Chapter 12 - CHAPTER 12:Revelation Behind the Veil

The first sensation was pain. Sharp, unyielding, echoing through aching limbs and a pounding skull. Ryo forced his eyes open. Faint torches flickered on moss-laced walls—dark green shadows stretched long, as if hungry for warmth. He was alone, arms bound behind a cold stone pillar, a stale chill gnawing his skin.Slowly, memories returned—the ambush at the Obsidian Gate, the desperate scramble through shattered glass and night-soaked alleys, the final blinding blow. He tried moving, testing his bonds. No use; they bit into flesh with every twitch.A door groaned open. Footsteps—measured, soft, echoing a rhythm he didn't recognize. A figure slipped inside, draped in layers of shadowed grey, mask etched with swirling sigils. The room's temperature seemed to drop."Ryo Kazama," the figure said—a woman's voice, clipped and clear. "You ran far for someone with nothing left to lose."Ryo glared, summoning a defiance sharper than the pain. "Who are you? One of Hazama's dogs?"A faint laugh. "Director Hazama underestimates you. I do not. You're more than his discarded weapon. You're his greatest mistake."Lightning crackled somewhere within him—a memory, or was it a power? Ryo tensed, focusing on the stranger's face. The mask showed no eyes, only shifting ink. "You know me, then.""I know about the truth buried in your blood." She crouched, torchlight catching silver trinkets on her wrists. "You carry shadows that do not belong—fragments of the old world, sealed away since the Ruin."Ryo's mouth went dry. Was it possible she knew about the dreams? The times he'd woken screaming, hands burning with runes?The woman drew a dagger from her belt, pressing it lightly against the ropes. Instead of cutting, she whispered, "You want to learn what happened to your family, do you not? The official story—fire, accident, a mercy killing—was crafted by Hazama's hand."Ryo's breath caught. His mind spun. "If you know so much, why lock me up?""To protect you from yourself." The mask inclined closer. "Hazama wants you dead or broken. But I see a different use for a soul touched by ancient power. We need eyes inside the Institute—inside Hazama's private sanctum. Infiltrate, and you will have your answers. Power. Vengeance. Or ruin. The choice is yours."The proposition was madness. Hazama's Institute was a fortress. Spies vanished. But Ryo was not a child anymore, and rage simmered beneath his ribs. "Why help me?""We share a common foe. You have darkness; I have knowledge. Together, we can topple the architect of suffering." She raised the dagger—this time, slicing the cords. Blood welled as his wrists were freed.Ryo winced, rising unsteadily. "If you betray me—""I expect you to do the same."Her laugh lingered as she handed him a small obsidian coin. "Present this to the Keeper at the Iron Library. They will grant you passage. And beware: the city is crawling with Watchmen tonight. Don't look back."He staggered through winding corridors, boots splashing through icy puddles, heart a hammer of hope and terror. The city above roared with thunder; somewhere, Hazama plotted, his cruel eyes seeking out every weakness. Ryo gripped the coin, feeling the edges bite his skin.Tonight, the shadows offered vengeance—and Ryo was ready to answer.