Reborn In Shadows: Belphie's Second Chance
Chapter 4: Shadows in the Castle
Markus moved quietly through the castle's maze of hallways, his heart pounding with every step. The torchlight flickered, casting long shadows against the cold stone walls, but his focus stayed sharp. He had faced danger before, but tonight felt different. Tonight, he needed to find out the secrets Belphie needed to move forward.
He approached Alaric's room, where muffled voices came through the heavy wooden door. Markus pressed his ear against it, his heart racing as he tried to hear what they were saying.
Alaric Berifiguro
"Belphie won't be a problem much longer,"
(Alaric’s voice came through, filled with arrogance.)
"He never saw it coming the first time, and he won’t now."
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
(Clenched his teeth, feeling anger build inside him.)
He tried to catch Quincy’s reply, but a sudden creak in the floorboards sent a chill through him. He pulled back, holding his breath, eyes darting around the dark hallway. Had someone spotted him?
The silence dragged on. Then, the door creaked open, and Markus barely managed to duck into a shadowy corner as Alaric and Quincy stepped out. He held his breath, hidden in the darkness as they walked past, completely unaware of him.
Quincy Henitusi
"You’re too sure of yourself, Alaric,"
(Quincy muttered.)
"Overconfidence gets people killed. We need to make sure everything is perfect—no loose ends."
Alaric Berifiguro
"Relax,"
(Alaric scoffed.)
"No one will stop us, especially not Belphie."
As they disappeared down the hallway, Markus’s resolve hardened. He had heard enough. He needed to get back to Belphie and tell him everything. Alaric and Quincy thought they were in control, but they were wrong.
Once the coast was clear, Markus slipped out of his hiding spot and made his way through the castle, his mind racing with the new information. He had to act fast. Belphie needed to hear this, and they needed to strike soon.
When he finally reached Belphie’s room, he knocked softly, his heart still pounding. The door opened slightly, and Belphie stood there, his eyes sharp and focused.
Belphie Berifiguro
"What did you find out?"
(Belphie asked, his voice calm but intense.)
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
"They’re planning something big,"
(Markus said, still trying to calm down.)
"Alaric is cocky as usual, but there’s something different with Quincy. He’s nervous. They think they’ve already won, but there’s more going on than we thought."
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie’s expression darkened.)
“I expected that. Quincy never plays a game without a backup plan. He’s too smart for that.”
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
(Markus hesitated, then added,)
“They’re meeting again soon. But the way Quincy was talking—it felt like... there’s someone else involved.”
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie’s eyes narrowed.)
"Someone else?"
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
(Markus nodded.)
"I don’t know who, but it sounded like Quincy is scared of them. Someone with real power."
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie was quiet for a moment, thinking about what this could mean.)
"Then we need to find out who they are before they make their move. We can’t let them get the upper hand."
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
(Markus's worry grew.)
“How do we do that? We barely know anything about this new player.”
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie turned away, his voice cold.)
"We don’t need to know everything. We just need to act first."
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
(Markus stepped closer, concern clear in his voice.)
“Belphie, you said we’d be careful—take our time. What if this new person is more dangerous than we think?”
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie turned back to him, his eyes filled with determination.)
“I don’t care who they are. They’ll fall just like Alaric and Quincy.”
Before Markus could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, closer this time. Belphie froze, his hand moving to the dagger at his side. Markus moved to the door, peeking through the small crack.
His heart skipped a beat. A hooded figure stood in the shadows, their face hidden, watching Belphie’s door closely.
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
“Who is that?”
(Markus whispered.)
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie moved beside him, his eyes narrowing as he saw the figure.)
“We’re not alone,”
(he muttered.)
Suddenly, the figure stepped back into the darkness and vanished, leaving only the eerie silence behind.
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie straightened, his jaw tight.)
"It seems our enemies know more than we thought."
Markus Heart (Belphie's best friend)
(Markus's voice trembled with worry.)
"Belphie, what do we do now?"
Belphie Berifiguro
(Belphie’s smile was slow and dangerous.)
"We find them before they find us. And when we do, they won’t know what hit them."
But deep down, Markus couldn’t shake the feeling that they might already be too late.
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