Chapter 12 – The Letter
Adrian stepped cautiously into the ruined house. The walls were covered in sacred moss that still shimmered faintly, as if some divine energy stubbornly resisted the passage of time and decay. The air was thick with the scent of ancient dust mixed with a faint metallic and mystical undertone, giving the room an almost living presence.
He stared at the skeleton before him. It sat at the table, its head bowed over a yellowed piece of paper—its final moments seemingly lonely, yet peaceful. A soft blue glow radiated from the power stone resting in front of it, pulsing gently as if still connected to the life that once animated that man.
Carefully, Adrian lifted the letter beneath the stone and began to read aloud, his voice low and filled with a mixture of curiosity and respect:
---
"Hi.
If you're reading this, it means you were as foolish as I was, coming here searching for this inheritance without even thinking about an escape plan.
I spent my whole life trapped in this place, believing power was everything.
I abandoned my wife and children chasing strength.
Now, at the end of my life, I realize how foolish I was.
To whoever finds this letter, I've left a map below showing where you can find information about the divine domain and the inheritance.
I just have one last request: if you manage to get out of here, please… apologize to my family for me—if I even still have the right to call them that.
Their address is written next to the map.
Please...
A final piece of advice from an old fool: never forget the people who truly matter to you."
---
The silence in the room seemed to deepen, as if even the ruins respected that moment.
Adrian carefully folded the letter, his eyes moist with emotion. A lump formed in his throat as he looked once more at the skeleton. What had seemed like just another forgotten corpse now felt like someone—someone with regrets, flaws... and a story.
He had what I have now... and threw it away, Adrian thought. I already have the most precious thing in the world by my side... too bad I realized it so late.
He whispered softly:
"I promise."
Without another word, he left the house, searching for a proper place to bury the man. He found a broken garden surrounded by sacred stones and twisted trees that still resisted the domain's corruption. With his bare hands, he dug a shallow grave.
In front of the freshly covered tomb, Adrian searched through the rubble until he found a simple stone—large enough to serve as a headstone. He cleaned it carefully and placed it over the grave, improvising a marker.
"I don't know the right words... but I know what you'd want to hear."
"I promise I'll find your family. I'll deliver your apology. I swear it."
The twilight shadows stretched long as distorted celestial auroras flickered in the sky above, reminding Adrian that time was running out.
Glancing at his wristwatch, he saw only thirty minutes remained until his meeting with Cordelia.
"I better hurry, or I'll be late," he muttered, wiping his hands and running through the cracked streets covered in golden dust.
---
Meanwhile, Cordelia waited at the meeting point.
She stared at the horizon, brow furrowed. The sky darkened, revealing abstract shapes of celestial beings swirling among the clouds, as if the gods silently observed.
"Where is he? I told him to be back before nightfall..."
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed through the broken buildings.
"Sorry I'm late!" Adrian gasped, breathless. "I found something I need to show you."
Cordelia gave him a serious look.
"Not now. We need to get home before it's completely dark. Come on, follow me."
She sprinted ahead, leaping over debris with ease.
"Hey! Wait!" Adrian called, struggling to keep up.
---
Back at their refuge, protected by sacred symbols and enchanted candles:
Cordelia pushed open the reinforced door and stepped inside. The interior was simple, but safe. Maps covered an improvised table, while a magical fireplace cast flickering bluish flames.
"We're here. So... what was so important?"
Still catching his breath, Adrian pulled the power stone and the letter from his backpack and handed them to her.
"I found these," he said, his gaze steady.
Cordelia examined the stone first, feeling its gentle pulse in her hands.
"A power stone... and a letter?"
"Read it," Adrian urged.
As Cordelia unfolded the paper and read, her expression grew serious and thoughtful. When she finished, she closed her eyes briefly, absorbing the message.
"So... what do you want to do with this information?" she asked.
Without hesitation, Adrian replied:
"I have an idea. An idea that might help us find your parents... and the inheritance."
Cordelia looked at him for a long moment. For the first time since arriving in this forsaken place, a faint glimmer of hope shone in her eyes.
---