Beneath the Surface

The morning of the expedition dawned cold and quiet. Jae-Hyun stood near the stables, his breath fogging in the chilly air as he adjusted the straps on his pack. The guild members around him moved with practised efficiency, loading supplies onto the guild trucks. Despite the bustle, a palpable tension hung in the air, though Jae-Hyun was too preoccupied to notice.

Mi-Rae appeared from the main hall, her steps hurried as she approached. Her face was drawn with worry, her hands clutching a small bundle wrapped in cloth.

"Jae-Hyun," she called softly, her voice carrying over the muted sounds of preparation.

He turned to her, forcing a small smile. "You didn’t have to come. It’s just a supply run."

She shook her head, her brow furrowed. "I wanted to see you off. Here," she said, handing him the bundle. "It’s nothing much—just some dried fruit and bread. I know how bad those rations can be."

Jae-Hyun’s smile grew a fraction warmer as he took the bundle. "Thanks, Mi-Rae. You’re always looking out for me."

She hesitated, her gaze flickering to the other guild members before returning to him. "Are you sure about this?"

He frowned slightly. "Why wouldn’t I be? It’s my job."

Mi-Rae bit her lip, glancing around again as if afraid someone might overhear. "I just... I don’t trust Father. Or Tae-Jun. I feel like there’s something they’re not telling you."

Jae-Hyun sighed, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "You worry too much. It’s just a routine trip."

"I hope you’re right," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Just... be careful, okay?"

He nodded, slipping the bundle into his pack. "I will. And don’t worry about me. I’ll be back before you know it."

She didn’t look convinced, but she forced a small smile. "I’ll hold you to that."

The expedition team set out shortly after sunrise, the wagons rumbling softly as their engines carried the heavy cargo as they rolled down the dirt path. Jae-Hyun walked near the rear, his pack heavy but manageable. He kept his eyes on the road ahead, his thoughts drifting back to Mi-Rae’s concern. As much as he tried to brush it off, her words lingered in his mind like a splinter.

Tae-Jun led the group, his posture relaxed as he rode at the front of the convoy. He hadn’t said much to Jae-Hyun that morning, aside from a curt order to keep up. The other guild members—seasoned veterans all—gave Jae-Hyun little more than disdainful glances, their conversations low and dismissive.

As the hours passed, the scenery grew more foreboding. The trees became denser, their gnarled branches forming a tangled canopy that filtered the sunlight into faint, eerie beams. The air grew colder, and an uneasy silence settled over the group.

"Let’s take a break," Tae-Jun called, reining his horse to a stop. The trucks slowed to a halt, and the guild members stepped out to stretch their legs. Jae-Hyun lowered his pack to the ground, rolling his shoulders to ease the ache.

One of the guild members approached him, holding out a flask. "Here," the man said, his tone neutral. "You’ve been working hard. Have some water."

Jae-Hyun hesitated for a moment before accepting the flask. He unscrewed the cap and took a cautious sip. The water was cool and refreshing, quenching the dryness in his throat. He nodded his thanks and handed the flask back, unaware of the subtle smirk that crossed the man’s face as he walked away.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It wasn’t long before Jae-Hyun began to feel the effects. His limbs grew heavy, his vision blurring at the edges. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his head, but the fog only thickened. Panic surged through him as he realized what was happening.

"What... what did you..." he slurred, his legs buckling beneath him.

Tae-Jun appeared beside him, his expression cold and detached. "Don’t take it personally, little brother. This is just business."

Jae-Hyun tried to speak, to protest, but the words caught in his throat as darkness swallowed him whole.

When he regained consciousness, the world was spinning. Shadows flickered at the edges of his vision, weaving in and out like phantoms taunting him. His arms felt like lead, his legs dragging limply over uneven ground. Roots and rocks scraped at his skin through his thin trousers, the sharp edges biting into him and leaving trails of pain in their wake.

Rough hands gripped his arms, dragging him forward with unrelenting force. The voices around him were muffled and distorted, like distant echoes bouncing off a cavern wall. But he knew those voices. He had grown up hearing them—training with them, eating with them, and hoping, naively, to one day stand among them as an equal.

"Keep moving," Tae-Jun barked, sharp and impatient.

Jae-Hyun’s chest tightened as he recognized the cold authority in his brother’s tone. There was no warmth there, no hesitation. Tae-Jun wasn’t speaking to a sibling. He was addressing a problem—a stain on the Silver Talon Guild’s spotless image.

"Hurry it up," Tae-Jun added, his voice low but cutting through the air like a blade. "We need to get back before anyone notices he’s missing."

Jae-Hyun’s heart twisted. So this is how it ends? The words rang in his ears, louder than the pounding of his pulse. He wanted to believe this was some kind of misunderstanding, a cruel joke that Tae-Jun would explain with a smug grin when they returned to the guild. But deep down, he knew better. He had seen the disdain in his brother’s eyes before, the way his father avoided looking at him altogether. This wasn’t an accident. This was planned.

They weren’t taking him on an expedition. They were leaving him to die.

The forest was dense, its canopy blocking out most of the moonlight. The air here was heavier, each breath dragging like iron through his lungs. Shadows crawled like living things, their shifting forms whispering of dangers unseen. The forest seemed to watch him, breathing with a life both ancient and cruel. They had brought him far from the guild grounds, to a place he didn’t recognize. The air was heavy and thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. The realization sank in, cold and unrelenting. They had taken him to the Hollow Dreadlands—a name spoken in hushed tones among the guild members. It was a cursed place, a region that even the bravest adventurers avoided, and stories of those who dared to enter ended only in silence or madness. A place where monsters roamed freely, where the air itself seemed hostile, suffocating those who dared to linger too long.

Jae-Hyun’s breathing quickened as the truth became clear. Even as his body betrayed him, his mind clung to one truth: he wouldn’t die here. He couldn’t. Not while they were still out there. A spark of rage flickered amidst his despair, fanning a stubborn resolve. This wasn’t abandonment—it was execution, wrapped in the cowardice of distance.

So, this is how it ends, he thought bitterly. Discarded like trash. Left to rot in the Hollow Dreadlands. His lips curled into a humourless smile. Cowards. They didn’t even have the guts to kill me themselves.

Tae-Jun’s voice cut through the haze of his thoughts. "This is where your story ends, Jae-Hyun. You’re a liability—weak, useless, and unworthy of the family name. Father finally decided it was time to cut our losses."

The words hit like a physical blow, each one tearing at the fragile hope Jae-Hyun had clung to for so long. He had spent his entire life trying to prove himself, to earn a place in the family that had never truly accepted him. And now, all of it had been for nothing.

The men dragging him came to a halt, unceremoniously dropping him to the ground. Pain shot through his shoulder as he hit the dirt, the impact jarring him back to reality. He tried to push himself up, but his arms gave out beneath him, his body too weak to obey.

"Let’s go," Tae-Jun said, his voice devoid of emotion. "We’ve wasted enough time here."

Jae-Hyun watched through blurred vision as his brother and the guild members turned and walked away, their silhouettes fading into the shadows. The forest grew silent, save for the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional, haunting howl of a beast.<

Pain throbbed at the back of his head, and Jae-Hyun closed his eyes, willing the darkness to take him. But even as his body began to shut down, his mind refused to let go. Images of his sister, Mi-Rae, flashed through his thoughts—her smile, her laughter, the way she had always believed in him, even when no one else did.

I promised her, he thought, his chest tightening. I promised I’d protect her.

Darkness claimed him, but one thought burned through the void: I’ll fucking kill them—all of them. Even if it’s the last thing I do.