Forest of Lies and Deceit

Silas stayed silent, waiting for Roland to continue. When the man didn't speak, Silas broke the silence.

"How?"

Roland sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. "The man who needs it might not be able to use it. His name is Jack. His son came here two days ago and told me that his father has been refusing to eat. What little food he managed to consume; he kept vomiting."

Roland's gaze fell to his clasped hands. "[Red Valera] is our last hope for uncovering the truth behind what happened to him. But it seems we may never know that truth."

Suddenly, the door swung open with a crash, startling Silas from his seat. A young boy with blonde hair burst into the hotel with tears streaming down his face. He couldn't have been much older than Silas.

"Mr. Roland!" the boy cried, rushing towards the man. "My father, he's missing again. I was cooking dinner, and when I came back, he wasn't in his room."

Roland hugged the boy and patted his back. Silas slowly sat back from his chair but immediately stopped himself, feeling that what he was about to do was improper.

"Easy now," Roland murmured. "I'll hire someone to find him. For now, let's get you something to eat."

The boy nodded, his face buried in Roland's shoulder. He took the seat Roland had just vacated.

Roland gestured for Silas to follow him into the kitchen.

"That's Jack's son," Roland explained quietly as he placed a slice of cheese on a plate.

"They've only had each other since Jack lost his wife and youngest child a year ago. Now, this..."

He turned to Silas, a solemn look in his eyes. "I have a favor to ask. Can you report to the House District about what just happened? Tell them my name. I'm certain they'll take immediate action."

Ping!

[Quest III: In the Forest of Lies and Deceit]

[Description: Visit the House District and report what had happened to Jack.]

[Rewards: 70 Destiny XP, 1000 [Shields], Small Potions x5]

"I hope you understand. I cannot leave this boy alone," Roland said. His lips trembled as if he was on the verge of tears. "I am the closest he has to family."

Silas nodded. "I understand."

A pang of bitterness surged within him. For a moment, he envied the boy, who received so much love even from strangers. Pushing the thought aside, he left the hotel and made his way towards the House District.

He found the building easily since he had already encountered few in his previous lifetime.

He stopped before the gate. As he approached the gate, the light from a nearby lamppost revealed two Peacekeepers in dark blue uniforms, their faces stern and watchful.

Silas stopped before them. "I need to report a missing person," he said. "Roland from Monte Hotel asked me to do it."

At the mention of Roland's name, the guards exchanged glances and quickly let him through. One of them even accompanied him to their captain. The Peacekeeper guided Silas to a dimly lit room.

"Sir, this boy has come to report a missing person. Mr. Roland asked him," the guard announced.

The captain looked up from his scribbling and gestured for Silas to sit. The room felt oppressive with its dark and unpainted walls. Three lamps stood on the room, its light casting long shadows. There was tall bookshelf that stood on the eastern part of the room. It was lined with thick leather-bound books.

"You're here to report a missing person?" the captain asked, his voice weary.

"Yes, it's Jack," Silas replied.

"Ah, Jack again," the captain sighed heavily. "I'll send someone to look for him tomorrow. Most of our guards are on duty protecting the village from threats, and I can only spare those two at the gate."

Silas leaned forward. "But Roland said we need to find him now."

The captain rubbed his temples, his face etched with fatigue. "Kid, I want to help Mr. Roland, but I have a duty to protect this town and its citizens." He put his pen down and closed his eyes, the weight of responsibility evident in his posture. His graying hair and deep-set wrinkles made him appear older than he was.

After a moment of silence, he sighed again. "Fine. I'll have one of the Peacekeepers help you look for Jack. That's all I can do."

Silas thanked the captain and hurried outside.

He waited outside as one of the guard went inside. Soon he came out without his cap, revealing curly brown hair. He smiled at him. It seemed the prospect of helping Silas was more appealing than guarding the gate.

[Quest III: In the Forest of Lies and Deceit]

[Description: Visit Jack's House and learn about his whereabouts through the clues he left behind.]

[Clues found 0/2]

He suggested visiting Jack's house to the guard. "There might be clues on where he went."

The Peacekeeper nodded immediately. Silas thought the man seemed rather gullible, wondering if this was how he was designed by the game's developers or if it was just his personality. He followed the guard from behind, the man's eager compliance making Silas question his character.

They crossed a stone bridge, the soft murmur of the river below echoing in the night. On the other side, residential buildings lined the street—wooden houses interspersed with whitewashed ones enclosed by stone gates.

The Peacekeeper led them through a narrow alley. Emerging on the other side, they found themselves on a dirt road that led to Jack's house. It was a small wooden structure with two windows, shrouded in darkness with no light emanating from within.

"Let's head inside," the guard said. Silas followed him, the creaking door echoing in the silence.

The sparse light filtering through the wooden walls was the only illumination. The Peacekeeper fumbled for a lamp and found one on the table, but it was nearly empty of fuel.

A damp, rancid smell hit Silas's nose, making his stomach churn. He stepped outside, gasping for fresh air. Once he managed to dispel the taste from his mouth, Silas looked around, taking in the quiet surroundings.

A twinkling light caught his attention to the left. Frowning, he walked toward it and discovered footprints in the ground.

"I think these are Jack's footprints."

[You have found a clue.]

He hurried back inside and told the Peacekeeper about his discovery.

"Okay, I think it is his footprint … but where did he go?" The guard glanced at Silas, expecting an answer.

"Why don't we just follow these? We might be able to find where he went."

"Okay, and call me Neil," the guard said, offering a smile. "And you are?"

He was about to tell him his real name, but he remembered he was on the run from the Lightservants. "Eris, you can call me Eris."

Neil nodded, still smiling. They followed the tracks, which led them outside the village. Silas signaled to stop when he spotted a torn piece of a shirt on the ground. Neil picked it up, revealing dried bloodstains.

The wind blew, sending a shiver down Silas's spine. He wasn't sure if it was the cold evening air or the fear of what lay ahead.

[You have found a clue!]

"Do you think it's Jack's shirt?" Neil asked, his voice tense.

"It might be," Silas replied, eyeing the ominous forest ahead. "But it seems something attacked him."

Neil looked up, staring into the dense, dark woods. Silas's heart pounded in his chest. He didn't want to go into that forest. Fear gnawed at him. The unfolding events left him confused and uneasy.

[Quest III: In the Forest of Lies and Deceit]

[Description: Go to the forest and search for Jack.]

[Found Jack 0/1]

"Let's go; he might still be here somewhere," Neil said, his determination clear.

"Wait, can't we go back first and ask for more help? You're planning to enter that forest with just the two of us?" Silas asked, his worry evident.

The guard considered his words, seeming ready to agree. But as he opened his mouth, his eyes suddenly glowed blue for a few seconds. He closed his mouth, and all emotion vanished from his face.

'What was that? What just happened?'

"The other guards are on duty. I am the only one who can accompany you," Neil explained, his voice sounding mechanical.

The guard turned and started walking toward the forest. Silas watched him, confused and afraid of what he had just witnessed.

'Even the way he walks looks like there are strings attached to his limbs.'

Silas followed from a distance. As they got closer, the towering trees of the forest loomed over them.

They entered the forest. Silas hugged himself, squinting to make sense of the shadowy surroundings. The wind whistled through the leaves, creating a sound similar to a strange beast lurking around its prey.

Neil stopped abruptly, and Silas bumped into him.

He was about to ask the Peacekeeper why he stopped from walking when he saw a man ahead of them. He had no shirt, confirming Silas's suspicion that this was Jack.

"Mr. Jack," Neil called out.

But before the man could turn, Silas noticed a disturbing difference in his physique. One of Jack's shoulders pulsed with dark-green glowing veins. While half of his arm was covered in dark, shiny skin, similar to an insect's exoskeleton.

Silas grabbed Neil's arm. "Wait."

"But that's Mr. Jack."

The person before them turned. His mouth gaped in shock upon seeing them, but his expression quickly shifted to sadness. He raised his carapace-covered arm and gazed at it forlornly.

"So, you came to find me to know what happened in this forest?" he said, flexing his fingers. "This—this is what happened to me in this forest."