Karin City, 2008
Newspaper Headlines:
"This year is going to be epic."
"Death will be the cause of this epic."
"An ancient riddle will resurface."
"One that no one understood."
"You'll find madness in seeking its answer."
"You won't believe your eyes or your fate."
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Justin sat at his desk, the final volume of his novel, Everything About Hunger, finally complete. The words had poured out of him, and now, with a sense of relief, he whispered to himself, "I did it. I finished it."
His moment of triumph was interrupted by the cheerful voice of his son. "Dad! Dad! What are you doing?"
"Oh, Ritik! I was just writing my novel."
"Play with me! Play with me!" the little boy insisted, bouncing with energy.
"Ritik, don't disturb your dad," Luna chimed in, stepping into the room with a gentle smile.
"It's okay, Luna. He's just a kid," Justin replied, ruffling Ritik's hair.
"But you're writing your novel," Luna reminded him.
"This? I just completed it," he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Oh, then it's fine. Where's today's newspaper?"
"Wait a second," she said, stepping away briefly to retrieve it.
As Luna handed Justin the newspaper, both of them instinctively turned to the first page. They paused, their expressions shifting from curiosity to contemplation as they read Baba's riddle.
"Justin, are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking?" Luna asked, her brow furrowing.
"Yeah, but what was that riddle again?" he pondered aloud.
"I don't remember," she admitted, frustration creeping in.
"Leave it for now. We can figure it out later."
"Dad! Play with me!" Ritik urged again, tugging at his father's sleeve.
"Alright, alright! Let's go," Justin said, standing up with a laugh.
It was 2008, a year when Justin had found some fame with his novel Everything About Hunger, which had captivated readers until the previous year. He and Luna had a spirited three-year-old son, Ritik. Their friends Pablo and Suzan also had a three-year-old son, Pulvoy, while Henry and Stella were parents to a daughter named Stacy, who was the same age as the boys.
The three children attended the same school, and their parents frequently crossed paths during drop-offs and pickups, sharing snippets of their lives.
In the shadows of Karin City, a notorious group known as DGT had also made a name for itself. Its members included the enigmatic Mucho, the cunning Nancy, and a mysterious figure cloaked in black, known only as the Guy in Black Robe or the Black Rob Guy.