The castle where it all was destined to begin stood like a stone beast on the edge of a black cliff, overlooking a nameless sea—its waves crashing like curses upon forgotten corpses. It was called The Castle of Sighs, not because it made a sound, but because everyone who entered either came out broken… or never came out at all.
Raen arrived at its gate after two days of travel, accompanied by Sigard, who led like a man who knew too much. The path was not just perilous—it was haunted. Whispers with no source. Footsteps with no feet. Shadows moving without light.
At the Gate
He stood before the massive iron door. Knocked three times with his fist. No answer.
"You sure this is the place?" Raen's voice was edged with suspicion.
Sigard replied calmly, "She's testing us... Just like she tested me. If you hear nothing, it means you've been accepted."
And sure enough, the door creaked open slowly, the screech of rust slicing the silence like blades. A long corridor revealed itself, dark and damp, reeking of rot, blood… and betrayal.
Inside
Five figures awaited, cloaked in black robes, their faces hidden behind strange wooden masks. One stepped forward and handed Raen a black-sealed scroll. He opened it and read:
> "To open the Gate of Shadows, you must sacrifice three:
1. An innocent who knows no sin.
2. A lover who betrayed love.
3. A demon like yourself."
Raen chuckled softly, folding the parchment:
"One of those is easy... Two will be fun... And the third? Heh, I might be worse than him."
The First Blood
He was led to the castle's dungeon, where seven prisoners were held—no one knew who was who. The rule was simple: choose three. Kill them. Get it right… or else.
The altar was cold. The blood was still fresh from previous trials. He walked to the first prisoner—a young girl, barely fifteen. Shaking, crying, begging.
Raen drew his dagger. Stared into her teary eyes.
"The innocent doesn't beg… The innocent stares into death without a sound. You're afraid… that means you're guilty of something."
A stab to the heart. First down.
The second was a handsome man with a soft voice, claiming to be a heartbroken lover. Raen didn't let him speak long. He grabbed him by the hair, stared into his eyes:
"Liars speak well. Lovers bleed in silence. And you? You talk too damn much."
A clean slash. The head rolled. Second down.
The third prisoner was shackled in eight chains. Barely breathing. His body marked with old torture. He didn't utter a word.
Raen smiled and said quietly:
"You don't need to speak... I see myself in you."
He didn't kill him. He cut the chains and stood beside him.
"This one's the demon… You don't slaughter demons. You release them."
The ground beneath the altar cracked open. A hidden stairway revealed itself. The gate was calling.
A whisper echoed from below:
"Welcome, chaos-bringer… Welcome to the shadows."