Chapter 11: Trouble

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the city of Eldoria. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. The grand clock tower in the city center struck midnight, its chimes echoing through the empty streets.

In a modest room on the third floor of the Veltrus Manor, Cain lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The room was sparsely decorated, with only a wooden desk, a chair, and a bookshelf filled with ancient tomes. The moonlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting long shadows across the room.

Cain's mind raced, unable to find peace. He had been feeling uneasy for days, as if something ominous was lurking just beyond his perception. He turned his head to the side, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was well past midnight, and yet sleep eluded him.

"Why do I feel like something bad is about to happen?" Cain muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

As if in response, a faint chime echoed in his mind, and a translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes.

[System Notice: "Unknown Presence Detected."]

Cain's eyes widened, and he shot up from his bed, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Huh?" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with alarm.

The room was silent, too silent. The usual creaks and groans of the old manor were absent, replaced by an eerie stillness. Cain's senses were on high alert as he scanned the dark corners of his room, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger he kept under his pillow.

Then, a whisper, so faint it was almost imperceptible, reached his ears.

"Cain Ashford … we are watching."

The voice was cold and menacing, sending a shiver down Cain's spine. His blood ran cold, and he felt a chill settle in the pit of his stomach.

"Oh, hell no," Cain muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on the dagger.

He bolted upright, his eyes darting around the room, searching for the source of the voice. But there was nothing, no movement, no shadow out of place. Yet, he could feel it something lurking, just out of sight, watching him.

Then, as if materializing from thin air, a scroll appeared on his desk. Cain's eyes narrowed as he stared at it, his mind racing with possibilities.

"...I should ignore it," he thought, his instincts screaming at him to stay away.

But curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously approached the desk. The scroll was old, its parchment yellowed with age, and sealed with a wax emblem that bore the symbol of a serpent coiled around a dagger. Cain hesitated for a moment before breaking the seal and unrolling the scroll.

A single line of text was written in elegant, flowing script:

(The past never sleeps. Neither will you.)

Cain's brow furrowed as he read the words, a sense of dread creeping over him. Before he could react, the scroll burst into black flames, the fire consuming the parchment in an instant. Cain threw the scroll across the room, his heart racing as he watched the flames flicker and die, leaving no trace of the scroll behind.

He slowly sat back down on the edge of his bed, his mind reeling.

"I am so very tired," he muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the Veltrus Manor, casting a warm glow over the grand dining hall. The long wooden table was set with an array of breakfast foods freshly baked bread, fruits, and a steaming pot of tea. Cain sat at the head of the table, his eyes heavy with exhaustion as he picked at his food.

Selene, his ever-observant ally, sat across from him, her dark blue eyes gleaming with amusement as she watched him struggle to stay awake. She was dressed in her usual attire a sleek, black leather outfit that accentuated her lithe figure, with a silver pendant shaped like a crescent moon hanging from her neck.

"You look awful," Selene said, smirking as she sipped her tea.

Cain groaned, rubbing his temples.

"Thanks. That really helps," he replied sarcastically, his voice laced with irritation.

Selene leaned back in her chair, her smirk widening.

"So, tell me. How does it feel to be haunted?" she asked, her tone teasing.

Cain stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, his voice tight.

Selene chuckled, her dark blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh, come on. You're paranoid. Jumpy. Like someone whispered something… unsettling," she said, her voice dropping to a low, suggestive tone.

Cain looked away, his jaw tightening as he tried to hide his unease.

Selene leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she studied him.

"Cute. But pointless. You can't lie to me," she said, her voice soft but firm.

Cain sighed, realizing that there was no point in trying to hide it from her.

"Fine. Something weird happened last night," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Selene's smile widened, and she leaned in closer, her dark blue eyes locked on his.

"Weird how?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Cain hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Selene's gaze was relentless, and he knew she wouldn't let it go.

"I… I heard a voice. And a scroll appeared out of nowhere," he said, his voice low.

Selene's eyes sparkled with interest, and she tilted her head slightly.

"A scroll? What did it say?" she asked, her voice filled with intrigue.

Cain hesitated again, but Selene's gaze was unwavering.

"It said, 'The past never sleeps. Neither will you,'" he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Selene's smile widened, and she leaned back in her chair, her dark blue eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Interesting," she said, her voice filled with intrigue.

Cain frowned, his unease growing.

"What's so interesting about it?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

Selene chuckled, her dark blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh, nothing. Just that someone is clearly messing with you," she said, her voice filled with amusement.

Cain groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"You're enjoying this too much," he muttered, his voice filled with exasperation.

Selene tilted her head, her dark blue eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Of course. What's the point of being your ally if I can't mess with you?" she said, her voice filled with amusement.

Cain sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Why is every woman in my life like this?" he muttered under his breath.

Selene chuckled, her dark blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Oh, don't worry, Cain. I'm sure you'll figure it out… eventually," she said, her voice filled with teasing.

Deep within the heart of Eldoria, hidden beneath the city's bustling streets, lay a secret chamber. The walls were lined with ancient runes, glowing faintly in the dim light. The air was thick with the scent of incense, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the chamber.

In the center of the room stood a large crystal, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly light. The crystal replayed Cain's reaction to the scroll, his face filled with unease and fear.

A hooded figure stood before the crystal, their face obscured by the shadows of their cloak. They smirked as they watched Cain's reaction, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"He's uneasy," the figure said, their voice low and distorted.

Another figure stepped forward, their face also hidden beneath a hood. Their voice was cold and calculating as they responded.

"Good. Keep applying pressure," they said, their voice filled with authority.

A third figure, smaller and more slender, scoffed as they crossed their arms over their chest.

"Why not just kill him now?" they asked, their voice filled with impatience.

The first figure chuckled, their voice filled with dark amusement.

"Because fear is a better weapon than death," they replied, their voice filled with malice.

The crystal dimmed, the image of Cain fading into darkness. The chamber was silent once more, the only sound the faint drip of water echoing through the room.

The trap was tightening.

Cain sat at his desk, his head in his hands as he tried to make sense of everything that had happened. The room was quiet, save for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one more troubling than the last.

[System Notice: "Event Progress: 90%"]

Cain groaned, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"This can't get any worse," he muttered, his voice filled with exhaustion.

As if in response, a soft knock echoed through the room. Cain froze, his heart skipping a beat as he recognized the voice that followed.

"Cain~"

His soul left his body as he turned to see Selene standing in the doorway, her dark blue eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," she said, her voice filled with amusement.

Cain knew he was doomed.