Raijin and the others were walking behind Father Eldred. There wasn't much visible around them. The lantern in Father Eldred's hand only illuminated just enough of the path to walk.
After a few moments, a wall appeared ahead of them, cutting through the fog—about one meter high.
The place enclosed by those walls looked like a cage.
The iron mesh gate in the center creaked softly as Father Eldred slowly opened it.
The moment the gate opened—
A sharp gust of cold air rushed out from inside.
That air carried a mixture of soil and decay, hitting straight at their throats.
Even the ground felt different.
Soft… slightly sinking—
As if it had been dug up recently.
Above the gate, the triangular pendulum, its cracks, and the copper inlays were clearly visible under the moonlight.
Five figures stepped inside.
At the front—Father Eldred.
Behind him—Raijin, Sofiya, Ishan, and Kade.
The moment they entered—
The sounds of crying and screaming suddenly grew louder.
It was no longer just sound—
It had become a feeling.
But strangely—
They weren't afraid.
Instead, something else filled them—
Sorrow… pain… despair…
As if this place was pulling out the weakest emotions buried deep within them.
For a moment, a blood-soaked battlefield flashed before Raijin's eyes…
Broken weapons… and the feeling of an unknown defeat.
Sofiya felt a sharp emptiness in her chest—like she had lost something extremely dear.
Ishan's breathing grew heavy—his heart pounding with an unfamiliar fear.
Kade's hands began to tremble—like his body was slipping out of his control.
All around them were bushes growing up to their knees…
And between them, graves.
Each grave had a name engraved on it, along with the symbol of the Earth God—
The same triangle… the same cracks… the same copper lines.
Every step brushed against the bushes, creating rustling sounds—
And that only made the silence heavier.
After walking for a while, Father Eldred stopped.
He pointed toward the wall on the right.
"Follow this wall to the very end," he said in a low voice,
"There's a grave there. You'll recognize it the moment you see it."
"It will be broken… and it won't have the symbol of the Earth God."
He paused for a moment before continuing—
"It is bound to that grave."
"It cannot go beyond seven meters…
And do not go within five meters."
"Within that range… it can attack from anywhere."
"If you stay outside… it will only come from the front."
For a moment, his gaze lingered on Raijin—
"And be careful…
It attacks the mind more than the body."
After saying that, he turned back.
He took a few steps…
Then paused for a brief moment.
Slowly, he looked back.
That same smile was on his face—
But this time…
There was something off about it.
The flame of his lantern flickered slightly…
And the next moment, he disappeared into the fog.
For a brief second, Raijin raised his hand—
As if he wanted to say something—
But then he stood still.
He looked at the others.
Sofiya and Ishan stood quietly.
Kade was trembling slightly.
He pulled out his hammer and gripped it tightly.
Sofiya held a short sword—meant for close combat.
Ishan held two daggers—perfect for stealth attacks.
Raijin understood everything in a single glance.
Ishan — attacks from the shadows.
Kade — holds the front line.
Sofiya — finishes at close range.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Interesting…
Sofiya, Ishan, and Kade looked at him.
The same thought crossed their minds—
He's… still smiling?
By now, the light from Father Eldred's lantern had completely disappeared.
Raijin slightly bowed his head toward the distance in silent thanks…
And moved forward.
The others followed him.
The air had grown even colder.
In some places, the grass was moving slightly—
Even without any wind.
As they passed certain graves, it felt like faint whispers were coming from within…
But the moment they tried to focus—
Everything went silent again.
After a while—
They saw a grave.
It was different from the rest.
Broken… scattered…
As if someone had forcefully dug it up and then abandoned it.
At that exact moment—
A voice echoed inside Raijin's head.
This wasn't a howl.
It was a scream.
A scream…
That wasn't coming from outside—
But from within.
All four of them grabbed their heads at the same time.
The world suddenly felt heavy.
Their vision blurred.
Sounds stretched—
As if time itself had slowed down.
Raijin felt like something was clawing at his mind from the inside.
He wanted to scream—
But no sound came out.
His lips moved—
But no words followed.
Then—
Clang!
A sharp metallic sound echoed.
Sofiya, Ishan, and Kade immediately raised their weapons.
Their eyes turned toward Raijin.
Raijin was blocking something with his black sword.
But that "something" wasn't fully visible.
Only—
The air around it was bending.
As if something invisible existed there.
Slowly—
Its form began to take shape.
First, a vague shadow…
Then arms…
Then a body…
And finally—
Its full form appeared.
A humanoid figure—
But arms extending down to its elbows unnaturally long…
And legs like a wolf below the knees.
Thick fur…
Long claws…
And two sharp fangs tearing through its lips.
Its eyes—
Held a trace of humanity.
And along with it—
Clear sorrow… pain… and despair.
Raijin gritted his teeth.
His arm trembled—
But his sword did not move.
"This is a Grim Howler Wraith!"
He shouted loudly.
"Everyone, get ready!"
The Wraith's claws dug into Raijin's shoulder.
Pain shot through his body like lightning—
But more dangerous than that—
Was the storm rising inside his mind.
In a single moment—
Strange memories flashed before his eyes.
Blood…
Screams…
An unfinished life…
And a pain—
That wasn't his.
Yet—
He could feel it.
Raijin tightened his grip on the sword.
His breathing grew heavier.
But he did not pull his blade back.
.
.
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Thank You For Reading This Chaptar.
Author: Mohammed Zaid Saifi