Whispers of the forgotten

As the sun rose on a new day, Morpheus awoke from a restless night. Determined to make progress in the investigation, he threw himself back into his work. Yet, despite his efforts, nothing seemed to yield results. The evidence remained scattered and elusive, as if the killer was playing a cruel game, leaving behind an intricate puzzle that defied logic.

Hours passed as Morpheus reviewed documents and discussed theories with his colleagues, but every path led to a dead end. Exhaustion was beginning to take its toll when something unexpected happened.

While seated at his desk, a sharp pain pierced his head, and darkness enveloped him. He recognized the sensation—it was another of his fragmented visions of the future.

This time, however, the vision was not of a battlefield or flames of destruction. It was far stranger and far more terrifying. He saw a grand, ancient castle, draped in an eerie aura, as though cursed by time itself.

Inside the castle, the killer appeared, seated before a massive piano forged from shadow. His fingers moved gracefully, playing a hauntingly beautiful melody, both melancholic and unsettling. The music was suffused with an air of despair, its weight pressing down on Morpheus's very soul.

The vision shifted outside the castle, revealing a dense forest surrounding it. But this was no ordinary forest. The twisted trees seemed alive, their gnarled branches reaching like claws. Every corner of the forest was teeming with ethereal beasts. The creatures moved silently, their glowing eyes casting an eerie light, their sharp fangs glinting in the darkness.

Morpheus awoke abruptly, his breath ragged and sweat dripping down his face. The scene had felt too real, as if his very soul had been transported to that cursed place.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he processed what he had seen. What did this vision mean? Why the castle? And why was the killer playing a piano amidst such a nightmarish scene?

Grabbing a pen and paper, Morpheus began writing down every detail of the vision. He knew this was no ordinary nightmare—this was a clue, a key to the next stage in his pursuit of the killer.

Determined to unravel the meaning of the vision, Morpheus delved into the investigation files, searching for any mention of the castle. He combed through old documents, photographs, and maps until he found what he was looking for: a photograph of a castle identical to the one in his vision.

According to the records, the castle had once belonged to a noble family but had been abandoned years ago when ethereal beasts overran the surrounding forest. The area had become a no-man's-land, too dangerous for humans to inhabit. The castle itself was located 100 miles from the city, a remote and forgotten relic of the past.

With his resolve burning brighter than ever, Morpheus decided to confront the killer once and for all. Using his ability to travel through shadows, he closed the vast distance in a matter of moments and arrived at the castle's outskirts.

The castle was even more foreboding in person. Its ancient stone walls exuded a dark aura, and its empty windows seemed like hollow eyes watching him. The silence was oppressive, as though the very air held its breath in anticipation.

Entering the castle cautiously, Morpheus followed the sound of a melody echoing through the halls. It was the same haunting piano tune from his vision, eerily familiar and chilling.

He reached the grand hall and froze. There, seated before a black piano, was the killer, his fingers moving with the same graceful precision as in the vision.

The killer stopped playing as Morpheus stepped into the room. Turning slowly, he met Morpheus's gaze with glowing red eyes. Then, with deliberate movements, he removed the mask concealing his face.

Morpheus's breath caught. The killer's face was not human—it was a monstrous visage, pitch-black with enormous jagged teeth and blazing red eyes that radiated malice.

The killer smiled, a twisted expression filled with dark amusement. With a voice that was both mocking and resonant, he said:

"Welcome to my humble castle Morpheus."