As Bruno sat down with Orfeo and Batraz to enjoy his breakfast, the sudden pounding on the door startled not only him but also everyone else in the room. It was clear that someone outside was demanding to be let in.

"I'll open it," the boy declared, quickly rising from his seat and rushing towards the door. He couldn't help but hope that it was Viki, someone who had come to inform him about Nathan's demise. And he was almost right, for on the other side of the door stood the tear-streaked face of the girl.

Viki's cheeks were wet with tears, and she was panting heavily from her journey to the market. The day itself mirrored the somber atmosphere, with gusts of wind and dark clouds looming over Blackrock. Passersby in the city center constantly looked upwards, anticipating an impending rainfall.

"What happened?" Bruno inquired immediately, maintaining a serious expression even though his heart yearned to smile.

"N-Nathan! He's... he's sick," she stammered with a trembling voice.

"Sick?" the young alchemist repeated, his mind racing with possibilities.

"He's... he's puking blood," Viki revealed, her voice filled with concern.

Bruno nodded, his thoughts confirming his suspicions. Nathan hadn't consumed enough of the poison the previous day, which explained why he was still alive. However, the internal bleeding indicated that his time was running out.

"I warned him to be cautious with what I made for him," the boy muttered to himself, closing the door behind him as he stepped outside. The last thing he needed was for Orfeo to discover that he was still concocting more poisons and then informing the old man.

"Can you help him?" Viki pleaded, her voice quivering.

"If he didn't wash his hands after handling the poison or accidentally ingested even a small amount, there's a chance he might survive. However, his severe reaction suggests that his body is not tolerating it well. There's nothing more I can do. He'll have to fight this on his own," Bruno explained solemnly.

Viki began to sob, overcome with worry and guilt.

"I'm sorry, V. He'll have to find the strength to push through this," the boy consoled her, his voice filled with empathy and understanding.

He attempted to comfort Viki by putting his arm around her, but she forcefully pushed his hand away, tears streaming down her face, and hastily ran back toward the docks. Bruno watched her until she disappeared between the buildings, a sense of longing and concern filling his heart. With a sigh, he retraced his steps and rejoined the two alchemists at the table. On his way back, he realized that he had forgotten to give Viki the ring.

"Who was it?" Orfeo inquired, curiosity evident in his tone.

"A friend of mine. She needed my help with something, but I couldn't assist her today. She was quite upset, hence the forceful pounding on the door," Bruno lied, masking the true reason for Viki's distress.

The young man saw through the fabrication, but Batraz offered a smile.

"You work tirelessly, Bruno. I would suggest taking a break from your 'Fix' for a day, but unfortunately, I have my own pressing matters to attend to," Batraz remarked with a friendly grin.

"It's alright. There are plenty of others she can turn to for assistance," the young alchemist replied, downplaying his disappointment.

Orfeo nodded, returning his focus to his meal. Bruno quickly finished his portion and headed towards the workshop in the back alley. Soon, the other workers joined him, and the production process commenced.

He immersed himself in his work until lunchtime arrived. Taking a brief respite, he made his way to the main building to grab a meal. Surprisingly, Orfeo was absent, but the room was bustling with other guild members. Satiated, Bruno returned to his work, not expecting Viki or anyone else to approach him with news about Nathan's condition. He had convinced himself that such a notification would not come.

As the day gradually grew darker, he made his way back to the main building for dinner. Some of the guild members swiftly prepared scrambled eggs with a side of bread. Orfeo, having returned from wherever he had been earlier, kindly brewed tea for everyone. It was a rarity to see the old man leave the shop during the day. Batraz, a bit delayed, joined them, still engrossed in his work within the laboratory. Bruno and Orfeo dined together in silence.

The boy hastened through his meal, yearning to carve out time for reading or perhaps receive a brief lesson from the wise old man if time allowed. Suddenly, an odd sensation swept over him. His vision blurred slightly as if he were looking from a greater distance than he truly was. Then, darkness enveloped him.

When he regained consciousness, he was plagued by a throbbing headache. Something covered his head, likely a bag, obstructing his vision. His hands were bound behind his back, but his legs remained free. A scent of spices wafted through the air, though it could be attributed to the fabric concealing his eyes if it was used before to hold such goods. The slight movement beneath him indicated that he was aboard a ship.

Surrounded by indistinct figures, Bruno struggled to discern their features against the dimly lit backdrop. As the bag was removed from his head, he found himself inside the confined hold of a ship, locked within a cell constructed from tightly nailed wooden planks. Though the door stood ajar, a person of slight stature, their clothes concealed beneath a thick cloak, stood before him. A deep hood shrouded their face as they unveiled his sight.

In the limited illumination, a lone olive lamp hung from a nail, casting flickering shadows across the cramped space. The vessel itself seemed modest, perhaps purposefully designed to remain inconspicuous to facilitate smuggling. Crates cluttered the surroundings, occupying much of the available room.

Stepping closer, the individual behind the first figure, slightly taller and also veiled in a cloak with a deep hood, positioned themselves near the door. Orfeo's voice broke the silence.

"You've awakened," he uttered, casting the bag aside and pulling back his hood to reveal his face.

Bruno remained silent, his mind racing with uncertainty. Then, the figure approached him, prompting the young alchemist to instinctively retreat, creating a semblance of space between them.

"You were once a promising student with a bright future. Regrettably, you've chosen to employ your skills for nefarious purposes," Batraz spoke, unveiling his countenance. "It saddens me, but I won't allow you to tarnish our name any further."

His expression hardened, devoid of any trace of compassion. The die had been cast, and no plea for mercy would alter the course of events.

"You're going against Billy?" Bruno inquired, a tinge of disbelief in his voice.

"Yes, indeed," the old man confirmed. "Rest assured, he will remain oblivious. You administered poison to one of his men, yet he survived. You fled under the assumption of his death. He will buy that story."

"Nathan... he's not dead?" The young alchemist queried, a mixture of shock and relief flooding his thoughts.

"I helped him," Orfeo interjected, shedding light on the situation.

"See? That's what you should be doing. Helping people!" Batraz's words echoed through the air, charged with a seething anger as he spat them at Bruno.

The fury radiating from the old man was palpable, his frustration at its peak. The boy, however, refused to back down, mustering his own defenses. "I was forced into it. I never wanted to create those poisons," he argued, his voice laced with defiance.

Batraz's eyes burned with disappointment, his voice dripping with disbelief. "And yet, instead of seeking my guidance, you chose to proceed on your own. You are beyond redemption. You'll tell me whatever I want to hear, won't you? Just to save your own skin," he accused.

Silence enveloped the tense atmosphere as the boy chose not to respond. Suddenly, an unexpected visitor disrupted their confrontation. A young sailor barged into the space, his sun-kissed skin and unruly brown curls almost obscuring his eyes. A faint scar adorned his lower lip, and a vibrant red scarf was wrapped around his neck. His trousers fell short, barely reaching past his knees, and he moved barefooted.

"Are you finished?" he asked bluntly, addressing Batraz.

"Yes," the old man replied curtly.

"Five silver galleons and you'll never see him again," the sailor proposed, extending his hand expectantly.

Grandpa fished the coins out of his pocket, placing them in the sailor's outstretched palm, before exiting the scene, accompanied by Orfeo. Bruno remained, silently biding his time until they were gone. As he awaited their departure, the enigmatic stranger approached, ready to lock his cage.

"I work for Billy 'The Razor' Fisher," the boy whispered, desperation tainting his words. "He'll offer you much more than those two for me."

The man chuckled, amusement glimmering in his eyes. "He won't match the sum I'll receive for you in Meshek. So keep your mouth shut. If you scream, I'll gag you. They told me you were clever, so I hope I won't have to resort to that. Because if I do, I'll also have to rough you up, and there won't be any food for a few days…"

Bruno's heart was already racing, his mind fighting against the impending danger, looking for solutions. He quickly assessed his dire situation and arrived at a singular realization. To escape this predicament, he needed to scream at the top of his lungs, but not just any outcry—a specific phrase that would demand attention.

"Billy 'The Razor' Fisher!" he bellowed, his voice piercing through the wooden barriers.

Yet, his respite proved short-lived as a powerful fist shattered the tranquility, connecting with his face through the gaps in the planks, instantly rendering him unconscious.