Early in the morning, a crowd moved in silence toward the ruins of Palmyra. The sun had barely begun to rise, and the hill was covered with figures climbing steadily toward the ancient castle. They did not speak to one another or exchange glances; they walked as if driven by a single, invisible purpose.
Around one hundred people crossed the timeworn stone entrance and gathered in the central courtyard. When the last of them stepped inside, the silence became absolute, dense, almost unnatural. Entire families stood within the castle walls.
Then a voice echoed inside their minds, deep and clear, as if it had been waiting for that precise moment.
"The last one standing will be blessed by our god."
Many clutched their heads. Others dropped to their knees in confusion. But the voice did not stop.
"To achieve that… you must kill each other."
