Chapter 12 – The Letter
The walls of the dilapidated house were covered in sacred moss that still shimmered faintly, as if some divine energy resisted the passage of time and decay. The smell of ancient dust mixed with something metallic and mystical in the air.
Adrian stared at the skeleton before him. The position it was in—sitting at the table, head slightly bowed over a yellowed piece of paper—suggested that its final moments had been lonely… yet peaceful. A soft light emanated from the power stone in front of it, as if it still responded to the energy that once lived in that man.
Carefully, Adrian picked up the letter beneath the stone and began to read:
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Hi.
If you're reading this, it means you were as foolish as I was, coming here in search of this inheritance without even thinking of an escape plan.
I spent my whole life trapped in this place, believing that power was everything.
I abandoned my wife and children chasing strength.
Now, at the end of my life, I realize how foolish I was.
To whoever finds this letter, I've left a map below showing where you can find information about the divine domain and the inheritance.
I just have one last request: if you manage to get out of here, please… apologize to my family for me—if I even have the right to still call them that.
Their address is written next to the map.
Please...
A final piece of advice from an old fool: never forget the people who truly matter to you.
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Silence filled the air, as if even the ruins around them respected that moment.
Adrian folded the letter with reverence, his eyes slightly misty. A knot formed in his throat as he looked once more at the skeleton. What had once seemed like just another body in a forgotten world now felt like someone. Someone with regrets, with flaws… and a story.
— He had what I have now… and threw it away — Adrian thought. — I already have the most precious thing in the world by my side... Too bad I only realized it too late.
He whispered:
— I promise.
Then, he left the house in silence, searching for a proper place to bury the man. He found a broken garden, surrounded by sacred stones and twisted trees that still resisted the domain's corruption. There, he dug with his bare hands until the grave was ready.
In front of the freshly covered tomb, Adrian searched through the rubble for a simple stone—large enough to serve as a marker. Once he found one, he cleaned it carefully and placed it over the grave, improvising a headstone.
— I don't know the right words… but I know what you'd want to hear.
— I promise I'll find your family. I'll deliver your apology to them. I swear it.
The twilight shadows stretched long. The sky above, filled with distorted celestial auroras, reminded Adrian that time was running short.
He looked at his wristwatch: only thirty minutes left until his meeting with Cordelia.
— I better go, or I'll be late — he said, wiping his hands and beginning to run through the cracked streets covered in golden dust.
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Meanwhile, Cordelia waited at the meeting point.
She looked out toward the horizon, her brow furrowed. The sky was beginning to darken, revealing abstract shapes of celestial beings among the clouds, as if the gods were watching in silence.
— Where is he? I told him to be back before nightfall...
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed between the ruined buildings.
— Sorry I'm late! — Adrian said, breathless. — I found something I need to show you.
Cordelia gave him a serious look.
— Not now. We need to get home before it gets completely dark. Come on, follow me.
She ran ahead, leaping over the debris with agility.
— Hey! Wait! — Adrian called, trying to keep up.
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Back at the refuge house, protected by sacred symbols and enchanted candles:
Cordelia pushed open the reinforced door and stepped inside. The interior was simple, but safe. Maps were spread across an improvised table, and a magical fireplace lit the room with bluish flames.
— We're here. So… what was so important?
Adrian, still catching his breath, carefully pulled out what he had found from his backpack.
— I found this — he said, handing over the power stone and the letter.
Cordelia took both objects, examining the stone first, which pulsed gently in her hands.
— A power stone… and a letter?
— Read the letter — Adrian said, his gaze steady.
Cordelia unfolded the paper with care. As she read, her expression shifted, becoming more thoughtful. When she finished, she closed her eyes for a moment, absorbing the message.
— So… what do you want to do with this information? — she asked, looking seriously at Adrian.
He didn't hesitate.
— I have an idea. An idea that might help us find your parents… and the inheritance.
Cordelia stared at Adrian for a few seconds, and for the first time since they'd arrived in that place, a faint glimmer of hope shone in her eyes.
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