Virat: Abandoned by Destiny

Narrator

"Sometimes..."

"A single decision made by a king..."

"Can change the fate of an entire village."

"And sometimes..."

"The reason behind that decision..."

"Is hidden beneath years of politics, geography, and old promises."

The golden light of the morning sun slowly spread across the horizon.

The night had finally disappeared.

A few thin clouds floated above the distant mountains, turning gold as the sunlight touched them.

Beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Spades...

A black horse raced through the forest.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

Its hooves struck the earth with tremendous speed.

Alistair sat upon its back.

His cloak moved violently behind him.

He did not look back.

The Kingdom of Spades had already disappeared behind the trees.

His destination...

Was elsewhere.

He had another kingdom to reach.

Another throne to approach.

And this time...

He carried something far more important than a warning.

He carried proof.

The black horse suddenly entered a dense section of forest.

The trees became thicker.

The sunlight almost disappeared.

Alistair slowly pulled the reins.

The horse stopped.

Silence.

Alistair looked around.

There was no road.

No traveler.

No guard.

No one.

Only trees.

He dismounted.

Then...

He walked toward a particular patch of ground.

Several days earlier...

While leaving Restart Village, Alistair had deliberately placed several small paper figures along the route.

They looked completely harmless.

Just pieces of paper pushed into the soil.

But they were part of his shadow network.

Alistair stopped beside one.

He crouched.

His fingers touched the paper.

For a moment...

Nothing happened.

Then—

SHIIIIING...

A faint golden light appeared beneath the paper.

The ground began to glow.

Alistair stepped back.

The light expanded.

And suddenly...

The black horse appeared within the same circle of light.

The horse landed firmly on the ground.

THUD!

Alistair mounted again.

His expression remained calm.

His shadow network had saved him hours of travel.

But there was something else.

Something that had been happening while he was traveling.

Alistair looked toward the direction of Restart Village.

Then...

He slowly closed his eyes.

His network had already given him information.

Lazim had arrived.

And he had not come alone.

A group of armed men.

Bandits.

Soldiers.

Enough people to turn a political dispute into something far more dangerous.

Alistair's eyes opened.

"So..."

"The day has begun."

He pulled the reins.

The horse moved forward.

Restart Village

At the same time...

Restart Village was no longer peaceful.

Lazim had arrived with his men.

The villagers had gathered.

Brald stood among them.

The decision had finally arrived.

Lazim stood before the people with the same controlled expression.

His golden parchment remained in his hand.

"The agreement is simple."

"Accept the protection of the Holy Kingdom..."

"And Restart Village will receive financial support."

"Reject it..."

"And Village Chief Brald White must resign."

Brald remained silent.

The villagers watched him.

Some were nervous.

Some were confused.

Others had already begun wondering what would happen next.

Brald knew exactly what this moment meant.

This was no longer simply about land.

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It was about control.

He looked toward Lazim.

"You have asked for too much."

Lazim smiled.

"I have offered protection."

Brald's eyes remained calm.

"Protection does not require ownership."

A few villagers exchanged glances.

Lazim's smile remained.

But his eyes became slightly colder.

"You have until today."

Brald understood.

There would be no more delays.

The Shadow Network

Far away...

Alistair suddenly felt a faint vibration beneath his cloak.

He stopped the horse.

One of the hidden communication figures had activated.

Alistair reached inside his cloak.

A small paper figure unfolded.

Then...

A message appeared.

Alistair read it.

His eyes narrowed.

Brald had sent a response.

Not through an ordinary messenger.

Through the same network.

Alistair read the short message.

Then...

He understood.

Spades had refused to intervene.

Not because the King did not believe him.

But because...

The political consequences were too dangerous.

Alistair slowly folded the paper.

"So that's the reason."

His expression remained calm.

He had already expected something like this.

Geography alone made the situation complicated.

The Kingdom of Spades controlled the upper region of the sacred river.

Restart Village depended upon that river.

And years ago...

Several kingdoms had entered an agreement regarding it.

The river could not simply be blocked.

No kingdom was allowed to stop its flow for personal advantage.

The reason was simple.

The river supplied clean water to multiple kingdoms.

If Restart Village disappeared...

The purification system connected to the river would also be disrupted.

And the consequences would spread.

Spades itself would eventually gain enormous influence over the other kingdoms.

If the river's clean water stopped reaching them...

Those kingdoms would have to turn toward Spades for assistance.

That would give Spades political and economic power.

The King knew this.

But there was another problem.

The Holy Kingdom.

The relationship between Spades and the Holy Kingdom had never been completely peaceful.

There had been disputes.

Border tensions.

And wars in the past.

If Spades attacked someone claiming to be a Holy Kingdom minister...

And that person truly was an official...

The consequences could be catastrophic.

One wrong decision...

Could ignite another war.

Alistair looked ahead.

"That is why you refused."

He understood.

The King's decision was not foolish.

It was political survival.

But Alistair also knew something else.

There was one piece of information the King of Spades did not have.

Lazim might not be a minister at all.

Alistair reached into his cloak again.

Another paper figure unfolded.

This time...

The message was meant for the Holy Kingdom.

His secret network had already reached one of its ministers.

The response came quickly.

A single name.

Lazim.

No official record.

No recognized appointment.

Nothing.

Alistair's eyes became sharper.

"So..."

"He isn't a minister."

The possibility had become a certainty.

He immediately sent another message.

This one went directly toward the minister who had access to the Holy Kingdom's royal court.

The message contained everything Alistair knew.

Lazim.

Restart Village.

The land.

The contract.

The threat.

And the possibility of an attack.

But Alistair deliberately did not send the most important thing.

Brald's original letter.

He still carried it.

Because that letter contained something far more powerful than words.

Proof.

Part 2 — The Seal of Betrayal

Days passed.

The road became longer.

Alistair continued toward the Holy Kingdom.

The black horse carried him through forests, plains, and mountain roads.

The journey was exhausting.

But Alistair never complained.

Every evening...

He checked the road ahead.

Every night...

His network continued moving information.

And every morning...

He continued riding.

Until finally...

The great walls of the Holy Kingdom appeared before him.

The kingdom was enormous.

Its roads were crowded.

Knights moved through the streets.

Merchants traveled between districts.

Church officials walked beneath the white banners of the kingdom.

Alistair entered through one of the outer routes.

He did not need to search for the minister.

His network had already arranged the meeting.

A man was waiting for him.

He wore the robes of a senior royal minister.

His hair was dark.

His expression was intelligent and serious.

The moment he saw Alistair...

He stopped.

"Alistair."

Alistair nodded.

"Maelis Vorne."

Maelis smiled faintly.

"It has been a long time."

"We don't have time for memories."

Maelis's expression became serious.

"Then tell me."

Alistair began walking beside him.

As they moved toward the royal palace...

He explained everything.

Lazim's arrival.

The contract.

The pressure placed upon Restart Village.

The claim that Lazim represented the Holy Kingdom.

The possibility of land being taken.

The threat of further action.

And the refusal of the Kingdom of Spades to intervene.

Maelis listened carefully.

"You believe Lazim is lying about his position?"

"I don't believe."

Alistair looked at him.

"I know."

Maelis's expression changed.

"You have proof?"

"Not yet."

A pause.

"But I have something that will allow you to verify it."

They continued toward the palace.

Maelis looked at Alistair.

"Why didn't you send it through your network?"

"Because some proof should not travel through paper."

Maelis understood.

They finally reached the palace.

The massive doors opened.

The King

The throne room was quiet.

The King of the Holy Kingdom sat upon the throne.

Several officials stood nearby.

Maelis stepped forward.

"Your Majesty."

The King looked toward him.

Then...

His eyes moved to the man standing behind him.

For a moment...

The King stared.

Then a faint smile appeared.

"It has been a long time."

His gaze remained on Alistair.

"Alistair..."

"The Shadow Hunter."

Alistair bowed.

"Your Majesty."

The King leaned back.

"I did not expect to see you here."

"Neither did I."

A faint smile passed between them.

But it disappeared quickly.

The King became serious.

"Maelis tells me you have brought a serious accusation."

Alistair nodded.

"I have."

"Then speak."

Alistair explained everything again.

This time...

In front of the King.

He told him about Lazim.

Restart Village.

The contract.

The pressure on Brald.

The claim that Lazim represented the Holy Kingdom.

And the danger of an attack.

The King listened without interrupting.

When Alistair finished...

The throne room became silent.

The King finally asked:

"Do you have proof?"

Alistair reached inside his cloak.

"Yes."

He pulled out a folded letter.

He walked forward.

And placed it before the King.

The King opened it.

The handwriting belonged to Brald.

The letter explained everything.

The arrival of Lazim.

His claims.

His demands.

The promised gold.

The promised protection.

The land.

And the concern that Lazim intended to gain control over Restart Village.

But there was one more thing.

At the bottom of the letter...

Was an official seal.

Maelis stepped closer.

His eyes immediately widened.

The King looked toward him.

"What is it?"

Maelis did not answer immediately.

He stared at the seal.

Then...

His expression changed completely.

"Your Majesty..."

"This is not an ordinary seal."

The King stood.

"Explain."

Maelis pointed toward it.

"This seal belongs to the highest administrative authority of the Holy Kingdom."

A silence fell over the throne room.

"It is used only when a matter is officially recognized by the Crown."

"The moment this seal is verified..."

"Every connected administrative rule becomes active."

The King stared at the letter.

"Meaning?"

Maelis answered:

"If Lazim presented documents claiming to represent the Holy Kingdom..."

"And his documents conflict with this official record..."

"Then one of two things has happened."

He looked toward Alistair.

"Either someone has forged an official identity..."

"Or..."

His voice became quieter.

"There is a traitor inside the Holy Kingdom."

Silence.

Complete silence.

The King slowly looked at the document Lazim had presented to Restart Village.

Alistair had brought a copy of it.

The King examined it.

Then compared it with Brald's letter.

His expression became darker.

"This document..."

He pointed toward Lazim's contract.

"The seal is wrong."

Maelis nodded.

"Completely."

The King remained silent.

For several seconds...

Nobody moved.

Then...

The King stood.

His calm expression disappeared.

"Emergency declaration."

The officials froze.

"Your Majesty?"

The King looked toward the guards.

"Activate the royal emergency protocol."

The entire throne room changed instantly.

"Send word to every military command."

"Prepare one thousand soldiers."

The officials stared.

"One thousand?"

The King looked toward Alistair.

"Yes."

He turned toward Maelis.

"You are coming with me."

Maelis bowed.

"Of course."

The King looked back at Alistair.

"You said Restart Village is already facing this threat."

"Yes."

"Then we are going there."

The King walked down the steps of the throne.

"Not tomorrow."

"Not after another meeting."

"Now."

Outside...

The palace bells began ringing.

BOOOONG!

BOOOONG!

BOOOONG!

Across the Holy Kingdom...

The emergency signal spread.

Soldiers began gathering.

Horses were prepared.

Armor was equipped.

Weapons were distributed.

Within a short time...

One thousand soldiers were ready.

At the front...

The King.

Beside him...

Maelis Vorne.

And slightly behind...

Alistair.

The Shadow Hunter.

Alistair mounted his black horse.

The King mounted his own.

Maelis followed.

The gates opened.

And the army began moving toward Restart Village.

Restart Village

At that same moment...

Restart Village had become something entirely different.

The contract dispute had ended.

The political argument had ended.

Because something far more frightening had happened.

Lily was gone.

T was gone.

The villagers searched everywhere.

The river.

The roads.

The forest.

The houses.

Everywhere.

"Lily!"

"T!"

"Search again!"

"Check the eastern side!"

"No one has found them!"

Brald stood near the center of the village.

His expression was calm.

Too calm.

He had already understood.

This was no ordinary disappearance.

Something had happened.

Something connected to Lazim.

The villagers continued searching.

Some carried lanterns.

Others called their names.

But there was no answer.

Only the cold wind moved through the empty streets.

Brald slowly looked toward his home.

The door stood slightly open.

His eyes narrowed.

He began walking toward it.

Behind him...

The village remained in chaos.

But inside that chaos...

Brald noticed something.

A silence.

A silence that felt wrong.

He stepped inside.

"Lily?"

No answer.

"T?"

Nothing.

He walked deeper into the house.

Then...

His eyes stopped.

Something was lying on the floor.

A small object belonging to T.

Brald picked it up.

His fingers tightened.

His eyes remained calm.

But something inside him had changed.

Outside...

The villagers continued searching.

And far away...

One thousand soldiers were moving toward Restart Village.

The King of the Holy Kingdom had finally understood the truth.

Lazim was not acting as an official minister.

He was an impostor.

And somewhere between kingdoms...

The political shadow surrounding Restart Village had become something much larger.

Narrator

"One king refused to fight..."

"Because he feared starting a war without proof."

"Another king..."

"Moved the moment the proof appeared."

"Between them..."

"One man carried the truth."

"Alistair."

"The Shadow Hunter."

"But while kingdoms prepared their armies..."

"Restart Village was already paying the price."

"Lily was missing."

"T was missing."

"And the people searching for them..."

"Did not yet know..."

"That the disappearance of two members of one family..."

"Would soon bring the attention of an entire kingdom."

The road to Restart Village had begun.

And this time...

The shadows were no longer moving alone.

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