Whispers Before the Storm

The sky over Ezzera that evening was crimson—like a wound left unstitched.Some villagers thought it was just a sign of rain.But for Reno, it was the perfect time to sow poison into soil that had long been left to rot.Because if truth can't enter through the front door, then carve a crack in the wall—and let the rot seep in first.

That morning, Reno's hands were busy helping Mira mix wound salves in the infirmary.But salves weren't the only thing he was mixing.Beneath the wooden drawer, usually cleaned by the night shift guard, he slipped in a crumpled piece of paper:"From Tomas: Someone knows about the girl from that night. Be careful. –M"Simple.Lethal.The signature was forged. The message fabricated. But Tomas' name was well known among the guards.That afternoon, Reno 'happened' to pass by the communal kitchen. In the corner, two guards—Harkin and Poll—whispered restlessly.Harkin glanced toward Tomas—twice. Poll gripped his dagger's hilt too long, as if paranoia made his skin itch."Biological reactions can't be faked. Fear is real."— Reno's Notes, Night 13

Two days later.Pitch-black night. Reno slipped into the guards' storeroom. He already memorized the shift times and who slept like corpses.Carefully, he moved one sack of dried supplies to the small barn near Tomas' house.The trail of disturbed soil was left on purpose—another lure.

The next morning..."SINCE WHEN DO YOU USE MILITARY LOGISTICS?!"Captain Korr's roar cracked the air like a whip.Tomas froze, clueless. But Reno had already staged the next scene.Mira 'coincidentally' appeared from the kitchen, holding a basket of bread, and called out loud enough:"Tomas doesn't even know where the storeroom is, Captain. You forgot he once got lost in the wheat fields?"A few villagers heard. Two middle-aged women chuckled. A baker snorted.And for the first time, Korr's face stiffened. Not with rage—but with shame.Reno noted it down like an architect marking the first crack in an old wall.

Mira was a spark. But sparks either fizzle… or burn.Reno gave her no promises—only a map.A social map of Ezzera, full of scribbled notes and red lines, like the anatomy of a monster that had slept too long.In the corner of the infirmary, he pointed to three names:

Lana – a weaver. Her younger sister went missing last year. No funeral. No answers.

Bor – a young farmer. His father 'fell' from the watchtower. The villagers said: drunk. But Bor knew his father never touched alcohol.

Eri – a kitchen girl. She'd seen too many guards sneaking out the back paths at ungodly hours."Don't push them. Just listen. If they start talking, we'll know who's ready… and who can be lured," Reno whispered.Mira looked at him deeply."Why me? Why do I have to talk?""Because they still trust you. They don't trust me."

A few days after Mira spoke to Lana, Reno noticed a small shift.Lana began weaving outside Reno's house. Her excuse: fresh air.But every time she left her loom unattended for too long, Reno knew it wasn't by chance.Tucked between the linen threads, he found a tiny folded note:"I know about Eri. She was once taken out at night. But her family was paid to stay quiet."That was more than enough.Silence out of fear is one thing.Silence bought... signals a system.And systems... can be dismantled.

Night three.Reno planted another fake memo—on the guards' drinking table."The Chief's getting suspicious. Don't let the evening shift get too drunk. –K"The tone mimicked Korr's speech patterns.By the next morning, two guards were arguing—accusations flying. Harkin nearly punched Poll. Poll threatened to report him to Berond.Reno passed by with an empty bucket, face blank.But his ears caught every word."If your enemies start distrusting each other, you don't need to raise a blade.They'll draw theirs on their own."— Reno's Notes, Day 15

Quiet night. Behind the infirmary. Firelight flickered in Mira's eyes."Why do you know all this, Reno?"Reno paused.Then answered in a low voice:"Because I once lived somewhere filthier than this."Mira stared."Were you... a victim too?"Reno gave a faint smile. But it wasn't a peaceful one—more like the shadow of a wound that never healed."I wasn't strong enough to be a victim. But I was smart enough… not to repeat their mistakes."Silence followed. Then Mira whispered:"So... you want revenge?"Reno shook his head. Slowly."I want a world where rot can't hide behind a title."

On the 16th night, Reno sat alone. In front of him: a rough map.Red dots marked the logistics routes.Gray lines mapped the night patrols.Names of villagers were crossed and linked by arrows.In the center: one large red symbol—"Small Room" – a locked chamber behind the village hall.And below it, Reno had written:

"If I want to bring down Berond, I must know who protects him from outside.""If I want to destroy Korr, I must prove he's not just an enforcer… but part of the system.""If I want to save Mira, I must ensure... she's not a victim who stays silent."

The night sky above Ezzera looked peaceful.But Reno knew: behind the walls,monsters were starting to stir.