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Chapter 9: Shadows Within the Kingdom

  (A dimly lit chamber, hidden beneath the capital city. Shadows flicker as cloaked figures gather around a circular table. At the head of the table sits Darius Vex, A-rank knight and Guild Master of Vile Serpent—the kingdom’s most corrupt guild.)

  Darius Vex: (smirking, fingers tapping on the table) "The kingdom thinks we’re insignificant. A band of thieves, extortionists, and mercenaries. But thanks to our noble patrons, we thrive in the dark."

  (Murmurs of agreement. The nobles who sided with demons protect them, using their influence to keep the kingdom’s eyes elsewhere.)

  Hooded Figure: (gravelly voice) "The White Flame suspects treachery. Their captains are growing restless."

  Darius Vex: (laughs, swirling wine in his goblet) "Let them suspect all they want. As long as the kingdom turns a blind eye, we remain untouchable. And when the time comes, we will stand on the winning side."

  (The meeting continues, plotting their next move. A war within the kingdom brews—one not of demons, but of humans.)

  (In an open training field, Hanzo struggles to keep up. Garrick doesn’t hold back. Each strike is precise, punishing, meant to break Hanzo’s body and rebuild it stronger.)

  Garrick: (coldly) "You’re fast. But speed without control? Useless."

  (Hanzo dodges a swing but fails to counter properly. Garrick slams him into the ground. Hard.)

  Hanzo: (gritting his teeth, forcing himself up) "Again."

  (Garrick watches him carefully—not just as a mentor, but as if searching for something. He mutters under his breath.)

  Garrick: (to himself) "Damn. He really is just like them…"

  (Cain, watching from the sidelines, raises an eyebrow.)

  Cain: "Them?"

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  (Garrick tenses for a moment before shaking his head.)

  Garrick: "Nothing. Get back to training."

  (Cain frowns. He knows Garrick well enough to recognize when he’s hiding something.)

  *(That night, Hanzo finds himself wandering beyond the guild walls, drawn by an unseen force. His instincts lead him deep into the forest, where he discovers an old, unmarked grave.)

  (The headstone is cracked and covered in moss, but a faded insignia of a long-forgotten knight order is barely visible. Something about it feels familiar.)

  Hanzo: (kneeling, tracing the insignia) "What is this…?"

  (Suddenly, his head throbs. Flashes of fire. A battlefield. A warrior standing tall amidst the flames. Then—darkness.)

  (A gust of wind blows, and for a brief moment, a whisper reaches his ears.)

  Mysterious Voice (faint, almost an echo): "The flames will rise again…"

  (Hanzo’s eyes widen. He whirls around—but there’s no one there.)

  (Later that night, Garrick stands atop the White Flame’s tower, gazing into the distance. Cain joins him, arms crossed.)

  Cain: "You’ve been acting weird since you started training the kid."

  Garrick: (scoffs) "I’ve always been weird."

  Cain: (narrowing his eyes) "Not like this. Who is he, Garrick? You know something, don’t you?"

  (Garrick is silent for a long moment before he finally speaks, voice low and heavy.)

  Garrick: "I fought beside his father. A long time ago."

  Cain: (eyes widening) "Wait… you mean—"

  (Before Cain can finish, Garrick cuts him off.)

  Garrick: "It doesn’t matter now. They’re gone. But if Hanzo ever finds out the truth before he’s ready… it’ll break him."

  (Cain watches Garrick carefully but chooses not to push further. The weight of Garrick’s words lingers between them—a truth that cannot yet be spoken.)

  (Deep in the hidden demon stronghold, the shadowy figure who commands fear among demons speaks again, their voice carrying an unsettling amusement.)

  ???: "A son of the fallen has survived… how amusing."

  (They turn away, gazing at a burning map of the kingdom, the flames consuming key locations as if foreshadowing a grim fate.)

  ???: "But does he remember who he is?" (A low chuckle echoes in the chamber.) "No matter. Soon… he will."

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