Chapter ***

Aron's wide eyes darted between the three figures within the store, his mind struggling to process the chaotic scene before him. Ren's lifeless form sprawled on the blood-stained floor, the mysterious robed man, and the enigmatic beast left him in a state of bewildered confusion. It was as though he had walked into a murder scene, an inexplicable tableau of chaos.

"What is happening here?" Aron's voice trembled with a mix of concern and curiosity, his gaze shifting between the unsettling sights before him.

...

Falco, hearing Aron's question, turned to face the prince. With a swift movement, he removed his robe, revealing an entirely different face—an older, freckled visage that 

"Silas?"Aron recognized from their earlier encounter in dealing with the broker and the Simurgh.

"Oh... sir, sorry for subjecting you to such a sight," Falco's voice took on a hoarse tone as he apologized for the gruesome scene that had unfolded.