The ruins of the abandoned stronghold were a nightmare. The prisoners were fighting.
There was no leadership, no coordination—just fear.
Thorne "The Wall" stood near a pile of supplies.
His one arm flexed as he shoved a smaller prisoner away. "This is mine," he growled. "You want it? Come and take it."
Ryn didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, his muscular frame tense and ready for a fight.
"You're not keeping all that for yourself," he snarled.
Thorne's eyes narrowed. "Try me."
Ryn lunged, his fist flying toward Thorne's face. Thorne ducked, his one arm swinging out to block the blow.
Nearby, Gerrard Eld was shoved against a wall. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded.
The accuser, Aryn, one of the twins, was wiry and energetic.
His grin was unsettling. "You've been moving suspiciously," he spat, his voice dripping with mockery. "Always watching, always listening. Who are you working for?"
Gerrard's jaw tightened. "I'm not working for anyone," he growled. "But maybe you are. You've been too quiet, too calm. What are you hiding?"
Aryn's grin widened, but there was no warmth in it—only malice. "Me? I'm just trying to survive. But you… you've been lurking in the shadows, whispering to yourself. What are you planning, old man? Or are you just too scared to fight?"
Gerrard's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Aryn lunged. His movements were quick, almost feral, and he drove his knee into Gerrard's stomach.
Gerrard doubled over, gasping for air, but Aryn didn't stop. He grabbed Gerrard by the collar, slamming him against the wall.
"You think you're better than us?" Aryn hissed. "You think you're smarter? Stronger? Look at you now—pathetic."
Gerrard's hands clawed at Aryn's grip, but the wiry man was relentless.
He leaned in closer, his breath hot against Gerrard's face. "Maybe you're the enforcer. Maybe you've been playing us all along."
...
Raen watched it all from the shadows.
His sharp eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail—the fear, the anger, the desperation.
He knew this was bad. Fear was making them turn on each other, and the enforcers didn't even have to lift a finger.
First, my plan was disrupted…now this? Raen clenched his jaw, his mind racing.
This was exactly what the enforcers wanted—chaos, confusion, paranoia. And the prisoners were playing right into their hands.
Kaela stands at the center.
"Look at her!" Kaela shouts. "She prays, but who is she praying to? Not us!"
Sister Maren's heart races. Panic grips her. "I only wish to survive—"
Kaela steps closer, her voice low and deadly. "Survive? Or plot against us? You think your prayers will save you?"
Maren stammers, "I swear, I mean no harm! I just want to live!"
A voice rises from the crowd. "She's stalling! Don't let her trick you! She's hiding something!"
Maren's eyes dart, desperate. "Please, I'm just a priestess! I've done nothing wrong!"
"Nothing wrong? You're a threat just by being here. You think we'll let you walk away?"
The people shifts. A knife gleams in the dim light.
"Enough of her lies!" Eryn screams. "Get her!"
A scream pierces the night. Thud!
Sister Maren collapses, her body crumpling to the cold stone.
Blood spills out, pooling around her, a dark stain spreading like ink on parchment.
For a heartbeat, the crowd is frozen in shock. Then chaos erupts.
"Get her!" someone yells.
Raen watches, jaw clenched, as panic turns to chaos.
This is too easy for them.
The prisoners are turning on each other, their desperation twisting them into monsters.
They don't need the enforcers; the terror is enough to make them betray their own.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION – UNAUTHORIZED KILL]
❖ Contender: [Kael Draven]
❖ Target Eliminated: [Sister Maren]
❖ Status: [Non-Enforcer]
What? Kael Draev was flabbergasted as the system lit up. She wasn't one of the enforcers.
[SYSTEM RESPONSE – PENALTY ENACTED]
❖ Wager Breach Detected:
Killing a non-enforcer does not advance the wager.
Excessive unauthorized kills may trigger Retribution Protocols.
❖ Penalty Applied:
[Judgment Mark] added – You are now more vulnerable to divine scrutiny.
[Spectator Favorability -10%] – Some gods disapprove of dishonorable kills.
[Sol Crystal Reserve -1] – As compensation for breaking wager terms.]
Kaela stood at the center of the dimly lit chamber.
They can't do this to me. I was protecting us! Kaela smirks defiantly. "She was a threat. I did what had to be done!"
The crowd murmured, some with disdain, others with anticipation.
"She's a fool," Erynn whispered.
Kael's confidence wavers. "You can't do this! I'm one of you!"
"Not anymore," Erynn replied. "You've crossed a line."
No… this can't be happening. Kael panicked, her once calm mind now transformed into chaos. "Wait! I can fix this! Just give me another chance!"
Raen feels the urge to fight rising in him, but he knows better. He needs to survive this nightmare.
With one last glance at Sister Maren, Raen steels himself. The night is far from over, and the hunt has only just begun.
[Active Participants: 12]
—
Ryn stood at the edge of the gathering. The air was thick with tension as the prisoners mourned Maren's death.
But in the chaos, something caught his eye—a flash of movement.
Lira.
She darted away from the crowd. Ryn's stomach twisted.
What is she doing?
His instincts kicked in. Lira was exposed as an enforcer, and now she was making a run for it. He could see the fear in her eyes, the desperation in her movements.
She's trying to escape!
Without thinking, Ryn broke into a sprint. The ground felt uneven beneath his feet, but he pushed himself harder.
I can't let her get away!
As he ran, the world around him blurred. The ruins loomed like dark giants.
He could hear her breaths—sharp and ragged—as she fought to put distance between them.
Lira's heart raced as she fled. The sound of her own footsteps echoed in her ears.
I have to keep going!
She glanced back, and her breath caught in her throat. Ryn was gaining on her.
No! He can't catch me!
The fear clawed at her chest, making it hard to breathe. She stumbled over a loose stone, her ankle twisting painfully.
Keep moving!
As she dashed deeper into the ruins, the darkness closed in around her.
Shadows danced on the walls, and every creak of the old stones felt like a warning.
He's right behind me!
Lira's mind raced with thoughts of what would happen if he caught her. The image of his cold eyes flashed in her mind.
I can't let him do this!
Ryn's breath came in heavy gasps as he chased her through the winding paths of the ruins.
I won't let her escape.
With every step, he could see her silhouette ahead, darting around corners and ducking behind crumbling walls.
Lira turned sharply, trying to lose him in the maze of ruins. But her movements were frantic, and she wasn't fast enough.
Ryn could see her falter, her breath hitching as she realized he was right behind her.
This is it!
Lira glanced back, her eyes wide with terror.
She pushed herself harder, adrenaline pumping through her veins, but it wasn't enough.
Ryn was faster.
As she turned a corner, Ryn saw his chance. He lunged forward, arms outstretched, and tackled her to the ground.
They hit the earth hard. Lira gasped, the breath knocked from her lungs.
"Get off me!" she shouted, panic rising in her voice.
Ryn pinned her down. She struggled beneath him, kicking and twisting, but he held her firm.
"Damn it—let me go!" Lira cried, her eyes wild with fear.
Ryn didn't respond. He felt the heat of her body beneath him.
This is it. No turning back now.
He reached for a sharp piece of broken stone nearby.
Lira's eyes widened as she saw the stone in his hand.
"No! Please, don't do this!" she begged, her voice trembling.
Ryn's heart hardened. He thought of the chaos she had caused, the danger she posed.
She's an enforcer. She has to pay.
With a swift motion, he drove the shard into her throat.
Lira gasped, shock flooding her features. Blood spilled over her hands, warm and sticky, as she clawed at the wound.
No… this can't be happening!
Her body twitched for a moment, and then she went still, her eyes losing their light.
Ryn pulled back, breathing heavily, the weight of what he had done crashing over him. The dust settled around them, and the silence was deafening.
It's done.
He stood up slowly, looking down at Lira's lifeless form. The fear that had driven him now mingled with a sense of emptiness.
—
The courtyard lay in ruins. Once a place of life, it was now destroyed.
Raen stood near a shattered column, fists clenched and jaw tight. Anger boiled inside him.
It was supposed to be controlled. Strategic. Not a massacre. The remnants of his plans lay scattered around him.
Selene stood beside him. She watched him closely. "You're angry," she observed, her voice steady.
"No shit," Raen snapped.
Selene tilted her head slightly, her eyes searching his face. "Because people died?"
"Because my plan failed," he replied. "I had it all planned out. Every move was calculated."
Raen fell silent. Ishould have seen it coming. How could I have missed the signs?
"Crimson Mask," he muttered, the name bitter on his tongue.
Selene folded her arms tighter. "And?"
Raen frowned, realization dawning. "He was already here before the panic started. I can feel it. He knew our plans."
Selene stepped closer, her voice low. "If that's true, then he's been watching us. Waiting for the right moment to strike."
I can't let that happen again. I need to protect them. "What if he's still here? What if he's one of us?"
Selene's gaze sharpened. "Then we have to figure out who it is… before it's too late."
Raen glanced around at the others. "We can't trust anyone. Not now. We need to question everyone, find out what they know."
Selene nodded. "But we have to be careful. If he's smart, he'll be playing us against each other."
Raen ran a hand through his hair. "I should have done more. I should have protected them better."
"Stop blaming yourself," Selene said firmly. "You can't control everything. We all knew the risks."
But I should have seen it. I should have known. "What if it's someone close? Someone I thought I could trust?"
Selene stepped back, her eyes wide. "You're not suggesting it could be—"
"I don't know," Raen interrupted. "But we can't rule anyone out. Not now."
Selene took a deep breath, her expression softening. "Then let's start with what we know. We gather everyone, ask questions, and see who cracks under pressure."
Raen nodded. "Right. We'll do it together. But we have to be ready for anything."
As he stood there, Raen felt a surge of resolve.
He picked up a jagged rock from the ground and crushed it in his hand.
Wait...what happened?
He then locked his eyes on Selene.
"You… you bitch," he said.
"How dare you manipulate me? I don't care what kind of abilities you have, I can erase your existence right now."
Selene's expression shifted.
"Oh really? You're strong, Raen. I admire that. Crimson was right about you."
Raen's heart raced. "What do you mean?"
Selene stepped closer.
"You're resilient. Most would crumble under the pressure. But you? You push back. It's invigorating."
"You think controlling me is helping? I won't be your puppet, witch!"
"Puppet? No, no," she said, her voice dripping with excitement. "You're far more interesting than that. I want to see how far you can go when pushed to your limits."
The tension crackled between them. Raen's grip on the crushed rock tightened.
But even in my anger, I can't deny… I need her.
"Let's just focus on finding Crimson Mask," he said. "But know this: I won't let you manipulate me again."
Selene nodded slowly. "Understood. But we need to work together if we're going to survive."
Raen took a deep breath.