The moment he entered the mouth of the alley, he knew something was wrong.

An unbearable silence crept over the dim walls lining either side of him, rotting of stench and filth. The building to his side blocked out the path of the sun and made it hard to grasp what he was seeing. Noct squinted through the thick shadows, keeping his senses heightened. Empty, dusted crates and sacks of trash were heaped on the ground. There were no windows or back doors. 

The black-haired young man was gone. There wasn't anyone or anything alive around him.

The alley seemed to stretch infinitely, inviting him even further down the path. Dismissing the unease he felt, the Crow Thief placed one foot in front of the other and moved without making a single sound. It was like walking on a thin piece of rope. Noct had done this multiple times, of course, but never did it feel so threatening until now. He recalled the young man's ghost of a smile from before. He was certain he had seen it.

So where is he now?

There was no sign of him, not even a footprint on the dirt-laden ground. Noct wondered if he had slipped in a secret door in the wall a few paces back. Then, he shook his head. He would have noticed if he did. He was always good at finding escape routes and hidden passages and his eyes were quick to pick up on anything that seemed off.

Let's just keep walking.

A few seconds later, he ended up at a dead end.

Before him, a looming bricked wall stood in his path, smeared with layers of dust and grime that no one seemed to have seen before. The hard surface extended a few stories above him, imposing as the gates that he'd passed through when he entered Gisnell. Rubbing his neck, Noct inspected any traces or clues for something in front of him and frowned deeply. There was nothing that was out of place. He was standing before a bleak, tall wall in a very dark and quiet alleyway. There was no sign of the young man he had followed inside. Noct blinked, making sure that his eyes were still working properly.

Perhaps... a hallucination?

He stood there for a few seconds, thinking of this possibility. Maybe he had imagined the young man after all. Perhaps it was his mind playing tricks on him again. However, his blackouts had never happened while he was conscious, and it would always be about that scene with his mother and the witch in the blaze. The last time he had experienced it was back when he was with the little miss in the cell.

Noct winced as he felt a sudden sharp pain at the back of his head at the recollection of that memory. He clawed at his hair and scalp, suddenly feeling sick. The shadows around him danced at the edge of his vision, reaching out and threatening to pull him once more into another episode of that moment. He could see the shadowy figures of whispering people, calling out--

Clang!

A resounding echo pierced through the air as Noct stopped a sword mere inches from his neck with a quick slip of his dagger.

Startled at the sudden attack, he snapped back to reality and looked at the person holding the hilt of the crossed weapon, recognizing the familiar figure of the black-haired young man he had encountered. The moment their eyes met, Noct felt a chill creep up his spine.

The young man smiled at him. "Ah, you have good reflexes."

Still holding his aching head, Noct jumped back as far as he could, heels touching the wall of the alley. He leveled his gaze at the young man, slipping a few more daggers from his sleeve. 

He had appeared out of nowhere, almost as if he had materialized from the shadows. Noct didn't sense his presence at all until at the last moment, a feat that only The Pierrot was able to manage before. If he hadn't blocked the attack in time, he was certain the sharp blade would have beheaded him in an instant.

The Crow Thief studied the young man warily. His face was good-looking to say the least, the type of person who ignorant noblewomen would swoon over without a second thought. His mid-length hair was pulled back in a small ponytail, and a tan accented his skin. He was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a pair of rolled up trousers and long leather boots. His belt bore an empty scabbard, as he was holding the weapon in his gloved hands. However, what caught Noct's attention the most were his gleaming red eyes and the light scar that ran through the side of his face, as if someone had slashed him.

No, someone definitely did.

Every rational part of him warned Noct of danger. Even though both of them had their weapons trained against each other, the young man didn't seem to act like he was on his guard. His shoulders were relaxed and his hands were loose in his grip. Still, Noct knew better than to do the same. A moment ago, he had felt just how powerful and dangerous he was despite his initial demeanor, and he could not overlook that glint of malice in his eyes.

"Hello, companion of the Snow Witch," the young man spoke calmly, lowering his sword and digging it into the ground. He leaned on it, casually acting as though they were having a simple conversation between old friends.

Noct took a few moments before answering, trying to ignore the ringing pain in his head. The shadows, if he didn't focus properly, still seemed to be shifting. He cursed at his luck.

Of all times, why now?

"... Who are you? How do you know the little miss?" He asked warily.

An amused smile crept on the young man's face. "'Little miss'? How adorable."

"Answer my question," Noct said coldly.

The young man tilted his head to one side, studying him intently. "... Alright. Let's just say... she and I know someone in common. For me, it would be my benefactor. For her--ah, yes. It would be the person she hates the most."

There was a sharp look in his gaze as he said that. The red-eyed young man continued, crossing his arms.

"As for who I am, my mistress calls me 'The Raven'. I go by that nowadays."

Noct and The Raven continued to stare at each other, not moving an inch from where they were standing. The Raven glanced at the daggers in Noct's hand and clapped his hands together, as though to break the ice around them.

"Frankly, I've been curious about you. When I found out that the Snow Witch was travelling with a companion nowadays, I wondered what kind of reckless person would choose to stay near her. But judging from the way I've seen you act, it seems you don't seem to know about it."

A frown formed on the Crow Thief's face when he heard that.

"... What do you mean?"

In return, The Raven only smiled. "That is not my place to tell you. I'd love to see how you'd react once you find out about the truth she's been hiding, and whether you'll choose to stay... or abandon her for it."

A feeling of dread rippled through him. Noct did his best to control his emotions and put on a calm mask.

'Truth'? The Snow Witch is hiding something from me?

He shook those thoughts away from his mind for the moment, bringing his attention to the present. He knew that there was a lot he didn't know about Chell yet, and was keenly aware of this. After all, they had only just met days ago, their bond merely held together by a feeble oath. There were many things about The Snow Witch that were still unknown to him, and Noct had decided not to prod or care about it. 

However... something about what The Raven said nagged at him. If this 'truth' he spoke of was something enough for Noct to abandon her, then it wasn't something to be taken lightly. 

But of course, now was not the time. He would have to ask the Snow Witch himself later.

The Raven straightened up and grabbed the hilt of his sword once more. He swung the blade over his shoulders, shifting the weight on his other leg. Noct immediately felt his muscles tense.

"But yes. Enough of talking. I brought you here to see if you prove interesting, and so far, I haven't been disappointed..." He stepped back, placing one of his legs into the shadows, eyes narrowing in the semidarkness.

"Well, let's see how well you fight, boy."

Noct spun around in an instant, realizing that The Raven's voice was now coming from behind him. He moved away just in time as a fine blade slashed the air he had been standing in mere moments ago. The Crow Thief's eyes widened as The Raven emerged from the shadows of the opposite wall where Noct had stood. There was only one way that would have been possible.

Magic.

"Wizard." Noct grit his teeth, feeling an emotion of hatred bubble from within him.

The Raven laughed amusedly. 

"Yes. Is this the first time you've seen one?"

He was right, of course. Noct knew of witches and wizards, but wizards were far more rare than witches. There were only a few mentioned in history, so few that he could count them with two hands, and the Crow Thief had never thought to come across them... until now.

"Pay attention, I wouldn't want to kill you by accident."

The Raven warned and charged at him with a sudden burst of speed that Noct could barely follow. He jumped away again just as another precise swing missed his shoulder by inches. 

Without a moment to breathe, Noct threw a quick dagger as he tried for another strike. However, The Raven calmly stepped aside to dodge and began a flurry of attacks, the amused expression not wiping off his face.

Both of them moved in quick blurs, sparks flying across the dark as Noct was forced to focus his attention on defense. He winced as he deflected another swing with his dagger, the tip of the blade slicing through a thin layer of his cheek and hair. He moved lithely, but was unable to find any openings in The Raven's quick advances. Each time they traded blows, it was a near-miss. 

He grit his teeth. The Crow Thief knew if he made a single mistake, he'd have a fatal wound.

I have to get away!

The Raven seemed to be toying with him. His movements were effortless, faultless. He was clearly in a league of his own. A few seconds of sparring already made Noct aware that he had never encountered anyone as strong as him, even when he was up against Worick and the other witch hunters. 

The Raven seemed to be looking down on him, not even bothering to hide the sluggish lag of his movements despite how powerful they were. This thought pissed off Noct, even though he was somehow grateful for it. Now that he knew he was a wizard, Noct knew it was easy for The Raven to overpower him if he really wanted to, especially in such a tight space where he didn't know what magic he was capable of. Though he wasn't quite sure if he was really going easy on him, because every attack seemed laced with an intent to kill.

Inhaling deeply, Noct backed away to catch his breath. He was covered in small cuts now. He winced, feeling another intense pain sprout in his head.

He looked in front of him. The Raven was blocking the only path out of the alleyway, waiting for the thief to make the first move. It was a narrow chance. Noct cursed at his misfortune. He could try escaping by climbing up the wall, but from what he had seen, The Raven could easily melt into the shadows and stab him if he tried. Noct had enough taste of falling from tall heights with his guts spilling out.

He winced in pain once again. The headache was clouding his ability to think and act more than he feared. He needed to get away, and quick. Looking for an opportunity to escape, he uttered a cry and threw two of his daggers, dashing straight into The Raven, who deflected his attack swiftly with his sword.

A few feet away from him, he threw another blade right at his face. The Raven moved away. Noct took another dagger from his hand and just as he was about to stab his neck, he changed his footing at the last second and skidded on the ground.

"A feint, huh?" 

The Raven mused without looking back at him.

In that second, Noct felt his instincts scream. Without thinking, he raised both his arms in front of his face as The Raven swiftly pivoted around and kicked him back to the wall of the alley. The force of the impact knocked the thief to the wall and he gagged, feeling his arms ache in pain where the strike had connected. He rolled away immediately just as The Raven charged at him in a blur. He was laughing now, the sound of amusement echoing between them.

"My my, you're pretty cunning."

Noct grit his teeth, feeling blood forming in his mouth. He raised his daggers shakily. A single kick had given him this much damage.

The Raven tossed his blade to his other hand, and he swung the blade around his arms playfully, narrowly missing his flesh. He tilted his head in a merry manner.

"Is this all you have to offer?"

"... Shut up."

He focused all his attention into getting past the enemy and breathed in slowly, ignoring the burning pain. Then, with a burst of speed, he rushed forward again, attempting to go on the offensive this time. Both moved quickly as The Raven dodged and deflected. One of Noct's daggers almost found its mark and slashed against The Raven's shoulder, making a shallow cut. The Raven seemed startled at this, eyes widening slightly as Noct pulled back once more. A line of blood oozed and dripped down to his fingertips.

Just as Noct was about to move in and attack again, another stinging pain ran through his head, this time more painful than the last. It was enough to affect his balance. Noct stumbled as The Raven made a horizontal slice through the air, perhaps thinking The Crow Thief was making another feint. He was aiming for the side of Noct's face. He knew he couldn't move away in time.

Ah, I'm going to die.

Just at the last second, The Raven changed the grip of his sword and Noct was hit with the flat of the blade, throwing him back into a pile of crates that were crushed under him. He gasped and coughed blood, unsure if what he felt was the pain on his back or the pain from his head. 

Suddenly remembering the situation he was in, he looked up just in time as The Raven grabbed a fistful of his hair and forcefully pulled his head back. The pain intensified, and Noct gasped, losing strength. He tried to move his arms, but they remained limp at his sides.

The Raven leaned down on him, looking curious. His eyes were the same color as the blood Noct could see in his visions. His figure kept flickering, replacing itself with the hooded witch from his memory. Noct tried to focus, but found it useless. He could feel the shadows tugging at him once more, inviting him to that cursed memory.

"... It seems you aren't feeling well right now."

Noct glared at the person in front of him with hatred, both at the hooded witch and The Raven.

"Let... go of me," he spat.

The Raven continued to study him, looking straight into his eyes. Then, he spoke quietly.

"I see..." he said. "How curious. It seems like your memories aren't complete. They're... lacking."

At that last word, Noct froze.

... Lacking? What does he mean?

The Raven let go of him and placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought. Then, as though remembering about it, he glanced at the small cut Noct had made on his shoulder and smiled widely, almost even madly.

"Hm. It seems you're far more interesting than I first thought."

The Raven stood up, straightening himself and making a quick arc of his blade in thin air, removing  Noct's blood which splattered on the ground. 

Then, he sheathed it calmly. He looked down at The Crow Thief, the red of his eyes making him look like a demon in the darkness, the very same ones Noct had heard in old stories to scare children in the nighttime. The scar on his face ran like a wicked line.

"Tell me," he said. "How long do you think a war can start?"

The question came out of nowhere and the Crow Thief said nothing. He neither had the energy nor the will to answer. It seemed that the fight he just had and the headache were enough to take away all of his strength.

"... Three days." The Raven answered for himself, grinning down at him. "In three days, there will be a war here. And it's going to be... quite exciting."

War? Three days?

He remembered about the rumored attacks throughout the kingdom, the uneasy whispers between the people. Something told him that The Raven was involved in it... and possibly with Yoko's case as well. He might have been the perpetrator they were looking for.

I need to warn the Snow Witch.

Noct tried to move again but was only able to grip his dagger weakly with a feeble attempt. His headache seemed to be splitting his head open. The edges of his vision were growing dark.

The Raven crouched before his helpless figure, face half-covered by the shadows.

"Well until then, it's best if you sleep soundly here. No one ever comes this way so you'll be safe at least. And then... Maybe you'll be able to regain a few fragments of what you lost."

... Regain a few fragments?

He raised his hand, gently covering them over Noct's eyes. The Crow Thief couldn't move or react as the sudden darkness took over his sight, engulfing him in the void.

The last thing he saw was The Raven's smile before he slipped into his distant memory, coming back to the familiar scene of tears and death.

----> thank you for reading!

(unedited)

Q:

What do you think about The Raven's words in this part?