That night, Liam slept soundly. For the first time in several days, no nightmares came to haunt him. No screams, no dark shadows—only silence and soothing peace.
However, as his eyes slowly opened, that tranquility vanished instantly.
The ceiling above him... was unfamiliar.
Pure white, adorned with panel lights he had never seen before. The room seemed calm, but too quiet, too sterile. The scent of antiseptic immediately filled his nostrils.
"Am I... in the hospital?" he muttered, confused.
As he tried to sit up, he felt a gentle tug on his left hand. An IV. A small tube was inserted into his wrist, flowing clear fluid into his body. He sat up slowly, trying not to panic.
The room where he was being treated looked luxurious—too luxurious for a medical facility in the small village where he lived. The walls were covered in elegant wooden panels, the bed resembled a hotel bed, and sunlight streamed through thin curtains gently swaying in the breeze from the large window.
"This… isn't the hospital in my village. Where… am I?"
Her head felt heavy as she tried to recall. Flashes of yesterday's events—the lake splitting apart, the explosive power from her hands, the black gloves… all flashed briefly, then faded like morning mist.
"Hiyana… Mom… Dad… where are they?" he murmured again, growing anxious.
The sound of light footsteps interrupted his thoughts. The door opened slowly, and a nurse entered, wearing a clean, light cream-colored uniform, carrying a clipboard and a professional smile.
"Good morning, Liam. You're awake, aren't you?" she said kindly, approaching with light steps.
"I… why am I here? Where is this?" Liam asked, his voice hoarse.
The nurse smiled, checking his IV and blood pressure.
"You fainted and have been asleep for three days. We're not sure what caused it, but your body seems stable now."
"Three days…?" Liam repeated softly, his eyes widening. Time seemed to have slipped from his memory.
Before the nurse could add any further explanation, the door opened again. This time, a middle-aged man in a white doctor's coat entered the room. Round glasses perched on his nose, and his face betrayed a calmness that was… somewhat forced.
"Liam, it's good to see you awake," he said, glancing at the medical records in his hand. "How do you feel? Dizzy? Nauseous?"
"A little dizzy… But more than that, I want to know… what really happened?" Liam stared straight at the doctor, his tone growing firm. "Where is my family? Why am I here?"
The doctor looked at Liam for a moment, then returned to his clipboard, as if searching for answers among the papers.
"Regarding that…" he said softly, "I'm not authorized to explain."
Liam furrowed his brow. "What do you mean? I have the right to know!"
The doctor took a short breath, then turned to the nurse who understood the signal and quickly left the room.
"All I can say right now is that your physical condition is stable. But for the other details… I'm sorry, that's beyond my capacity to explain. Someone will come and answer all your questions."
Liam clutched the blanket tightly, his heart racing. Something was being hidden from him. He could feel it.
"Who will come?" he asked softly, almost in a whisper.
The doctor didn't answer. He just gave a faint smile, then walked toward the door.
"Rest first. You'll need it."
The door closed slowly.
And Liam was left alone—with questions piling up in his head, and the feeling that his world had just become bigger… and more dangerous.
The ward fell silent again. Liam had just finished his follow-up examination with the doctor. His head still felt heavy, his thoughts fuzzy. But he knew—something bigger was waiting for him today.
A few moments later, the door was knocked three times.
A neatly dressed civilian entered, followed by two others. Behind them, a man in a dark long coat stood silently, observing.
The one in front, an officer with slightly gray hair and a face full of empathy, walked closer.
"Good morning, Mr. Louren," he said slowly. "I am Chief Inspector Diran, from the Elgen District Police. We apologize for this situation... and I hope you are strong enough to receive the information we are about to share."
Liam slowly straightened his body. The look in his eyes showed tension he had not yet articulated.
Diran sighed. His face tensed for a moment, then he continued in a soft, measured voice:
"Two days ago, we received a report from neighbors near your residence in Feres District. They smelled an unpleasant odor coming from inside the house."
Liam bit his lip. His hands clasped together on top of the blanket.
"When we arrived and entered," Diran continued, "we found… three bodies. Your father, your mother, and your younger sister—in a state that was… horrifying."
The room felt smaller. Liam's breath caught in his throat.
"What makes this investigation more complex," Diran continued, his voice still soft but beginning to go into detail, "is that the condition of the house showed no signs of forced entry. No broken windows. No forced doors. Everything appeared intact."
A young detective opened a folder from his left hand and read additional information in a neutral, procedural tone.
"When found, Mr. Louren was on the floor of the living room, directly beneath the pile of family members' bodies. Your body was unconscious. Your clothing had large bloodstains, most of which came from the victims. However, there were no active wounds on your body when we found you."
He closed the folder slowly.
"We are verifying some fingerprints found in the back of the house. Meanwhile, the autopsy results indicate the victim's time of death was estimated to be between two and three days ago."
Liam couldn't say anything. His throat was dry. He just stared blankly at the opposite wall, trying to process the sudden and brutal reality.
At that moment, the man in the dark suit finally stepped forward. His gaze was sharp yet controlled. He spoke calmly.
"We apologize for coming at such a difficult time, Mr. Louren." He bowed his head slightly as a sign of respect. "My name is Thiago Lucien, Special Intelligence Division of NEXARIS."
He took a position standing beside the bed, not too close.
"I share in your grief over your loss. There are no words to describe the depth of this tragedy."
Liam just stared at him, still silent, his eyes beginning to redden.
"I have been officially assigned to conduct observations and coordinate directly with the police," Thiago continued in a professional tone. "This case… has several elements that require high sensitivity and additional security protocols."
He paused briefly, giving him space to breathe.
"I won't burden you with too many questions today, Mr. Louren. All we ask is one thing: your cooperation."
Thiago looked directly at Liam, full of respect.
"If you're willing, I'll accompany you through this process. Not as an investigator, but as a liaison, an official escort. Because in this case, you're not just a witness… you're the key."
Liam finally spoke, softly:
"I… am the only survivor?"
Commissioner Diran nodded slowly. "We understand this isn't fair, sir. But it's true… only you."
Liam closed his eyes. His chest heaved.
Thiago didn't press him. He bowed his head once more. "I'll return later, when you're ready to speak. Feel free to contact us anytime through the assigned officer."
He slipped a small card onto the table beside the bed.
"We ask your permission to take our leave for now, Mr. Louren."
The three of them left quietly, leaving Liam alone in the room that had grown silent once more.
But now, it wasn't the usual silence—it was a silence that held a great whirlpool behind it.