occupied by customers who had seemingly fallen asleep, presumably due to a large consumption of alcohol. "What do you kids want?" A female of average height, probably around her mid 30s inquired, as she walked down the stairs with a dripping mop at hand. “Hello, would it be okay if we asked you some questions?” The young princess asked as politely as possible with a gentle smile. "Oh spare me the pleasantries girl." The middle aged woman swiftly replied as she reached the ground floor where the three teenagers were, and stepped behind the semicircular counter. "What do you want?" She finally continued as she removed the rug around her hair and revealed her reddish short hair. “We're here to ask you if you know anything about this crystal.” Erin stepped up and asked as he was the only one that wasn't taken aback by her straightforward attitude. The woman, that supposedly was the shopkeeper, looked at the item with wide eyes as she gradually realized what it was. “N-No I can't…” The look on her face was altered completely and her attitude that clearly shouted “I don't give a damn” was entirely out the window. “Aflred sent us here. He said you might know something. " Alisha pressed on with the questioning not letting up at the slightest. “Alfred..? No... even for him... I can't talk about this!" The shopkeeper shouted nervously as she denied giving out any piece of information to them. “What do you mean you can't? Who's threatening you?" Alisha added persistently. “I said I can't tell you goddamnit!” The shopkeeper snapped at them. "Why are you protecting them?!" Erin raised his own voice while voicing his thoughts in an irritated manner. “Because if I don't he will destroy everything!!” She shouted furiously one more time as she turned around and wrapped her arms around herself. All of a sudden, the room had gone quiet and the three friends looked at each other, beckoning as to what to do next. “What is it to you kids anyway..? You have no idea what you're getting yourselves into...” The woman inquired in a much lower voice than before. “M-My sister was kidnapped… And this crystal is our one and only clue in finding her before it's too late…” Adelina explained teary-eyed without stuttering. After hearing her statement the shopkeeper looked at the young girl and lowered her gaze. She eventually turned around once again, this time holding a small piece of paper in her hand. “Take this. That's the only thing I can do for you…” She explained as if clouds were hanging from her face, while she handed them the folded piece of paper. The three of them were skeptical for a while but after a series of starring at each other they subconsciously agreed and Alisha stuffed the piece of paper in her satchel. "Thank you." Adelina spelled out with sincerity in her eyes. “You won't have to worry about HIM anymore...” Erin said reassuringly to the shopkeeper as the teenagers gradually left the pub. "All this shouting and they still haven't woken up... Geez." Alisha comically thought to herself while gazing at the people who were still sleeping on the tables, as the teenagers were fleeing the scene. That's the only thing I can do for you… ” She explained as if clouds were hanging from her face, while she handed them the folded piece of paper. The three of them were skeptical for a while but after a series of starring at each other they subconsciously agreed and Alisha stuffed the piece of paper in her satchel. "Thank you." Adelina spelled out with sincerity in her eyes. “You won't have to worry about HIM anymore...” Erin said reassuringly to the shopkeeper as the teenagers gradually left the pub. "All this shouting and they still haven't woken up ... Geez." Alisha comically thought to herself while gazing at the people who were still sleeping on the tables, as the teenagers were fleeing the scene. 

“Well that was a bit of a letdown...” Alisha poimted out as soon as the three of them were outside. The blonde haired girl swiftly brought her satchel in front of her and stuffed her hand inside, looking for the only remaining lead. "Come on let's see what it says!" Erin exclaimed, somewhat impatiently. “Have some patience will you? Oh, here it is! ” She replied, removing her hand from her bag, holding the piece of paper. The young princess quickly unfolded it and the three of them started reading it altogether.

“Benedict Abel

3 blocks to the left

Red Brick Roof ”

The small piece of paper wrote. The three friends having finished reading at the same time turned to look at each other with confused expressions. "These are directions, right?" The young man inquired. “Exactly. And supposing that Benedict Abel is a name... we are directed onto another person. Brilliant. " Alisha explained and huffed right after she reached her conclusion. "What's wrong Alisha?" Adelina asked clearly not able to comprehend the reason of her disappointment. “It's just that everyone we've talked to up until now just redirects us to someone else without telling us anything!” The young princess explained as she crossed her arms. “Well there's only one thing to do now. Find that Benedict and ask him about the crystal and the incidents. ” Erin logically pointed out as he looked to the far west part of town. “You're actually right. ”Alisha agreed as she mentally picked herself up and took the lead. "For once!" She continued as she walked “Hey!” Erin complained as he chased after her and Adelina joined stifling a chuckle.

After walking for around 10 minutes the three teenagers were standing in front of an angular building with a bright red brick roof. "So who's knocking?" Alisha awkwardly asked as she clearly looked at Erin. “A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do” He said after letting out a sigh, stepping on the front porch. The young man firmly grabbed the handle of the door and knocked on it three times after stepping back down. To their surprise, the inside of the residence was fairly silent indicating no response. "Nothing's happening." The young princess bluntly pointed out with her arms crossed. "You don't say." Erin sarcastically voiced imitating her pose. “Maybe we should… knock again?” Adelina proposed with an awkward smile. “Right! You, get on with it.” Alisha replied, ordering Erin like an angry gang boss. “You're seriously getting on my nerves shrimp...” He threw back, as he stepped onto the porch once again with a popping vein throbbing on his forehead. Once again he knocked three times using the golden handle attached to the white door, but to no avail. “Benedict Abel! Are you in there ?! ” Erin added in a loud voice as he attempted knocking for a third time. After a mere three seconds the front door flew open revealing a tall and lean man with long black hair and a stubble standing right between them and the inside of the house. "What the hell do you kids want?" The clearly irritated man inquired. “Are you Benedict Abel? We're here to talk to you about something.” Alisha spoke up as soon as, Benedict, presumably, showed up. "Yeah that's me" The man answered briefly "About what?" He asked, not looking in the slight bit amused. "About this." Erin swiftly answered, as he had already taken the crystal into his hand. Benedict suddenly forrowed his eyebrows as soon as his gaze fell unto the item Erin was holding. After what seemed like 5 seconds his eyes widened, as if he remembered something, and he clenched his teeth. "Get inside." He spit out while walking back inside his own estate. The three teenagers did as they were told and stepped inside the house walking down a long hallway. Only after inspecting the surroundings did they notice that the man, Benedict, was wrapped in bandages from his chest up to his neck. As soon as the four of them were all inside his living room which consisted of a dining table, a bed, a stove and a desk he spoke up. “Now talk. Where did you find that?" Benedict asked looking straight into Erin's eyes, threateningly. “The culprit or an accomplice to those strange kidnappings that have beem occuring dropped it while I was chasing him. ”The young man replied honestly, not flinching under the pressure of the man's gaze. “Chased him? When? Why?” The bandaged man inquired, slightly taken aback. “It happened yesterday. Adelina, the girl with the robes and the violet hair, asked for our help regarding her sister's kidnapping. Then we saw a mysterious figure that according to her was present during the incident and I chased him down, resulting in him dropping this." The young man vividly explained as he pointed at the shy girl behind Alisha. “And how did you find me? Who sent you here?” Benedict pressed on with his questioning trying to fill the blank parts inside his mind. "To cut a long story short we paid a visit to the Black Griffon Pub and someone said you might know something about it." Erin explained as he tried not to mention the shopkeeper of the pub. "Someone?" He asked looking straight into the young man's eyes, before retreating his gaze to his feet. "Well it doesn't really matter since you're here now." The latter continued before heaving a sigh. "So, do you know something?" Alisha inquired as she entered the conversation as smoothly as she could. “Well I'll tell you what I know at least. 3 days ago, back at the Black Griffon Pub I was casually minding my own business with my lover, enjoying a cup of ale before a bunch of cloaked bastards entered the pub and attacked us. One of them, who was wearing a black crow mask grabbed my girlfriend and stabbed me in the chest. I… I remember him holding one of these in his hand. As soon as he had grabbed her they left and as I crawled outside to find them, they were gone. Gone like they just vanished into thin air. After that I had my wounds treated and only woke up yesterday. I'd have already tracked down those bastards but I can't even lift my blade...” Roderick vividly recalled and explained the incident that occurred three nights prior. For a dozen of seconds the three teenagers were left dumbfounded as they stared blankly around the room, unable to find the right words. "Are you sure they just up and vanished mister Benedict?" Alisha suddenly spoke up and broke the silence. “I'm confident. They couldn't have vanished just like that in such a short amount of time. " The grown man said in order to defend the truth of his testament. After thinking long and hard Erin finally stood up and motioned with his eyes for the other two to follow. “Right. Thank you for the information mister Benedict, we'll be on our way now. ”The young man announced with a determined look on his face. “Wait… even after hearing all that, are you really serious about taking them on?” Benedict beckoned. "We are 100% serious about this." Alisha voiced as she got up herself. "Yes we are!" Adelina agreed looking hopeful and determined. “So you're sure you CAN stand up to them? I mean don't get me wrong but you look like just some kids to me. " He asked as he was unable to comprehend the situation. “It's not a matter of can't or cannot. When things like these happen to people around us, turning a blind eye is the same as killing them ourselves.” Erin voiced and the three teenagers walked out the door leaving the injured man dumbfounded. "Oh, and don't worry about her. We'll bring her back in one piece." The young man stated reassuringly as he closed the door behind him. 

"So... what's the plan now?" Adelina asked looking rather skeptical as the teenagers had taken a turn to a shaded alley to devise a new plan. "I say we go back to the Black Griffon Pub and look around the building, there might be some hidden entrance to some secret underground hideout no one has noticed." Alisha suggested. “Hidden entrance? Wouldn't people notice that sort of thing?" Erin disagreed. “No they wouldn't! That's what hidden means you idiot! ” The young girl swiftly threw back. "I have a better idea!" He announced while holding up his index finger with a smirk. "I bet it's gonna be a stupid one considering your previous remark." Alisha replied as she refused to let him speak his mind. "What was that, shrimp?!" Erin swiftly gave in to anger as he clenched his teeth and hissed at her. “Now now we shouldn't argue like that.” Adelina suggested as she stood between them holding up her hands. “She's right…” A mysterious and soft voice with a glint of craziness inside of it was heard suddenly, coming from the other side of the road. "You have a lot more important things to worry about, kids!" A mysterious figure with a black cloak stated while it draw it's curved and sharp weapon. "Who are you and what do you want?" Alisha asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice as Erin starred daggers through the man slowly approaching them and Adelina grabbed hold of Alisha's top in a state of panic. "Who am I..?" The man asked before bursting into hysterical laughter. “You will never know... In fact you don't have to know! Why you must wonder… Because you have something that belongs to us and I… I WILL KILL YOU FOR THAT!"  The mysterious figure shouted as he dashed forward with a crazed smirk, holding out his curved sword.