Four months ago
After returning the strange object back into his cupboard, the Second Elder started to make a plan. If he could cause chaos be setting the animals free from the cages and let them attack store rooms and infirmaries, the blame would fall on whoever managed the preparations. He realized the ideal moment to strike would be just before the annual competition — when the captured beasts were kept on the mountain and the villager's attention and manpower were spread thin and when the chaos occurred, he would direct the fury of the villager against the First Elder, and he would step forward killing all the animals responsible for this, restoring order…and peace in the village and taking the chief's seat for himself. A thin smile appeared on his lips as he could imagine all this happening.
He summoned his attendant and ordered him to recruit people from every elder faction, half hunters and even some villagers, so that they cannot be pinpointed at any single group. By the tenth day the attendant had recruited twenty men, one who from First Elder's faction, two from the Third Elder's faction, three from the Fourth, and three from the Fifth elder faction total nine members from elders faction. Six were half-hunters, four were ordinary villagers with fighting experience in their past but were stopped from practicing martial arts as punishment for breaking law, and the Second Elder added two of his own trusted men making it twenty-two in total. They were trained every night, to make them perfectly habitual of dark. Three months was a long time, it is long enough to make them trained soldiers. They were taught to move as a group, using different sound signals to communicate in the dark.
Many years ago,
The Second Elder had not been born into a very rich family. He came from normal background, his father was a farmer at that time farming was even harder, but his father was a handworker, unlike his father he had sharp mind with the help of his close friend, who had now become the Third Elder—his skills flourished and he was always thankful for that, and in time he earned his place as the Second Elder of the village. He had once lived a quiet life with his lovely wife, who was a kind and gentle woman. But fate was cruel, a illness struck the whole village, The First elders gave priority to the older people first, for healing, and by the time her turn came, the disease had already consumed her. Though he knew the rule was made for the good of village and he did not blame the first elder but a quiet but a bitterness stayed in his deep in his heart toward the First Elder. He never voiced it, burying it deep beneath his sense of reason and duty. As time passed he forgot everything but then, some weeks ago, one of his men stumbled upon something in the wilderness during a hunt, an egg-shaped crystal, dark as midnight, smooth and faintly pulsating with light. Believing it to be a treasure, the Second Elder kept it close, placing it in his cupboard as if it was a relic. What he didn't know that what he had found was not a relic, but something opposite, it let the persons dark desires surface, slowly twisting them into something evil. At first, he merely felt uneasy, his thoughts clouded and restless. Then he started hearing soft whispers, persistent, speaking the very words his mind feared most. He tried to resist, tried to convince himself it was exhaustion or stress. But the longer the relic stayed near, the stronger its influence grew, twisting his grief into hatred, and his ambition into obsession. Soon, the man who once cared for his people began to see them as obstacles. Making him long for power and recognition, as if the chief's seat was rightfully his, it should be him ruling the villages as its real king. And so, the kind-hearted elder was slowly consumed by the darkness he never knew he carried. That was when he began plotting against the First Elder
Present day
As Vayu was making his rounds, inspecting the cages one by one. Apart from the four wolves he had fed earlier, there were about twenty-five wild boars, a few goats and several deer that they had recently managed to capture. They had even managed to capture two leopards locked away in separate cages, their golden eyes glinting in the torchlight. Everything seemed calm. The air carried the faint, earthy scent of animals and damp wood. In just two more days, the hunter squad had secluded the next trip to capture the remaining beasts needed for the annual competition. Most of the Hunter Squad members were either resting or busy preparing supplies for the upcoming expedition—leaving only half hunters like Vayu had stayed to watch over the captured creatures.
About three hours were remaining before Vayu's shift was about to end when two men appeared, each carrying a large wooden box on their shoulders.
"Who are you? And who allowed you in here?" Vayu asked, stepping forward cautiously.
One of them quickly replied, "We were sent by the First Elder to deliver food, you can confirm if you want"
Their tone was calm, and their movements seemed normal, so Vayu didn't ask anything further. He nodded and allowed them to pass through the gate. Soon after, everyone quickly gathered, Most of the guards hadn't brought their own meals, so they eagerly devoured the portions handed to them. The air filled with the sounds of chewing and low chatter. Vayu, however, didn't feel hungry. He wasn't used to eating much during his night shifts and had already packed some fruits for later. He passed his share to another guard, who accepted it gratefully. Meanwhile, one of the two men carried a barrel of water closer to the group. "Drink up before heading back," he said, setting it down. The guards took turns, drinking from the ladle and washing down their meals. When they were done, the two men picked up their empty boxes and began making their way down hill carefully. Nothing about them seemed unusual. Their behavior was ordinary, seeing no reason to doubt them, Vayu simply returned to his post.
Some distance above the camp, hidden in the shadow of the mountain, a group of twenty-two figures moved with deliberate caution. They had arrived here two days earlier, long before the Hunter Squad returned and stopped the entry of unauthorized people in the camp, ensuring no one could enter unnoticed. They climbed high up in the mountain hiding in a secluded spot, and established a hidden camp, stocking themselves with food while relying on the mountain's streams for water. As evening fell, the group began their descent. Moving slowly and carefully, they kept a safe distance from one another, ensuring they remained concealed. They descended in silence, each step measured, their movements blending into the darkness. When the Hunter Squad finally left, they closed in more, now only about fifty meters away from Vayu's camp. The distribution of rations had created a perfect distraction for them. As the guards and hunters gathered to eat, their attention focused on food, the group seized the moment and scattered quietly, surrounding the camp and taking cover, weaving between rocks and outcroppings.
The two men who had entered the camp earlier to deliver the food—were also a part of this hidden force, placed there by the Second Elder. Their role had been more than just delivery; they had mixed a slow drug in the food and if someone did not eat the food they had even drugged the water. But by the time they came back with water Vayu had already went back to guard the gate as no one was there. The plan was precise, If the drug took effect too quickly, it would arouse suspicion. But if it was done slowly it would work unnoticed, with victims collapsing one by one over time, the fallen mistaken for sleep due to exhaustion.
As the guard came back to watch the gate, Vayu went back to guard the cages alongside two others when suddenly one of them slumped to the ground. Alarmed, Vayu rushed over and shook him, calling out his name, but there was no response. His heart raced as his instinct took over, something was clearly wrong but he could not pin point what, but that was a concern for a later time as first he called to his other subordinate.
"Hey, help me get him up!" he said urgently.
Before his companion could respond, he too staggered toward Vayu — and collapsed. Vayu's breath caught in his throat. He looked around. The sight he saw froze him in place: everyone in the camp was lying unconscious. His mind raced. At first, panic surged through him, But within seconds he forced himself to calm down. One thought cut through the chaos: Why am I the only one still awake? His eyes darted to scan the area, It had to be the food — there was no other explanation. Quickly, he ducked behind a rock, hiding himself behind the cage. His mind worked fast. If the two men who had delivered the food returned, they could be dangerous. He had to be ready. Peering cautiously from his hiding spot, Vayu scanned his surroundings searching for movement, but what he noticed scared him more, their were Movement's From every direction, faint sounds of shifting boots reached his ears. He squinted, focusing through the dim light. A group of people was coming inside the camp. Vayu's grip tightened on his weapon. This was no ordinary attack. This was an ambush. With so many of them present, Vayu knew he could take down one or two at most — but not all. His mind raced for a solution. Just then, another figure entered the camp. Just like other he was also clad in black clothes and a dark cloak with a cloth covering his face, the man spoke His voice was low but sharp.
"Kill all of them," he ordered. "Then open the cages and push the animals toward the village. Make it look like the animals killed everyone here."
The words hit Vayu like a hammer. This wasn't just an attack — it was a calculated massacre. The intruders planned to frame the beasts. Vayu's chest tightened. He had only two choices: either let them slaughter everyone here… or try to take out one or two intruders before they carried out their plan, he stepped from his hiding place, determination blazing in his eyes.
He chose the second option.