# By the Duskwater river in volscara of solvaris.
The night air is thick with tension. Rain falls in a relentless torrent, soaking Elias and Jacob to the bone. The muddy riverbank is illuminated only by the ghostly beams of headlights from Dominic Graves' sleek black car. A group of armed men, shadowy silhouettes against the dim light, surrounds them like predators circling prey. Dominic watches from his car, the faint glow of a cigar lighting his face. The smell of wet earth and fear hangs heavy in the air.
Elias: (panting, trying to steady his breath) "Jacob... this isn't how it was supposed to go. I... I didn't think they'd catch us."
Jacob: (desperate, glancing at the men pointing guns at them) "We shouldn't have stolen from that damn casino. I told you this was a bad idea! Jacob, what are we going to do?"
(The car door opens, and Dominic Graves steps out, calm and composed despite the rain. His expensive suit remains immaculate as though the storm dares not touch him. He stands tall, his presence commanding silence. The mafia leader is flanked by two bodyguards who move with precision, their guns trained on Elias and Jacob.)
Dominic: (slow, deliberate) "Well, well. The rats finally got into the trap." (He exhales a plume of smoke, his voice a mix of velvet and steel.) "Elias Blackthorne and Jacob Rivera, two nobodies who thought they could steal from me. You know who I am, don't you?"
Elias: (shaking) "Dominic Graves. Everyone knows who you are."
Dominic: (smirking) "Good. Saves me the trouble of introductions. Now..." (he gestures to his men) "What do you think we do to thieves?"
(The men chuckle darkly, one of them cocking his gun for emphasis. Jacob visibly trembles, his hands shaking as he glances between Elias and the armed men.)
Jacob: (pleading) "Mr. Graves, please, it was a mistake. We—we didn't know it was your casino!"
Dominic: (amused) "A mistake, you say? Do you think I built my empire by tolerating mistakes?" (He snaps his fingers, and one of his men drags a battered suitcase from the trunk of the car, tossing it open to reveal a gun inside.)
Dominic: (coldly) "I believe in second chances, boys. But second chances come with a price."
(He picks up the gun, inspecting it before putting it between them. The crowd grows silent, the sound of the rain pounding against the earth the only noise.)
Dominic: (to Jacob) "Here's the deal. One of you gets to walk away tonight. The other? Well..." (he shrugs) "Your debts will be paid in full with your life. Now, Jacob, you're holding the gun. Make the choice."
(After a while, Jacob carried the gun pointing it towards Elias).
Elias: (staring at Jacob, horrified) "Jacob... no. Don't do this. We can—"
Jacob: (interrupting, tears streaming down his face) "I... I have no choice."
(Jacob raises the gun, pointing it directly at Elias. The moment seems frozen in time. Elias feels his heart pounding in his chest, his mind racing. The rain cascades down Jacob's face, masking his tears.)
Jacob: (choking on his words) "I... I'm sorry, Elias."
(Jacob pulls the trigger. A deafening click echoes in the night. Silence follows as the realization hits. The gun is empty).
Dominic: (smiling darkly, clapping his hands) "Well, well! IT WAS A TEST. Loyalty under pressure. Impressive, Elias. But you..." (he looks at Jacob with cold disdain) "You failed."
(Before Elias can react, one of Dominic's men steps forward and shoots Jacob in the head. Blood splatters onto the muddy ground, mixing with the rain. Jacob's body collapses with a sickening thud.)
Elias: (screaming) "No! Jacob! What did you do?"
Dominic: (stepping closer to Elias, his voice sharp and unyielding) "I gave you both a choice. He made his choice. Now you've got a choice, Elias."
(Elias is frozen, staring at Jacob's lifeless body. His childhood friend. Gone in an instant.)
Dominic: (grabbing Elias by the collar, pulling him close) "You'll pay back what you owe me, Elias. Every cent. And you'll pay Jacob's debt too. Or I'll make sure your family suffers the same fate."
Elias: (weakly, his voice trembling) "I... I'll do whatever you want."
Dominic: (releasing him, smirking) "Good.
You have only one week , Elias."
(Dominic turns and walks back to his car, leaving Elias kneeling in the mud. The headlights turn off, and the syndicate disappears into the night, leaving Elias alone with Jacob's body and his shattered world.)
# The Aftermath
(Elias sits by Jacob's body, the rain washing away the blood but not the guilt. An hour passes. He hasn't moved, staring blankly at his friend's lifeless face.)
Elias: (whispering to himself) "I'm sorry, Jacob... I didn't—" (his voice cracks as tears mix with the rain).
(He glances at the river, its dark waters rushing by, but he can't bring himself to throw Jacob's body in. He considers burying him but knows he has no tools, no time. Finally, his thoughts turn to the police. Shaking, he pulls himself to his feet, staggering toward the city.)
# At the Station
(The police station is quiet when Elias stumbles in, drenched and disheveled. Officers glance at him with a mix of curiosity and concern as he approaches the desk.)
Officer: (raising an eyebrow) "You alright there, buddy?"
Elias: (hoarsely) "I need... I need to speak to the sheriff. Please."
(The officer hesitates but eventually nods, motioning for him to follow. A few moments later, Elias is seated in Sheriff Marshall Cain's office. The sheriff, a middle-aged man with a calm demeanor and sharp eyes, leans forward, studying Elias.)
Sheriff Cain: (gently) "You look like hell, son. What happened?"
Elias: (voice trembling) "It's Dominic Graves. The Black Sun Syndicate... they killed my friend."
Sheriff Cain: (his expression darkening) "Graves? That's a dangerous name to throw around. You're sure about this?"
Elias: (nodding frantically) "Yes! They caught us... we stole from them, and... they killed Jacob. Right in front of me. He's still there, by the river."
Sheriff Cain: (leaning back, sighing) "Listen, Elias. I believe you, but going after Graves... it's not that simple. He's powerful, connected. If you're not careful, you could end up like your friend—or worse."
Elias: (desperate) "But you're the police! You have to do something!"
Sheriff Cain: (calm but firm) "We'll look into it. But for now, you need to go home. Get some rest. Don't do anything stupid."
(Elias stares at the sheriff, realizing the man won't act against Graves. Defeated, he nods and leaves the office. Outside, the rain has stopped, but Elias feels more lost than ever.)
Elias (internal): "No one can help me... not even the law."
(The faint light of dawn creeps over Black Hollow as Elias trudges through the desolate streets. The rain has ceased, but the weight of the night lingers, heavy and suffocating. His clothes, still damp and muddied, cling to him like a shroud. Every step feels mechanical, his thoughts spinning in an endless loop of disbelief and despair. Jacob's bloodied face flashes in his mind. Over and over.)
Elias (internal): "I shouldn't have thought of that. God, why did I bring him with me? What have I done?"
As he nears his small, modest home, the warmth of the approaching day contrasts cruelly with the cold emptiness inside him. He stops at the front door, pausing, his hand trembling as he turns the handle. The house is silent, save for the faint sound of his son's soft snoring drifting from a nearby room.
# A Father's Guilt
(Elias steps quietly into his children's bedroom. The sight of them—innocent, untouched by the horrors of the world—strikes him like a blow to the chest. His son, Leo, seven years old, is sprawled across the bed, one arm hanging lazily over the side. His daughter, Clara, just five, is curled up tightly, clutching her favorite stuffed animal. Their peaceful faces are a cruel reminder of what Elias has just witnessed.)
Elias (internal): "How can I protect them... when I can't even protect myself? What would they think of me if they knew what I've done? What I've become?"
(A single tear escapes, sliding down his weathered face. He wipes it away hastily and retreats from the room, closing the door gently behind him. He enters the bathroom, his reflection in the mirror almost unrecognizable—tired, hollow, broken.)
Elias (to himself): (whispering) "Pull yourself together. You can't fall apart. Not now."
(He turns on the shower, stepping under the hot water, letting it cascade over him. His hands press against the cold tiles as he leans forward, the weight of the night finally breaking him.)
Elias (to himself): (barely audible) "This isn't over. Graves... I'll make him pay for this. I swear I will for you ,Jacob."
# A Silent Confession
(After drying off, Elias makes his way to the bedroom. His wife, Mariana, is still asleep, her dark hair fanned out on the pillow. For a moment, Elias just watches her, the faint rise and fall of her chest bringing him a fleeting sense of calm. He sits on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, silent tears falling onto his lap. The sound of his quiet sobs stirs Mariana, and she awakens, her eyes squinting in the dim light.)
Mariana: (softly, groggy) "Elias? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
(Elias looks at her, his throat tightening. He tries to speak but no words come. She sits up, reaching for him, her hands gentle as they touch his arm.)
Mariana: (concerned) "Elias, you're scaring me. What happened?"
(He shakes his head, unable to meet her gaze. Mariana moves closer, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into her chest. She strokes his hair as he finally lets go, sobbing into her embrace.)
Mariana: (whispering soothingly) "Shh... it's okay. Whatever it is, we'll get through it. Just rest now. Please, Elias. Sleep."
(Exhausted, Elias finally drifts off, his wife's warmth and steady heartbeat momentarily chasing away the nightmare of reality. But the peace is short-lived.)
# A Nightmarish Reality
(Hours later, Elias bolts upright, drenched in sweat. His dreams were filled with blood and betrayal—Jacob's lifeless body, Dominic's cold voice, the menacing shadows of the Black Sun Syndicate. He rubs his face, trying to shake off the images, but they cling to him like a second skin. He glances at Mariana, still asleep, and quietly leaves the bedroom, throwing on his coat.)
(The dawn has given way to morning, but the gray skies still carry a somber weight as Elias walks back to the Duskwater River. The world seems eerily quiet, as if holding its breath. When he reaches the spot where Jacob's body had fallen, he stops, staring at the muddy ground.)
Elias (to himself): (panicking) "No... no, no, no. Where is it? Where's his body?"
(He frantically searches the area, running up and down the riverbank, his boots splashing in the shallow water. He checks the bushes, the nearby path, anywhere Jacob's body could have been moved to—but there's nothing. It's as if the night's horrors never happened.)
Elias (internal): "Am I losing my mind? Was it all a nightmare? But the blood... it was real. I know it was real."
(He collapses to his knees by the river, gripping his hair. The water rushes past him, indifferent to his torment. Finally, unable to make sense of it, he stumbles back toward the city, his thoughts a tangled web of confusion and fear.)
# A Message from the Devil
(Elias arrives home, his body and mind exhausted. As he approaches the front door, something feels... off. The door is ajar, creaking slightly in the breeze. His heart races as he pushes it open, stepping inside cautiously.)
Elias (internal): "Did someone break in? Mariana? The kids?"
(The house is eerily silent. On the dining table, a plain envelope sits, stark against the worn wood. His name is scrawled on the front in bold, deliberate letters: ELIAS BLACKTHORNE. His hands tremble as he picks it up, the weight of its implications sinking in. He opens it, pulling out a single piece of paper. The message is typed, cold and impersonal, but the signature at the bottom makes his blood run cold.)
The Letter:
Elias,
Did you think you could steal from me and walk away unscathed? Did you truly believe you could outsmart me? I warned you. Now, blood has been spilled—not by my hand, but by your failure.
This is your reckoning. You belong to me now—your choices, your life, even your family. They are all mine to control. Disobedience is not without consequence, and this is only the beginning. You've opened a door that can never be closed.
Go to the projector. Watch every second carefully. Let it burn into your soul. Understand the price of betrayal, Elias. This is your only warning.
Defy me again, and I will strip away everything you love until there is nothing left but your despair.
Your master,
Dominic Graves.