The night was quieter than it should have been.

The three men standing guard outside the village likened this silence to the nights they were used to. But this night was unlike anything else. There was no moon in the sky, even the wind seemed afraid to blow.

The first sentry fell silently to the ground, his throat slit. His companions were similarly eliminated. The bandits crept into the village like shadows, dressed in black, their shoes too light to hurt the earth.

The doors of houses were opened and dark figures entered, either sacking anything of value or silently strangling people. In one house, a child about to wake up met a sword the moment he opened his eyes. In another house, an old woman was silenced in prayer.

There was not even the sound of footsteps on the streets. Until...

Until the sky was torn by flame.

Suddenly, without warning, a huge fireball rose, piercing the night. The flames cut through the sky, as if a god was screaming his fury.

Light flooded the entire village. Everyone who was asleep jumped up. Women embraced their children, men grabbed whatever they could find as weapons.

But who was the source of this light?

The answer to this question... no one could think of, except the eight-year-old boy standing at the edge of the forest.

Zayn's eyes were shining. No fear, no panic...
Just a kind of silent control.
As if everything that was happening... was going exactly as he had planned.

"Everyone had to wake up... Let's see what they do now."

As the villagers took up arms, the bandits did not pretend to run away. On the contrary, they kept attacking despite the light. Houses were burned, people took to the streets screaming. The conflict was growing, blood was flowing on the ground.

But no one realized he was there.
And then...

Zayn disappeared.

It was like he was never there.
There was a moment and then there wasn't.

The villagers took up arms and the bandits, instead of fleeing, stepped up the attack.
Houses were burned, screams echoed through the streets.
Women and children ran, some stayed on the ground.
The village was on fire.

Meanwhile, Zayn's family was waiting outside their house.
His mother was scanning around in tears,
His father was standing in front of the door with an axe in his hand.

Zayn was not there.

His mother whispered:

"Zayn... Where are you? Please... answer me..."

His father gritted his teeth and stared into the night:

"Son... whatever the hell you are doing, come back soon. Please..."

But there was only flames and death.

And Zayn... hiding somewhere in the shadows, keeping his eyes on both villagers and bandits.
In that moment of chaos, when no one knew exactly what they were doing, but everyone was moving...
Zayn's absence was louder than anything else.

The sky was still filled with smoke.
Flames danced in the distance, screams echoed through the streets.
Kael's knees were shaking.

They were a few steps away from their house.
The approaching footsteps mingled with the menacing whispers of the bandits in front of the house.

Selia immediately grabbed Kael's arm.

"Kael... Please be careful. I'll be quick, but I can't bear to lose you."

Kael nodded.
But he swallowed. His sword slipped in his sweaty palms.
He seemed powerless to take a life.

At that moment...
The knocker on the door strained.
Then a shoulder blow.

"Get out! We'll burn everyone!"

From inside came their mother's voice, full of fear.
And the cries of their younger sister - Leyra.

Kael's face tensed.
Fear mixed with anger.
The sword he had held hesitantly was now gripped tightly.

"I will not let you... burn... my family."

He was still timid when he took the first step.
But then...
His father's voice was heard. He was behind her:

"Don't back down, Kael. This is your home. This is your family."

Kael narrowed his eyes.
He raised his sword.
He charged.

The first bandit was surprised. His mouth fell open as Kael's sword pierced his chest.
Selia was right behind them, checking the wounded villagers on the ground, quickly treating the wounded with ointments made from herbs.

Their father drew his axe.
The big man took down a bandit with one blow.

"Kael, you take the right flank! Selia, stay back but keep an eye on us!"

A small front was set up in front of their house.
Kael repulsed three attackers in quick succession.
He no longer hesitated.
Selia shouted to her brother as she pressed on a peasant's open wound:

"Kael! You have a scratch on your right shoulder, be careful, I bandaged it quickly, go on!"

Kael's breathing quickened, but he did not stop.
They were fighting back to back, his father beside him.
One of them shouted and tried to break the window of the house, but Selia stood in his way.

"There are innocents in this house... You cannot pass!"

But he had no sword.
At that moment, Kael threw a knife.
The man's hand was cut off, he walked away from the window.

Leyra's shaky voice came from inside:

"Brother! Selia! Where are you?!"

Selia immediately approached the window.

"We are here dear... Don't worry, we will protect you. Don't come out of hiding."

Leyra was in tears, cowering in the corner.
Her tiny heart was beating hard against her chest.
Everything was hell outside.

And Zayn...
He was still gone.
Not a trace...
Not a shadow...
Not a hope.

The war continued.
One by one, the bandits around their house fell.
But the wave was not over.

"Kael! Five more are coming down the left street!"

His father raised his shield.
Kael wiped his sweaty forehead and stepped back.
Selia closed her eyes and took a short, prayerful breath... then returned with more ointment and bandages.

The village square had turned into pure hell.

The walls of the houses were stained with blood, and the streets were littered with corpses. Screams had gone silent… because even fear no longer had a voice.

But in the midst of all this chaos, someone was still standing.

He was the strongest warrior in the village.His name was Orlan.

His back was straight, and the two swords in his hands seemed thirsty for more blood. He wasn't breathing—he was just killing.

Bandits fell one by one.Each of them died at Orlan's hands without taking even a step forward.

He pierced one through the chest, sliced another's leg, and slashed the throat of a third in a single motion.

The villagers watched from afar.Some were crying. Others were praying.But they all shared one thought:"If Orlan is alive… maybe we still have a chance."

And then…

A sound.Slow, heavy footsteps approached.

Orlan lowered his blade and looked up.

Standing before him was a tall figure clad in dark armor.His eyes glowed from behind a mask.

The bandit leader.

"So you're the one who killed so many of my men…""I don't know your name, but I'll remember your death."

Orlan took a step forward.

"You won't need to remember it. Because you won't survive this night."

And the battle began.

Two giants clashed in the heart of the village.Swords collided, sparks flew.The narrow space made the fight even more brutal.Every strike was deadly, every breath reeked of blood.

It went on for minutes.Neither the villagers nor the bandits dared to interfere.All eyes were on the deadly dance of the two warriors.

At last…A sword dropped to the ground.Orlan fell to his knees.A deep wound gaped across his chest.

The bandit leader approached with heavy steps.

"You were strong... but not strong enough."

He delivered the final blow.

The strongest warrior of the village… had fallen.

But the cost had been great. The bandit leader's arm was severed, his face slashed.

Tears flooded the eyes of the villagers.Orlan was gone… but he had left a mark behind.

And no one noticed… hidden in the shadows, a pair of eyes still watched them.Zayn was there.

He smiled quietly.

"The game is just beginning."

Orlan had fallen.

The strongest warrior of the village had collapsed right in the middle of the village square, after a long and merciless duel with the bandit leader. Hundreds of eyes were fixed on his fallen body. The silence that followed was more terrifying than death itself.

Hope had fallen with him.

Panic spread like wildfire.Villagers fled from their homes, only to become easy targets for the bandits.Blood flowed through the center of the village, and bodies piled up one after another.

And at that exact moment...Zayn was quietly approaching from outside the village.

He was dressed in filthy clothes, his face smeared with mud. He had made himself unrecognizable. Walking beside him was a creature devoid of life in its eyes:

An Orc Lord.

It walked with heavy steps, its expression blank. Its gaze was empty, movements unthinking. Zayn had taken control of its mind with a temporary manipulation. The orc lord obeyed Zayn's commands completely. Not a spell, but a psychic intrusion—brief but dangerous.

When Zayn reached the village gates, he paused. He turned his head to look behind.The orc lord stood silently at his back.

Together, they entered the village.No one noticed them.

Zayn slipped into the shadow of a house. He hid.The orc lord, however, marched right into the center of the square…

And suddenly, its eyes changed.

It was as if the darkness within had awakened again.Its mind began to fog, slipping out of control.The chains in its brain were now broken.

Then it happened.

The orc lord let out a terrifying roar into the sky.Without caring who was near, it swung its massive axe.

Its first victim was an elderly man trying to flee. Then it kicked down a door and stormed into a house. Screams erupted, the house crumbled, stones scattered.

Zayn watched everything unfold from the shadows.There was a faint spark in his eyes.

"You broke your chains… just in time," he whispered to himself.

The village was once again drowned in blood.But this time, the attacker was not familiar.And no one knew who had brought him here.

End of Chapter Note

Zayn is no longer just a witness to chaos—he is now a silent conductor.Who he saves, who he destroys, and why... remains a mystery even to those closest to him.Was this all part of a grander scheme?Or is Zayn merely following his darker instincts?The answers lie ahead… but only if you dare to look.