Chapter 7: Shadows at Midnight
A deep, thunderous hum cracked through the silence of night.
The air shifted. The earth rumbled softly beneath the village of Virelia as a haunting pulse echoed from the nearby waterfall. Lanterns flickered. Windows opened. Villagers stepped out into the dark, whispering in confusion.
Captain Elara's sharp voice broke the tension.
> "Division 10, assemble—now!"
The members jolted from sleep, armor barely strapped as they lined up outside the inn. Aloy yawned. Meth squinted up at the sky.
> "It's the dungeon…" Ursa muttered, scanning the glowing mist that swirled faintly in the distance.
Inside Elder Harven's house, Dred and Synoh had been on alert. The sound stirred them, and Elder Harven stumbled into the room with concern etched deep into his face.
> "What… what was that noise?"
> "We don't know yet," Dred muttered, tightening his gloves.
> "We're going to investigate," Synoh added calmly.
Dred shot him a glare. "I didn't say we were."
> "Watch out."
The voice echoed directly in Synoh's mind. Fel's telepathy.
Before Synoh could react, the window shattered, shards spraying across the wooden floor as two dark figures burst through the opening like shadows in motion.
Steel clashed in a flash.
Synoh and Dred barely blocked the first strike, the momentum pushing them back. The assassins didn't hesitate—they darted straight toward Elder Harven.
"No!"
Synoh lunged forward without thinking. The blade meant for the Elder's heart sank into Synoh's back instead.
> "Synoh!" Dred shouted.
Pain bloomed through Synoh's body—but he didn't fall. Blood trickled, but his eyes remained sharp.
> "Fel…" he muttered. "Give me your strength."
Dark mana erupted from within. Black mist surged around Synoh's body as Fel's spirit intertwined with his, a faint growl echoing in the air.
Dred roared, his fists coated in drill-magic, and with a crackling spin of his gauntlets, he struck both assassins, sending them crashing into the wall with a boom that shook the room.
> "Are you okay, you idiot?!" Dred barked, half-panicked.
Synoh, bloodied, nodded. "Get Elder Harven to safety."
The two assassins recovered quickly. One dashed forward, blades curved with venom. Synoh stepped in.
Steel met steel, shadows collided with dark mana. The room shook under the force of the four-way clash.
Then—hood falls back.
The face beneath the mask stared wide-eyed at Elder Harven.
The old man's voice trembled.
> "...Harry? Is that you?"
The second assassin froze for a moment—then pulled down his mask as well.
> "Harold…"
Two young men. Nearly identical. Cold eyes. Sons of the village's Elder.
But something was off. Synoh narrowed his eyes.
Fel's voice echoed again in his mind:
> "Synoh… they aren't fully themselves. Their mana… it's being controlled."
Synoh's blade held firm against Harry and Harold's. Dred flanked the right, sweat dripping down his brow from the earlier clash.
Then Synoh shouted, voice firm but compassionate:
> "They're not doing this of their own will!"
Both assassins hesitated for a split second as their eyes flickered with a strange glow—murky and purple.
Synoh turned toward Elder Harven.
> "Elder, listen. Your sons are being controlled. They're puppets—manipulated by someone else."
The words struck like thunder.
Elder Harven's cane slipped from his grip. He fell to his knees, face pale and eyes wide. "No… Harry… Harold…"
The two sons didn't stop. They lunged again, but Synoh grit his teeth.
> "I'll wake them up—no matter what it takes."
Dark mana surged again as Fel roared inside Synoh's soul, and Synoh's sword gleamed with power. He clashed once more, not with the intent to kill—but to break through the veil of control.
---
Meanwhile, Outside – Near the Dungeon
Chaos.
The dungeon pulsed violently, releasing waves of magical pressure. The night sky glowed with strange crimson light as fires broke out. Screams echoed as groups of adventurers clashed.
The bad adventurers, emboldened and drunk on chaos, began attacking villagers and rival parties.
And at the center—Leon, gripping his giant lance with a devilish grin. Kalea stood beside him, green eyes glowing with envy as she manipulated thorn-like whips. Behind them stood the remaining four sins: Bob (Gluttony), Maria (Lust), Las (Greed), and Shaw (Wrath).
Their presence alone was overwhelming.
Captain Elara appeared, wind magic dancing around her blade.
> "Division 10—MOVE! Protect the villagers and subdue those bastards!"
Ursa led the charge with a fierce battle cry. Aloy and Meth darted behind her, their weapons ready.
> "Let's show them what the new blood can do!" Meth yelled, charging into the fray.
Kalea smirked. "Oh, how cute… fresh recruits."
Leon, twirling his lance, locked eyes with Elara across the smoke and flame.
> "Found you, beautiful."
Elara's eyes narrowed. "Still arrogant as ever, Leon."
Their stare was electric—an old rivalry reigniting under fire.
---
Back Inside Harven's House
Synoh's dark energy wrapped around him like armor. His attacks grew sharper, his movements calculated. He refused to let anger consume him.
> "Dred!" he shouted, "Hold the line—I'm going to snap them out of it!"
> "Tch! Don't you give me orders like you're some leader," Dred growled, but obeyed, locking down Harold's position with spinning drills of energy.
Synoh focused on Harry.
> "Wake up! You're not a killer!"
As their blades clashed one final time—Synoh's sword surged with black and silver light, and he roared:
> "Break free!"
A shockwave burst out, slamming Harry back. His body trembled violently, and his eyes began to return to their natural color.
Fel whispered to Synoh:
> "It's working… but there's something strange about the mana that controls them. It's... familiar."
Synoh looked at Elder Harven, still on his knees, trembling.
> "Elder… what kind of magic do you know?"
The question hung in the air.
Harven didn't answer.
But deep in his shadow, something moved—a faint shimmer in the candlelight. A trace of slothful mana flickered.