Corrupted Throne

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" he screamed, gripping the reins in terror.

His horse reared slightly, panicking at his outburst. The cart ahead jolted as the driver glanced back in alarm.

"What the hell happened?!" someone shouted.

But by the time anyone looked—

The ridge was empty.

The figure was gone.

Just branches. And mist.

And Regan, nearly falling off his saddle, shivering like a leaf.

"W-What?! It was right there!" Regan stammered, eyes wide.

"What was? Where?" asked Samual, the squad captain of Scout Squad 1.

"It was a person! His face—covered in blood! His hands were wrapped in bandages! I-It was a ghost! A ghost, I swear! Ahhh—w-we should go back! I don't wanna continue!" Regan cried, almost hysterical.

"Vairan, why are you crying? I was taking a nap—this better be some serious issue," he said, yawning.

"He said he saw someone there," explained Captain Samuel, pointing toward the ridge.

Vairan smirked and grabbed his axes from the cart.

"Finally… it's damn time, baby." His grin widened. "Where? Tell me the location!" he shouted, eyes locked on Regan.

Touka stepped out of the cart, followed by the other three from Killer Squad 1.

What now… Touka thought, watching the commotion.

"Hey, it could be dangerous," Captain Samuel said firmly. "We should wait for the other squads."

"WHAT?? Nooo wayyy! What if he runs awayyyy?!" Vairan roared, his face twisting with frustration.

"Then I should go and check it myself," Captain Samuel muttered, moving toward the ridge.

"WHATTT?! Why?! I'll come toooo!" Vairan shouted, stepping forward with fiery excitement.

He's talking too fast, Samuel thought, concerned. If something happens to him…

"Fine. But stay behind me," Samuel ordered.

"Okaayyy~" Vairan sang, his grin stretching ear to ear.

He turned and gave Regan a crazed look.

"It better be something I can kill… or else I'll kill you, wimp."

Regan sat stiffly on his horse, the mist curling around him like cold fingers.

Why… why am I in his squad? He's a psycho, he thought, nervously glancing at Vairan.

From the back of the cart, Touka stepped down, arms crossed, a knowing smile on her lips.

Figures. This man's insane, she thought to herself.

She called out casually, "Hey, Regan… was it really a ghost?"

"I-It was a ghost! Touka, just stay in the cart!" Regan snapped, his voice cracking.

"You're such a scaredy-cat," Touka smirked. "Just look at him—he's loving this."

Regan turned again toward Vairan, who was striding through the mist like he belonged to it—grinning, confident, wild.

Crap… he's enjoying this… Regan shuddered.

CLANG.

CLANG.

Vairan slammed his axes together. The sound echoed through the woods, the mist shifting violently with the vibrations.

"Stop making noise!" barked Captain Samuel. "You'll scare the horses."

"There's nothing here," Vairan muttered after a moment. "Waste of time."

"Probably just some animal," Samuel added. "Let's fall back."

As they turned, Vairan glanced back over his shoulder—eyes locked onto Regan.

That wimp, he thought.

Regan gulped. That look alone made his skin crawl.

Back at the cart, Touka leaned in. "So, what was it, Captain?"

"Nothing out there," Samuel replied. "Maybe just nerves. Or wildlife."

But Vairan didn't let it go.

He stomped up to Regan's horse, yanked him off the saddle, and dropped him to the ground with a thud.

"Hey, wimp," he growled, looming over him. "You woke me up… for nothing?! I oughta snap your legs off!"

"I-I swear, there was a ghost!" Regan whimpered, trying not to cry.

"Oh yeah?" Vairan sneered. "Was it scarier than me?"

"N-No…"

"Then what's the problem? You already got a demon in your cart, you coward," he spat, pointing to himself.

"That's enough!" Captain Samuel snapped, stepping in. "We're moving forward."

Vairan let go, grinning wide. "Aye aye, sir."

But just before turning away, he leaned in close to Regan's ear.

"If you scream again… and I see nothing…"

He whispered with a grin, "You're dead meat."

Regan nodded rapidly, pale as the mist around them.

"A-Alright…" he muttered, barely holding it together.

"He's pretty wild… just as we know," Samuel thought, watching Vairan storm off.

"Hah… scaredy," Touka whispered under her breath, heading back to the cart.

That bitch again... Regan scowled silently, glaring at her.

"Alright, we're almost there," Miss Violet said, her sharp voice cutting through the steady clatter of wheels.

Back in Miss Violet's squad—

Their cart rumbled over the last stretch of dirt road as the fog began to thin. Hollowveil Village finally came into view—nestled between hills, its crooked rooftops and worn-down fences casting long shadows in the late afternoon light.

They passed through the same gate…

The same spot where the incident had occurred.

Even the campfire ring where the soldiers once rested—still there, cold and abandoned.

"This village… it looks normal," Samaira whispered, eyes scanning the people walking about.

Villagers moved through the streets with baskets of goods. Some patched their rooftops. Others pulled water from the well. Children ran barefoot across muddy paths, laughing, completely unaware of what had happened here days ago.

It was 4 p.m. when they arrived.

The sun hung low, gold and heavy.

As the carts rolled to a stop, the recruits stepped down one by one, their boots crunching on gravel and snow. Eyes wandered. Tension lingered in the air.

They had arrived.

Miss Violet stepped down from the cart, her boots hitting the dirt with purpose.

"Set everything up," she instructed one of the soldiers sharply.

Without wasting another second, she turned and began walking straight into the village.

"Where is Miss Violet going?" Samaira asked, watching her figure disappear into the distance.

"She sure is in a hurry," Jack muttered.

"She's going to meet the head of the village," said one of the soldiers. "Now form a line—by squads."

Meanwhile, Miss Violet approached a modest-looking house at the edge of the village.

A man stood by the gate, arms crossed.

"Hey, who are you supposed to be?" he asked suspiciously.

"Do I need an introduction?" Violet replied coldly.

"O-oh! Captain Violet!" The man straightened up and quickly opened the gate. "I didn't recognize you for a moment. What brings you here?"

She ignored the question and walked past him without another word.

Inside, in a dimly lit room with dusty shelves and a crackling fireplace, the village leader sat waiting—an older man with a wrinkled face and sharp eyes.

"Captain Violet," he greeted with a slow nod. "It's been a while."

"Ron Clarr," Violet said curtly. "Do you have any information about the soldiers who went missing?"

"Whoa, whoa—relax a bit, Captain," Ron said, raising his hands slightly.

"Relax?!" Violet snapped. "Nearly ten soldiers have gone missing—and you're telling me to relax?"

"In these woods, it's pretty normal," Ron shrugged. "The mists get thick. People get turned around."

"Ten soldiers going missing is not normal. And two of them were senior-level soldiers. They don't just get lost," she said, voice like ice.

"We're doing what we can," Ron replied, leaning back. "Our own villagers get lost out there too. People say it's… demons. Or ghosts."

"Demons?" Violet scoffed. "Those haven't existed for four to five hundred years. They were wiped out completely. Don't give me superstition."

Ron sighed. "Still… the rumors don't stop."

"Tch." Violet shook her head. "Do you have a map of the village?"

"Yes," Ron said. "Do you need it right now?"

"Give it to me. As soon as possible."

Ron handed her a rolled parchment from the side table.

"Would you like some tea?" he offered.

She didn't respond. She turned on her heel and walked out of the room, the door creaking shut behind her.

"This place is so ancient…" Duke muttered, glancing around the worn-down village structures.

Kairoz stood quietly, staring at the old bonfire where the soldiers had once sat before vanishing.

"It looks… off," he thought. Something about it didn't sit right.

"Hey! Counted everyone—no one's missing," a soldier called out after a quick headcount.

"Recruits, make some tents. There's also one room near the bonfire—you can sleep and rest there," the soldier instructed.

"Understood, sir!" everyone replied in unison.

"Hey, Samaira, go get some rest. You've been on that horse for hours," Duke said.

"Right. I'm going to faint if I don't," she replied, rubbing her temples and walking toward the rest area.

Touka remained still, scanning the village quietly.

What's with this vibe…? she thought.

Kendra Energy has been used here. The traces are faint

but… it's off. Really off.

Her eyes narrowed.

Hehehe… good. Let's hope he dies here.

Her gaze lingered coldly on Duke.

Meanwhile, Vairan stretched his arms with a loud yawn and a grin.

"Hey, I'm gonna take a walk in the forest for a bit," he said, turning to Regan. "Wanna come with me?"

"N-No… I-I need to rest," Regan stammered, quickly turning away.

Vairan sighed, exaggerated and loud.

"Tch. Fine. Guess I'll go alone then."

He smirked as he walked off toward the edge of the woods, his axes lightly clanking against his back.

"Hey, Vairan—stop," said Miss Violet, her voice cutting through the air.

"Huhhh? What now?" Vairan groaned, turning around with a frown.

"Don't go there. Not yet," she said firmly.

"Huhhh… I already took plenty of rest in the cart. I just need some fresh air," he muttered.

"Just stay. That's an order," Violet said sharply.

"Tch… fine," Vairan muttered under his breath.

If I stay here any longer, I might actually go crazy. I'm so bored.

Miss Violet's eyes swept across the village, her expression tense.

Something's not right… she thought.

There are traces of Kendra Energy in the air. Subtle, but real. Sparks drifting like whispers.

She clenched her jaw.

Is something big being plotted in this village? Did I make a mistake bringing these immature recruits here?

Tch.

"Hey!" she called out suddenly. "I need one squad for a search—right now."

"What? Ma'am, they just got here from a long journey," a nearby soldier protested.

"Our squad is ready," came a confident voice.

It was Lysa, stepping forward with Derius right behind her.

"Wait—you didn't even ask the squad leader!" one soldier said, startled.

"All we did was sleep in the cart," Lysa said calmly.

"Yes, yes, we're ready!" added Rin and Robert in unison, stepping up beside her.

"Heyyy! I was on the horse the whole time! Think about me at least!" Darius complained loudly.

"You look just fine to me," Lysa said with a grin.

Miss Violet gave a nod of approval. "Alright then. Let's explore the village."

Meanwhile, at the hidden ruins…

"They brought around forty to fifty soldiers," said Assassin One, Liam, his voice tense.

"What? Forty to fifty?!" another assassin hissed. "They're making a big move…"

Liam clenched his fists. "We messed up. Bad. The disappearance of ten soldiers in just one week—it must've shaken Stromspire."

"Crap… we stirred the hornet's nest," another muttered. "We made way too much noise last time."

They stood in the crumbling remains of an ancient ruin, walls cracked with time, the wind whistling through broken stone.

Their eyes turned toward the figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the hall—an old monk, still as stone, meditating amidst the ruin's silence.

He hadn't moved for hours.

But the energy around him was heavy… dangerous.

Liam glanced toward the fog-covered hills beyond the ruins, his expression darkening.

"Will it be a massacre tonight?" he muttered.

The others fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them like a shadow.

Their eyes drifted once more to the meditating monk—still unmoving, yet radiating a quiet, ominous presence.

Something was coming.

And it wouldn't be quiet.