The night was cold, and the only sound breaking the silence was the faint breath of Victor Nova's horse. The black stallion had been his sole companion through the wasteland, his shadow in the ruins of the old world. But now, the animal lay on the ground, its leg broken beyond salvation.
Victor knelt beside the beast, running his hand over its mane one last time. The decision was already made, but his fingers trembled as he reached for his knife. The horse, as if sensing its fate, let out a soft exhale.
"I'm sorry."
The blade struck swiftly. Blood seeped into the dirt, forming dark veins in the cracked earth. For a moment, Victor remained still, staring at the lifeless form before him. Then, without a word, he turned westward and resumed his journey, now utterly alone.
---
The wasteland stretched endlessly, a graveyard of humanity's past sins. As he walked, Victor saw remnants of a once-thriving colony—walls scorched, buildings crumbling, the echoes of a civilization that had devoured itself.
When he entered the settlement, there were no survivors—only bodies. Scattered across the streets, piled against walls, huddled in corners. They had killed each other… for food.
A faint movement caught his eye. He approached cautiously, his hand gripping his weapon. Beneath a collapsed wooden beam, he found a child.
Barely breathing.
Victor hesitated before gently lifting the frail body. The child's eyes fluttered open—clouded, distant, already fading. Victor carried him to the highest rooftop in the settlement, where the dying sun cast a golden glow over the ruined world.
"Look…" Victor whispered, his voice almost breaking. "The sunset… one last time."
The boy exhaled softly, his tiny fingers grasping weakly at Victor's coat before going still.
Victor didn't move for a long time.
Then, silently, he began digging graves.
It took him the entire night. He buried each corpse, whispering no prayers, only offering them the dignity they had lost in life.
When dawn arrived, Victor stood among the fresh graves, exhaustion pressing down on him like chains. He turned back to the ruined settlement, taking only what he needed—the very food and water these people had died for.
He hated himself for it.
Yet, he continued walking.
---
Then, the pain struck.
A sharp, searing agony exploded in his skull, forcing him to his knees. His vision blurred, his breath ragged. And when he lifted his gaze—they were there.
ZY and Johan.
ZY stood to his left, his face twisted into a manic grin, his laughter sharp as a blade. To his right stood Johan, his presence as suffocating as the grave. Unlike ZY, Johan did not laugh. He merely smiled.
"Well done, Victor," Johan whispered, stepping closer. "Look at this destruction. All of it… because you followed my guidance."
ZY let out a hysterical laugh. "Hah! Burying the dead? How soft you've become! You waste time mourning those you never knew!"
Victor clenched his fists, his breathing unsteady. "You have no say in this. I—I'm trying to do something… something to—"
Johan's smile widened, his voice dripping with venom. "To what? Redeem yourself? Oh, Victor… you destroyed the world. No matter what you do, you'll never fix it."
His words slithered into Victor's mind like poison.
"Because of you, children lost their parents. Because of you, people were buried alive under rubble. Even the animals, the plants—everything suffered because of your actions."
Victor felt his chest tighten. He clutched his heart, as if trying to hold back the invisible chains constricting around it.
ZY chuckled darkly. "Do you feel it? That emptiness inside? Of course you do. Didn't you ask for this years ago? Didn't you beg Johan to silence your heart, to make sure you'd never feel again?"
The pain in Victor's head intensified. He gasped, vision flashing between reality and nightmare. The shadows of his mind closed in—until, suddenly, everything went black.
And he collapsed, unconscious, among the ruins.
---
Prelude to Chapter Six: Shadows of the Past
The cold darkness wrapped around Victor Nova like a shroud. He lay amidst the wreckage, his mind drifting between pain and silence. But even in unconsciousness, his torment did not end.
A voice echoed through the void.
"Wake up, Nova… your journey is far from over."
It was different from Johan's venomous whispers. Different from ZY's twisted laughter. This voice was calm. Familiar. Ancient.
As Victor's eyes fluttered open, a figure stood before him.
Not Johan.
Not ZY.
Someone else.
Someone he had buried in his memories long ago.
But why now? Why had they returned?
In the Next Chapter…
Who is this mysterious figure, and what truth do they bring?
How will Victor cope after his confrontation with Johan and ZY?
Will he continue seeking redemption, or will his darkness consume him?
Find out in Chapter Six of Chains of Guilt and the Hidden Serpents.