Chapter 8 : Conclusion! The boy named Ash 1.

(POV: Third-Person)

(CONTENT WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS DARK)

Years ago, in a quiet village, a man walked the streets, greeting the townsfolk and handing out samples of his harvest—apples.

"Good morning, Alec!" called the man, carrying a basket of apples on his back.

"Good morning, Gild…" Alec replied, but he didn't meet Gild's eyes. Something was clearly troubling him.

"Is something the matter?" Gild asked, eyebrows raised in concern. He knew Alec well enough to sense something was off.

"Well… another child disappeared last night."

"What?! That's the third time this month…"

"I know. I need to get to the bottom of this. Won't you help me, Gild? I have a lead." Alec extended a hand to help Gild lower his basket.

"Of course… I have children too, you know."

Gild gently set his harvest down.

"I'll need to drop this off at the homestead first."

"No problem. Meet me by sundown at the Applinwood tree near the edge of the mill," Alec said, already walking away.

"Alright… see you then."

Time passed, and the sun dipped low.

"Alec! There you are… You really should've told me which Applinwood tree! There's, like, a hundred of them!" Gild scratched his head as he approached.

"I told you. At the edge of the mill," Alec replied with a sigh as they began walking.

"So what was this lead you mentioned earlier?" Gild asked, both hands behind his head, relaxed.

"The Dark Child," Alec said flatly.

"The Dark Child?!"

"Who's that?"

Alec sighed again. "I forgot you'd been away from the village these past few months…"

"The Dark Child is one of the war orphans who got swept down here. People started calling him that because of how he looks—and behaves."

"He has grey hair and eyes. Some folks think he might be a Veilborn."

"A Veilborn?!"

"What's that?"

Alec let out an exaggerated sigh. "I'm starting to regret bringing you…"

He straightened his back. "Veilborn are people who are half-dead—more precisely, half-ghost."

"G-ghosts? You actually believe in ghosts?!" Gild stammered, sweating.

"Of course, man. But Veilborn are different. Since they're only half-ghost, they're still corporeal. They just… look off. Grey eyes. Grey hair."

"But here's the real kicker: they can see souls. They can even talk to ghosts."

"That's terrifying…" Gild hugged his arms as a chill ran down his spine.

"It is. And because of that rare ability, they're often sold into slavery." Alec shook his head. "Anyway… we're almost there."

The tree ahead was old and wilting.

"There he is… the Dark Child." Alec pointed.

A boy in ragged clothes sat beneath the tree, hunched and silent.

"Alec… No child deserves this," Gild muttered, already moving toward him.

"Gild! Stop! It's dangerous!" Alec reached out, but Gild ignored him.

The boy stirred at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Hey buddy… Why are you out here all alone?" Gild crouched about a meter away, careful not to scare him.

…

The boy said nothing.

Gild inspected him from a distance, forcing a smile.

'He's malnourished…' he thought, reaching into his pouch. The sudden movement startled the boy, who leapt to his feet.

"S-stay away!" the boy shouted, backing into the tree.

"Whoa, hey! It's okay! I'm just grabbing an apple." Gild slowly pulled one out.

"I grew these myself. They're pretty good. Want to try one?"

The boy didn't respond. He only hid further behind the tree.

Gild's eyes watered. He reached back into the pouch.

"I'll just leave a few here, alright? I'll come by tomorrow with more."

He wiped his eyes and turned to leave.

But before he could get far, he heard small footsteps. The boy had come forward, snatched the apples, and retreated back behind the tree.

Gild smiled gently and made his way back to Alec.

"Gild! Are you out of your mind?! He could be a Veilborn! What if you're cursed?!" Alec grabbed his shoulder in frustration.

"He's just a boy, Alec…" Gild muttered as he continued walking.

"Damn it, Gild…" Alec groaned, trailing behind.

"You're going to regret this one day, you know…"

"I'll never regret helping a child in need."

Those words left Alec speechless. He just sighed, defeated.

"…I should probably bring him a cooked meal tomorrow," Gild mumbled as they disappeared into the dusk.

Meanwhile, deep in the mountains beyond the village, a group of people huddled around an encampment.

"We've got the new batch, sir," a man with a long scar over his eye sneered as he yanked on a series of chains.

Several children stumbled forward, their hands bound.

"Good…"

A man in full-plate armor stepped forward, eyes gleaming behind his helmet.

"One more week…" he muttered, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "Then we burn that village to the ground."

He licked his lips and yanked a child by the hair.

"Svendr the Dread Butcher holds grudges, you know…"

He started laughing.

The children began to scream.