The Weight of Silence

The room was warm.

Soft sunlight filtered through the wooden window, drawing quiet patterns across the floor.

A strange contrast—

To the battlefield they had left behind.

---

The door creaked open.

Eryx stepped in, towel draped around his neck, hair still damp.

He stretched his shoulders, letting out a satisfied breath—

Then froze.

---

Vihaan and Liorin were already seated at the table.

Halfway through their meal.

---

Eryx’s expression changed instantly.

“YOU STARTED WITHOUT ME?!”

---

Vihaan didn’t look up.

“You were taking too long.”

---

Liorin took another calm bite.

“Food doesn’t wait.”

---

Eryx walked over, clearly offended, and dropped into the chair.

He grabbed a plate and started eating immediately.

“Unbelievable… betrayed by my own team.”

---

Vihaan flipped a piece of bread casually.

“You say that every time.”

---

For a few seconds—

Only the sound of eating filled the room.

---

Then Eryx spoke again,

“This mission was way more dangerous than the last one.”

---

Vihaan nodded slightly.

“That’s why it was B-level.”

---

Eryx leaned back.

“Still… Master Valen really impressed me this time.”

A pause.

“But why didn’t he kill all the shadows?”

---

Liorin answered calmly,

“Because he can’t.”

---

Both of them looked at her.

---

She placed her cup down.

“He can handle four… maybe five at once.”

A brief pause.

“But not all of them.”

---

Vihaan frowned slightly.

“Why?”

---

Liorin’s voice remained steady.

“Maintaining that level of speed requires a huge amount of energy.”

“And he can’t sustain it for long.”

---

Vihaan shook his head slightly.

“I don’t agree.”

---

Eryx waved his hand.

“Yeah, sounds like nonsense.”

---

Liorin didn’t react.

“Commander Sue told me.”

---

Silence.

---

Vihaan nodded once.

“…Then I agree.”

---

Eryx stared at him.

“That was fast.”

---

Vihaan shrugged.

“Reliable source.”

---

Eryx sighed and stood up.

“I’m surrounded by logic and betrayal.”

---

He walked to the bed and dropped onto it.

“Don’t disturb me before dinner.”

---

Within moments—

He was asleep.

---

The room fell quiet.

---

Vihaan stood up.

“I’ll be back within an hour.”

---

Liorin glanced at him.

“Where are you going?”

---

“Just around the village.”

---

She studied him for a moment.

Then nodded.

“…Fine.”

---

Vihaan stepped out.

The door closed softly behind him.

---

Elsewhere

A different room.

Dim.

Still.

Heavy with thought.

---

Commander Smith sat near the window, a thin trail of smoke rising from his hand.

Sue sat across from him.

Valen stood nearby.

---

Sue spoke first.

“Everything went according to plan.”

“There is nothing to worry about.”

---

Smith exhaled slowly.

“It could have been better.”

---

Silence followed.

---

“If I hadn’t made that mistake…”

“If I had used experienced archers instead of new ones—”

---

His voice lowered.

“We could have saved more soldiers.”

---

Sue looked at him.

“Are you blaming yourself?”

---

Smith replied calmly—

“No.”

A pause.

“I’m accepting my fault.”

---

Silence returned.

---

Then Sue spoke again.

“Those nine shadows… they weren’t ordinary.”

---

Valen’s gaze sharpened.

---

“They were victims of the Vaelorian spider.”

“Their blood was drained.”

“Dead men… still alive.”

---

The room grew colder.

---

Valen spoke slowly.

“Such creatures don’t attack villages.”

A pause.

“Which means… they were controlled.”

---

He looked at Smith.

“Are we going to investigate further?”

---

Smith stood.

The chair creaked behind him.

---

“No.”

---

The word cut clean.

---

“We were given one task.”

“To stop them.”

---

A pause.

---

“And we did.”

---

Valen’s voice hardened.

“But the real culprit is still out there.”

“Today nine…”

“Tomorrow—hundreds.”

---

Smith turned.

His eyes steady.

---

“There won’t be a next time.”

---

Sue stepped forward slightly.

“You sound certain.”

A pause.

“As if you know who is behind this.”

---

Smith didn’t hesitate.

---

“I do.”

---

Silence fell.

---

Valen’s voice lowered.

“Who?”

---

Smith’s answer came cold—

“The ruler of Thornvyl.”

A pause.

“Supreme Commander Theodus.”

---

Sue’s eyes widened.

“Why?”

---

Smith’s gaze darkened.

“Greed.”

---

He continued—

“He tried to increase security taxes.”

“Villagers refused ” 

“So he created fear.”

---

Sue’s expression hardened.

---

“A controlled attack.”

“Enough to make people believe they are in danger.”

---

Valen clenched his jaw.

“We can’t stay silent.”

---

Sue nodded.

“We won’t.”

---

Valen looked at Smith.

“You have a plan.”

---

Smith gave a faint smile.

“Yes.”

Valen,

"What?"

"You don't need to worry about it "

He turned toward the door.

---

“Where are you going?” Sue asked.

---

Smith didn’t look back.

“To sow the seed.”

The door closed behind him.

---

Sue exhaled softly.

“Smith…”

A pause.

“He protects Thornvyl…"

Her eyes lowered slightly.

“…from enemies outside.”

A brief pause.

“…and from those within.”

---

Outside

The village stood peaceful.

Quiet.

Unaware.

---

At the edge of a narrow path—

Vihaan stopped.

---

Before him—

A burnt house.

---

The gate hung broken.

The walls blackened.

Silent.

---

He stepped forward.

Pushed the gate open.

---

CREEEAK…

---

The sound echoed.

---

Inside—

Ash covered the ground.

Broken furniture lay scattered.

Burnt utensils.

Collapsed wood.

---

His heartbeat rose.

Not fear.

Something else.

---

Then—

He saw it.

---

A portrait.

Half-burnt.

---

Only the lower part remained.

Feet.

Three figures.

Two men.

One woman.

---

Vihaan stared.

Something stirred inside him.

Unclear.

Incomplete.

---

Then—

Footsteps.

---

He turned instantly.

---

Commander Smith stood at the entrance.

---

“Commander…”

---

Smith’s gaze moved across the house.

Then settled on him.

---

“What are you doing here?”

---

Vihaan hesitated.

“Nothing… just—”

---

Smith interrupted quietly.

---

“Your eyes say otherwise.”

A pause.

“You felt something.”

---

Silence.

---

Vihaan looked around again.

At the burnt remains.

At the broken past.

---

His voice lowered.

---

“…Yeah.”

---

A breath.

---

“I don’t know why…”

---

His eyes fixed on the house.

---

“…but this place…”

A pause.

---

“…feels like I’ve been here before.”

---

The air stilled.

---

Smith didn’t move.

Didn’t react.

---

But his eyes—

Sharpened.

---

Because this—

Was not coincidence.

Enjoyed the episode?

Like ❤️ • Subscribe ⭐ • Comment 💬 your thoughts and theories!