When night fell, the group made their way to a modest inn in the heart of Geffen. The building, made of sturdy timber, carried the scent of freshly baked bread mixed with the waxy aroma of melting candles. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with wooden tables scattered around the main hall and a handful of people speaking in hushed voices. The owner — an elderly man who seemed uneasy about hosting warriors in such troubled times — quickly led them to their rooms.
Dagrík and Kjetil stayed in one of the rooms on the ground floor, while Thanatos and Einar shared a smaller, though comfortable, room upstairs with two single beds.
As they unpacked their modest bags, Einar grinned and tried to lighten the mood.
"Did you see that blacksmith? Looked like he was about to smash our heads in with that hammer," he joked, flopping onto his bed.
Thanatos chuckled, still a little tense.
"He was kind of scary. But hey — at least we got something useful out of him."
Rolling his eyes, Einar grabbed a pillow and tossed it at Thanatos.
"Useful? I'd call those ghost stories for kids. 'The governor and the guards were empty.' What kind of answer is that?"
Thanatos dodged the pillow and threw it back.
"Better than hearing about ghosts and shadows, I'd say."
Their banter quickly turned playful, and for a while, they laughed and teased each other, letting the weight of the day lift, if only briefly. Finally, Einar lay back, staring at the ceiling.
"You think we'll figure this out, Thanatos? Feels… bigger than us."
Thanatos felt the weight of the question settle in his chest.
"I don't know. But Dagrík and Kjetil are here. They always find a way… right?"
Einar gave a faint smile, closing his eyes.
"I hope so. Good night, then. And no snoring, you hear?"
The night passed quietly, but Thanatos' mind was chaos.
In his dreams, he found himself back in that fateful camp, one year before. The scene was painfully vivid: Liv stood before him, sword raised, facing off against the elves invading their camp.
He tried to run to her, shouting her name, but his body wouldn't move — as though he were sinking into quicksand. He watched as the fatal blow struck Liv down, the metallic ring of a blade slicing through flesh and the echo of her dying cries filling his ears. Her eyes met his, not with fear, but with sorrow. She tried to say something, but he couldn't hear it.
Suddenly, the scene shifted.
He stood alone in a desolate field, swallowed by thick, suffocating mist. From the haze, a figure appeared — Liv. But something was wrong. Her eyes were empty, her skin pale. She stepped closer, reaching out to him, and spoke in a cold, lifeless voice.
"You failed me, Thanatos."
He jolted awake, gasping, his heart pounding in his chest. The room was dark, lit only by the faint glow of moonlight spilling in through the window. Einar slept soundly, mumbling something unintelligible in his sleep. Thanatos got up and walked to the window, trying to steady his breathing.
That's when he saw it.
A child, hair white as snow, standing still outside the inn, staring directly at him. Thanatos blinked, sure he was still dreaming — but the figure didn't disappear.
Intrigued and slightly unsettled, he grabbed his clothes and slipped quietly out of the room, careful not to wake Einar.
He descended the creaky stairs and stepped out into the cold night air, his pulse quickening. He made his way to the spot where he'd seen the figure, but it was gone. Looking around, the streets were silent, empty.
Then — small hands covered his eyes.
Thanatos jumped back, spinning around, fists raised.
The moonlight revealed Elina, smiling mischievously.
"You scare easy, don't you?" she teased, crossing her arms.
"Elina? What are you doing here at this hour?" Thanatos asked, his face betraying his confusion.
She hesitated for a moment before answering.
"I couldn't sleep. And… I've heard rumors. Rumors about what you and the others are investigating. I want to help."
"You snuck out, alone, in the middle of the night… for this?" Thanatos raised an eyebrow.
"I knew you'd understand," she said, ignoring his skeptical tone. She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"The tower. That's where the answer is. Something's down there… beneath the tower. Something that's causing all these nightmares."
Thanatos frowned.
"How do you know that?"
"I feel it," Elina said, placing a hand on her chest. "Something's calling to me. And I think… I think you feel it too, don't you?"
Thanatos hesitated, the memory of his nightmare still clinging to him, the heavy, suffocating dread that hung over the city. Slowly, he gave in.
"But Dagrík and Kjetil would never let us go there."
"Which is exactly why we have to do this alone," Elina replied, determination burning in her eyes.
"Tomorrow. Meet me in front of the tower. We'll go in, and we'll find out what's really happening."
Thanatos wanted to argue, to dismiss her, but something in Elina's voice — the urgency in her words — settled his doubts.
He nodded, reluctantly.
"All right. Tomorrow."
The sun had barely risen above the horizon when the group gathered in the small dining room of the inn. The weak light seeping through the windows painted the room in pale hues, casting flickering shadows on the wooden walls. Thanatos and Einar were the last to come down, both looking weary, their faces marked by a restless night's sleep. Kjetil sat with his arms crossed, a serious expression on his face. Beside him, Dagrík studied a map of the city.
"You took your time," Dagrík said without lifting his gaze from the map. "I hope you're rested — we have a long day ahead."
Thanatos took a seat next to Einar, who yawned and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Rested, boss? Kinda hard when your head's full of nightmares," Einar muttered, trying to lighten the mood with his usual sarcasm.
Kjetil glanced up, frowning. "Nightmares? You too?"
"Who here didn't?" Einar asked, scanning the table. "It felt like something was pulling me down, holding me there… weird stuff."
Thanatos stared down at the empty plate in front of him, avoiding the others' eyes. "Me too," he said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper. He didn't go into detail, but the images from the night before — Liv, the blood, the screams — still clung to him like a curse. The weight of that loss felt as fresh as if it had happened just yesterday.
Dagrík finally lifted his gaze from the map, fixing a stern look on the group. "Whether it's coincidence or something more, it doesn't matter. Focus on the mission. There's work to do, and time isn't on our side."
Thanatos, seizing the chance to follow his own plan, spoke up. "Maybe we should split up today. Cover more ground, gather more information."
The suggestion was well received. Dagrík quickly decided it would be more efficient if everyone worked alone, each taking a different part of the city. He would personally handle the western sector, while Kjetil would search the eastern outskirts for anything unusual. Thanatos would be responsible for gathering testimonies around the central square, and Einar was tasked with visiting the workshops and shops in the market district.
"Be careful," Kjetil warned as he stood, his expression grave. "This city… it's different. More than it lets on. Don't underestimate what might be lurking out there."
Thanatos nodded, the weight of those words settling in his chest. As he prepared to leave, his eyes drifted to the horizon, where the city's central tower loomed like a silent, ancient sentinel against the gray sky. He knew that was where he truly needed to be.