Rond and Ena POV(Third person point of view)

  Rond sighed. It had been four months since Dr. Zoshant’s death. The town had held a funeral for him two months earlier, despite Decn still being missing. Though the boy had yet to be found, the townspeople-and even the lives that Dr. Zoshant had helped heal or save-insisted on giving Dr. Zoshant a proper burial after all investigation and checkup on his body had been done. It was their way of honoring him and his service to the people, even as the mystery of his murder remained unsolved. They had buried him near his wifes grave.

  Dr. Zoshant’s closest friend since middle school, Milr-a man who had remained a close family friend over the years-revealed something during the preparations for the funeral. Milr expined that because Dr. Zoshant’s body had been severely damaged, including his face, the decision was made to y him to rest wearing a special gift from his te wife, Victoria. According to Milr, many years ago, Victoria had asked Milr what kind of gift Dr. Zoshant would love the most. Milr had suggested something that matched his tastes-an intricate, full-cover bck gas mask with a helmet that concealed his entire head and face, along with a bck trench coat and gray gloves.

  Dr. Zoshant had adored the gift. Milr recalled how he had once told him that if he were ever to be buried, he’d want to be id to rest wearing it-not just because he loved the design, but because it was a gift from Victoria.

  Ena, upon hearing this, had admitted that she could easily picture Dr. Zoshant wearing it. She remembered how, whenever she and Decn pyed video games together, Dr. Zoshant would sometimes join in. Whenever the game allowed for character customization and had the option to give it a gas mask, he would always give his avatar a gas mask-without fail.

  As for the house? It remained off-limits. There was still a possibility that undiscovered clues could point to where Decn had been taken. Rond himself had strongly argued for it to be left untouched-officially, because he believed there were still leads to uncover. But deep down, Rond's real reason was that if Decn was ever found, he wanted the boy to have a home to return to. This house had been Decn's and his parent's long-time home, filled with countless memories, and Rond couldn’t bear to see it disturbed. Ena, too, agreed with her father.

  The nation had unched a widespread search, but so far, nothing had turned up.

  Rond sat at his desk, staring at the evidence id out before him. Every lead had led to nothing but frustration. No matter how many times he combed through the details, he couldn’t find a single clue that pointed to Decn’s whereabouts. Both he and Ena-whenever she was free from school-had tried piecing together the mystery, but every effort ended in a dead end. The only few pieces of evidence they had were the strange Stone with the unique insignia that Ena had found and some track marks leading away from the scene-tracks that ultimately went nowhere.

  The sound of the front door opening pulled Rond from his thoughts. Ena had just come back from school, her expression clouded with frustration and sadness.

  “Dad… it still feels wrong to have had that funeral without Decn there.”she said, dropping her bag onto a chair. Ena, who is still determined, is tired.

  Rond understood. He had felt the same way. But with Decn still missing and no leads on his whereabouts, there had been no choice. Dr. Zoshant’s body had been decomposing, and waiting any longer wouldn’t have changed anything.

  Unfortunately, the condition of the body hadn’t given any further investigative breakthroughs either. The fifteen bullets that had been fired into Dr. Zoshant’s body had all come from a standard firearm-a common enough weapon that could be found anywhere. There was nothing unique about it, no special modifications or serial markings that could help track down the shooter. It was clear the perpetrator had purposely used an untraceable weapon, likely a widely used semi-automatic handgun, to avoid leaving any direct leads.

  The cameras near the crime scene had been wiped or scrambled beyond recovery, even the ones Rond had suspected might have captured something useful. Whoever had orchestrated this had power, resources, and enough foresight to erase every possible lead. Rond had seen meticulous pnning before, but this? This was something else. The perpetrator had accounted for everything, covering their tracks so thoroughly that even with all his experience, Rond was left frustrated at the dead ends of his invesitgation. His st hope was the Stone that Ena had found. He had asked some of his closest contacts to investigate the insignia. So far, they had only confirmed that it was extremely unique-so unique, in fact, that tracing its origins could take several more months.

  But for now, they were still left with nothing.

  Rond let out another sigh. "I know, Ena. I feel the same. It doesn't feel right without Decn being found."

  Ena was silent, but Rond could see that his daughter was deep in thought. "Hey, Dad?"

  "Yes, Ena?"

  "Do you think... do you think that... Decn's mom, Victoria, is doing something right now?"

  Rond paused, carefully considering how to answer.

  "I don’t know... honestly, I really don’t know what spirits would do in this situation. They don’t have physical bodies, sweetie."

  Ena simply nodded, as if she had already suspected the answer before her father spoke. "I see."

  Rond was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "You know... you should get some sleep."

  "But, Dad-" As Ena was about to protest, Rond cut her off.

  "Listen to me. A tired mind won’t help us find Decn. Right now, the only evidence we have is that stone you found, and some of my closest colleagues are doing everything they can to investigate it. So, for now-and I understand this is hard-I need you to be patient."

  Ena became quiet, then responded softly, "You're right. It's just... it's really hard to be patient. Because I'm worried about him. It feels like every minute lost means we risk losing him."

  Rond nodded. "I know... I know what you mean. But for now, let’s trust that Decn is okay. We have to have faith that he’s okay and that he's surviving well wherever he is."

  Ena nodded again. She then hugged her father tightly. "Sorry, Dad... I-"

  Rond gently hugged her back. "It's okay... I understand. We will find him. I promise."

  Ena nodded once more. After a moment, she released her father and headed to her room to sleep.

  Soon after, Luna, Rond's wife, entered the room. "Dear, you should sleep too. You've been working for far too long."

  "You're right..." Rond replied. "I should sleep."

  With a weary sigh, Rond decided to finally rest for the day.

  Later that night, Rond jolted awake to the sharp ringing of his phone. The sound was jarring in the dead silence of the house. He groaned, rubbing his eyes, cursing himself for forgetting to silence it before bed. Beside him, his wife stirred, blinking groggily.

  "Ah… who is it, dear?" Luna mumbled sleepily.

  Rond squinted at the screen. The caller ID showed a familiar name-Sergeant Jones.

  Rond's brow furrowed. What could be so urgent that Sergeant Jones was calling in the middle of the night?

  The contant ringing must have roused Ena from slumber as well, as she appeared in the doorway, yawning. "Who is it, Dad?"

  "Sergeant Jones," Rond replied, his voice low.

  Immediately, Ena’s sleepiness faded. Her posture straightened, and her eyes sharpened with alertness. "Wait… the officer who was at Dr. Zoshant's crime scene?"

  Rond nodded. Without another word, he answered the call, putting it on speaker so Luna and Ena could hear.

  The voice that came through was grave, tinged with something more than just seriousness-something uneasy. "Investigator Rond," Sergeant Jones's tone was ced with an unsettling mixture of tension and something else-something just beneath the surface. Fear? "My deepest apologies for calling you on such short notice… and in the middle of the night, no less."

  Rond sat up fully. "No, it’s fine… What’s going on?"

  A long pause followed. Too long.

  Then, at st, Jones spoke. "I've seen many things in my years of service. Psychopaths, gruesome murders, crimes so depraved they haunt you. I thought I'd seen it all. But this…" He exhaled shakily. "This takes the cake."

  Rond’s frown deepened. "What are you talking ab-"

  Jones cut him off. "One of my higher-ups ordered me not to report this to my fellow officers. Not even the lieutenant or the captain. Instead, I was told to call you. Only you. The truth is… aside from a select few, you, your daughter, and anyone you personally trust might be the only ones handling this case from now on."

  A horrible sense of unease settled over Rond. A strange, involuntary shiver ran down his spine. "You're still not telling me what happened, Sergeant."

  Another long pause. Then, Jones took a breath.

  "Two bodies are missing."

  Rond blinked. "Bodies? You mean-"

  "The word 'people' would imply they were still alive the st time anyone saw them, Investigator Rond."

  A sudden, suffocating stillness and silence filled the room. Luna shivered beside him. Ena took a step closer.

  Jones continued, his voice growing even graver with every word he spoke. "A few days ago, the cemetery's old gravekeeper called us. He said something was… wrong. He’d noticed an issue with one of the graves."

  Rond listened intently, his fingers gripping the edge of the bnket.

  "I thought it was just vandalism at first. But I was wrong. Dead wrong."

  The room felt colder. Even without seeing him, Rond could tell Jones was shaken...and terrified.

  "When I arrived at the cemetery, the gravekeeper led me to the site. At first gnce, nothing seemed off. But then, as I stepped closer… the ground beneath me colpsed." Jones took another breath. "It was as if the dirt had been hurriedly repced, made to look undisturbed, as if no ones tampered it. And that’s when I saw it-the grave was open."

  Rond stiffened. "Wait, are you saying-"

  "The casket was broken open, Investigator Rond," Jones interrupted. "And it wasn’t from the outside. It was shattered from the inside."

  A fresh wave of dread set upon Rond.

  "We used GPR-Ground Penetrating Radar-to scan the area for any trace of the body. There was none. No bones, no remains. Nothing."

  Luna clutched the bnket. Ena’s breathing grew shallow.

  Jones swallowed audibly before continuing. "And then… by accident, we checked the grave beside it. That one was even stranger."

  Rond got a hold of himself and asked. "What do you mean?"

  Jones hesitated, then said, "That grave was untouched. The dirt was undisturbed. The casket was intact. And yet, the body inside… was gone."

  Rond felt his own breath hitch. Ena shuddered.

  "It was as if the body had never existed in the first pce," Jones finished.

  Silence.

  Then, after a long moment, Rond forced himself to speak. "Whose bodies are missing?"

  Jones inhaled deeply. And then, he said two names.

  "Dr. Zane Zoshant and Victoria Zoshant."

  Rond felt his entire body go rigid.

  "Dr. Zoshant’s grave," Jones continued, "was the one that had been broken from the inside. As if something-or someone-forced their way out."

  A heavy silence followed.

  "And Victoria’s?" Rond finally asked, though part of him already dreaded the answer.

  Jones hesitated.

  "Her grave… was untouched. But her body is gone."

  Dr. Zoshant had cwed his way out of his own grave.

  And Victoria… had simply disappeared as if she was never there in the first pce.

  A silence deeper than words filled the room.

  Luna covered her mouth, her face pale.

  Ena’s eyes widened, her body frozen in silent horror.

  And Rond?

  For the first time in a long time, Rond felt something he rarely ever did.

  Fear.

  ??? POV(First person point of view)(Unknown point of time)

  The Universe has done me an unforgivable injustice.

  It wronged me in life, and it has wronged me even in death.

  These so-called ancestors cursed me with that damned illness without my knowledge, robbing me of the life I had rightfully earned with my husband and son. And even after death, I helped these fuckers of the old ways-reluctantly, begrudgingly-because they promised to leave my family in peace.

  BUT THEY LIED!!! THEY FUCKING LIED TO ME!!!

  Those parasites-those lying, deceitful FUCKERS!

  I saw him. I saw my husband’s body lying in the ruins of the home we had built together-the only pce I ever felt truly safe. I saw what these so-called ancestors tried to hide from me. But they couldn't keep the truth buried.

  Because I heard my son crying.

  Because I felt my husband's agony.

  My husband died protecting our son from the explosion. And my son… my son was stolen, dragged away from his father’s corpse while he screamed in grief.

  My son witnessed his father's death.

  They dragged him away.

  My precious boy cried as he was dragged away forcefully from his own fathers body.

  They killed him. They took the man I loved from this world, from our child. And now… now they pn to use my son.

  For what?

  For the same cursed purpose I refused? For something they themselves could do if they truly tried? Or-better yet-something they could abandon altogether? It would be better for all of us.

  In life, I did my duty. I did everything they asked. I told them-begged them-to leave me and my family alone.

  But they FUCKING DARED?!

  HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!HOW DARE THEY?!

  THE AUDACITY OF THESE WRETCHES, OF THESE SORCERERS CLINGING ON TO THEIR ALREADY BYGONE ERA OF POWER!!!! THEIR PATHETIC EXCUSE TO SERVE THAT...THAT....THING!?

  FOR JUSTICE?!

  FOR THE UNIVERSE?!

  DONT GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT!!

  My husband. My Sweet, loving Husband. My adorable husband. My soulmate. My everything. You smiled. You ughed. You took care of our son when I wasnt there.

  You took care of him and his heart.

  You protected him. You loved him enough for both of us, even when you were so, so tired. You made sure he was never lonely.

  You held him close when he cried. You gave him joy when I could not.

  If I had been there…

  If I had been with you and our sweet child...

  If only…

  If only…

  FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!FUCK!!

  My rage, my hate and my malice only continues to boil, because I keep dreaming of the life I should have had with you and our son.

  They stole everything from me.

  And that wretched bastard, Loran-the one who murdered you. I should have killed him long ago. Oh, my love… I adored that you insulted him before you died. Even in your final moments, you spit in the face of your killer. I always knew you had it in you. But it wasn’t enough.

  Loran shot you fifteen times.

  FIFTEEN TIMES.

  HOW DARE HE?! HOW DARE HE?! HOW DARE HE?!

  I’LL RIP HIM APART!

  I’ll tear out his intestines, sptter his organs across the ground. He won’t just die-he will suffer. I want it long and agonizing. If he shot you 15 times, then he must endure 15 billion times the pain.

  Oh. Oh.

  HA..HA..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAH!!!

  I ugh. A dark, cold, insane ugh.

  I feel it. The coldness. The horror-something monstrous even to myself.

  But oh well…

  What did you expect?

  I dig my fingers into my own face, gripping tightly as my ughter echoes. I am madness. I am rage. I am everything they forced me to become.

  What did we do to deserve this?

  I had enough of the sorcerers.

  I had enough of these ghostly spirits who call themselves wise or cim to be my ancestors.

  I had enough of their arrogance-of them believing they know what’s best for the world instead of letting it follow its own path, simply because they call themselves blessed and are sorcerers.

  I have simply had fucking enough of everything that ruined our life together.

  My sweet husband, whose soul still lingers within his own body.

  My lovely husband, who refuses to move on until our son is safe.

  My sweet husband....

  lets burn the people that harmed our family.

  Lets hurt the people that made our beloved son cry.

  Lets show them fear...terror beyond anything possible.

  Lets kill everything they represent.

  Oh, my sweet husband...

  Let's embrace the madness together.

  Let’s become the nightmare of those who believe they control fate, who cim the world as theirs simply because they are sorcerers-or something beyond.

  Let’s tear them apart.

  We will save our son...

  And annihite everything that has harmed us.