"Magic is just science that we don't understand yet."

Arthur C. Clarke

A night in the crowded central always brush off my nerve. The traffic jam, the deafening noise, and the light pollution to rival its air pollution.

If not because of my job, and if not because of the fact that city light in night is beautiful, I prefer to live in some more comfortable area than my downgrade cheap house, that I bought solely my duty....

But what could I say? This job is my fate...

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Two young men seems to do some idle chat in a cold night on the edge of Rashmoore city. One of them, which have black hair, was wearing a black trench coat with grey fur on the shoulder. Another one had a striking white hair, contrast to his black rider jacket that cover his everyday t-shirt inside.

Their breath blow a white fog as the night air meet their warm breath. What could they say? Its just done raining two hours ago, and now its 2 'o clock in the morning.

"So, you heard the details yet?" The boy with fur jacket ask his company. His black, shoulder-length hair move in the wind as he tilt his head to the right, and see his friend with his almost-red rose colored eye.

The other man shrug, "Uh-uh.. Unless that there some murder case with mutilated body, mysterious odd murder scene, and other strange clues. Yeah, I haven't heard a thing." As he answer, he turn his face to his friend. His blue eyes with his pale silver hair in untidy short length is brushed by the cold night air.

The other one look at his phone, as he start to complain. "It's already been on the news since afternoon, and that Clairvoyant dude just call us for work at this hour. Did he thought we're owls or something?" Said the black haired man, which seems to be a bit younger than his white haired partner.

"But you said that you hate doing it in rush. Isn't it better to be a bit late, than go out without an information?"

The black haired one take some deep breath and answer with a straight face. "I do hate my sleeping hour to be disturbed... but I just can't stand on being idle when something happened, and we should actually in the scene, dealing with it."

The boy which seems to be older, at least by his body height, facing up to the deep black sky. After a heavy rain, there are no star but just limitless blackness in the night sky. "We're not police, Almer... At least, not in the daytime."

The other boy respond with slight chuckle. "I know it better than you".

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Rashmoore, 25th District, 02:14 AM

Police line is set in an old factory building, where in front, was parked with two police cars.

"Sir, two young man request to meet you, sir." A junior class police reporting to  his superior, which is an old officer with thick clothing and an equally thick mustache.

Two figure pass the police lines and approach the officer. "We're from the SPD, requesting permission to join the investigation." The silver haired boy show his ID tag along with his partner. The officer then look at them, and try to imagine just how such a young man could be member of SPD, the so called "special force". However, he had no time for some trivial thought.

"Officer Maybraid, nice to meet you." As he shake the hand of the two young agent. "So.... Mr. Noir and Mr. Almerich, what could I possible do to assist you?" Asked the old man, showing some nice gentle smile.

The two look at the building. "Any information regarding to the crime? Perhaps the murder method?" Ask the silver haired man. The officer then open his notebook and took some seconds to evaluate the crime scene investigation data.

"Let's see.... Victim is Joose Gorder, 28 years old, worker of the factory, and happened to be in night shift today. He's found murdered with his left arm and backbone broke, probably by falling from height, and his chest slashed open by some sharp object. By the look of it, victim seems to be attacked from the second floor, and then fall down after receive a critical wound on his chest."

The two boys just motionless, listening carefully, until the black haired boy break it with a question. "Is there any unusual activity or odd mark in the field? Like mark of blood, sign of violence or any other clues?" The officer look at his subordinate, and the one of the man speak.

"Well, we did find a blood mark which looks like a blood drip. It though stop halfway in the corridor. Probably from the weapon that used as the murder tool. Then the attacker could be concealing his weapon once he realize there are blood dripping from it, explaining why the blood drip stop halfway."

The two SPD agent thinking by their own regarding the clue, and seems get nothing. After some seconds, the white haired man ask another question. "There are no witness? This man couldn't be the only one in night shift today, right?"

The officer look at each other until one of the police speak out. "To be truth, there are. However, he was on toilet, and only hear his friend was screaming. The victim seems to be very afraid, as he was heard to run away quickly once he start screaming. The witness man try to see the condition, but his friend already dead at that time."

The two boy still seems to be unsatisfied so far. The black haired man soon ask one last time. "Isn't there any other detail? Something that other may miss? Anything weird?"

The officer are puzzled by the two that keep asking about trivial details, yet they also thought that it may be helpful for the investigation. "There is one, though it may sound trivial." Said one cops.

The two turn their eyes to him quickly, "Just say it." Said the black haired boy, seeing the cops seriously with his bright pale-red eyes.

"You see.. the witness said he hear a scratching metal sound few times and there are humming voice heard as he run to the crime scene. We thought it maybe helpful to identify the murderer, but it doesn't seems to be."

The two boy look at each other as they talk in low voice, seems discussing something. They soon walk to the entrance of the factory as they lightly speak to the officer. "That should be enough. We will investigate by our own by now. Please excuse us, and thanks for your hard work."

As they go, the police ask to the officer. "Sir Maybraid, who are those two? They can't be a detective or cops isn't it?" The old man brush his chin with his hand, seems to remembering, recalling their ID tags. It is a real one.

"They're SPD, the well known Special Police Department of Hessenstadt Central. Though those guys are more known by the epithet of SPD, the Supernatural Police Department. That's how folk call 'em."

The other cops look at the officer Maybraid as he continue to speak. "Doesn't matter what it looks like, they have authority in the field once they have been dispatched. We couldn't question their job, as they already help police investigation countless time. No doubt, those two young boys are a professionals."

The officer lit his cigar as he lean to his car. "Also one note... while different than normal cops, they can be considered as your superior. Remember that next time you see 'em, boys." The old man smirk a bit as he sip the smoke, leave his subordinate speechless with so many things that they don't understand.

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"Noir, what do you think?" Said Almerich, asking as they walk to the dark factory. "Well, so far I can easily conclude its not a work for human. After all, if its human, he won't send us two in a midnight like this." Answer Noir.

"Blood mark that stop, broken hand, and... wait, isn't the victim suppose to be mutilated? We hear none of it in the news or from that officer." Said Almerich, with his medium-high pitch, ringing in the empty building like a loud bell echoes inside a house.

"No, it must be accurate. His Clairvoyance skill never lies, its probably just that the cops didn't realize it yet." Said Noir, calmly refuse the thought of his partner quickly without even thinking.

"Mutilated body that police didn't realize... Definitely a murder case for us..." Said Almerich in a grumpy manner. "So, there are only one possibility, right?" Said the black haired boy again.

"Yes... Internal mutilation... Man, we gonna face some nasty baddies. I wonder what this freak looks like? Ghoul? Werewolf? Or a killer dolls?" Reply Noir, stating his prediction with a casual tone.

"Silly.. I never heard spirits mutilating body, so ghoul is out of the case. If it's a werewolf or some creepy murderous dolls, then blood and guts should splatter all around. Those cops will puke out as soon they face one." Almerich counter Noir's prediction with a logical disagreement. If a talk about spirits and monster can be described as logical anyway.

The two keep their talk until they see the murder scene. The body already been taken by the police, but the blood mark still clearly seen. "A rather more clean than what I thought. He suppose to be fall from height with chest cleaved open, and not much blood spill over." Said Noir, as he touched the cold metal surface below.

The two then move to the second floor, and see that its even more clean in there. Almerich observe all the edge, but find nothing like what he expect. "If victim struct with sharp weapon from here, there should be some blood... but there almost no trace, only a broken railway as the victim thrown to the floor below."

"A bloodsucking creature do this?" The red eyed teenage try to pull some candidate, Noir disagree again. "If its so, then victim's blood would be dry. Maybe its... If my prediction right..."

The blue eyed man observe the height, and then goes down. "Just maybe..." He start to speak. "He isn't attacked by a sharp object, but get hit or thrown to the floor below by the attacker. Then he could start dissecting the internal organ all they want after the victim unable to move anymore."

Almerich look at the trace of the blood in the floor. "Maybe... but something seems missing. Your theory maybe true, but my intuition told me that your prediction is just the tip of the iceberg." Noir speak, as he sense something that suppose to be present was not at its place.

The two then move deeper into the factory, and stop at some sectors. "The aura is bad at here... I doubt this is the first murder case that happened here..." Almerich commented as he stood in front of the large machineries. The conveyor belts with complex tools behind was large enough to stuff some deer inside.

"This place is a meat factory... canned food huh? This would be a perfect lure for some hungry predators." Said the silver haired boy as he sweep the room, looking at the big boxes full of empty metal cans. He try to observe all objects in the field, seems something was missing...

"Why would they assault a conscious man, if there already an instant, well-prepared meat in the area? Did it because it only consume human, or..."

Just when the silence has fall upon them, a loud bang noise of metal scrapping was heard from distant. The two boys look at the direction, it come from the nearby corridor, which lead to outside.

"That must be the murderer." They thought in unison.

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Author's Note

Thank you to read the first volume of Crossing Illusion!

For those who can't wait for some action, just go straight to the second chapter. I promise, this book filled with many adrenaline-punching battles.

For those who like mystery and thrill, that aspect will still be featured on the next chapter. Who the culprit, what happened next? It's all ready to be ready on the next chapter. (And be excited, some action already start in the second chapter!)

Feel free to comment and share your opinion. If you found any mistake, anything you dislike, some critique, or anything you wish to post on the comment, then please do so. I'll appreciate any thought you had on me. :)

- Crimson Scythe

Edit: Replace names that I forgot to change. (Major editing come soon)

New! This chapter now dedicated to @GmoYzi as the first one to commented and read this book!