Chapter 110 (Part 01)
The morning sun rose over Castrone like any other day.
Alok had woken early, his mind already moving through the plans he had set in motion the night before. He had dressed quietly, eaten breakfast without tasting it, and waited for the right moment.
His mother was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared tea. His sister, Agata, was still half-asleep on the couch, her phone glowing in her hand.
Alok took a breath.
He had to tell them before the news broke. Before they found out from someone else.
"Mom," he said, his voice steady. "I want to talk to you about something."
His mother looked up, curious. "What is it?"
Agata glanced over, her interest piqued.
Alok sat down at the table, his hands resting on the worn wood.
"I've been thinking...summer break is coming. And I found out that Feilw Land is open for tourists this season. The visas are available. We could go. All of us. A family trip."
His mother blinked, surprised. "Feilw Land? That's... far. Expensive."
"I've been saving," Alok said. "And I have some extra money from...." He paused. "From some work I did. It's enough. I've checked the prices. We can afford it."
Agata sat up straight, her eyes wide. "Wait, seriously? We're going to Feilw Land?"
Alok nodded. "If you want to."
Agata's face split into a grin. "Are you kidding? Of course I want to!"
His mother looked uncertain, but Agata's excitement was contagious. She sighed softly, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Alok... you didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to," he said quietly. "It's been a long time since we did something together. As a family."
His mother was silent for a moment. Then she nodded.
"Okay. Let's do it."
Agata cheered, jumping off the couch and already grabbing her phone.
"I'm going to look up places to visit! There's a famous lake there, and the old castles....."
Alok watched them, a small smile on his face.
This is why I'm doing this, he thought. This is what I'm protecting.
He didn't tell them about the pendant. He didn't tell them about Ceya. He didn't tell them about the man in the black coat or the woman in the dark jacket.
They didn't need to know. Not yet.
The morning passed in a blur of excitement.
Agata had already started packing, her room filled with clothes and travel guides. His mother had called the travel agency to confirm the dates.
Alok stood in the corner of the living room, watching them.
Two more days, he thought. Two more days, and we'll be gone.
And then the television flickered.
A news anchor appeared on screen, her face serious, her voice measured.
"Breaking news from Feilw Land. Earlier this morning, three border patrol soldiers were found dead near the southern crossing. Officials have confirmed they were killed by gunfire. In response, the Feilw Land Border Control Committee has announced an immediate suspension of all foreign tourist visas for the summer season. The ban will remain in effect until further notice."
The sound of Agata's laughter stopped.
She turned slowly, her face pale.
"Wait... what?"
Alok's mother walked toward the television, her hands pressed against her mouth.
"No... no, that can't be right..."
Agata's voice cracked.
"Mom... does that mean we can't go?"
Alok's mother didn't answer. She just stared at the screen.
Agata turned to Alok, her eyes pleading.
"Alok... tell me we can still go. Tell me that's not real."
Alok met her gaze. He wanted to lie. He wanted to tell her everything was fine, that they would find another way.
But he couldn't.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "We can't."
Agata's face crumpled. She didn't cry she was too old for that. But her shoulders sagged, and she turned away, her voice barely a whisper.
"Great. Just great."
She walked out of the room.
Alok's mother looked at him, her eyes tired and worried.
"What do we do now, Alok?"
Alok was silent for a moment. Then he spoke.
"We can't go to Feilw Land. But we can still go somewhere." He paused. "How about a camping trip? Just us. The three of us."
His mother blinked. "Camping?"
"Yeah. Away from the city. Away from everything. It won't be Feilw Land, but..." He shrugged. "It'll be something."
She looked at him for a long moment. Then she nodded slowly.
"Okay. Let's do that."
....
The rest of the day was quiet.
Agata had retreated to her room, her door closed. Alok's mother had gone to the store to buy camping supplies.
Alok stood by the window, staring out at the street.
His phone buzzed. A message from Rihan:
Rihan: "Heard about the news. What do we do now?"
Alok typed back:
Alok: "We find another way."
He pocketed the phone.
I'll find another way, he thought. I have to.
.....
POV SHIFT – Alok (That Night)
The moon was high when Alok finally left the house.
The streets were empty. The city was quiet. He walked with his hands in his pockets, his steps measured, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead.
He found Tira waiting near the old water tower, just as he had asked.
She looked smaller than he remembered. Her shoulders were hunched, her hands clasped in front of her. She didn't meet his eyes. Her whole body was tense, like a cornered animal waiting for the blow.
Alok stopped a few feet away.
"Thank you for coming."
Tira looked up. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You said it was important."
"It is."
He stepped closer. His voice was low, deliberate.
"I need you to go back to Feilw Land. Back to Vaelia."
Tira's face went pale. The color drained so fast he could almost see her shrink.
"What?"
"I need information. I need to know what she's planning. Where Ceya is. What Lisa is doing."
"She'll kill me," Tira whispered. "I betrayed her. She knows."
Alok shook his head.
"She doesn't know everything. She knows you followed me. She knows you helped me escape the lighthouse. But she doesn't know about us. About this."
Tira stared at him, her eyes wide and unblinking.
"You're asking me to go back to the woman who made me her puppet. The woman who used me, broke me, and threw me away."
"I'm asking you to survive."
She laughed, but there was no humor in it. It was a hollow, empty sound.
"Survive? She'll tear me apart. She'll make me wish I was dead."
Alok didn't answer right away. He took another step closer, close enough to see the fear trembling in her eyes.
"Tira."
She looked at him, her breath shallow.
He reached out and pulled her into a hug.
She stiffened, frozen in shock. Her hands hung at her sides, limp and useless.
"Tira," he said again, his voice soft against her ear. "I don't want to send you back. I hate it. I hate that this is the only way. But I don't have a choice. If I try to go to Feilw Land now, they'll stop me. They'll watch me. They'll use my family against me."
She still didn't move. Her body was rigid, like she was waiting for the blow.
"But you," he continued, "you're invisible to them. You're just another pawn who ran away. They'll take you back. And when you're inside, you can find out what I need to know."
Slowly, hesitantly, Tira's hands rose. They pressed against his back, her fingers digging into his shirt.
Her voice cracked.
"What if I can't do it?"
Alok pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes.
"Then you come back. You call me. You find me. I'll come for you. No matter where you are."
She stared at him, searching his face for the lie. She didn't find one.
"Promise me," she whispered.
"I promise."
Her eyes glistened, but she didn't cry. She just nodded, once, her jaw tight.
"Okay. I'll do it."
Alok released her, stepping back.
"Be careful. Don't trust her. Don't trust anyone. And whatever you find, tell me."
Tira turned to leave.
"Tira."
She stopped.
"Thank you."
She didn't look back. She just walked into the darkness, her footsteps fading until she was gone.
Alok stood alone under the moonlight.
Be safe, he whispered to no one.