Chapter 16: Ashes and Embers
Aftermath: The Truth Buried
Smoke curled into the sky from the ruins of the collapsed dungeon.
Soldiers, adventurers, and villagers gathered outside the destruction site, battered but alive.
Division 10 regrouped with Meth and Aloy supporting each other, their wounds wrapped roughly with cloth. Ursa barked quick orders, taking command of the area per Captain Elara's instruction.
Captain Elara stood at the center, bruised and bloodied, but upright.
"We did it."
She exhaled and turned to the survivors.
"Thanks to Synoh, Division 10, and our allies… this village is safe."
But the moment she finished, the crowd responded with a cheer:
"It's you we thank, Captain Elara!"
"Without your leadership, we wouldn't have lasted!"
She blinked, almost flustered—rare for someone so composed.
---
Checking In
Elara turned to Dred and Synoh, both patched up with bandages but standing.
"What happened with Elder Harven?" she asked, voice steady but concerned.
Dred looked at Synoh.
Synoh was about to speak when—
"SYNOH! DRED!"
Harold sprinted toward them, sweat on his brow, panic in his eyes.
"You need to see this—now!"
Elara's eyes narrowed.
She turned to Ursa.
"Take over here. I'll go with them."
---
Elder Harven's House – The Unraveling
The group arrived at the edge of the village. Elder Harven's once humble wooden house stood eerily quiet. The door had been broken open.
Inside, papers were scattered, magical trinkets shattered.
But what caught their attention was the basement hatch, glowing faintly with a strange purple light.
Harold pointed down.
"It was hidden. We only found it after the battle."
They descended into the basement.
At the center was a pedestal—glowing with the same aura as the fake dungeon had.
On it was a gemstone, cracked but still pulsing. Its aura radiated illusory and containment magic.
Elara stepped closer and examined it, her eyes narrowing.
"This… This gem forged the dungeon. It was all a setup."
Synoh felt a chill.
Dred muttered, "So someone created the entire place just to lure us in…"
Carved into the wall behind the pedestal were words scorched by dark fire:
> "A trial for the unworthy. The worthy will meet Sloth again. — K"
---
The Hidden Past of Elder Harven
Then, they saw the portrait on the far wall—an older version of Harven—but beside him stood Kuro in younger form.
A journal lay beneath the painting.
Elara opened it slowly, reading aloud.
> "Kuro came to us offering power to protect the village. I feared his magic… but I accepted. I thought I could handle it. But it wasn't long before I lost myself. If you're reading this—please forgive me. I only wanted to protect them… I never meant to become a puppet."
Harold fell to his knees, tears forming again.
Synoh clenched his fists.
Dred turned away, biting back rage.
---
End of Aftermath Scene
Elara closed the journal gently.
"Harven was no villain. He was just another victim."
Everyone stood in silence—minds swirling with guilt, sorrow, and the unease that Kuro was far from finished.
The gem flickered once… then shattered into dust.
The sun dipped low behind the hills as the village gathered in silence.
Rows of torches flickered around the cleared field. At the center, a simple wooden coffin held Elder Harven, surrounded by five more for the brave villagers who had perished during the attack.
Captain Elara stood with Synoh, Dred, Meth, Aloy, and Ursa—all cleaned up but solemn. The air was heavy with grief.
Harold and Harry knelt at the front, heads bowed. As the pyres were lit, tears fell down their cheeks.
After a long silence, Harold stood.
"My father… he didn't always do what was right. But he tried. And in the end, he protected all of us. That's what I'll remember."
Harry nodded beside him, voice trembling:
"We didn't come back to take power or anything like that. We'll return to our family... We just wanted to say goodbye to him."
The villagers murmured, understanding and support replacing suspicion.
---
Choosing the New Village Chief
The next morning, the topic spread like wildfire through the village:
"Who will take Elder Harven's place?"
"We need someone who understands us!"
"Not some outsider…"
Then, a shy man—mid-30s, spectacles, messy brown hair—stepped forward in the village square.
His name was Colt.
He cleared his throat, trembling:
"I… I'd like to try. To be the new Chief…"
Laughter broke out from some villagers.
"You? You can't even raise your voice!"
"He's always fixing fences, not leading people!"
Just as Colt's courage began to wither, Captain Elara stepped beside him.
She gently patted his shoulder.
"What do you want to do now, Colt?"
He looked up at her… then clenched his fists and turned to face the crowd.
---
Colt's Speech
"I've lived here all my life… I know every cracked road, every crying child, every broken house."
"We lost our Chief. We lost good people. But I want to rebuild this place, brick by brick, for them."
"And to the heroes who saved us—Division 10, Captain Elara, the brave adventurers—you will always be welcome here."
A stunned silence.
Then a woman shouted:
"Colt! Colt! Let him lead!"
Others followed, clapping, cheering.
"Colt for Chief!"
"He has my vote!"
Elara smiled faintly.
"Looks like your heart spoke louder than your voice, Chief Colt."
---
The Fake Sins
Meanwhile, in chains outside the ruins, the captured fake Sins—Lust, Envy, Gluttony, and Greed—were kneeling and trembling.
They were stripped of power, unable to even break weak barriers.
"They were strong only because of Kuro's magic," Ursa explained.
"Now? They're barely above average adventurers."
Dred muttered, "So he was using them. Like tools."
---
Elsewhere – Kuro's Next Target
Far away, inside a small dimly lit tavern, Kuro slouched at the bar counter, sipping soup lazily.
The bartender and two travelers nearby chatted.
"You hear? A knight from Division 9 left to follow his father… wants to become an adventurer."
"His name's Yuta or something, right?"
Kuro stopped sipping. A smile tugged at his lips.
"Huh… a knight with discipline and raw potential, walking around without supervision?"
He chuckled to himself.
"Looks like it's my lucky day."