I thrashed and struggled, desperately trying to break free from the intruder's grip. My vision blurred. Every breath was a battle, my lungs screaming for air. This was it. This was how it would end. But then—
Bang!
A deafening gunshot shattered the chaos.
Another.
And another.
The grip on my neck loosened. I collapsed to the floor, coughing violently, gasping for air like I was drowning.
Through the haze of pain, I saw him—my old friend... palash.
Gun still smoking in his hand. Eyes locked in a cold, determined stare.
Magic (weakly): "W-Why did you shoot them...?"
Palash:(voice low, but firm) "I had to."
Magic: "But... why?"
Palash:(turning toward me, solemn) "There was no other choice. Those men... they would've killed you. They'd kill anyone to get those keys."
My body trembled. I wasn't sure if it was from fear or shock. My mind couldn't process what had just happened. The room reeked of gunpowder and blood. The lifeless bodies sprawled out across my floor told me this was no dream.
Magic: "I... I don't understand. What the hell is going on?"
Palash's eyes darkened, as if he were staring at something far away—something painful.
Palash: "The Mayor..."
Magic:(suddenly alert) "I knew something was off about him!"
Palash:(shaking his head slowly) "He's not the mayor."
Magic: "W-What?"
Palash:(voice heavy) "Our real mayor… he's gone. He doesn't exist anymore. Not in any way you'd understand."
Magic: "Wait, are you saying he's... dead?"
Palash:(voice dropping to a whisper) "No. It's worse than death."
Magic:(swallowing hard) "What are you talking about?"
Palash: "He's not human anymore."
I stared at him in stunned silence, my heart racing.
Magic: "You're not making any sense."
Palash: "Those keys... they're not for any treasure hunt. This whole contest is a lie. A trap. The keys are sacred—forbidden. They were sealed away centuries ago. No one was ever meant to find them. If all the keys are brought together, they open a door… not to riches, but to a darkness that could consume the entire world."
Magic:(disbelieving) "You're joking, right? That sounds like some fantasy—some story from an old book."
Palash:(his voice cuts through like a blade) "This is no fantasy, Magic. It's real. And that 'mayor'... he's a decoy. A puppet. A parasite wearing our former mayor's skin. He was created—or summoned—to mislead people. To lure them into awakening something that should have stayed buried."
Magic:(staggering back a step) "How do you know all this...? How could you know?"
Palash turned away from me, his voice distant now.
[Scene shifts – Flashback: Years Earlier]
Palash: "Where the hell is my goddamn horse?!"
He looked around his small stable in frustration. Empty. Not even hoofprints left behind.
Neighbor (shouting from down the road): "Hey! What happened, man?"
Palash:(grumbling) "I think someone stole my horse..."
Neighbor: "That sucks. I was just out for some fresh air. Hey, you coming to the festival tonight?"
Palash:(confused) "Festival? I don't remember there being a festival today."
Neighbor: "There isn't one. We're just... celebrating, I guess. Something about a good harvest. Who knows. Want to come?"
Palash:(shrugs) "Sure. I guess I'll come by later."
The neighbor waved and went on his way. Palash sighed, stepping away from the stable.
That's when he noticed it—something fluttering on the ground.
A piece of old parchment half-buried in the dirt.
He picked it up, dusted it off, and unfolded it.
Palash (reading): "He who finds the fourth shall awaken the truth… but beware the shadow that watches. The gate must never open."
His eyes widened. At the bottom of the paper—a map.
His breath caught in his throat.
Palash: "This... This can't be real."
[Present – Back in Magic's Room]
Magic: "A paper...?"
Palash:(nodding slowly, pulling it from his coat) "Yeah. Here. See for yourself."
He handed me the worn parchment. My hands trembled as I took it, unfolding it slowly. The markings were ancient, the ink faded—but clear.
Magic: "Wait… This is another map. Another key location?"
Palash: "Yes. It's the fourth."
Magic: "But… I thought there were only three."
Palash:(his voice almost a whisper) "That's what they want you to think."
Magic: "You mean... there's a fourth key?"
Palash nodded gravely.
Palash: "Yes. And it's the most dangerous one of them all."
Magic:(heart pounding) "Then why are we even doing this? Why give out maps?"
Palash:(looking into my eyes) "Because someone—or something—wants them found. It wants the door opened. And once it is... there may be no turning back."