Alec stepped out onto the street, stretching until his spine popped. The cold night air rushed into his lungs — crisp, clean, blessedly quiet. For the first time in days, his thoughts felt clear, sharp, as if the haze of exhaustion and fear had finally lifted just enough to let him breathe.
New Capita at night was a different creature entirely: nearly empty, its stone streets glowing under the soft light of lanterns. Shadows twisted in corners, long and lazy, yet somehow comforting. The only sounds were the faint murmur of distant taverns, the occasional clang of a smith's hammer, and the slow clop of a patrol's boots echoing down narrow alleys. The city felt older, quieter, as if it were a giant taking a breath between its daily roars of life.
So, he wandered. Alone. In the dark.
"—Yes, and then the ignorant boy realized that was a terrible idea and marched himself back to bed where he was safe and sound."
Alec froze mid-step.
That voice.
That damned voice.
He spun, scanning the shadows. Lanternlight danced across empty cobblestones, painting the world in shifting gold and black. But there was no one. Nothing.
He should've panicked. Truly. But instead, a strange calm settled over him — like meeting an old ghost you'd hoped was long gone, a shadow from childhood that somehow felt... familiar.
"I see you're back," he muttered, his voice low and tentative.
Silence stretched. Then—
"How long has it been? Twelve years?" said the voice, awkward and hesitant, almost shy.
"Thirteen, you ignorant child," it corrected, sharper this time, cutting through the night like a whip.
Alec actually jumped, heart leaping into his throat.
The mind demon — the voice that had haunted his early childhood whenever he strayed too close to the outer city — had returned. He thought he'd shaken it years ago, when he left the slums behind, when survival became more about muscle and steel than whispers and shadows.
"Why now?" Alec whispered, the question tasting like old fear on his tongue.
Before the voice could answer, a heavy hand clamped onto his shoulder.
"Everything all right, lad?" a city guard asked, calm but suspicious.
Alec jerked around. "Y-yes, sir. Couldn't sleep. Just needed some air. I'm heading back."
The guard studied him a moment longer, eyes narrowing as if he could see through Alec's skin into something darker beneath, then nodded and continued his patrol, boots echoing away into the night.
As soon as he was gone, the voice exhaled dramatically.
"You let a man walk right up behind you. Again. Pathetic. Honestly, how are you still alive? If someone had gutted you, who would I torment for eternity?"
Alec groaned, rubbing his temples. "I didn't miss this."
"Liar," it purred. "You missed me terribly."
"Go to hell," Alec muttered, though part of him half-wished it could have been gone forever.
"I have. You'd hate it."
He trudged back toward the inn as the voice muttered a steady stream of insults and complaints about "soft-brained mortals." It didn't cease until he collapsed into bed — and even then, sleep came only under the faint, echoing laughter curling around the edges of his mind like smoke.
Morning came too soon.
Blankets ripped away.
"Alec! Get up!" Zoe chirped, equal parts excited and annoyed. "Come on, the day's wasting!"
Alec groaned, burying his face in the pillow. "Five more minutes..."
Zoe grabbed his wrist and hauled him upright with surprising strength. "Nope! We've got exploring to do!"
He squinted blearily, head pounding from the voice's constant nighttime rambling. Meanwhile, Zoe practically vibrated with energy — the capital was huge, dazzling, alive, and she wanted to see everything before the king's summons could claim them.
Alec followed, dragging his feet, through bustling morning streets crowded with traders, guards, and traveling merchants. The smell of fresh bread and spices drifted past, mingling with smoke and chatter, forming a dense, warm fog of human life. Overwhelming, yes — but comforting too, a reminder that people still lived, still carried on, despite monsters, destruction, and death that waited beyond the city walls.
Just when he thought she was steering them toward the markets, Zoe abruptly veered left and yanked him through the heavy oak doors of—
The Hunters' Guild.
Noise slammed into him instantly — laughter, clinking mugs, shouts from every corner. Warriors and adventurers lounged at tables in steel and leather, comparing scars or arguing over pay. A bard strummed on a lute, singing of a dragon slain in the northern hills, while a pair of dwarves traded blows in a mock sparring match on the far side of the hall.
Zoe marched straight to the front desk.
"We'd like to register as hunters," she announced proudly, chin high.
The clerk, clearly used to hyperfocused teenagers, handed them forms. After a few signatures, each received a copper plate stamped with their names.
"We did it!" Zoe cheered, bouncing on her toes. "We're officially hunters!"
Alec managed a smile, caught between pride and nerves. "Guess so."
Before they could savor the moment, a voice called out, "Alec and Zoe?"
A seasoned hunter approached, a broad-shouldered human with a weathered face that had seen too many fights. Behind him, four others followed: a burly warrior, an elf rogue, a cleric, and a mage, each radiating quiet competence and dangerous calm.
"We'll be your dungeon guides," the warrior said, voice steady and commanding. "First-timers always get supervision. Our job: make sure you don't get yourselves killed before lunch."
"Thanks," Zoe said, all grace and politeness, but her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Later that day, Alec, Zoe, Zua, and their guides stood before a newly discovered dungeon just outside the city.
Carter, the team's leader, eyed the stone archway. "Copper-rank clearance. Scouts say nothing lethal, but keep your eyes open."
Torches lit damp corridors as they descended. The air was cold, heavy with moss, and carried the faint stench of decay. Alec kept glancing over his shoulder — something felt wrong. Watched. Hunted. But each time he turned, nothing was there, only shadows twisting unnaturally, like the walls themselves were breathing.
Something darted around a corner — quick, silent, barely visible.
"Keep up, rookie!" Carter barked.
Alec jogged to catch up, missing the faint glow of red eyes watching from the shadows, rows of jagged teeth curling into a grin.
Then—
Click.
The sound echoed like a scream.
"A horde trap!" Galla, the elf, yelled, bow drawn in one smooth motion.
Wolves poured from the walls — dozens of them — snarling, eyes wild, teeth bared. Their fur seemed to shimmer with shadow, almost unreal in the torchlight.
"These don't belong in copper dungeons!" roared Gimmel the dwarf as he cleaved two in a single swing.
Chaos erupted. Blood slicked the floor. The seasoned hunters swept through the pack like a storm, leaving Alec, Zoe, and Zua standing uselessly behind them, hearts pounding, stomachs tight with fear.
"What kind of trap spawns that many?" Galla gasped.
"No idea," Carter growled. "Stay sharp — this place is wrong."
They pushed deeper, fighting through goblins, bats, and more wolves until they reached the next floor. Carter halted, sensing the shift in the air.
"It's too quiet," Alec whispered.
"Exactly," Carter murmured. "Quiet means one of two things: boss room... or an abnormal."
Zua blinked. "Abnormal?"
"Rare monster. Strong. Very strong. Everything else goes silent before it strikes."
As they walked, Alec noticed faint carvings on the walls — ancient hieroglyphs showing soldiers battling a dragon, then the dragon transforming into a lone warrior wearing a strange gear-shaped watch. In the final panel, the warrior shattered into shards of light.
"What the hell?" Zoe whispered.
"Some old conflict," Anna murmured, tracing the lines with her finger. "Looks like they tried to destroy something—"
The ground shook violently. Dust rained down. A colossal howl cracked through the corridor, reverberating into their bones.
"What was that?" Alec breathed.
Carter's face went pale.
"Boss room."
The stone door exploded outward in a wave of shattered magic.
From within lumbered a massive monster — part wolf, part bear — wreathed in black-and-red flames. Flames Alec recognized. Flames he would never forget.
Demon fire.
The creature growled, a sound that vibrated in their bones, rattling teeth and shivering courage.
Carter raised his sword. "Formation! Protect the rookies!"
Zoe's hand found Alec's as the beast lunged.
And in that heartbeat — that single suspended moment — the mocking voice in Alec's head went utterly, terrifyingly silent.