The wind rustled through the trees above the ruined village hidden behind the waterfall, carrying with it a haunting chill. Moss-covered stones, collapsed huts, and fragments of a once-thriving place told a silent tale of destruction. Raphael stood in the center, arms crossed, his face heavy with determination and loss. One by one, the remaining council members arrived, followed by Isan and the others. The air grew tense as the last of them stepped into the clearing.
Once everyone had gathered, Raphael broke the silence. "I never thought we'd be brought back together like this. But we don't have a choice anymore. Our mission is clear—we must eliminate the dark entity."
The council members nodded solemnly. Only a few looked confused: Akin, Merin, Senzuko, Hellesa, Izaki, and Kazen. They exchanged glances, clearly trying to piece together what they had missed.
Akin stepped forward. "I've heard of the entity. I know it resides near the Bermuda Triangle… and I saw what happened last week. The destruction it caused. But what exactly is it?"
Merin added, "It doesn't even look human. What is it supposed to be?"
Hellesa looked straight at her father. "And what about you, Dad? You seem to know more than anyone. Who is this thing after?"
Raphael raised a hand. "I promise I'll explain everything. But first, we need to focus. We need to make a plan that ends this. No second chances."
Isan nodded. "He's right. This thing… it doesn't just attack. It evolves. Every time it wins a battle, it becomes exponentially stronger. It learns our fighting styles, our weaknesses, our tactics. If we fight and fail even once—it won't just win. It will overwhelm the world."
Council Member 1 leaned forward. "The one who knows this enemy best… is Raphael."
All eyes turned to him.
Raphael sighed, his expression grim. "Yes. I've faced it more than once. Every time… it took something from me. Not just people. It took threats. That's what it calls them. People who stood a chance against it."
Izaki's voice trembled. "What do you mean?"
Raphael looked him in the eye. "It doesn't just grow stronger after every fight—it consumes those it defeats. Their strength becomes its own. Their knowledge, their techniques, even fragments of who they were—it absorbs everything."
Isan clenched his fists. "That means… it doesn't just get stronger. It becomes more intelligent. It can adapt to anything we throw at it."
"That's not all," Raphael continued, his voice dropping lower. "Anyone who walks into its clouds—those dark storms it brings—they don't just die. Their hearts are taken. Their will is stolen. They become puppets. Controlled."
Gasps broke out among the group.
Akin took a step back. "It can turn people into… into its soldiers?"
Raphael nodded. "Exactly. That's why it's dangerous to send just anyone against it. We risk feeding it more power if they fail."
Senzuko looked pale. "So all those soldiers we saw vanish in the storm…"
"They're probably part of it now," Raphael said quietly.
A heavy silence followed. Even the sound of the waterfall behind them seemed distant.
Then Kazen spoke up. "You mentioned someone who recently confronted it… someone who might help us. You mean… Reilherd Rees?"
Raphael nodded. "Yes. He's one of the few people to survive an encounter with it. He's a mystery solver, a tactician, a man who's faced things no one else would dare. If anyone can help us understand the entity's weaknesses… it's him."
Merin frowned. "But where is he now?"
"That's the problem," Raphael admitted. "After his last mission, he vanished. He's off the grid, likely hiding… or preparing for something."
Isan straightened. "Then our next step is clear. We find Reilherd Rees. And we prepare for a battle that will decide the fate of this world."
Raphael looked at each of them, his voice firm. "This isn't just another war. This is a fight for every soul still breathing. We either end the entity… or it ends everything."
And with that, the final battle for the fate of humanity began to take shape.
Meanwhile, Rees sat alone in his dimly lit room, the silence suffocating, broken only by the rhythmic ticking of the old clock on the wall. Shadows clung to the corners like memories he couldn't escape. He stared at the floor, hands trembling, as thoughts spiraled through his mind.
"Why… why couldn't I stop it?" he whispered aloud, his voice raw and cracking. "Why did she have to die… like that?"
His mind drifted back to Avern—her smile, her fierce spirit, her unwavering belief in the future. She had dreams, ambitions larger than life, and a heart full of light. She believed in justice, in making the world a better place. And now… she was gone.
"Why couldn't I protect her?" His breath caught in his throat. "Why was I so useless?"
Tears welled in his eyes, his body slumping forward as guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders. "Avern… she had so much ahead of her. She should have lived. She should have fulfilled her dreams. But she died… because of me."
Rees clenched his fists, the pain in his chest tightening. He looked around the room filled with evidence boards, case files, maps—tools of his trade. The great mystery solver, the man everyone once admired for his intellect and cunning… but behind every solved case lay a trail of destruction.
"I thought I was doing good," he whispered bitterly. "I told myself it was justice. That the ends justified the means. But every time I cracked a case… someone died. Someone suffered."
Faces flashed through his mind. Innocents caught in the crossfire. Families torn apart. Parents mourning children. Friends turned to enemies. And now Avern—another casualty of his endless pursuit for truth.
"I didn't see it," he muttered. "I didn't realize how many lives I was dragging into pain. How many people were crying because of what I did. I've spent so long chasing answers… that I never stopped to look at what I was becoming."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "It wasn't justice. It was my pride. My greed to be the best. I thought I could fix the world, but I only broke it further."
A single tear traced down his cheek.
"I deserve death more than any of them."
Rees buried his face in his hands, lost in grief, regret, and a haunting silence that no amount of truth could ever erase.
The world leaders gathered once more, this time in a somber silence that weighed heavily over the grand conference chamber. The air was thick with tension, the recent catastrophic loss echoing in everyone's minds. Faces once filled with pride now showed only despair and confusion.
One of the senior leaders finally broke the silence, his voice grim and shaky."This… this was one of the greatest losses in human history. We didn't just lose soldiers — we lost our best armies, our finest technology. For the first time, humanity has been utterly defeated by something beyond our understanding."
Another leader leaned forward, nodding gravely."It's clear now that we can no longer afford to fight amongst ourselves. We must set aside our borders, our politics, and our pride. That entity is stronger than we imagined… far beyond anything we've faced before."
A third leader slammed his hand against the table in frustration."But how are we supposed to defeat something we can't even touch? Our bullets, our missiles — they didn't make a scratch. We don't even know what it is, let alone how to land a blow on it."
The room fell into another heavy silence, until one voice rose above the rest."There might still be hope," he said, looking around. "Raphael. He's the only one the entity approached without killing. Why would it go to his house if not for a reason? He must know more than we do."
Heads turned as the idea took root.
Another leader added, "He's not just a former general — he's survived every encounter with it. If anyone holds the key to stopping it, it's him."
"Then we must find him," the first leader declared. "Use every satellite, every force we have. If Raphael is the only one who holds the secret to defeating that thing… he's humanity's last chance."
The city of Allen lay still under the midnight sky. The streets were empty, the windows dark, and silence ruled the sleeping city—until the winds began to howl. A storm, unnatural and sudden, swept through the city with an ominous force. Most residents remained unaware, locked in sleep, but one man was awake.
Rees sat alone in his dimly lit apartment, haunted by the memory of Avern's death and the weight of his past. The wind rattled his windows, pulling him from his thoughts. Something felt wrong. He stepped onto the balcony and looked up. The sky was not just dark—it was alive. The clouds twisted and pulsed like a living being, glowing faintly with crimson streaks. Lightning crackled through the sky without thunder, and then… it arrived.
A shadow tore open the sky, descending like a monstrous god. The dark entity had returned.
Rees's heart pounded as he recognized its shape. He fumbled for his phone and called the police."There's something—something in the sky. It's not human! Send someone, now!"
But the operator didn't take him seriously. "Sir, please calm down. We'll look into it."
Rees hung up, realizing help wasn't coming. Then the entity's voice echoed across the city like a deafening roar:
"I am here for you… survivor!"
A chill ran down Rees's spine. He gritted his teeth and bolted for the rooftop. As he climbed, his mind raced. He knew he couldn't run—not from this. He'd confronted death before, but now death had come for him.
He stepped into the wind, facing the dark storm that hovered above the city.
"I know what you are," Rees shouted into the darkness. "And I know you want me."
The entity hovered closer, its form twisting like black smoke edged with fire."Yes," it replied. "You lived. And you carry the guilt of the ones I took."
Rees clenched his fists. "Then take me. Just me. Don't hurt anyone else. I'll go willingly—but only if you spare this city."
There was a pause. Then, the entity's voice slithered through the storm."Very well."
It began to descend.
But before the darkness could touch him, Rees was suddenly yanked back—dragged across the rooftop by a strong arm. He turned to see one of his old teammates, panting, defiant.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" the teammate yelled.
Rees struggled. "Let me go! I deserve this! I've caused too much death—I can't let anyone else suffer for me!"
His teammate gritted his teeth. "You think dying is redemption? No! You don't get to decide when it ends—not like this!"
From above, the entity hissed, enraged."You lied to me, human! You promised yourself to me! And now… now you shall all know despair!"
The storm exploded.
A barrage of crimson lightning rained down with blinding fury. In seconds, entire blocks were reduced to rubble. Skyscrapers buckled and fell. Fires erupted, screams filled the air—and then were silenced. The destruction was swift and merciless.
Rees's teammate, shielding him until the last moment, was struck by a bolt of lightning. The force flung Rees across the rooftop. Dazed and injured, he crawled over to the fallen body, only to find lifeless eyes staring into the void.
"No…" Rees whispered, shaking. "Not again…"
The dark entity loomed overhead, laughing."You didn't keep your promise. So this is what you get, humans. Despair, betrayal, death."
With that, it vanished into the storm, which dissipated as quickly as it had come.
The city of Allen was gone. Fires burned in silence. Buildings stood like broken bones. Thousands were dead.
Rees dropped to his knees beside his fallen friend, his body shaking with grief."No! Why?! Another one… another person who died because of me!" he screamed into the night. "Why do people keep dying for me? What makes me worth it?!"
His voice echoed across the ruins. There was no answer. Only wind and ash.
Tears streamed down his face as the guilt consumed him. "I should've died. If I had… this wouldn't have happened. The whole city—wiped out—because of me…"
Rees wept as the weight of it all crushed him. Allen had joined the growing list of cities lost to the dark entity. And once again, Rees had survived… but at the cost of everyone else.
The next morning, as the ash still settled over the ruins of Allen, the rescue teams arrived. Helicopters hovered low, scanning the wreckage with infrared sensors, while emergency units combed the debris, calling out for survivors. The city had become unrecognizable—crushed buildings, scorched streets, and silent devastation spread across every corner.
One team stumbled upon a collapsed rooftop, partially shielded by a fallen wall. Beneath the rubble, they discovered two figures—one lifeless, the other barely breathing.
"It's a survivor!" one of the rescuers shouted.
They quickly cleared the debris and carried the unconscious man into the medical transport. He was bruised, burned, and emotionally shattered—his name: Rees.
The team worked through the day, gathering the few survivors they could find, but the number was heartbreakingly small. Allen had suffered catastrophic loss.
Rees remained unconscious for almost twenty-four hours, his body in shock. He stirred only as the evening sun filtered through the blinds of his hospital room. Machines beeped softly around him. He opened his eyes to a quiet room—until the voice of a newscaster filled the air from the mounted television.
"This just in—government officials and world leaders are demanding Raphael reveal his whereabouts. If he continues to remain hidden, they say action will be taken to bring him into custody."
Rees blinked, struggling to sit up. The images flashed across every news channel. Reporters echoed the same message: Raphael is a person of interest. He may hold the secret to defeating the dark entity. He must be found—willingly or not.
A nurse entered the room followed by a doctor.
"Sir, you need to stay in bed," the doctor said gently. "Your body has endured severe trauma. You need time to recover."
But Rees wasn't listening. He sat up, tore off the monitoring wires, and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
"I don't need rest," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Ignoring their protests, Rees grabbed his coat and limped out of the hospital.
An hour later, he stormed into the nearest police station.
"Officer! I know where Raphael is," he declared.
The officer behind the desk blinked. "You—what? Say that again."
"I know where Raphael is hiding," Rees said firmly, his voice raw but steady.
The officer leaned forward, suddenly alert. "Where is he right now?"
"I can't say it here," Rees replied. "But I can take you there. Just know—it's far. It's not a place you'll find on your maps."
That was all it took.
Within the hour, the information had leaked. The news flashed across every network. "Mysterious survivor claims to know Raphael's location." Speculations spread like wildfire.
The very next day, a highly equipped search team was assembled—comprising intelligence officers, elite security forces, and medical support staff. Rees stood at the head of the unit, pale and still recovering, but resolute.
The journey began at dawn.
They boarded helicopters and flew over mountains, rivers, and forests. As they neared their destination, Rees guided them through unmapped paths, navigating with quiet certainty. Eventually, they reached the edge of an ancient woodland cloaked in mist and shadow.
Rees pointed ahead. "Through there. Past that ridge. There's a waterfall. Behind it, you'll find the village."
The team hiked in silence, their weapons ready, their minds heavy with anticipation. After hours of navigating the dense woods, they reached the base of a wide waterfall cascading down moss-covered cliffs.
Behind the roaring sheet of water, a concealed path led into the stone wall. They followed Rees inside.
As the team stepped through the passage, the ruins of a hidden village slowly emerged—partially reclaimed by nature, quiet and eerie, yet strangely untouched by time. Crumbled homes lay scattered across a serene valley. The only sound was the falling water behind them.
"This is it," Rees said quietly. "Raphael's here."
The team spread out, cautious but alert.
In the distance, a faint flicker of light caught their attention—perhaps a campfire or a lantern.
Rees stood still, staring at the heart of the village.
"I don't know what Raphael will do," he said. "But he's not the villain they think he is. If he's stayed hidden this long… it's because he's protecting something. Or someone."
The lead officer nodded. "We're here to talk. Not to shoot."
Rees didn't respond. He stared down at his hands—scarred, bandaged, trembling.
Another city had burned.
Another friend had died.
And he was still alive, carrying the guilt.
But now, for the first time in a long while, Rees had a purpose. If Raphael held the answers, if there was even the faintest hope of stopping the dark entity… then this was the first step.
The storm had only just begun.