With the treasures on his back, Nox crawled through the mineshaft, carefully maneuvering through the tight space.
The weight of the scavenged goods pressed into his shoulders, his arms burning with each step.
"Oh man, Millio's gonna love this stuff!"
He adjusted the heavy load, gritting his teeth.
"Damn his luck it's so heavy... thoughts..."
As he neared the cottage, a familiar figure came into view. Millio, perched impatiently on the roof with both feet dangling, was already waiting.
The moment he spotted Nox emerging from the mineshaft, weighed down with loot, he leaned forward, nearly toppling off the edge in his eagerness.
"Hey, Nox!" Millio called, his voice ringing down. "Got my stuff?"
Without waiting for an answer, he leapt down, landing with a light thud, his tail flicking with anticipation.
Nox exhaled, shifting the weight.
"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses. It's not like I'm gonna run off with a bag full of junk."
Millio's eyes gleamed, already eyeing the bag like a starved scavenger.
"Good haul?" he asked, his fingers itching to dig inside but restraining himself, barely.
Nox dropped the bag with a heavy thud, leaning it against the weather-worn wood of the cottage. The old structure groaned in protest, its brittle frame creaking under the sudden weight.
"There you go, tinker boy."
Millio crouched immediately, his paws moving at lightning speed, digging through tangled wires, rusted circuits, and barely intact screws.
He muttered to himself as he sorted through the loot:
"Ooh, okay, this one's nice… and this—wait, no, this—huh, what are you? Oh, nasty, that's sharp—eh, still useful…"
Nox smirked, crossing his arms.
"One-time-use gadgets, right? You really know how to stretch a budget, Millio."
Millio snorted, already deep in his world of invention.
"What can I say? Genius doesn't need perfection, just possibilities! Also, maybe a few more fingers… oh wait, still got all ten! Ha!"
Nox shook his head, watching as Millio rambled to himself, half his sentences colliding into new ideas before he even finished the last.
He hesitated before grabbing a small bag lying around in front of the cottage.
"Alright, Millio," Nox said, adjusting his hat. "Don't blow anything up while I'm gone. And if you lose a finger, I'm winning the bet, remember? Uh, and before I forget, I'll take a small bag with me. Found something for myself, y'know."
Millio barely looked up, waving him off.
"Yeah, yeah, bet you've got yourself a new coffee machine. Anyway, thanks for the loot. I'll call you if I invent something world-changing. Or city-burning. Whichever comes first."
Nox chuckled, turning toward the exit tunnel.
"One could say."
As he stepped away from the cottage, he felt it again, that strange, lingering pull.
No matter how many times he climbed back up, a part of him always stayed behind. As Nox approached the gap, he called out,
"Handsome fox needs a hand in here for a second!"
Like clockwork, the boulder shifted. Behind it, Chet stood, muscles flexing, lifting the heavy rock.
Nox slipped through, brushing dust from his coat as the gap sealed behind him.
Letting out a grunt, Chet rolled his shoulders.
"You owe me, though. My back's gonna hate me tomorrow."
Nox laughed, slinging his pack over his shoulder.
"About time we get out of here."
Chet shuddered, glancing around the grimy walls of the passageway.
"I don't like this shady area one bit. It always gives me the boogies. Tell me, why aren't you just walking there by yourself?"
Nox grinned, nudging him.
"Well, if I used the normal way it'd take me much longer to get there, and the chances to encounter shady people or the dogs is much higher since we are at the edge of the travel gaps here. But you got a point, Chet, this place needs more plants."
Chet's ears perked up immediately.
"TOTALLY! I already know exactly what kind of plants could fit here!"
Nox raised an eyebrow, smirking.
"Of course you do."
With a sigh, he adjusted his coat.
"Well, looks like it's goodbye for now. Thanks a lot, man. I'm gonna invite you to a breakfast somewhere as payback soon, alright?"
Chet's eyes sparkled.
"With a hot chocolate, okay?"
Nox hesitated for a moment, smiling at Chet, before grabbing the mask and stuffing it in his bag.
"Of course, buddy, you've earned it."
He patted Chet's broad shoulder. Or at least tried to pat it—standing on his toes, he could manage to reach them.
"I'll text you if I need a hand. A big hand."
Chet chuckled, watching him struggle, and then slendered his way.
"Take care, man! And don't forget, I'm not just any big hand, I'm the biggest! Haha!"
Nox waved over his shoulder, slipping into the dim passageway. As Nox walked down the dark alleyway, his thoughts grew heavier.
His boots echoed softly against the cracked pavement, each step sinking slightly into the damp, uneven ground.
He passed a location known as the Houndshut. This was where he had been back all the years. It was here where it all began for him.
The name alone sent a chill down his spine. It's the direct path down into the Undercity. Beyond this, Bloodhound territory began. Heavily guarded—if you walk in there, you go directly into the maw of the monster that controls this very damn place down here.
Nox didn't know how it looked like, he imagined it was just like where Millio lives, just worse. His father told him stories but he forgot most of them.
He didn't stop or share a look at the huge figures lurking in the shadows. Nox never acknowledged the eyes that followed him, no matter how hungry they looked.
Because he knew better.
His jaw tightened as he spotted the gruesome graffiti smeared across the giant, rusted metal door with a heavy hatch. It depicted wolves tearing apart a corpse, their snarling faces twisted in bloodied rage.
Around the area, chains dangled from the ceiling, some still dripping with old, congealed blood. Pieces of rotting meat and flesh clung to the metal links, filling the air with a putrid stench that seeped into his fur.
The ground was stained dark, the blood splatters not accidental. Everything here was placed deliberately, a message etched in filth. A warning. A claim. A reminder of who ruled this place from here.
"It's almost time again… but I still have a few days." His pace quickened, hands buried deep in his coat pockets as he thought about going back in there to pay his monthly duty off.
"Maybe I can quit this time," he muttered under his breath. The thought of stepping back into Bloodhound business left a sour taste in his mouth.
It all shifted as he stepped onto the crowded streets. The tension uncoiled. The press of people. The murmur of voices, steps, and chatter all around him.
The ever-so-alive streets of Coreline were Nox's comfort place. This was where he knew what he was doing. It all made him feel less like a target and more in control.
The weight in his chest lightened as the mass of bodies swallowed him whole. His footsteps melted into the rhythm of the city. The rhythm of Coreline's life wrapped around him, pulling him back into its embrace.
His thoughts went back to the mask. What secrets it might have. How valuable was it?
I should visit Zee. Maybe she can crack this case open. Ugh, but I'm gonna have to explain myself to her. It was about time...