Final letter

As Ray's mother sat there, struggling to hold back her tears, Wilfred left the room faster than a bullet out of a barrel. Ray took her hand, trying to steady her trembling fingers, offering what little comfort he could. She was never like this. His mother had always been a strong woman, someone who stood tall no matter the situation. She never let anyone push her around. And yet, here she was, completely broken.

When the tears finally stopped, Ray hesitated before speaking. "So… what happened to Dad? What's wrong?"

His mother took a shaky breath. "Your father… he's gone."

Ray's stomach twisted. "Gone?" He clenched his jaw. "Do you mean… is he dead?"

He had expected this. The Shadow Plague never let anyone live for long. At best, an infected person had a year to survive—a year of suffering before death. It had already been a miracle his father lasted this long.

But his mother shook her head. "No… He was taken. Taken by the Shadow Plague."

Her voice cracked as fresh tears slid down her face.

Ray's eyes widened. The Shadow Plague only took those who were worth their effort. When a person was infected, two things could happen. The first, which was the most common, led to madness and death within a year. The second was far more terrifying—the plague itself would host inside the body, turning them into something inhuman. Ray had seen it before—the Drop Bear King in the Black Forest had been one of those rare cases.

But his father's body had never shown signs of transformation. They had assumed he was just fighting off the infection. None of them believed this would happen.

His mother continued, voice unsteady. "Your father has been fighting it this entire time. And then… one day, he gained control—for just a small moment. He told me to evacuate the village because he couldn't hold it back any longer. I did as he asked… but I stayed by his side."

Ray's heart pounded. "Are you hurt?" He quickly checked her body, searching for wounds, for any sign of the plague.

She shook her head. "No… I tried to find a way to help him, but when he turned, I realized there was nothing I could do without hurting him. He told me to kill him, Ray. He begged me. He said it would be for the best… but I couldn't do it." Her voice broke. "I couldn't kill your father."

She buried her face in her hands, sobbing again.

Ray sat there, his fists clenching as rage boiled inside him. He was angry.

Angry at the Shadow Plague for taking his father.

Angry at the humans for doing nothing about it.

But most of all—he was angry at himself.

Fifteen years. That was how long he had spent trying to figure out how to unlock his powers. He had always thought he had more time. That one day, when his dragon abilities finally returned, he could heal his father.

But now… his mother had been forced to bear the burden alone. And he had done nothing.

The two talked for a while before she finally left. When Ray asked what she planned to do now, she told him she would work at an Adventurer's Guild, helping others—thankfully, away from the frontlines.

But before she left, she handed him a note.

"Your father wrote this before he was infected," she explained. "He wanted to give it to you once you passed Avrion's entrance exam. But… everything happened so fast, I forgot about it. Until now."

Ray took the letter and went straight to his room. He hesitated, staring at the sealed parchment before finally opening it.

Dear Ray,

I always knew you were talented. You have my blood and your mother's fighting spirit. You struggled when you were younger, but I knew from the moment we laid eyes on you—you were special.

When you returned from the forest that day, carrying Gary on your back, I went to investigate. I saw the intermediate-tier beast lying dead. I know you killed it.

For some reason, you're hiding your abilities. That's fine. You'll reveal them when you're ready. But listen to me—don't ever let anyone bully you. Not for your hair, your strength, or for anything else. You have the potential to become Avrion's number one knight, and I can't wait to be there on your graduation day… watching you achieve it.

Your father.

Ray crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the bin.

"That stupid old man," he muttered under his breath. How is he supposed to see me graduate now?

The weight in his chest tightened. He felt trapped—like his own body was too small for the rage building inside him.

He climbed to the roof of the dormitory, needing fresh air.

The full moon hung in the sky, illuminating the academy below. In the distance, the howls of magical beasts echoed through the night.

Ray's fists clenched.

The world keeps adding to my list of enemies.

Meanwhile, Ian and Sylvia had just returned from their white sash training. As they entered the room, they noticed something odd—Ray wasn't there.

Ian had trash duty for the day. When he went to take out the bin, something caught his eye—a letter.

A letter? That was strange. Squires weren't allowed to receive mail.

Curiosity got the best of him. He picked it up, his eyes scanning the first few lines.

"Hey, what's that?" Dan asked, leaning over.

Ian quickly folded the letter, trying to hide it. "Uhh… nothing."

"Oh, come on. Is it a love confession?" Dan grinned.

Before Ian could protest, Monk snatched the letter from behind him.

The rest of the group huddled together, reading its contents.

Sylvia's eyes softened. "That's… sweet."

Dan scratched his head. "Wait, how did Ray even get a letter? I thought we weren't allowed to have them?"

Gary let out a heavy sigh and sat on his bed. "It's not as sweet as you guys think." His voice was quiet. "That letter was from before his father was infected."

The room fell into silence.

No one here had experienced what Ray had been through. But they had all heard the stories. They knew what the Shadow Plague did to people.

Dan swallowed hard. "So… his father is…?"

Sylvia nodded. "He's gone."

A deep sadness settled over the group.

They thought about Ray—about how distant he always was. He never talked much, never joined their conversations, always kept to himself.

But now… they understood why.

Gary had known Ray the longest, yet even he barely knew anything about him.

Monk gripped the letter in his hands, eyes determined.

From that moment on, the group made a silent decision.

They would try harder.

They would try to bring Ray into their world—to get him to open up, even just a little.

Because whether Ray liked it or not…

He wasn't alone.