Rhok kept running. His legs ached, and his breath grew short, but he didn’t stop. He had his memories back. He had Aby back. And now, all he wanted was to leave this cursed place behind.But the fog didn’t care.No matter how far he went, the mist stayed the same. Thick. Endless. Cold. Every tree looked like the last. Every rock looked familiar. He could’ve been running in circles for hours and wouldn’t even know it.'Aby, are we getting anywhere?'[YOU’VE BEEN RUNNING FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES IN A STRAIGHT LINE.]'And?'[AND YOU’RE STILL IN THE SAME LOCATION ACCORDING TO MY READINGS. THIS ISN’T A FOREST. THIS IS A LOOP.]Rhok cursed under his breath and stopped. The fog curled around his boots like it wanted him to give up again, to sit, to forget. To disappear.But not this time.He took a deep breath and turned around. “Alright. Fine. If I can’t run out, I’ll go to the source.”[FINALLY. I WAS STARTING TO THINK YOU WANTED TO BUILD A HOUSE HERE.]He rolled his eyes and walked back the wa

Rhok woke up with a start.His back was pressed against cold wood, and his head throbbed like he’d been clubbed viciously by a bunch of angry little goblins. The thought made him feel sour.His arms felt heavy, like they’d been frozen and thawed. His breath came out ragged, but it was breath, which meant he was alive.There was noise around him, numerous voices and movement. Plates clattering, then a hand touched his shoulder.“Hey,” someone said.Rhok blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting to the light. The fog was gone. He was inside a room. Lanterns hung from the ceiling. Wooden beams crossed overhead. It smelled like stew and smoke and... people? Actual people?A crowd stood around him. Villagers. Men and women. Their faces were pale and tired, but wide awake. Some looked confused. Others looked like they had just remembered who they were after being lost for years.A young man stood at the front. Brown jacket, short black hair, sharp eyes that looked like they had experienced thing

Rhok sat across from Lord Darrell in his third office. Luke stood nearby, arms crossed, silent but attentive. The large oak table between them was covered in maps, old reports, and a few strange crystal instruments that pulsed with dim light. The fireplace crackled in the corner, but the warmth didn’t reach Rhok. He still felt cold.“I need you to tell me everything,” Lord Darrell said, leaning forward. “Start from the beginning.”Rhok nodded slowly, eyes fixed on a smudge on the table.“It started with the village,” he said. “At first it just looked like a place abandoned by people, it looked and felt empty. But the moment I stepped into the fog, something felt… wrong.”He paused for a second, gathering the right words.“It wasn’t just mist. It pulled at me, my identity, my thoughts, my memories. Like it wanted me to forget who I was.”Lord Darrell’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Go on.”Rhok continued. “Time didn’t work right in there. I don’t know how long I was inside, but it felt like

Rhok had promised himself two days of rest. He ended up taking three.When he finally stepped out of his room, fully geared and ready for combat, Luke awaited him. The older yet young man had his usual half smile and polished armour that looked like it had never seen a real battle.Behind him were six knights. All dressed for travel. All silent.“Ready?” Luke asked casually.Rhok gave a small nod. “Let’s move.”And just like that, they set off for the battle frontlines.The journey wasn’t easy. It was harder than Rhok expected. The roads had long since been abandoned. Some parts of the forest looked like they’d been ripped open by explosions or massive creatures.They encountered monsters. Some are small and manageable, others are large enough to be a real problem. At one point, a massive four-eyed boar charged their camp at night. Rhok was the first to wake and the first to kill it, driving a frozen dagger into its head while it squealed like a dying pig.They roasted the meat and at

While the others sat in the war tent, speaking with hushed urgency about demon tactics, Rhok found it hard to breathe. Their voices rang in his ears, too loud and too sharp. Eryn was arguing about ambush locations. Liora was drawing out a map on the table with a bit of charcoal. Luke pointed at different flanks, giving orders like it was second nature to him. Dian stood silently, nodding, arms crossed like a boulder, stromg and immovable.Rhok stood there in the corner, watching all of it. But it felt like he wasn’t even there. Like his body was in the tent, but his head was stuck somewhere else.He quietly slipped out through the flap of the tent.The air outside was colder than he expected. It was night already, and the battlefield camp had quieted down a little. Torches burned here and there, casting long shadows across the field. Soldiers sharpened weapons or slept in groups, their armor stacked beside them.Rhok walked a bit until he found a flat rock near a burned out campfire.