Ashes of Forever

The town mayor, Eldric Voss, led them through the quiet streets of Herven, his steps hesitant, as if the weight of the decision still gnawed at him. When they reached the small house he'd arranged for them, he stopped and turned to face the group, his brow furrowed in deep concern.

"I know this is what you think has to be done," Eldric said, his voice low, filled with uncertainty. "But this... using the boy like this—I'm not sure it's right." His eyes flickered to Rein, standing among the others, looking like any other innocent 14-year-old boy in the town. "Rein is just a child. He should be safe here, not dragged into something so dangerous."

Ciena, who had been leading the charge in planning the strategy, gave a short sigh and waved off his concerns. "Rein doesn't have a choice, Mayor," she said, voice firm. "He didn't volunteer, but he's the one who can lure the succubus out. It's a harsh reality, but it's the best option we have."

The mayor's eyes lingered on Rein, who felt a tight knot form in his stomach. He had never asked for any of this. He had simply wanted to help, to be part of something meaningful. Yet here he was, thrust into the role of bait—an innocent face, a pawn in their plan.

"I don't like it," Eldric muttered, shaking his head. "A boy like him..." His voice faltered as if he couldn't bring himself to voice the full horror of what they were asking. "He's just a boy, not someone who should be made to face something like this."

Kael, standing nearby with his arms crossed, suppressed a sigh. The mayor thinks he's 14, he thought, watching the exchange with narrowed eyes. It's not like he's wrong. Rein looks it, at least. But that's not the full picture. Kael's gaze shifted briefly to Rein, who stood stiff and quiet, caught in the uncomfortable spotlight of the mayor's concern. He looks like a 14-year-old, but I know better. He's far older than he lets on. His mind's seen far too much, and his experiences run deeper than the years on his face. Still... Kael's lips tightened as he glanced back at Eldric. It's not like anyone would ever guess.

Ciena stepped forward, her expression not unkind but resolute. "We don't have a choice," she repeated. "We'll keep him safe. But this is the only way to draw her out. If we don't act quickly, more lives will be lost."

The mayor's concern didn't fade, but he gave Rein one last look—a look that spoke volumes of his unspoken fears—and handed the group a key to the house.

"Please, just be careful," Eldric said softly. "I don't want to lose anyone else to this curse." He turned and walked away, the worry still heavy in his step.

Rein watched him go, feeling the weight of the mayor's words settle in his chest. He hadn't asked for this. But here he was. A fourteen-year-old, caught up in a plan far bigger than he could have ever imagined.

After the mayor left them to settle in the house, Ciena quickly began briefing Rein on what he needed to do.

"Tonight's going to be our best shot," Ciena said, her tone blunt and matter-of-fact. "She comes every night. We'll need you to act normal, don't overthink it. Let your desires rise—if she's drawn to innocence, we'll play it to our advantage."

Rein stared at her, unsure how to process her words. "You want me to... pretend?"

"Not pretend," Ciena corrected, her eyes narrowing. "Let it happen. Don't try to control it. It's the only way she'll see you as the vulnerable target we need. Let your instincts take over. That's what will get her to come to you."

Rein felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He was being asked to act in a way that didn't sit right with him, but he couldn't say no—not when lives were at stake. "And you'll be there with me, right?"

"Of course," Ciena said with a quick nod. "Once she's lured out, we'll take it from there. You won't be alone."

Diana and Kael, who had been standing silently nearby, exchanged a look but said nothing. Diana offered Rein a soft smile, as if to reassure him, though the unease still flickered in her eyes.

"We'll be watching," she said quietly. "You won't be alone."

Ciena's voice broke in again, sharp and focused. "You won't have long once night falls. I'll be preparing the wards. You just... do what you need to do."

With that, she turned and headed for the room that had been designated for her preparations, leaving Rein standing with Kael and Diana in the stillness of the house. The quiet was unnerving, filled only with the sound of distant wind sweeping through the town's empty streets.

Rein could feel his heart beat faster, his mind spiraling. He wasn't sure what to expect from tonight, but the reality of it all was settling deep within him. This was dangerous. He was about to become bait for something ancient, something evil. What if it didn't work? What if something went wrong? His thoughts were muddled, and the uncertainty gnawed at him.

As the night began to fall, Rein reluctantly changed into the soft, oversized pajama that the mayor had delivered with the house key. The fabric was simple, unremarkable. He stood in front of the small, dusty mirror, his reflection looking strangely distant to him. A normal 14-year-old boy. That's how he looked. And yet, he knew—he wasn't.

His mind wandered. What if he didn't make it out of this? What if this was the end? He thought of his past, those forgotten years, the pieces of him locked away that he would never recover. He thought of the long stretches of time where nothing but emptiness remained.

Would dying here, in a town like this, matter?

He stared at his reflection a moment longer, then turned and walked to the window, pulling it open just slightly. The cool night air washed over him, and he could feel the weight of the silence settle around him.

And then, just as he was about to pull away from the window, a voice, eerily soothing, drifted up to him from the darkness below.

"Rein..."

It was a voice like no other—soft, velvety, but with an undercurrent of something darker. A pull he couldn't quite explain.

He froze, his blood running cold.

"Rein..." The voice repeated, closer now.

He leaned out of the window, his heart racing, eyes scanning the shadows.

There, standing at the edge of the street, was a figure. Tall, cloaked in the night, her features barely visible in the dim light. She was so still, so calm, as if waiting for him to make the first move.

The world seemed to pause, a breath hanging in the air.

"Who are you?" Rein's voice trembled despite his best efforts to steady it.

The figure tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a smile that was more a promise than a greeting.

"I am what you've been waiting for."