When they arrived, Ravenbrook was in chaos. Houses burned, villagers fled in panic, and black creatures with glowing eyes stalked the streets.

  Arinn gasped. "What are those?!"

  Rhys drew his axe. "Nightmare spawn. Seth's corruption is spreading faster than I thought."

  Rey unsheathed his sword. "Then we cut through them."

  The battle erupted.

  Rey struck down the first creature, his blade cutting through its shadowy form. It let out a piercing screech before dissolving.

  Rhys moved like a shadow, his axe finding weak spots in the monsters.

  Arinn stayed close to Rey, gripping his small dagger. He wasn't ready to fight yet—but he was learning.

  One of the villagers, an elderly man, ran toward them. "Please! My daughter—she's trapped in the library!"

  Rey's eyes widened. "The library?! Take us there!"

  The man led them through the burning streets. Nightmare creatures clawed at them, but Rey and Rhys cut them down, their weapons flashing through the firelight.

  Finally, they reached the library—a grand stone building with flames consuming its roof.

  And inside, a girl's voice cried out for help.

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  Rey wasted no time. "I'm going in!"

  Rhys grabbed his arm. "Are you crazy? The place is about to collapse!"

  Rey pulled free. "Then I'll be fast."

  And with that, he charged into the flames. Rey ran inside and saw a little girl barely 8 years old with long yellow hair and brown eyes, her body was tattered, she was crying, upon seeing that the library was about to collapse rey grabbed some book and carried the little girl and ran outside. 'Is this your daughter' rey said, 'Yes, thank you' the old man replied.

  They all walked out of the village as they path ways on a road leading to two separate locations 'Thanks again for everything young one' the old man said, then the little girl screamed 'Thanks again for saving me mister.'

  'Yeah' rey said as they path ways.

  The road stretched endlessly beneath their feet, the sky a dull gray as if the world itself had lost its light. After the chaos of Ravenbrook, the trio pressed on, their path leading them into a dense, black forest.

  A thick mist curled between the trees, swallowing the path behind them. The deeper they walked, the heavier the air became, as if something unseen was watching.

  Then, a whisper.

  "Rey… Arinn… my boys…"

  Rey stopped dead in his tracks. Arinn's breath hitched.

  The mist shifted, and through it, figures emerged.

  A man and woman, their outlines blurred by the fog. Their faces were gentle, familiar.

  Their parents.

  "My sons… you've come back to us…"

  Arinn's eyes filled with tears. "Mom? Dad?"

  He stumbled forward, arms reaching.

  But Rey's hand shot out, gripping Arinn's shoulder. His voice was ice. "Don't move."

  Arinn looked at him, confused. "Rey, it's them!"

  Rey's grip tightened. His eyes were sharp, Observer was scanning the figures. The mist around them didn't move naturally—it clung to the shapes like leeches. Their voices were too soft, too perfect.

  Illusions.

  "We're in enemy territory," Rey whispered. "That's not them."

  Arinn's breath shook, realization creeping in.

  Then the figures shifted. Their once-familiar faces melted, stretching into grotesque smiles. Their eyes darkened into hollow voids, mouths stretching open too wide, revealing rows of teeth like jagged shards of glass.

  The whispers turned into a horrific screech.

  The nightmare creatures attacked.