Henu took a deep breath, calming himself.
Kasib ran to the river, peering into its depths. At the bottom, encased in stone like a statue, was Elias.
"Commander, is he dead?" Kasib asked.
Henu shook his head. "No, he's still alive. By tomorrow, I'll send soldiers to retrieve him and take him to prison."
Ramon raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"Henu smirked and let out a sharp whistle. Within seconds, a pigeon swooped down onto his hand. He retrieved a tiny scroll from a compartment tied to its leg, scribbled a quick message, and sent the bird soaring back into the sky
The group had woken up, but thankfully, they had rested enough to continue their journey.
As they packed up, Henu Safir suddenly tensed. A strange, uneasy feeling washed over him.
He glanced around, searching for something—or someone.
Kamil, adjusting the supplies on the carriage, noticed. "Commander, are you okay?"
Henu didn't answer right away. Instead, he called out, "Yune, Noya, come here."
They approached, and Henu gave them a task. "Something feels… wrong. I don't know if it's a body or something else, but there's a soul here that hasn't moved on. Find it."
Yune and Noya exchanged glances, hesitant. "Commander, what's the point? Even if it's dead—"
Henu cut them off. "Even in death, I can still feel its soul. And I can't ignore it. We need to find it. Everyone, get to work."
Ramon activated his dark energy ability, his eyes flickering with power. But after a few moments, he frowned. "There's too much interference. The rubble, the people still asleep… I can't sense anything clearly."
Yune stepped forward, facing the ruined house. "Leave the rubble to me."
"Shouts: Teleport!"
In an instant, the debris vanished, reappearing in a pile beside the ruined structure. The area was now clear.
"I found it!" Khonsu's voice rang out.
Everyone turned to see him standing before a locked wooden chamber.
Henu Safir's body tensed, sweat forming on his brow. His breathing grew heavy, and his eyes widened. "The feeling I'm getting… It's indescribable."
"Open it!" he commanded.
Noya didn't hesitate. With a single, powerful slash, he cut the lock in half. The door creaked open.
Then—the stench hit them.
A foul, rotting odor spilled out, thick and suffocating.
Inside, three bodies lay slumped together. Their skin, once human, was now blackened with a tar-like substance. Their eyes were gone, replaced with hollow sockets. Their bodies were frail, as if they hadn't eaten in years.
A chilling realization settled over the group.
Jack took a step back, his face pale. "It's… his family."
He fell to the ground in shock.
Kamil covered his nose, his voice filled with disgust. "What a monster…"
Ramon's expression darkened. Without a word, he turned and sprinted to the carriage, rummaging through his bag.
Khonsu frowned. "What are you doing?"
Ramon didn't answer. His hands dug through supplies, searching frantically. Then, finally, he pulled out a piece of paper.
His eyes scanned the text, his face growing more serious with every word.
This is poetry from Elias Solen,
A poem of truth, a tale once spoken.
My blood set sail on a journey long,
Yet never returned to where they belong.
I sought their souls across the tide,
Only to find where their corpses reside.
They cannot die—I won't allow,
I keep them close, even now.
The dead aren't gone, just out of sight,
Dressed in new clothes, yet void of light.
Their smiles unseen in this world's embrace,
But I feel them still in a distant place.
Their souls stay bound, for I hold the key,
Their end won't come until it's me.
King of corpses, I rule alone,
Sealing them tight where none have known.
And as I write, with words so true,
Poetry remains what I love to do...