After two days, Kollam took on a quest to deliver wood to a merchant named Joe in Ques Village. He thought to himself, *This should take half a day, maybe less if I travel through the woods. Better bring my axe and sword just in case.*

He decided to accept two more quests, hoping to earn extra money for Esha and the kids before winter arrived. The colder months meant fewer quests, with the roads becoming more treacherous and the bitter cold making travel difficult. It was best to prepare in advance.

With his pockets heavier from his earnings, he headed home.

When he arrived, the family was busy serving food to their customers as usual. Kollam felt happy, not just because they were helping others, but also because they were earning well. The people of Brunnenheim never forgot a good deed.

As Kollam entered the house, he greeted Iga, who smiled at him while carrying plates to serve. He glanced toward the kitchen and saw Gor and Houn unloading crates of vegetables they had brought for Jina, the chef for the day. They looked over and waved cheerfully, and he smiled back.

“Welcome home, Kollam,” Jina called out.

Kollam nodded in response and made his way to the second floor. At the far end of the hallway, he saw the children playing. They waved excitedly and shouted, “Uncle Kollam!”

Kollam waved back and walked to his room. He knocked gently and asked, "Can I come in?"

Esha opened the door with a piece of bread in her mouth, immediately hugging him. Kollam smiled and hugged her back. The kids nearby giggled, teasing, "Auntie Esha is fat!"

Esha grinned and replied, "Oh, shut up!"

The kids burst into laughter as Kollam and Esha entered the room.

Later that night, after a long day, Kollam lay in bed beside Esha. She was sound asleep, but he remained awake, staring at the ceiling. After a while, he turned his head to look at her peaceful face. He gently touched her cheek and smiled.

His thoughts drifted to Iga and Gor—good people who had always made him feel at ease knowing Esha was with them. With them around, he never feared for her safety.

Then he thought of Jina and Rona. He remembered how, at Esha's wedding, they had showered her with gifts, even giving away things precious to them, just to make sure their sister had what she needed. They loved and protected her fiercely. He recalled Jina, pregnant at the time, shaking her finger at him and saying, “Look, Kollam! If you ever hurt my sister, I’ll break your face! Got that?”

Kollam smiled at the memory, his thoughts shifting to Houn. From their very first meeting, Houn had clasped his hand firmly and said, “Protect my sister, Kollam. You’re a good person, and I like you.”

Finally, he thought about the kids and their curious expressions when they first saw him. He had stood there, unsure of what to say. One of the children pointed and exclaimed, “Granny Iga! He isn’t a ghoul!”

Iga smiled warmly and replied, “Then? Isn’t he handsome enough?”

The kids studied him carefully until a little girl called out, “No, Granny, he looks ugly.”

The kids laughed and ran off, still teasing Kollam, who smiled as he sat beside Iga. She was focused on knitting a coat for him. Without looking up, she said, "Be a gentle, loving, and caring husband, Kollam. She’s my sunshine, and I want her to be happy, alright?"

"Yes, mother," Kollam replied. "I will."

Iga smiled and playfully tapped his shoulder. "That’s what I like to hear!"

Kollam stood up and said, "If I leave now, I can finish faster and maybe even pick up another quest before the day ends."

As he prepared to leave, Esha’s voice called out, "Kollam?"

He walked over to her side of the bed. "Yes? Do you need something?"

Esha, still half-asleep, reached out to touch his face. She smiled softly and murmured, "Work? It’s still dark."

"I know," Kollam said with a smile. "I need to work, but I’ll be back before nightfall."

Esha smiled and kissed his cheek. "Jina mentioned the elf at the magic shop got some new books. I hope they have the second volume of that one I had."

Kollam thought for a moment and asked, "The romantic comedy?"

But Esha was already asleep. He gently covered her with a blanket and left the room. As he prepared his cart outside, he heard a voice behind him.

"Good morning… or is it good night?" Houn called out.

Startled, Kollam turned around and then chuckled. "Good morning. You're up early, aren't you?"

Houn shook his head. "I’ve got a week off."

"A whole week?" Kollam asked, surprised. "Your workplace must be generous."

"No," Houn replied, "I took it by force. If they had it their way, I’d be working myself to death."

Kollam smiled as he continued loading the cart. "Then go back to bed. It's barely past midnight."

Houn shrugged. "You’re delivering wood to a merchant, right? I’ll help you."

Kollam paused and said, "Houn, you already work in the mines…"

Houn cut him off, "Do you think I want this? I don’t want to wake up on my vacation to haul wood. I want to be with my wife and kids. But I also have a family member named Kollam."

Kollam watched as Houn stepped closer. "That Kollam married my sister and treated my family well," Houn said. "He was a man of God and a man of his word—qualities I respect in anyone. So no, I'm not helping you because I have to, but because of one bond: family."

Kollam smiled and replied, "I hope you like getting wood splinters in your hands because we’re going to have plenty."

Houn grinned. "Worse than the mines?"

They headed to the merchant to buy the wood they needed for delivery to Ques Village. After an hour of loading the cart, they set off down the road.

As they travelled, Houn checked his hands for any splinters. Kollam glanced over and said, "Thanks for the help."

Houn smiled. "If you think about it, if Esha weren't eating so much and the family hadn't opened that tavern, we’d still be in our beds. So, in a way, it's our own fault."

Kollam smiled. "They work hard and help people, so I’m fine with that."

Houn nodded. "I hope God protects them."

Kollam whispered under his breath, "God, please keep Esha safe."

When they reached a fork in the road, Kollam steered the cart onto the forest path. Houn grinned. "This way's quicker—we’ll finish in no time."

After half an hour, with night still lingering, Houn's eyes began to close. Kollam kept his focus on the road ahead but noticed a thick fog forming. He muttered, "The road is straightforward; a little fog won’t be a problem."

A few minutes into the fog, a man walked silently through the trees, stalking the cart. He carried a crossbow, a quiver of arrows slung over his back, and wore an ugly executioner’s mask. It was Joe, signalling to the hellhounds to follow him.

The cart continued on. Houn slowly opened his eyes, still groggy, and glanced around. "Funny how even this damn cart feels comfortable when you're tired," he muttered.

Kollam chuckled. "Yeah, I hope you got some rest."

"But... it's still night?" Houn asked, frowning. "When did we even leave the house?"

"After midnight," Kollam replied. "I didn’t sleep well, so I got up. We still have about two hours before dawn if you want to rest more."

Houn shook his head. "No, I'm fine. But you didn't sleep well because of that condition you have?"

Kollam shook his head. "No, not this time. I just couldn’t sleep."

Houn nodded. "When you become a father, like me, you'll barely get a few hours of sleep anyway. Think of this as good practice."

Kollam smiled. "Got any fatherly advice?"

Houn laughed. "Prepare for endless headaches from the little monsters. They'll eat you alive."

Kollam chuckled. "What kind of advice is that?"

"A realistic one," Houn replied, and they both laughed together—until...

BOOM!

The cart suddenly jolted from below and toppled to the side of the road.

Blood dripped onto the ground as Houn's vision swam. The world around him seemed to sway and blur. Dazed, he crawled a few meters away and saw the horse’s lower half crushed under the cart's weight, its agonized screams piercing the air.

Touching his head, Houn felt warm blood. His scalp was torn open. He shouted, "Kollam! Where are you?!"

On the other side, Kollam managed to get up, clutching his head. Though he wasn’t bleeding, he felt disoriented.

He heard Houn shouting and called back, "Houn! I’m coming!"

Houn struggled to his feet and made his way to the horse, which was still writhing in agony. Kollam arrived, brandishing a sword. Houn took it from him and swiftly cut the horse's throat, ending its suffering.

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Kollam started to speak, "Let's—"

Suddenly, Kollam was struck by an unseen force, knocking him to the ground. Houn turned to see Kollam being dragged away by something. Without hesitation, Houn struck out, but he didn’t feel any flesh give way under his blows.

Kollam got up, breathing heavily. "Hellhounds! What are they doing here?"

Houn quickly dove into the overturned cart and retrieved an axe. He threw it to Kollam, who caught it with a grimace. Kollam glanced at his leg, noticing it was bleeding with bite marks.

Houn shouted, "Let's run to the road!"

As they moved quickly in that direction, Kollam said, "Don’t sprint. We’ll need our stamina for fighting and dodging."

Houn nodded, keeping pace with Kollam and scanning their surroundings. Though they could hear the monstrous screams of the hellhounds, nothing was visible.

SHHHHH—TAK!

An arrow pierced Kollam’s shoulder. He grabbed Houn and pulled him behind a cluster of trees. Houn looked at Kollam, whispering, "What the hell is happening?"

Kollam examined the arrow, pulling it out with a grimace. "Someone’s attacking us…"

Another arrow struck the tree Houn was hiding behind. Houn quickly adjusted his position and replied, "Maybe a bandit? We need to take them out!"

Kollam suddenly remembered a little girl crying beside her mother’s corpse, as Dan said, "If she’d given me what I asked for, we wouldn’t have had to kill her."

Desperate, Kollam shouted, "WE HAVE MONEY! YOU CAN TAKE IT!"

Joe, breathing slowly, moved to a different vantage point and signalled the hellhounds to adjust their position.

Kollam whispered, "I doubt he wants our money."

Houn nodded, getting up and peering into the bushes for any sign of their attackers. Finding nothing, he looked ahead at the road. It was just a few minutes away from the forest's exit, but under the circumstances, it felt far away.

At that moment, Joe spotted Houn making a break for it. He watched while gripping his crossbow, and wondered to himself, *Where is Dan?*

Suddenly, a gust of wind magic sliced through the air, striking the tree Joe was hiding behind and leaving him with a few wounds on his face and shoulders. He looked around, confused, and thought, *Can he see me? Where is he?*

On the other side, Kollam crouched in hiding, his mind racing. *Did I hit him? Even if he’s a professional, he must be panicking... Is Houn alright? Did he escape?*

Kollam glanced in front of him and saw the undergrowth crushed as if someone had walked through. He raised his axe and swung it swiftly. Blood splattered as the hellhound yelped and fled, leaving a trail of blood behind.

Kollam examined his axe, whispering to himself, "Just a big wolf... just!"

Suddenly, an arrow whizzed past Kollam, slicing through his ear. He gasped, his breathing quickening as he pressed his hand to his injured ear.

Nearby, Houn was crouched by the road, trying to stay hidden as a hellhound guarded the entrance. He raised his sword defiantly and shouted, "You want me and my brother? You’ll never get us!"

Houn sprang to his feet and swung at the hellhound, but his blade cut through empty air. He quickly stepped back, readying himself for the hellhound’s attack.

The hellhound lunged at him, and Houn's sword clattered to the ground. With a roar, he grabbed the beast by its jaws and hurled it against a tree. The hellhound hit the ground but was immediately seized again by Houn, who smashed its head against the trunk.

Houn glanced at the road, thinking, It’ll take a while to find guards in Ques Village... Kollam!

He bolted back into the forest.

Meanwhile, Kollam crouched behind a tree, his hand pressed to his injured ear. He peered out cautiously as Joe advanced slowly, daggers at the ready, his eyes locked on the tree where Kollam was hiding.

As Joe approached, he taunted, "Scared? Terrified? Desperate?"

Kollam held his breath, staying quiet. Joe pulled out a scroll and asked, "Dan?"

Kollam’s eyes widened in terror. His breathing grew ragged as if he were about to collapse from fear. Joe's laughter, tinged with madness, echoed. "Show me your face, Dan."

Suddenly, an arrow pierced Joe’s right shoulder. Blood sprayed as he dashed into the woods. Kollam looked up to see Houn with a crossbow. Houn yelled, "Let’s run!"

Kollam and Houn sprinted toward the exit. The hellhounds’ screams grew louder, spurring them to run faster as the murderous intent became palpable.

Ahead, trees toppled across the road, and a massive wall materialized, blocking their path.

Houn quickly turned, aiming his crossbow at the advancing hellhounds, while Kollam readied his sword. Houn said, "I hit his shoulder; he should be retreating. We need to deal with these monsters!"

Breathless, Kollam replied, "He was out to kill us. I don't think he's gone. And who put up this wall? Does he have backup?"

In an instant, Joe appeared beside Houn and drove a knife into his stomach. Houn’s eyes widened in shock as he clutched his wound. Joe shoved him aside and turned his attention to Kollam, slashing at his neck. Kollam managed to dodge, but Joe's blade nicked his cheek, sending a spray of blood.

Kollam countered by grabbing Joe and delivering a fierce headbutt. Joe staggered back, giving Kollam the chance to raise his axe. But before he could strike, Joe lunged with a knife and held up his scroll.

Wind magic!

A blast of wind hurled Kollam and Houn sideways. Kollam hit the ground hard, his head throbbing.

Dazed, Kollam touched his head's wound and looked up to see Joe, breathing slowly while brandishing his daggers. Before Kollam could react, a hellhound leapt at him, biting a chunk from his shoulder. Kollam stabbed the beast, tossing it aside in a spray of blood.

Just then, Joe stabbed Kollam in the left shoulder. In response, Kollam grabbed Joe and smashed his head against a nearby tree. Blood seeped from beneath Joe's mask, but he retaliated with a kick that sent Kollam reeling.

Joe lunged at Kollam, but Houn intervened with a punch to Joe’s head, shouting, "Kollam! Get to the guards! I’ll hold him off!"

Kollam shook his head, determined to fight, but a hellhound clamped down on his shoulder, tearing at his flesh. Houn, shouting in anger, swiftly decapitated the beast.

Kollam clutched his injured shoulder as Houn helped him to his feet. With a fierce resolve, Kollam lifted his gaze at Joe. *Fire magic!*

A surge of blue flames erupted, engulfing Joe in a scorching inferno. Joe’s screams pierced the night as he writhed on the ground, his mask melting away in the intense heat.

Houn and Kollam bolted as fast as they could toward the exi..........

Suddenly, Houn was yanked backwards by an unseen force. Kollam turned to see Joe, his face burned and mask reduced to ash, appearing behind Houn.

Joe, breathing heavily and with a cruel smile, snarled, "You run, I’ll kill this damn ghoul!"

Kollam looked between the exit and Houn, desperate. "Please! Let him go!"

Joe’s smile widened as he taunted, "Come here!"

Kollam hurled his axe aside and approached Joe, who was pressing his foot on Houn's chest, a dagger poised at his neck. Houn, in agony, shouted, "Brother, no! No!"

Kollam shook his head, pleading, "No, let him go."

Joe fixed his gaze on Kollam, taunting, "You value him? Family? Want him safe? Your brother?"

Kollam was silent, and Joe’s voice grew louder, "YOU WANT HIM ALIVE!?"

Desperation surged through Kollam. "Yes! Let him go!"

Joe raised his scroll and, with a cruel smirk, whispered Wind magic. A sharp gust of wind sliced through Dan’s knees, cutting flesh and bone. Dan collapsed, screaming in agony.

Houn's eyes widened in horror. "NO!!!!!!!!"

In a frenzied attempt to reach Kollam, Houn struggled against Joe’s magic hold, crawling toward Kollam with outstretched arms. Tears streamed down Kollam’s face as he whispered, "Go, Houn... please, brother..."

Houn clutched Kollam’s hands, his face a mix of pain and desperation. Kollam shivered, tears mingling with his anguish, and reluctantly, he urged, "Please... just go..."

Houn began shouting wildly, struggling to rise despite Joe’s gravity spell. Joe, taken aback, thought to himself: He’s fighting the gravity spell? How?

Joe aimed his scroll at Houn, intending to knock him unconscious. But Houn’s screams grew louder, filled with madness and fury. Joe’s scroll started to glow, but before he could act, Houn grabbed Joe’s arm and yanked him down. Joe’s head slammed into the ground, his already burned flesh scattering.

Houn, with a monstrous shout, fought against Joe. He shoved Joe’s arm away and punched him in the face. Joe, stunned, staggered but quickly recovered. He drove a knife into Houn’s leg, making him howl in pain. Despite the injury, Houn retaliated with a powerful punch that sent Joe reeling.

Joe, panting heavily, slashed at Houn’s other leg, but Houn remained upright. Fueled by a relentless will, Houn grabbed Joe and lifted him off the ground, his face twisted in a fierce sneer.

Joe’s head smashed into the tree, his teeth scattering as Houn pummeled him repeatedly. Blood splattered across the trunk, and Joe collapsed, barely conscious, his body slumped to the ground.

Houn, breathing heavily, staggered over to Kollam and gently helped him up. Kollam’s gaze shifted to a small elf girl standing nearby. She looked at him with fierce, tearful anger and said, “I hope God burns you.”

Kollam met her gaze, his expression solemn. Dan, his eyes cold, responded, “I didn’t touch your village, did I?”

“You took everything,” the girl replied, her voice trembling. “People will starve and die before winter ends, and no one will know what happened to us.”

Dan sighed, a hint of disdain in his tone. “The powerful take. You should learn that.”

The girl’s eyes blazed with defiance. “You will pay. Someday, you’ll cross the wrong person. When I join my parents in heaven, I’ll be glad knowing people like you won’t be there.”

Kollam, seeing the bloodied and broken Houn beside him, nodded. “Brother, let’s go.”

Houn nodded, trying to support Kollam as they slowly made their way. But suddenly, a powerful force slammed Houn to the ground. His knees were crushed, bones jutting grotesquely from the broken skin. He screamed in agony, clutching at his mangled legs as he lay on the ground.

Kollam turned around to see Joe stabbing him in the stomach. Dan fell to the ground, clutching his wound, his body trembling as blood pooled around him. He looked up at Joe, a mix of pain and confusion in his eyes.

Joe, smiling coldly, said, “Dan, welcome to hell.”

Dan’s breathing grew shallow, his body shivering from the pain as he lay on the ground. Joe’s gaze shifted to Houn, who was crawling weakly, his legs crushed and bones jutting out. Houn cried out weakly, "Bro... ther! Brother!"

Joe then whistled for the two hellhounds who had run away earlier and sneered as he said, "I paid a lot for these useless abominations!"

Turning back to Dan, Joe said, “Goven Village. That night. Do you remember, Dan?”

Dan’s eyes welled with tears, but he remained silent, the weight of his past sins pressing down on him. Joe laughed bitterly, “You burned so many villages, of course, you wouldn’t remember. But at least try. It was your last mission as a bandit.”

Dan struggled to breathe, his strength waning. Joe continued, “I didn’t stab you deeply; you’ll survive for another ten minutes. Think about it—when you killed those people, including my mother and a great person who didn’t deserve to die. You’ve taken countless lives over the years. Did you really think no one would come after you?"

Dan shook his head, tears streaming down his face. Houn looked at Kollam and cried out. Joe glanced at Houn and said, “Yes, he was a bandit and a leader—quite the leader, too. Tell him some stories, good men Kollam, the cart driver!”

Kollam fell silent as Joe approached him, kneeling before him with his burned face. “I searched everywhere for you,” Joe said through gritted teeth. “Dammit, I paid a lot to get you, to finally get rid of this thorn in my heart!”

Joe grabbed Dan by the beard and continued, “I tried to forget, to move on, to let my mother go. But it didn’t work. You know why? It wasn’t me. I’m vengeful and cruel, not like you. My violent side flares up quickly and fades away after I hurt someone. But for you, Dan, it’s different. I want to kill you slowly. I wanted to destroy everything you hold dear—burn your house with your wife inside. But I couldn’t. I’m not a monster; I just hurt those who hurt me and take it to new heights.”

Joe, with his free hand, rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a collection of metal pieces. Dan's eyes widened as he recognized them—metal tags from his group. Joe threw them in front of Dan and said, “All of them are dead, Dan. You’re the last survivor.”

He then let go of Dan and added, “Beg for your life. Make it at least somewhat entertaining.”

Kollam shook his head, his face a picture of desperation. He stared at Joe but said nothing.

Joe sat beside Houn and taunted, “Pride? Dying like a warrior? A man’s death?”

Kollam shook his head again and spoke with a resigned tone, “I killed people who begged their God to save them... good and kind people. Do you think God will save me? I’ve already used my wish. My only wish now is for my family to be safe.”

Kollam heard the hellhounds approaching. He looked at Joe with desperation and pleaded, “If you have a drop of humanity... don’t kill my family. Let Houn go. I beg you.”

Joe glanced at Houn and then back at Dan, who was breathing heavily. He asked, “Like any executioner, any last words?”

Tears streamed down Kollam’s face as he closed his eyes. His life flashed before him—the good, the bad, and the ugly of everything he had faced. His heart pounded against his chest like the bells of a temple.

He opened his eyes, looked at Joe, and said, “Give me a dagger. I want to die fighting.”

Joe threw him a dagger and walked toward Houn, whose tears had stained the ground. Houn managed to force out, “Bro...ther!”

Kollam could feel the hellhounds drawing nearer. He smiled and said to Houn, “Tell Esha to... let me go.”

Time seemed to slow as sharp teeth sank into Kollam’s leg and dragged him. Dan forced himself to turn around and drove his knife into the hound’s mouth. The second hound, injured from Houn’s earlier attack, bit Kollam’s hand, blood spraying as his bones were crushed.

Dan punched the hound and then stabbed its eyes, killing it. But before he could react, the remaining hound slashed his stomach, blood flying through the air.

Kollam screamed as he stabbed the hound in its eye. The hound retaliated by biting Dan’s neck, blood gushing from the wound. Kollam, with a surge of desperate strength, grabbed the hound and drove his dagger into it repeatedly.

The hound didn't let go and severed Dan's neck with a brutal bite. Kollam, filled with grim resolve, stared at the hound and stabbed it in the neck. The beast collapsed, lifeless, as Kollam fell to the ground beside it.

Kollam lay in a pool of his own blood, his neck wide open. As the morning light began to break, he looked up at the sky with a faint smile. Closing his eyes, he whispered, "Esha..."