As midnight approached, the camp settled down, everyone preparing to rest. But before that, they had one st task—writing their names on scraps of paper and pcing them into a wooden bowl. Tonight’s watchmen would be chosen by chance.

  Rain could only hope his name wouldn’t be drawn.

  'Please, gods, not me. I need to be at my best. Now that I know we're being watched by something in this damned forest…'

  As he watched the others drop their names into the bowl, he was surprised to see Diego add his as well.

  'Even though he’s one of the captains, he’s not giving himself any special treatment.'

  Once everyone had finished, Frank’s voice cut through the murmurs.

  "Alright, quiet!"

  The camp fell silent almost instantly.

  "I'm picking the names now," Frank announced.

  Tension hung in the air. No one wanted to be chosen—it meant less sleep, and in the Forsakened Vale, exhaustion could be fatal.

  Frank reached into the bowl and pulled out the first name.

  Rain held his breath.

  "Derrick!"

  "Goddammit!" Derrick groaned, met with ughter from the crowd and sighs of relief from those still safe.

  "Bob!"

  Bob’s eyes welled with tears. "Oh gods, why me?"

  One by one, names were drawn, and with each passing moment, Rain’s unease grew. The fewer names left, the greater his chances.

  Then, Frank called a familiar one.

  "Captain Diego!"

  Rain immediately gnced at him. Diego didn’t flinch, didn’t even seem remotely bothered.

  'He really got picked... and he’s just fine with it.'

  Before Rain could dwell on it further, Frank pulled the final name.

  "And finally... Rain!"

  Rain blinked, stunned, then groaned in frustration.

  'Goddammit… Ah, this sucks.'

  As the lot was finished, everyone got ready to rest—except for Rain. His expression showed obvious annoyance as he made his way to his assigned station.

  Hours passed. Rain’s eyes grew droopy—he wasn’t used to staying up like this. Back in the vilge, he always slept early.

  'Goddammit... Why did I have to get picked?'

  His eyelids began to close when a familiar voice snapped him awake.

  "Rain."

  It was Diego. Rain instantly tensed up, jolted awake at the sound of his voice.

  "Hello, Captain."

  Diego’s tone was calm—almost lifeless—as he spoke in a soft voice.

  "I want to ask you more questions. I find you very interesting."

  Rain forced himself to remain polite, though deep down, he was annoyed.

  "What is it, Captain?"

  Diego cleared his throat before speaking. "You're Frederick’s son, are you not?"

  Rain met Diego’s gaze with silent acknowledgment. He wasn’t surprised Diego knew his father. After a brief hesitation, he answered.

  "Yes."

  Diego, deep in thought, seemed mildly amused by this revetion. "I see."

  Rain knew Diego was intrigued by him. If he was going to give up information, he might as well get something in return.

  "Why do you ask, Captain?"

  Diego met Rain’s eyes with a rare look of respect. "He was my tutor. He taught me how to fight and control essence when I was chosen to be an Essence Whisperer."

  Rain studied Diego, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

  'So Diego is my father's student? Interesting… If that’s true, then he probably respects my father and won’t put me in harm’s way. I could also use him to get more information about this expedition.'

  Rain held Diego’s gaze. "I see."

  He hesitated before adding, "Can I ask you a question of my own, Captain?"

  A flicker of surprise crossed Diego’s face—he hadn’t expected Rain to be this forward.

  "What is it?"

  Rain hesitated, then spoke. "Why didn’t the vilge elders send all their forces this time… or in the previous expeditions?"

  He continued, "Surely they must know there’s strength in numbers? We could’ve been rescued by the Kingdom by now if they had."

  Diego held Rain’s gaze for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

  "Because the Forsakened Vale is too dangerous," he said, his voice steady but firm. "If you send all your forces at once and get unlucky just once, you lose everything."

  He gnced toward the dark treetops, his red eyes reflecting the faint glow of the campfire.

  "This forest doesn’t just kill—it wipes out entire groups without a trace. A single wrong turn, a single encounter with the wrong creature, and you’re gone. No reinforcements. No survivors to warn the next group. Just silence."

  His fingers lightly tapped the hilt of his sword.

  "The elders know this. That’s why they send expeditions in smaller waves—if one fails, the next can learn from their mistakes. It’s not about saving us… it’s about making sure someone, eventually, succeeds."

  Diego turned back to Rain, his expression unreadable.

  "That’s why we’re here. We’re expendable."

  Rain responded "Is that why they didn't send in a Seeker for this expedition."

  Diego’s expression didn’t change, but there was a brief pause before he answered.

  "Exactly."

  He shifted slightly, his gaze flickering toward the dark forest.

  "Seekers are powerful, but they aren’t invincible. If one died here, it would be an irrepceable loss. The elders won’t risk that—not until they’re sure it’s worth it."

  His fingers tightened slightly on his sword hilt.

  "They send people like us first. To map the dangers. To test if survival is even possible. Only when they believe the path can be cleared will they send a Seeker."

  Rain took a slow breath, steadying himself. His frustration was still there, but he let it simmer beneath the surface rather than boil over.

  "So that’s it, then?" he said, his tone measured but sharp. "Throw bodies at the problem until someone stumbles onto a solution?"

  He met Diego’s gaze, his expression unreadable, but there was an edge to his voice.

  "That’s not persistence—that’s desperation. A pn that relies on luck isn’t a pn at all. And if the elders truly believed in this method, they would’ve sent a Seeker by now, no matter the risk."

  He let the words sink in for a moment before adding,

  "Unless, of course, they already know something they aren’t telling us."

  Diego’s eyes narrowed slightly, but there was no anger—only quiet contemption.

  "You’re sharper than I expected," he murmured.

  He let a brief silence stretch between them before continuing, his voice as calm as ever.

  "They know more than they let on. That much is obvious. But the real question is how much they know—and why they’re still holding back."

  His fingers tapped lightly against the hilt of his sword, a slow, rhythmic motion.

  "Most expeditions don’t come back. And the ones that do? They barely bring anything of value. A few scattered notes, vague warnings, half-truths. But to the elders, that’s enough. Enough to justify sending the next wave. Enough to keep them believing that progress is being made, no matter how slow… or how costly."

  His red eyes flickered with something unreadable.

  "If they had the full picture, they wouldn’t still be sending expendable groups like ours. Which means either they don’t have all the answers… or they do, and they’re waiting for something."

  Diego’s gaze met Rain’s, steady and unwavering.

  "Either way, we’re just pieces on their board. The only choice we have is whether we py along… or find a way to change the game."

  Rain exhaled slowly, letting Diego’s words settle. He wanted to argue, to push back against the cold logic of it all, but deep down, he knew there was truth in what Diego was saying.

  'No matter how fwed the system is, it’s still working—just enough for the elders to keep using it.'

  His fingers curled slightly at his sides, but he forced himself to rex. Fighting against the reality of the situation wouldn’t change anything. At least, not yet.

  "...I see," Rain finally said, his voice quieter now.

  Diego studied Rain for a moment. His expression remained calm, but his red eyes flickered with something unreadable.

  Rain’s face was composed—calm and collected—but Diego could see through it. Beneath that steady gaze, there was something else. Something cold. Something resentful.

  Diego hesitated for a brief moment before speaking.

  "Rain," he said, his voice quieter now. "Do you know why we’re here in the first pce?"

  Rain met Diego’s gaze but said nothing. His silence was answer enough.

  Diego exhaled softly, nodding as if he had expected that response.

  "Then listen closely," he said, his voice steady. "Because knowing why we’re here is just as important as surviving it."

  Diego studied Rain for a moment before speaking.

  "Aureltador, a city under the Empire of Egertha, once sent a grand expedition into this forest," he began. "They weren’t like us—weak, expendable. They were strong. Essence Whisperers, far beyond the initiate stage. Warriors who should have been able to carve a path through this pce."

  His gaze flickered toward the darkness beyond the campfire.

  "But they never returned."

  Diego let the weight of his words sink in before continuing.

  "They were ambushed. Caught off guard by something in this forest. Almost wiped out completely. But luck—pure, blind luck—saved the few that remained. They stumbled upon a hidden pce, a space shielded by a massive tree, taller than any other. It blocked the view from above, gave them room to breathe, even had a spring of fresh water."

  Rain’s eyes widened slightly as the realization hit him. He met Diego’s gaze, his voice quieter but firm.

  "That’s our vilge."

  Diego didn’t respond immediately. He simply watched Rain, letting him piece it together on his own.

  "Yes," Diego finally said. "The survivors of that failed expedition… they’re the ones who built the vilge. They didn’t return to Aureltador because they couldn’t."

  He exhaled, gncing toward the dark treetops.

  "They were never meant to settle here. But in the end, they had no choice."

  Rain let out a quiet breath, his expression unreadable.

  "So, we were never supposed to be here," he muttered. "The ones who survived just got stuck… and now we’re the ones paying for it."

  He shook his head slightly.

  "And the elders keep sending people, hoping someone will finally fix their mistake."

  Rain gnced at Diego, his voice ft.

  "You think this expedition will be any different?"

  Diego could only respond in a helpless voice, "I don’t know, but I won’t give up… even if it’s hopeless."

  Rain studied him for a moment, his usual sharpness giving way to something more thoughtful. For all of Diego’s strength and authority, there was no arrogance in his words—just simple determination.

  For that, Rain felt a hint of respect.

  Before either of them could say more, they noticed the thick fog that still bnketed the forest.

  The sun itself was hidden, but faint rays of light managed to pierce through in thin streaks, casting a dim glow over the camp.

  That was their sign.

  Morning had come. It was almost time to continue the expedition yet again.