The night fluttered away like a fleeting dream, a brief respite slipping through my grasp like the elusive fragrance of forgotten flowers. Days of sleep eluded me, yet an unquenchable fire burned within. Viknesh's malevolence had scarred the towns we vowed to protect. Port Arbarath, once lively, now stood in grim testament to the pervasive reach of our adversaries. Not a soul lingered amid its ruins; only the charred remnants of homes whispered tales of calculated malice.

  Evil, like a relentless tempest, recognized no rest. Our negligence had allowed them to strip away entire communities, leaving behind only a haunting void. The deceptive veneer of monster-induced chaos couldn't mask the meticulous erasure of every trace of human life. Bloodstains painted tales of struggle, but the absence of bodies told a different story—one of cunning human hands orchestrating a sinister ballet.

  The culprits undoubtedly belonged to the cult, their insidious influence stretching across continents. Their deeds hinted at a profound motive, a dark design to resurrect their malevolent deity. Infiltrating seats of power, perhaps even worming into the highest echelons of Z'albor's influence, they operated as shadows with an obscured purpose.

  However, my preoccupation wasn't with political machinations or potential betrayals among the influential. What gripped my thoughts was the persistent threat, an elusive danger growing in the shadows. Our defense rested in severing the serpent's heads before they could coil into a formidable force. Each exposed town fueled the fervor within me, propelling me into the abyss where only the vigilant dared to tread.

  "What's on your mind?" Guan's gentle inquiry pierced the tempest churning within me. I couldn't bring myself to meet her gaze; her calming presence threatened to extinguish the flames of anger that raged within. Tranquility was a luxury I couldn't afford, not when my sister's fate teetered on the brink. The heinous acts against innocent children fueled a wrath that surged stronger with every revelation.

  "Nothing," I grunted, my eyes fixed on the distant horizon. I couldn't expose the chinks in my armor, the vulnerabilities that might dull my determination. My sister's specter haunted my thoughts, a constant reminder that she could be the next innocent soul claimed by these monsters. The debt I owed to those stolen children weighed heavily on my soul, and my resolve to crush the perpetrators with the might of God burned like an unquenchable flame.

  Guan sensed the storm within me. "That sure doesn't sound like nothing," she remarked, her voice a gentle caress.

  "What should be on my mind?" I replied, my tone edged with the sorrow and fury that churned within. "These abominations wreak havoc, claiming lives without mercy. To kill a warrior is one thing, an adult another, but a child?" Tears welled in my eyes, an unspoken testimony to the horror clawing at my insides. I turned away, but Guan, ever gentle, guided my gaze back to hers.

  "Be careful not to be consumed by your rage. You're more than that, Indy," she implored, a steadying presence in the storm.

  "The scripture says hate that which is evil. This is evil. This is the enemy. I hate this, and I cannot rest until the wicked perish, either spiritually or physically," I declared, my voice unwavering.

  "You're no good to anyone dead," Guan reasoned, her touch a gentle reminder of the life still coursing through my veins. "You need to rest and take time to remember who you are. Spend more time with God, your sister, me."

  "I can do all of that after we stop these bastards," I asserted, my focus resolute.

  "Tomorrow is not guaranteed. We have here and now. We have this moment," Guan urged, her wisdom cutting through the maelstrom of emotions. "What is done is done, and we cannot change it. The future is an unknown mystery that no one can understand but God alone. Today, God has granted you the present of life. We will investigate, we will stop them, but if we lose our souls in the process, what good would that be? We would win the battle but lose the war."

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "How so?" I inquired, seeking to understand the wisdom she offered.

  "Because hate will numb us, destroy our empathy. We will find it hard to love, and a world without love is meaningless. The greatest commandment is to love God, and another similar command is to love one another. This is how God meant for us to live. And the scripture says vengeance belongs to God alone. He may act through us, but in his time, not ours. We will find them when we find them, and have faith that we will stop them."

  A heavy sigh escaped my lips, the weight of my convictions clashing with her optimism. I couldn't challenge her perspective; it was one of the many things I loved about her. Yet, I was compelled to continue taking action. Lives depended on it, and evil did not rest. We were a team, each with our strengths and perspectives. This was what I had to offer.

  "It doesn't look like there are any survivors here," I observed, scanning the desolation around us.

  "Unfortunately, we weren't expecting any. I wish it were different, but people rarely attack a main port unless they are confident they could completely wipe it out. It's easier to calculate how strong a port will be than a village, because retired veterans in villages serve as outliers which may be the determining factor in a village's salvation."

  "There must be something we're missing. There is no way they left no clues as to where to find them."

  "We're trained for investigations, and none of us have found anything. They must have covered their tracks with magic. We did all we could for the moment. We need to have faith that one of the other teams can add on to what we have so we could form a proper hypothesis."

  The revelation struck me like a bolt. "Covered their tracks with magic… that's it!" I exclaimed, reaching for my communication orb in the palm of my hand.

  "What are you doing with that?" Guan inquired, watching as I held the communication orb.

  "I'm reaching out to Elleshar," I replied, my voice tense with urgency. I could hear his surroundings through the orb that connected the two of us. "Elleshar, where are you? I need you and your team to come to Port Arbarath to help us dispel a concealment spell placed by the necromancers. It's too powerful for us to dispel on our own."

  "I'm in Azaraj. I cannot just go back to Broeri when I please. I lack the power to teleport even short distances. How could I quickly travel across continents?"

  "Then just tell Z'albor to teleport you over here. This is an urgent matter. We need to find the tracks of the necromancers while it is still warm. If Z'albor wishes to prove to the Church he is not in league with them, it would be best if he complied."

  "You believe he may still be in league with them even after he slayed all of those Dread Necromancers?" Elleshar's voice held a tinge of disbelief.

  "Everyone who is not with us needs to be a suspect until we stop them. You don't understand, Elleshar. It's not just the men who perished or disappeared. No survivors were found. Entire families..."

  Elleshar let out a sigh; his reluctance was evident. "Very well. I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises."

  "He will comply, and it will work. Have faith."

  "But now you're going to have to wait anyway," Guan said, her gaze steady. "You're going to grow impatient and try something else."

  "No, not this time. I know this will work. I'm taking everyone's advice, and instead of taking everything into my own hands, I'm using all the pieces God provided for me. Elleshar has a stronger affinity to Essence than we do, and he has multiple crusaders at his command who are about as proficient as we are. If we combine our talents, I have no doubt that we will be able to dispel their magic and find some clues quicker than if we were to wait for a master inquisitor, high priest, or knight captain. Even if it's only by a day or two, that's less time the opposition has to pillage more of our people."

  She reached her hand towards my own and clasped it tightly, showing her teeth with a wide smile. "I'm so proud of you, Indy. You're finding a balance and coming up with efficient plans, even more so than Osei. You might be a master inquisitor one day."

  "One day, maybe. The goal right now is just to minimize casualties and stop these monsters."

  Guan gave me a warm embrace, placing her head on my chest. "That's the man I fell in love with," she simply expressed. The scent of her lily perfume and the feeling of being loved were enough to quell my emotions for a time, and I returned the embrace.

  "I love you too." With that, I was able to wait until aid came our way.