CH 1

"Kill them!"

"Kill..."

"Eradicate them, as if they never existed..."

"Never again shall they breathe, never again shall they taste a drop of water, feel a single emotion, take a single bite..."

Leonard burst into laughter. The voices in his head no longer stopped.

Was there anything he could do about it? He wasn't sure.

"Death..."

"They deserve it..."

Leonard stood up, stepping out of his wooden cabin. He gazed into the silent, deep darkness of the forest.

"I will teach you..."

"I will teach you all the true meaning of fear, of suffering."

"All of you. Humanity itself."

"I will make them pay for what was done to me—for what they deemed just."

Leonard paused briefly and closed his eyes for a moment.

—

WHITEROCK COUNCIL

The grand hall buzzed with frantic movement, filled with people walking back and forth, engaged in ceaseless conversation.

They were all trying to share information, all united under a single cause, driven by the passion of their purpose.

But Radya Alis, leader of the Whiterock Council, knew the truth.

"Fools..."

"Every single one of them hides their fear beneath a fragile mask."

"They tremble at the thought of a single man…"

As Radya leaned forward, resting his hands on the table, a booming voice echoed through the chamber.

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"Enough! Everyone, stop!"

At once, the chaos fell into silence.

Radya smirked.

"Thank you, Harold." He rose to his feet, his sharp gaze sweeping across the assembly.

"We all know Leonard Malove has been missing for two days and harbors a deep hatred toward us."

"But this fear should not paralyze us."

"I understand..."

"I can see it before you even speak."

"This won’t be easy."

"But as the Whiterock Council, we owe it to the Whiterock Empire and its people to stand firm and serve."

Radya let the silence linger for a moment longer, his sharp gaze scanning the gathered officials.

He exhaled slowly, turning his gaze toward an older man standing near the back of the room.

"Ergos," Radya said, his voice calm but firm.

"Tell me, when and where was Leonard Malove last seen?"

The elderly man stepped forward, his long, silvered beard swaying with the motion.

Despite his age, his eyes remained keen, hardened by years of experience.

"A small inn,"

Ergos replied after a brief pause.

His voice was rough, like gravel grinding against stone.

"In the capital, Whiterock City. Eridna Inn. He was seen there two nights ago."

Radya nodded, absorbing the information.

"Did he leave alone?"

"Alone,"

Ergos confirmed.

No one saw where he went after that.

The weight of those words settled over the room.

No one spoke, but Radya knew what they were all thinking.

“After, everything happened to him, he lost every sensible thought in his mind.”

“His mind and logic, everything is disregarded.”

Radya inhaled deeply, straightened his posture, and spoke with deliberate authority.

"Then we start from there," he declared.

“Eridna Inn. I want two of our best trackers on this immediately. No delays, no mistakes. I expect a report by tomorrow everything they find, no matter how small."

Radya slowly walked around the table, his eyes passing over each person in the room.

"Calm yourselves,"

“We will handle this. Panic will not help us, nor will reckless decisions. We are the Whiterock Council. We do not bend to fear, and we do not let ghosts shake our resolve."

The stiffness in their shoulders eased, if only slightly.

The tension in the room remained, but Radya could feel its grip loosening.

That was enough for now.

"That will be all," he said, stepping back behind his desk.

"Leave me."

Without hesitation, the council members turned and filed out of the chamber, their boots echoing against the stone floor.

Radya waited until the last of them had gone before exhaling a slow, controlled breath.

His hands rested on the desk, fingers pressing lightly against the wood.

-

As soon as everyone had left, Radya brought his hands to his hair, yanking at it with desperate force.

His body trembled violently as he sank to the floor, curling into himself, his mouth opening in a silent scream.

"I... I..."

"I call them cowards..."

"But the one who fears Leonard’s wrath and vengeance the most... is me."

"Gods... whoever you are, please help me..."

"I do not fear death..."

"I do not fear enemies..."

"But I fear the source of his endless rage, the curse of immortality that will never let him rest."

"I am afraid..."

"I am so afraid..."