Chapter 104: Shadows of the Past

The small chapel at the end of the street stood as a solemn monument, its once bright walls now marred by the scars of conflict. Bullet holes and scorch marks told the story of a battle that had long since passed, but the weight of its impact still lingered in the air. Rodrigo approached the building cautiously, his companions following closely behind. The further they walked, the heavier the atmosphere became.

"What exactly did they want here, Dona Maria?" Rodrigo asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. His eyes scanned the surrounding buildings, searching for signs of life or any potential threats. 

Dona Maria walked beside him, her face etched with a mixture of sorrow and fear. "Years ago, long before the war took over the region, this chapel was home to something... ancient. A relic, they said, from a time when magic and power weren't just the stuff of legends. The village elders kept it hidden, but rumors began to spread. That's when the guild came, searching for it."

Sebastião frowned, running his hand along the battered door of the chapel. "What kind of relic? And why would a guild of mercenaries care about something buried in an old chapel in the middle of nowhere?"

Dona Maria hesitated, glancing toward Rodrigo. "I don't know the full story. But they said it was connected to something far larger, something that could shift the balance of power in the war. The guild that came... they weren't just any mercenaries. They were after something that could change the world."

Rodrigo felt a cold knot form in his stomach. This war was already devastating enough, but the idea of something even more dangerous lurking behind it—something hidden in the very village he had once called home—was unsettling. He pushed open the chapel doors, the creaking wood echoing in the stillness.

Inside, the chapel was dark and abandoned, dust covering every surface. A large altar stood at the far end, its stone surface cracked but still intact. Rodrigo's eyes immediately went to it, his instincts telling him that this was where the secret lay.

"It's there, isn't it?" he asked, stepping closer to the altar.

Dona Maria nodded. "The relic was kept hidden beneath the altar for centuries. My father, and his father before him, were tasked with protecting it. But when the guild came, they couldn't hold them back. We thought it was lost."

Rodrigo knelt beside the altar, running his hands along the stone. "They didn't find it, did they?" He looked up at her, his eyes sharp.

Dona Maria shook her head. "No, they left empty-handed. But they'll come back. They know it's still here, somewhere."

Sebastião stepped forward, his voice calm but serious. "If this relic is as powerful as they say, we can't let it fall into the wrong hands. But we also need to understand what we're dealing with."

Rodrigo stood up, his mind racing. "We have to find it first. If this is what they're after, it means the war isn't just about land and power—it's about something much darker. And we need to be ready for whatever comes next."

The chapel's walls seemed to close in around them, the weight of history and fate pressing down.