THE STRANGE SIGNS
It began with whispers.
Villagers near the borders started reporting strange movements at night—shadows that moved without sound, figures seen but never caught.
Then came the disappearances.
Soldiers sent to patrol never returned. Messengers vanished halfway through their journeys. Fear slowly crept back into the hearts of the people.
One evening, a wounded guard staggered into the palace.
"They're back…" he gasped before collapsing.
Ava stood up immediately.
"Who is back?"
The guard whispered weakly,
"The Black Order…"
A NAME FROM THE PAST
The room fell silent.
Ic's expression changed instantly. He stepped forward.
"That name should not exist anymore," he said.
Ana turned to him. "You know them?"
Ic nodded slowly.
"They were once a secret force… stronger than any army. Silent. Deadly. Loyal to no kingdom."
Berry clenched his fist.
"I thought they were wiped out during the last war."
Ic shook his head.
"No… they don't die easily."
That night, the kingdom was attacked.
Not by an army.
But by shadows.
Guards fell without seeing their enemies. Arrows came from nowhere. Gates were opened from within.
By the time the alarm was fully raised, the attackers were gone.
But they left something behind.
A symbol.
A black mark carved into the palace wall.
Ava stared at it.
"What does it mean?"
Ic stepped closer, his voice low.
"It means… this is only the beginning."
Below the mark, words were written:
"The King may be dead… but his shadow lives."
Ava's eyes widened.
"Tyler…?"
Ic didn't answer immediately.
But deep down… he knew.
This war was not over.