The Dark Hut
Malcos stood in the center of the dark hut, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows that lingered in the corners. The air was heavy, as though something invisible was trapping the place. A sense of threat gripped his senses. He raised his hand, signaling his followers without a word.
"Surround the place," he said in a calm voice, but the tension in it added an edge of fear. "No one comes in or out. There's something... unnatural."
The flames they had lit in the village cast dancing shadows on the walls, yet the silence that filled the hut was like a coiled serpent, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Cardinal Topirus broke the silence with his steady footsteps, announcing his presence with an unseen force. He stood before Malcos, his sharp gaze filled with clear contempt.
"A filthy being dares to spread chaos in the land of darkness," he said in a quiet voice, yet dripping with disdain.
Malcos chuckled, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Another zealot following his gods like rats chasing crumbs. Who are you to throw these accusations at me? We both know the truth about who you really are, Topirus."
Topirus took a step closer, his face as solid as stone, ignoring the mockery that only served to further anger Malcos.
"Do you call me an evil being?" Malcos continued, his voice dripping with biting sarcasm. "Where was your justice when my followers burned the village and killed its people? Why didn't you act?"
Topirus paused for a moment, but his gaze remained unchanged. "There is darkness in this world, yes. But it is a darkness under control, not a plague of chaos spreading uncontrolled."
Malcos smiled with disdain, raising his right hand. Swirling black energy began to form around him, moving as though it were alive. Shadows danced in terrifying shapes, as if demons born from the Abyss path were emerging from nothing.
"I'll show you what true plague looks like," he said, extending his hand forward, releasing a storm of living darkness that shot out with force.
Topirus responded with a single motion, summoning a barrier of light that held against the attack. But the shadows pressed against it fiercely, as if determined to break through the light at any cost.
Amid the black storm, Malcos's instincts screamed. The Cardinal wasn't the real threat he felt. There was something else, something far more dangerous hiding within the shadows.
The apparition of Alythia, Lady of Silence, materialized like a ghost behind Malcos. Her hand was covered in a layer of unseen energy, silent and formless. With swift, precise motion, she severed his right arm, which had been summoning the shadows.
There was no sound. No scream, no sound of the cut, not even the sound of the severed arm falling. Everything was engulfed in her deadly silence.
Malcos spun quickly, his instincts the only thing that saved his life from losing his head in that instant. He looked at Alythia with wide eyes, but she didn't give him time to respond.
---
Before Alythia's Attack
Just moments before her entrance, Marlin was sitting in a corner of the hut, his body trembling, fear filling his eyes. The ropes binding him were loose due to the tension in Malcos's followers. He began to carefully untie them, though his hands were shaking violently.
Suddenly, he felt an unnatural cold fill the room. He slowly turned toward the corner to find Alythia looking at him with a cold smile, as though she knew exactly what he was about to do.
He froze for a moment, then realized she hadn't stopped him. Her message was clear: pretend you didn't see anything.
Taking advantage of the chaos outside, Marlin bolted toward the door.
---
Marlin ran through the darkness, his feet stumbling on the rugged path. His heart pounded violently, and the images of the burning village haunted his mind.
"What happened to my brother? And the others?" he screamed inside, but he kept running, driven by both hope and fear.
---
When he arrived at the house, Ryan was waiting for him at the door, his eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and calm.
Marlin rushed toward him, speaking hysterically, recounting everything that had happened: the abduction, the struggle, and finally the terrifying energy he felt from Malcos.
Ryan listened in silence, not interrupting until Marlin finished. Then he placed his hand on Marlin's shoulder and spoke in a tone that was both sad and firm:
"There's no escaping this now, Marlin. But you're not alone."
He looked into his brother's eyes and added, "You're my only brother. I promised our parents I'd protect you no matter what it takes. Gather what you need. We're leaving."
Despite his fear and confusion, Marlin felt comforted. But deep in his heart, he couldn't ignore the sorrowful look in Ryan's eyes, which hid something bigger than what he was saying.