Mark of the Forsaken

  Seraphina’s expression darkened, her voice cold and firm.

  “This… is a symbol of a curse.”

  Edwin’s jaw tightened as he nodded. “Yes. The symbol of an Evil Continent Vendrix—Wrath and Envy incarnate.” His tone was laced with a grim finality. “It marks all who dwell in the Evil Continent—a twisted insignia scorched onto their foreheads by the will of Solmara, the Sun God, and Terrains, the Earth Goddess. Their punishment for sins beyond redemption.”

  Rin’s eyes narrowed as he studied the unsettling symbol.

  “A curse…? An eternal mark?” He whispered, a chill crawling down his spine.

  Edwin’s gaze was hard. “This curse cannot be sealed, removed, or banished. It binds the souls of the forsaken for all eternity. No matter where they go… they remain marked.”

  Rin’s mind raced, piecing together the fragments. But then—

  “Wait… Evil Continent?” Rin’s brow furrowed. “Why don’t I know anything about that? I’ve read nearly every history book in our family’s library. So why…” His voice trailed off, confusion clouding his thoughts.

  Seraphina’s expression softened as she gently patted his head.

  “All information about the Evil Continent is strictly controlled, Rin. Only the academies and royal families have access to that knowledge. When you join the academy… you’ll learn the truth.”

  Rin’s jaw clenched, but he gave a quiet nod. There was no point in asking further. The answers would come… in time.

  “Dad…” Rin’s voice steadied as he shifted his focus. “When do you leave for the Noble Council?”

  Edwin’s expression hardened, his eyes distant.

  “At noon,” he said, his tone firm but quiet. “I’ll depart as soon as the sun is at its peak.”

  A Baron’s Duty

  Edwin’s gaze was sharp, yet his tone carried a hint of caution.

  “Rin,” he said, his voice steady, “don’t lose the holy sword you brought back from Willowshade Village. It’s more than just a weapon… it’s vital evidence.”

  Rin nodded firmly, the weight of responsibility settling in his eyes.

  But then, he took a step forward.

  “Dad, Mom…” he paused, his voice unwavering. “I want to go to Duskwind Barony.”

  Seraphina’s expression shifted, concern clouding her features.

  “You just woke up yesterday, Rin,” she said softly, her hand brushing gently through his hair. “Please… rest a little longer.”

  But Rin’s resolve was unshaken.

  He shook his head. “As the acting baron… I can’t neglect my duties.”

  His eyes burned with quiet determination, a resolve that could not be swayed.

  Edwin met his son’s gaze, recognizing that familiar unyielding spirit.

  Seraphina sighed softly, her worry evident, but she knew arguing was pointless.

  “Just…” her voice was barely above a whisper. “Stay safe, Rin.”

  Edwin placed a firm hand on Rin’s shoulder.

  “If you need help—anything—don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Rin gave a small, reassuring nod.

  “I will.”

  But deep down, they all knew—Rin was stepping further into a world where safety was never guaranteed.

  A Foreboding Departure

  The sun hung high in the sky as noon arrived.

  Count Edwin stood by the carriage, his expression calm but carrying the weight of duty.

  He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on Seraphina’s forehead before pulling her into a brief, reassuring embrace. Then, he knelt slightly to Rin’s level, his large hands resting firmly on his son’s shoulders.

  “Take care of your mother while I’m gone.” His voice was low but steady.

  Rin nodded, his heart pounding.

  “Safe journey, Dad.”

  “Stay safe, both of you.” Edwin’s gaze lingered on them for a moment longer before he turned,

  stepping into his own carriage bound for the Imperial Capital.

  As Edwin’s carriage disappeared down the road, a quiet stillness fell over the estate.

  Not long after—

  It was Rin’s turn.

  Seraphina stood before him, her eyes soft yet clouded with concern. She knelt, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close.

  “Rin…” Seraphina’s voice quivered, her hands gently cupping his face. “No matter what… come back to me.”

  Her lips pressed softly against his forehead, lingering as if trying to seal her warmth into his skin.

  Rin swallowed hard, his throat tightening. “I promise, Mom… I’ll come back.”

  He climbed into the wagon where Lucien and Elysia were already waiting, their expressions composed but watchful.

  As the wagon began to move, the distance between him and his mother grew.

  Rin’s eyes lingered on her figure standing at the gate, her form shrinking with every passing moment.

  But with that distance… came a strange, unsettling feeling.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  His heartbeat quickened.

  Why… why do I feel this way?

  The steady rhythm of the wagon couldn’t drown out the growing unease in his chest.

  Is something… going to happen?

  Rin’s fingers curled into his palms, his mind clouded by a sense of dread he couldn’t shake.

  And yet, the road stretched ahead silent and unforgiving.

  Whispers of Departure

  Duskwind Barony greeted Rin with a quiet resilience.

  But his destination was clear.

  The wagon rolled to a stop at Willowshade Village, where the remnants of chaos were slowly giving way to recovery. Though the scars of the recent attack lingered, hope had begun to take root.

  Rin’s feet barely touched the ground before a familiar voice called out.

  “Young Master…”

  Cain.

  The loyal knight stood nearby, his sharp eyes scanning Rin for any signs of weakness. Despite his usual stoic demeanor, the slight relief in his voice was impossible to miss.

  “Are you well now?” Cain asked, his tone softer than usual.

  Rin nodded, but as he looked around, he noticed the villagers gathering faces filled with awe, as though a shooting star had landed in their midst.

  Emotion swelled in Rin’s chest. He took a step forward, his voice steady yet laced with gratitude.

  “Cain… thank you.” His gaze was unwavering, sincerity etched into every word. “I failed as a lord when they needed me… but you stood by them. You protected them when I couldn’t.”

  Cain’s posture straightened, but Rin could see it—the subtle shift in his expression.

  Acknowledgement.

  “Young Master,” Cain spoke softly, almost as if bracing himself. “Since you’re here… I’d like to take my leave.”

  Rin blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

  “Leave? Where?”

  Cain’s eyes sharpened with resolve.

  “To my master… for training.”

  “Your master?” Rin’s brow furrowed.

  “Lord Alden von Everhart,” Cain answered, his tone filled with unwavering respect.

  Before Rin could process the name, Cain’s figure began to fade.

  Drawn into his own shadow.

  “Cain… what are you talking about?” Rin’s voice wavered, his heart pounding.

  But as Cain’s figure faded into the shadows, Rin’s voice grew more desperate.

  “Wait! Don’t just leave like that! Cain!”

  Silence answered him, and the chill of emptiness settled in Rin’s chest. Rin's voice echoed through the village.

  But Cain was already gone.

  A frustrated sigh escaped Rin’s lips.

  “I’ll just ask Grandpa when he returns…” he muttered, trying to brush off the unease growing in his mind.

  But as he glanced around the quiet village, he couldn’t help but mumble under his breath—

  “Seriously… why is everyone vanishing? And why can’t I do that?”

  Echoes of the Fallen

  Willowshade had changed.

  Lucien, Rin, and Elysia wandered through the village, their footsteps light but their hearts heavy. The faces they encountered no longer wore expressions of fear or despair. Instead, their gazes held hope—a quiet, growing respect for Rin.

  But that hope couldn’t mask the lingering sorrow.

  Their path led them to the village graveyard.

  Rows upon rows of freshly dug graves filled every inch of space. Families knelt before them, tears staining the earth as they mourned their loved ones.

  The air was thick—too heavy to breathe.

  Rin’s chest tightened. Lucien’s cheerful spark had long since dimmed, and Elysia’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears. The three of them couldn’t bear it any longer.

  They ran.

  As if fleeing a nightmare, their footsteps carried them to the cliff’s edge where the village met the sky.

  They collapsed in silence, watching as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the distant ruins of Willowshade in shades of crimson and gold.

  Lucien’s usual chatter was gone, replaced by quiet grief. Elysia’s hands trembled, her heart fighting the emptiness that surrounded them.

  Rin stood between them, his gaze lost in the dying light.

  “Death… it’s always so close.” Rin’s voice trembled, barely louder than the wind. “Like shadows that follow light… it never really goes away.”

  His fingers brushed against the ground, feeling the cold earth. “But even the longest night… ends with dawn. And when that dawn comes…” His gaze lifted to the horizon, where the first stars began to appear. “We’ll carry their stories with us… until the light returns.”

  Lucien’s eyes reflected the unspoken pain. Elysia clenched her fists, struggling against the weight of loss.

  “Willowshade may have fallen,” Rin murmured, his voice steady yet laced with quiet resolve, “but it’s not the end. Their stories… they don’t disappear. They become the roots of what’s to come. And when the sun rises again…” His gaze softened as the first stars appeared above them.

  “…we’ll carry that hope forward.”

  The silence that followed was heavy but no longer suffocating.

  Embers of Hope

  As evening descended, Rin, Lucien, and Elysia approached the Baron’s mansion. The fading sunlight cast long shadows, but ahead, a flicker of warmth caught their eyes.

  Laughter.

  They turned to see a group of Willowshade’s children gathered around a crackling campfire. Their small voices rose in song, clear and full of life.

  “A spark today, a fire tomorrow,

  Burning away all pain and sorrow.

  A light so bright, it breaks the night,

  Guiding us toward… what’s right.”

  Their innocent joy danced with the flames, their feet moving in playful rhythm.

  Rin’s heart clenched. Willowshade.

  A village that had endured five years of famine and the horrors of that night. Crushed, yet unbroken.

  But here—hope still burned.

  These children weren’t just surviving. They were igniting a future.

  Rin’s gaze softened as the firelight reflected in his eyes.

  Willowshade’s future had already begun to change.

  The Shattering of Calm

  Night draped Duskwind Barony in silence, but within Rin’s chambers, that silence shattered.

  A sharp poke.

  Rin stirred, eyes fluttering open to see an obsidian crystal hovering inches from his forehead. Its dark surface pulsed with an eerie glow, sending a chill down his spine.

  “Eclipse Crystal?”

  His eyes widened in shock. Emergency communication. He’d read about it—once in a dusty tome buried deep in the family library.

  Eclipsed Messenger – an ancient artifact used only in dire moments.

  “Report.”

  The crystal vibrated as a familiar voice echoed Kaulin, the Everhart head maid.

  “Young Master Rin… please… return to Everhart Mansion immediately. Madam Countess… she…” Kaulin’s voice cracked. “…she fainted and fell. The Count is still in the Imperial Capital. We’ve summoned a High Priest from the Church of Terranis, but…”

  The message ended.

  The crystal crumbled into dust.

  Silence.

  Rin’s hands clenched the sheets, trembling. His breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding violently.

  “Mom…?”

  Images flooded his mind. Her smile when he was born. Her gentle touch, playing with his tiny hands. The warmth that shielded him through two lifetimes.

  Why?

  His vision blurred as tears welled up. Why her?

  “DARIUS!”

  The mansion echoed with his roar.

  Footsteps thundered down the hall as the entire household stirred awake. Lucien and Elysia burst into the corridor, concern etched in their faces.

  “Rin! What happened?” Lucien asked, his voice urgent.

  Rin’s lips trembled. His voice barely escaped, strangled by emotion.

  “M-Mom…” Rin’s voice cracked, his throat tightening painfully. “She… she collapsed…”

  His vision blurred as dread gripped his heart. “Lucien… Elysia…” His voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried the weight of a thousand fears.

  Elysia’s breath hitched, her eyes wide with shock. Lucien’s face paled, his usual confidence shattered.

  But before either of them could speak—

  “DARIUS!” Rin’s voice echoed with raw desperation, shaking the very walls of the mansion again, commanding. “Prepare the carriage. I’m leaving immediately!”

  Darius appeared like a shadow, bowing.

  “It will be ready within minutes, Young Master.”

  Rin turned, his gaze landing on Ronin and Selina.

  “In my absence… fulfill my duties.”

  Their heads bowed, unwavering. “Rest assured, Young Master.”

  Moments later, the carriage stood ready, horses restless as if sensing the urgency.

  Rin climbed in, his body tense, his mind swirling with dread. Lucien and Elysia flanked him, silent but resolute.

  As the wheels rolled into the night, darkness enveloped them.

  But what awaited them Beyond that darkness…

  Only fate knew.