Visionless

"…Fine, I'll bite," Ren said, rubbing his temples like he was already regretting this conversation. "What exactly are you doing? And does it require you to look at people like you're planning their funeral?"

Adam didn't even glance at him, his eyes darting from person to person in the bustling street, a manic energy practically radiating off him. "I told you already, remember? Last night? I saw a clown—"

"You what?" Ren interrupted, staring at him like he'd just declared he was hunting unicorns.

Adam pressed on, undeterred. "I saw a clown. They did magic. So now I'm looking for them so they can teach me." His voice was filled with a level of determination that was both impressive and mildly terrifying.

Ren blinked at him, then tilted his head in disbelief. "You weren't just—never mind." He sighed deeply. "But what the hell is a klown? Is that, like, a thing here? Can you at least describe them so I know what kind of lunatic we're looking for?"

Adam finally turned to face him, his expression far too intense for what he was saying. "You know… a clown. Like a jester. Or someone with bright makeup and colorful clothes and maybe a big red honking nose…" He trailed off, his eyes narrowing like he was trying to piece together a conspiracy theory. "Actually, scratch that. The one I'm looking for doesn't have any of that. No honking noses. No bright colors. Just a mask. A white mask. Straight line where the mouth should be. And a couple of symbols under the eyes. Got it?"

Ren stared at him, his mouth slightly open. "You… you're serious about this."

"Dead serious," Adam replied, his voice low and fervent. "They know magic, Ren. Magic. They could teach me everything I need to know." His eyes widened, and he suddenly grabbed Ren's arm with both hands, shaking it like a madman. "Do you understand? They're the key to EVERYTHING!"

Ren yanked his arm back with a grunt, giving Adam a wary side-eye. "Okay. Cool. So, we're looking for a creepy masked figure who may or may not actually exist. This is great. Love where this is going."

Adam ignored him, his gaze darting back to the crowd, muttering under his breath, "They're out there. I know they are. Watching. Waiting. I'll find them. I will."

Ren took a step back, crossing his arms. "Yeah, I'm starting to think that if this clown does exist, you two might actually deserve each other."

Adam suddenly froze mid-step, his eyes widening as a manic grin spread across his face. Then, without warning, he threw his head back and let out an unsettling laugh that started as a chuckle and built into a near-hysterical cackle.

"Hahahaha—HAHAHA! Ren, you're right! I've been a fool this whole time!" he exclaimed, spinning around dramatically to face Ren, his grin so wide it was borderline unhinged. "If I want to find a clown, I need to think like a clown! Yes, YES! Now… where would a clown me go?!"

Ren blinked at him, his head tilting like he was trying to decide if Adam had finally lost it. After a long pause, he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine. Sure. Whatever. But you owe me for—"

He didn't get to finish. The words barely left his mouth before Adam took off like a cannonball, bolting down the street with reckless abandon, yelling something about "the essence of clownhood" over his shoulder.

Ren stood there, mouth slightly open in disbelief, before his expression shifted to pure annoyance. "Kid? …KID!" he barked, taking off after him.

He dodged through the crowd, muttering curses under his breath. "I swear, if he gets himself killed chasing some imaginary clown, I'm leaving him in the dirt. No way am I explaining this to anyone."

Ahead of him, Adam was already weaving through alleys, climbing onto barrels, and scanning rooftops like a madman on a mission. "A clown would hide in the shadows, but not too much shadow! Clowns love the spotlight, right? Or maybe they're underground! No—the sewers! That's it!"

Ren grabbed his shoulder just as Adam was about to dive into a manhole. "Stop! You're not seriously about to jump into a sewer, are you?"

Adam turned to Ren with a manic gleam in his eye. "Do you know where else a clown would be? No? Didn't think so. Let me handle this, Ren. I'm on the scent!"

Ren tightened his grip and yanked him back. "Yeah, no. No one's 'on the scent' of a clown, Adam. We're not doing this. Let's try—oh, I don't know—a more reasonable approach?"

Adam huffed, crossing his arms. "Fine. But if I miss them because of this, I'm holding you personally responsible."

Ren rolled his eyes. "Yeah, add it to the list of things I've apparently ruined today."

"Wait... waitwaitWAIT!" Adam's voice rose in a crescendo, starting as a soft whisper before erupting into a near shout. His hands flung into the air as if struck by divine inspiration. "I have an idea!"

Without warning, he bolted down the street at a terrifying speed, leaving Ren frozen in place, his mouth hanging open.

"Kid—what—wait—huh?!" Ren stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence as he watched Adam vanish into the maze of alleys like a feral animal on the hunt.

Adam, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of erratic energy, darting through alleyways with no apparent rhyme or reason. Left, right, straight, back again—his path was chaotic, but his mind was racing with sharp, fragmented thoughts.

"Patterns!" he muttered to himself, his eyes wide and darting across every detail of the dimly lit streets. "That's the key! The key to my survival! If I want to find that clown, then I need to think like the clown! Follow the patterns, decipher the threads!"

Ren, still chasing after him, was equal parts horrified and confused. "Adam! What the hell are you doing?!" he yelled, but his words were swallowed by the labyrinth of twisting streets.

Adam's muttering grew louder, as if he was unraveling a grand conspiracy only he could see. "Let's think. Clown behavior—logical. They're kind, yes, no threats there. Silent. Why silent? Mystery or preference? Hmm, interesting. And then... balloons! Balloons! Why balloons?! Where did they even get balloons in this place?"

He turned a corner sharply, nearly crashing into a stack of crates, but caught himself just in time. His grin widened as if he'd stumbled upon some cosmic truth. "Balloons imply rubber, and I've seen no rubber factories! Not one! Therefore, the balloons are impossible! Aha! The impossible—that's the clue!"

Ren finally caught up, grabbing Adam by the shoulder and spinning him around. "Kid, are you out of your mind?! What are you even doing?!"

Adam's eyes gleamed with the intensity of a mad scientist. "Ren. Ren. Don't you see? It's all a game. The clown is leaving trails, threads, breadcrumbs! They're leading me somewhere! I just have to follow the patterns!"

"What patterns?!" Ren demanded, exasperated.

Adam pointed dramatically down a random alley. "That one. That's the way. I can feel it."

Ren groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You don't even know where you're going. You're just running in circles!"

Adam leaned in closer, his grin unsettling. "Circles are a pattern, Ren. Circles are everything."

Ren stared at him, speechless for a moment. "You're insane."

"Insanely close to cracking this wide open," Adam corrected, pulling away and marching confidently down the alley.

Ren sighed, rubbing his temples. "I swear, if this clown doesn't kill him, I just might."

__________________

Ligh strolled through the bustling streets of the Empire, her masked face betraying no emotion. The straight line of its painted mouth and the delicate symbols beneath the eyeholes—an abstract clover and a heart—were as stoic as ever. Morning sunlight warmed the cobblestones, and the laughter of children echoed faintly in the distance.

Today is beautiful... such a shame this place will soon be drenched in chaos, she thought, her silent sigh hidden behind the mask. Memories of the previous night crept into her mind: the orders from her leader, cryptic and inevitable. The weight of what was to come pressed heavily on her, but she shook it off.

Drawn by the sound of carefree laughter, Ligh made her way to a nearby park where children played. She had always been fond of children. Their innocence, their unfiltered joy—it was a kind of purity she could never touch but always admired. She had a talent for making them laugh, pulling harmless tricks from her sleeves, creating moments of wonder. In those moments, their bright, unblemished smiles reflected the light she wished the world still had.

But her musings were interrupted by a memory—sharper, darker. The boy. Last night. His face was etched into her mind like a brand, wide eyes brimming with desperation, an unsettling glint of madness behind them. He had looked at her first with the hope of someone drowning, reaching for a lifeline—and then, as though she was the very sea pulling him under.

How did he even notice me? she wondered, her stride slowing. That should've been impossible. Strange... perhaps I should find him.

Her thoughts were cut short by a faint sound behind her, distant but growing. At first, she ignored it, thinking it was part of the lively morning hum of the city. But then it grew louder, sharper—a sound both familiar and bizarre: laughter. Not the innocent laughter of the children she adored, but something wilder, unrestrained.

She turned.

Charging down the street was the boy from last night. His eyes were even more unhinged than she remembered, glistening with unshed tears. His grin was manic, his breath erratic as he sprinted straight at her.

"MASTER!" he bellowed, his voice cracking with desperation. "PLEASE TEACH ME MAGIC! PLEASE, PLEASE, I'LL DO ANYTHING!"

Ligh froze, utterly dumbfounded.

"PLEASE TEACH ME!" the boy continued, his voice rising to an almost hysterical pitch. "OR I'LL KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!"

Tears streamed down his face now, giving his wild proclamations an almost tragic undertone. Before Ligh could react, he collided with her, wrapping his arms around her in a grip far too tight for his size.

She stumbled back, more from shock than force. Silent as always, she stared down at the boy clutching her midsection like his life depended on it. His body trembled as he buried his tear-streaked face against her cloak.

For a moment, Ligh was too stunned to think. Then, slowly, her hands moved, hovering awkwardly in the air as though unsure whether to push him away or pat him on the head.

What... is this boy? she thought, utterly baffled by the scene. Her masked face remained stoic, but beneath it, her thoughts spiraled into a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

And perhaps, just a flicker of amusement.

"I'm so sorry! Deeply, sincerely sorry for his behavior!" Ren said, bowing repeatedly, each motion more frantic than the last. He held Adam firmly, one large hand clamped over the boy's mouth as Adam thrashed like a caught fish. "Please, don't take it the wrong way. My… uh, my son is just a little… unbalanced upstairs. I'll make sure he makes it up to you, I swear."

Adam glared at Ren, his muffled protests coming out as incomprehensible grunts. He flailed harder, his entire body squirming in a desperate attempt to break free. But Ren's tiger-like strength held him firmly in place, his grip as immovable as iron.

Ligh stood still, her masked face tilted slightly, observing the scene with an air of quiet amusement. Her shoulders betrayed her, trembling with silent laughter she couldn't entirely suppress. The scene was absurd—this towering, exasperated man restraining a wild, manic boy who seemed to view her as some sort of divine figure.

She raised a hand, waving it gently, her movements elegant and deliberate, as if to say, It's fine. I don't mind.

Ren let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, thank you. Thank you for your understanding. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll just be taking this one home before he embarrasses himself any further—"

The words might as well have been a dagger to Adam's chest. His eyes widened in sheer panic, and his struggles became frantic. No, no, no, NO! This is my only chance! My one shot! I'm not dying like this!

But no matter how much he flailed, Ren's grip was unyielding. The boy's muffled screams reached an almost comical pitch, his desperation practically radiating off him. Just as Ren began to turn to leave, a hand touched his shoulder.

Ren froze, glancing back.

It was Ligh. Her head tilted, her body language calm yet commanding. Without uttering a single word, she gestured toward Adam and then back to herself. The message was clear: Hand him over. I want to talk to him.

Ren hesitated. "Uh… you're sure? He's kind of… a handful."

Ligh simply nodded, her stillness radiating an odd kind of authority. With a sigh, Ren released his grip on Adam, muttering, "Fine. Just… don't say I didn't warn you."

Adam stumbled forward, his eyes wide and glistening with gratitude. He stared up at Ligh as if she were a literal angel descending from the heavens. His hands clasped together in front of him in a pleading gesture.

"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" he shouted, his voice full of raw emotion. "You have no idea how much I wanted to meet you, Master!"

Ren facepalmed in the background. Ligh simply tilted her head again, her silent amusement growing.

___________

"Right… sorry about earlier," Adam said weakly, his voice hoarse from all the yelling, pleading, and borderline hysterics. He sniffed, rubbing at his red-rimmed eyes. "I was just… desperate."

Ligh tilted her head, her expression hidden behind the straight-lined mask. She shrugged, as if to say, It happens.

Ren, sitting beside Adam on the park bench, pinched the bridge of his nose. "So… this is the clown you were talking about?" He glanced at Ligh, skepticism dripping from his voice. "They don't look all that magical. You sure they're not just… a guy? You know, a regular, normal guy?"

Adam shook his head vehemently. "No, no, they're definitely not just a guy!"

Ligh, as if entertained by this exchange, brought a hand to her mask's mouth and mimicked a gasp of surprise. Then, with deliberate motion, she clapped her hands lightly, a silent applause aimed at Adam.

Ren frowned. "What are you clapping for?"

"She's impressed!" Adam beamed. "Because I found her using my genius deduction skills!"

"…You followed the sound of kids laughing," Ren deadpanned.

"Exactly!" Adam said, completely serious.

Ligh's shoulders began to shake again, her silent laughter unmistakable.

Ren sighed like a man who had aged five years in the last ten minutes. He leaned back against the bench, crossing his arms. "Alright, so now what? Kid, it's getting late. Are you really sure this clown can teach you magic?"

"She," Adam corrected quickly. "The clown's a she. I just realized."

Ren raised a brow and looked back at Ligh. "You sure?"

Ligh gave a small nod, confirming Adam's claim.

"Oh. Uh… sorry for calling you a guy then," Ren said, scratching the back of his neck. "But… can you really teach him magic?"

Ligh tapped a finger on her chin, appearing to think for a moment, before waving her hand in a sort of motion.

"So… you kind of can?" Ren asked.

"How much will it cost?" Adam interjected, leaning forward with eager anticipation.

Ligh snorted silently, her shoulders shaking again in that eerily quiet laughter.

"If it's money, I've got some stashed at the adventurer's guild," Adam pressed. "How much will it cost?"

Ligh's laughter only grew, her whole body shaking with amusement. Though not a sound escaped her, the mirth in her exaggerated gestures made it clear she found this all absurdly funny.

"What's so funny?" Ren asked, one brow arched. "Just how expensive are you, lady?"

Ligh waved her hands in front of her, gesturing no need to worry, then mimed a zero with her fingers.

"It's… free?" Adam asked, blinking in disbelief.

Ren leaned forward suspiciously. "Why?"

The clown pointed to Adam, then to herself, then mimicked an exaggerated laughing motion, shaking as if she were doubled over in hilarity.

"Because I made you laugh?" Adam said, his eyes wide.

Ligh nodded, her head tilting again, her amusement almost palpable even without words.

Ren groaned. "That's it? That simple?"

"Looks like it!" Adam said, his voice giddy. "Ren, I told you this was fate!"

"I don't know about fate," Ren muttered, rubbing his temples, "but I already regret coming along."

------------------------

"So, this is the first lesson?" Adam asked, his voice filled with excitement as he stood alone with Ligh.

Ligh gave a slow, deliberate nod.

"Alright, when do we start?" he pressed eagerly, practically bouncing on his toes.

In response, Ligh brought her hand near her masked face and snapped her fingers. In an instant, she vanished into thin air.

Adam's wide-eyed shock quickly turned to confusion as a slip of paper fluttered down into his hands. Written on it in elegant, looping script were two simple words:

"Find me."

Adam stared at the note for a long moment, his face blank. Then, a chuckle escaped his lips. It was soft at first, almost as if he didn't believe what had just happened. But the chuckle grew louder. And louder. Until it erupted into a wild, almost unhinged laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!" Adam's body shook with the force of it, tears streaming down his face as if he'd crossed the line between joy and despair. Then, as quickly as it began, the laughter stopped.

His expression turned stone-cold. His breathing steadied. His eyes, once wide with the innocence of a child, now gleamed with the sharp, calculating intensity of someone far older—someone with years of experience and cunning behind them.

"Fine," he whispered, his voice chillingly calm. "But this time, you'll never run away again."

He stuffed the paper into his pocket and started walking, his steps slow and deliberate. Humming softly to himself, he tilted his head to the sky. "Run as far as you like," he said with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "This time, I'll find you in an hour!"

Ligh, watching from her perch on a nearby rooftop, tilted her head slightly, her amusement growing as she observed Adam's transformation. She didn't expect this turn of events. The boy's demeanor had shifted so drastically it bordered on disturbing.

Ah, she thought, he's cracked. This one's not well in the head… A silent chuckle rippled through her as she sipped tea from a delicate porcelain cup, somehow managing to drink despite her mask. Perfect. He'll fit right in. He just needs to pass the initiation, and then he's one of us. Boss will love this one.

She adjusted her seat on the wooden bench she had stolen from a park earlier and placed atop the roof. The scene was just too entertaining to interrupt.

Then she heard it—a faint, desperate panting behind her.

"Haah... haah... I found you," came Adam's voice, breathless but triumphant. He stood at the edge of the rooftop, his face gleaming with sweat, his grin wild. "Now teach me everything you know!"

Ligh turned slowly to face him. Despite the impossibility of his appearance—how did he even get up here?—her body language showed no surprise. She calmly placed her teacup down, stood, and clapped her hands enthusiastically.

She spun around him in a silent, celebratory dance, her movements so exaggerated they bordered on mockery. She made a gesture as if saying, Yay, you did it!

Adam puffed out his chest, still catching his breath. "So? Are you ready to teach me, Master?"

Ligh's response was simple. She placed both hands on his shoulders, her touch as light as a feather, and then—

They vanished.