Owens Town

Looking at the boy in front of him, Max's face turned dark. "What are you doing here?" He coldly asked the boy without taking his eyes off him.

"Nat!" Zheren called. He was stunned to see him in their room and at a time like this. "Don't tell me you are the one that broke into the roo. . .?"

"No, no," Nat replied waving his hands at Max, he took a peek inside the room and saw how scattered it was, he would have loved to know why the place was like that but he could not bring himself to ask. "I can't possibly break into your room," he added.

"So, why are you here?" Max asked.

Inwardly, he wasn't suspecting Nat in any way, it was just that he didn't like the boy's guts at all. Although they both have worked together, that doesn't mean he would suddenly become nice to him.

"I need you guys' help, that is why I am here," Nat said with his hands clasped together in a pleading manner.

Max furrowed his brows as he stared intently at Nat, what could be the problem that would make him come to him of all people? "What help?" He asked.

"Harry and Matt. . . They are missing! It's been up to three hours and I haven't seen or heard from them," Nat replied instantly.

"Just three hours? They must be somewhere having fun. . . In a bar or something, why are you so worried about them?" Max could not help but scoff at Nat.

"You don't understand. . . If it were to be a safe place, I wouldn't be so worried about them but for some weeks now, there has been news flying in the air about how people keep missing in that particular town. After our morning class, we three decided to go see for ourselves, we were all together but suddenly they disappeared with no trace of them. . ."

As Nat spoke, the two boys took turns in staring at each other. They were confused about what Nat was saying, it sounded almost like a made-up story but looking at him now, he seemed to be saying the truth. Even from the way he was speaking, one would know that he was scared and worried at the same time.

"It's not like we don't believe you. . ." Zheren said drawing Nat's attention, "But why should you come to us? Why not go to their parents or the teachers?"

"About that. . ."

"The hunters association, why aren't they doing anything about the case?" Max suddenly asked after some moments of thought. "Is it not their job to handle such matters?"

The hunters association are a group of different guilds built up by strong and capable ability users for the sole purpose of hunting down monsters and beasts. Max knew about the hunters association, it was one of his wishes to join one of the famous guilds and hunt with them in the future to become rich and famous like most of them.

"The hunter association you say?" Nat asked in disdain causing Max to crease his brows. "Those are a bunch of lazy old men and women who are tired of life. I guess it's because they've made enough money that's why they decide to pay deaf ears to what is happening. They have been informed of the problem but none of them is making any effort to handle it," Nat spoke with anger on his face. He was not only upset that Harry and Matt are missing but was also upset about the fact that these guilds are paying deaf ears to an important matter, something that has to do with the lives of countless people around that town.

'How am I going to become rich in the future when these guilds aren't helping matters' Max thought with a helpless sigh.

"Max, come over for a second," Zheren said and pulled Max over to him. "Remember we said we were going to make ourselves strong? I guess this is the chance!" He whispered to Max who abruptly turned to look at him.

"Do you think that I do not want to help because I don't like him? My problem here is that we do not know what thing we will be facing when we get there," Max replied.

"I understand but we should go and see for ourselves. If it's more than we thought, we will come back."

After persuading him for some time, Max finally agreed to help Nat with a promise to return if things don't go as expected. Nat who had no other choice happily agreed to Max's terms, he was glad that Max was willing to help him, putting aside their differences.

Nat led them outside the school where they boarded a taxi that would take them to Owens town which was an hour's drive from the school.

After one hour of the silent ride, they arrived at a place with 'Owens town' inscribed on a board by the roadside. They came down from the taxi, Nat then paid the man and began to lead Max and Zheren into the town. Upon their arrival, many eyes were glued to them, the gaze was so tense that Max and Zheren began to feel uneasy. Nevertheless, they didn't say a word and continued to follow Nat until they got to a certain place.

They had just gotten to the quiet place when a girl rushed to them and held Zheren. She had tears in her eyes and was shaking nonstop, Zheren who have never been in this kind of situation didn't know what to do and so he ended up holding the girl until she stopped shaking.

"I- I'm sorry about that," the girl apologized in a low voice, she could not look at Zheren and thus she had her head lowered in embarrassment.

"Do not worry alright? Can you tell us why you are here and what the problem is?" Zheren asked calmly, it was taking the girl a lot of time to talk but Zheren patiently waited until she stopped crying.

"My bro-brother, he is missing and I can't find him again," the girl replied and began to sob again.

"How? Try and tell us everything you know so that we would be able to help you find your brother," Max said and the girl nodded.

"This place used to be a playground because of its beauty and great sunset scenery, families and friends would gather here almost every evening to have fun and watch the sunset but all these came to an end three weeks ago. We didn't know what happened or how it occurred but I could remember them saying that the families that came here didn't return home again. . ."