The hours blurred. Ralph’s ribs still ached, each breath a sharp reminder of his father’s boot. But one plea echoed louder than the pain:

  Feld: “My family… please. Talk to them.”

  Feld’s voice clung to him like a curse.

  Ralph: I can’t leave it like this.

  He forced himself upright, wincing as the movement tugged at his bruised chest. His room—once a sanctuary—now felt hollow, the air colder, the shadows longer. Moonlight sliced through the curtains, casting a silvery sheen over his mother’s portrait. Her smile, frozen in time, accused him.

  Ralph: “You wouldn’t have let this happen.” His fingers brushed the frame. “I’ll find them. I swear.”

  His eyes landed on the sword rack in the corner. Dust coated the blades, cobwebs strung between them like funeral shrouds. But leaning against the wall—his father’s war hammer—its steel head unrusted, its leather grip worn smooth by soldiers' hands. The only weapon his father hadn’t bothered to hide.

  He strapped it to his back. The weight was foreign, violent. Perfect.

  The manor slept as he crept into the hall. No guards. No servants. Just the moon’s ghostly glow on the floorboards.

  Ralph: Jade. She’ll know where Feld’s family is.

  Her door loomed ahead. He knocked twice—soft, urgent.

  Knock. Knock.

  A pause. Then the creak of hinges. Jade’s face appeared, lit by a flickering candle. Shadows pooled beneath her widened eyes.

  Jade: “Master Ralph?” Her whisper frayed at the edges. “What are you—?”

  Ralph: “You knew about that boy.” No question. A blade of accusation.

  Ralph: “Everyone did. Except me.”

  She flinched but didn’t deny it. Her gaze flicked to the hammer’s silhouette on his back.

  Jade: “Come inside,” she begged.

  Ralph: “Stop.” His hand shot out, catching the door. “Don’t call me ‘Master.’ Not after this.”

  Her lips trembled.

  Jade: “…Ralph.”

  The room was small—a narrow bed, a stack of books, a chipped tea set on the table. Jade knelt, rummaging beneath the mattress.

  Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.

  Jade: “Here.” She unrolled a map, its edges frayed. Her finger stabbed a spot deep in the forest. “His family lives here. But Ralph… if you go, you can’t come back.”

  Ralph: “I’ll come back.” He tightened the hammer’s strap across his back. “I’m not finished here.”

  Jade’s hands lashed out, clutching his sleeve. Her nails bit into his wrist.

  Jade: “If they see you,” she hissed, “that boy dies. Then his family. Then you.”

  In the candlelight, her eyes were wild.

  Ralph pried her hand off his wrist. Jade’s voice cracked like ice.

  Jade: “Ralph, listen—your mother wouldn’t want this! You’re not ready!”

  His teeth sank into his lip.

  Ralph: “It’s not suicide. I’m coming back.”

  The door loomed ahead. One step. Two. He glanced back—Jade’s outstretched hand, her face a mask of dread.

  Ralph: “I’ll see you later.”

  The latch clicked shut behind him.

  The window before him was wide open. The air rushed in as he looked down. He was on the second floor.

  Ralph: “I used to do this all the time. I surely can again.” He readied himself to jump, but as he stood there on the window’s parapet, a guard came around the corner, making him slip and tumble down.

  Ralph: “AHHHH—” THUD—ass first into the flowers below, completely ruining them.

  Ralph: “Oh, Lord, it hurts thi—”

  ???: “HEY, HOW’S IT THERE?” came the voice from above.

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  Ralph squeezed himself against the shadow on the wall and waited until the guard passed.

  Ralph: “Okay, here I go.” He clenched his fists and walked toward the forest. The fireflies lit the way. It was eerie. Wolves howled in the distance. Then smoke, then light—a small cottage in a clearing.

  Ralph: “This is it.” He exhaled deeply, his breath fogging the air.

  Knock… Knock…

  A muffled voice called from inside.

  ???: “Mommy, Mommy, Feld is back!”

  The door unlocked and swung open with a whoosh. A small child stood there, looking up.

  ???: “You’re not Brother Feld.”

  The child tilted his head. Then, suddenly, the mother stepped forward, her eyes wild with fear.

  ???: “You are one of them. You took my son, and now…”

  ???: “WHAT? YOU’RE NOT TAKING ANYONE ELSE WITH YOU!” She pulled her son behind her, brandishing a knife.

  ???: “YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO KILL ME TO GET TO HIM.”

  Ralph unsheathed his hammer calmly. The woman’s eyes filled with dread as she realized what was coming. CLUNK—the hammer hit the ground. Ralph raised his hands.

  Ralph: “Madame, I’m not here to hurt you or your son. Feld is alive, for now. But I need your help.”

  The mother’s eyes reddened and swelled as tears ran down her face. The knife slipped from her hand.

  ???: “Hee…” she collapsed in a crying mess. “...but… where is he?”

  Ralph: “He’s in the Crowswell prison…” He paused, meeting her gaze. “Tell me everything you know about Crowswell, and I promise I will help him.”

  They sat at the kitchen table, facing each other. Ralph spoke calmly and with focus.

  Ralph: “Before we start, my na—”

  ???: “You’re Ralph Crowswell, son of Edwin.” She said it with certainty.

  Ralph: “Yes.”

  ???: “I’m Natalia, my little one.” She patted the child’s head. “It’s Ron. And you already know Feld.”

  Ralph: “What is it you want to know?” she asked.

  Ralph: “I want to know everything. What does my family do? What are we?” His hands clenched and unclenched.

  Natalia: “Oh dear, you really do resemble your mother…”

  Ralph’s eyes widened as he slowly lifted his head to look at the long-haired, blonde woman before him.

  Ralph: “You knew Mom?” His voice was disbelieving.

  Natalia: “I knew her, yes. But that was long before you were born. And what matters now is what happened after she left, right?”

  Ralph: Gulp—the ball in his throat felt heavy.

  Ralph: “Yes.”

  Natalia: “Well, Edwin is a bastard. A heartless, monstrous killer, Ralph.” She said it confidently while pouring them both a cup of tea. Pff—pff.

  “Remember the fire a few days ago? That was his doing.”

  Ralph held the cup with both hands, staring deep into Natalia’s eyes as if waiting for something.

  Ralph: “So it was him… Do you have proof—?”

  BANG—BANG—BANG

  ???: “OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR, NATALIA!”

  It was the mercenary who had been torturing Feld.

  Natalia: “Ralph, please. You have to do something! He’s... he’s going to kill us!” Horror filled her eyes.

  Ralph: “Hide. I’ll deal with him.”

  He crept toward the door, lifting his hammer from the ground.

  BANG! The hammer broke through the door, nearly hitting the men.

  ???: “What the hell?” The man looked at the door as the dust settled. Ralph stood there, hammer in hand.

  Ralph: “You’re not going a step closer to them.”

  He tightened his grip on the hammer and swung. Whoosh! He barely missed the man’s head.

  ???: “You’re fast, kid. But I’m faster. Heh-heh.”

  In an instant, the man was gone.

  Ralph’s eyes darted around.

  Ralph: “Left—Right—ABOVE?” He raised his hammer above his head but barely missed the man, who landed a kick that sent him crashing into the fireplace.

  Thud—Thud—

  Ralph: “Shit… not again.”

  ???: “I’m home, NATALIA.”

  His mouth twisted into a grin that could cut.

  ???: “Ohhhh, Daddy isn’t here to save you now, is he? Weee weee... going to cry?”

  The man grabbed Ralph by the neck, raising him as far as his arm could go.

  Ralph: “Am I gonna die? God, I’m so weak.” As his life flashed before his eyes, he heard a voice.

  ???: “Remember, son. Our power is now yours. And one day, I’m going to teach you all about it.”

  The memory of his mom rubbing his forehead filled him with calm. The energy she exuded surrounded him.

  Natalia: “STOP! I’M HERE! YOU’RE HERE FOR ME, STOP!” She jumped from the other room, pleading at his feet.

  ???: “I’m not here for you.” He smirked and kicked her back. “I’m here for—”

  As he looked into Ralph’s eyes, he froze, noticing the purple swirling inside them.

  ???: “Is that mana—?”

  Ralph: “Freeze.” He muttered to the man.

  ???: “As if he cou—” The man’s hand began to shake. The more he tried to move it, the harder it became.

  ???: “This ends here.”

  The man lunged, going for a killing blow straight to Ralph’s abdomen. But Ralph looked up, and purple light flickered around his right arm.

  Ralph: “Expel!”

  A barrage of purple light forced the man outside the house, sending him crashing into the forest out of sight. Ralph collapsed, unconscious.

  Natalia: “RALPH! WAKE UP, RALPH!”

  Ron: “Mommy Mommy he's waking up” energetically shaking his mothers leg

  The sunlight hit his eyes lying down on Natalia’s sofa looking into the house ceiling

  Ralph: “Hmmmm it hurts…” his head was at the point of exploding

  Ralph: “GOD IT FUCKING HURTS” his ears rining vision fuzzy and white every little sound is amplified and ads onto his pain

  Natalia rushed next to him brining a cold rag

  Natalia: “Don’t move you have a big fever we got lucky your mana was awakened” his vision blurring and vertigo like he never felt before swirls his head

  Ralph: “Uhhhhhh what time is it?”

  Natalia: “Morning you were out since yesterday night”

  Ralph immediately shot up sitting up straight with his hand on his head

  Ralph : “Feld I need to get back to him now…” Ralph lifts up the covers and puts his weight on his legs wobbly like never before

  Ralph : “What was even that I saw mom then purple then…”

  Natalia: “HEY lay down Feld is safe remember you told me that” while holding his shoulder

  Ralph: “Hes safe for now thats what i said i have to go” He gets up wobbling around using his hammer as a cane

  Ralph: “I know enough I believe in you, your son will be back soon” slowly making his way into the path to house his legs wobbling after some time he came to be waking up facing the ceiling of his familiar room

  Jade: “Ralph… Ralph… Ralph…” Jade’s voice echoing in his mind

  Ralph: “It’s safe, I can rest now…”

  Jade: “What do you want to do with the boy Feld Ralph?” his jaw shaked Ralph: “Ah I’m not done yet” he tugs Jades shoulder whispering to her Ralph: “Brin..g hi…m to me” as if those word’s took all his strength he again fell into a slumber

  The wind flows into the room the darkness of the night makes her face hard to spot as a soft humming melody paces by Ralph’s ears

  Ralph: “Mo– Jade?” looking upon the figure barley light by candlelight he can see her sitting at the foot of his bed humming to herself

  Jade: “Ralph you're finally awake” putting her palm against his forehead “And you fever is gone too thanks god. The boy is safe Ralph there is no need to worry” as she gently strokes his head

  Ralph: “I’m not a kid you know” brushing her hand off

  Jade: “Then stop acting like one, the boy is there.” Pointing to the ground beside his bed Feld is asleep. “What’s your plan now as soon as your father notices you me and the boy are done for”

  Ralph: “Only me and Feld you serve Edwin remember” while rolling in bed turning his back to her

  Jade: "You’re wrong," Jade whispered. "I never served Edwin. I was your mother’s—and her last order was to protect you."

  Jade: “And it seems time has come for me to make a big decision too” looking back at Jade she takes out the Crowswell pin on her chest and puts it on the table by her side eyes filled with determination.

  Ralph: “Jade, you’re no—”

  Abruptly, the faint sound of clanking armor echoed through the corridors.

  Jade: “Master Ralph, I’m afraid we must cut this short.”

  Her eyes burned with a confidence he’d never seen before.