"STOP!"

The guards yelled again, their swords pointed at Ray, but Ray kept moving, his steps unwavering.

He was just a few feet away from the guards when the woman, named Sergeant Lana, shouted from the back, "Step aside."

Her voice was a sharp command to the guards.

From Ray's confident steps, she was sure that if he was an enemy, then the guards were no match for him.

So instead, she decided to see for herself why someone was at their door.

The commotion had drawn all the 40 stationed guards and all four knights, including Lana, were now facing Ray.

Ray stopped a few feet from the guards; his eyes calm behind the mask. "Is this the Knight stronghold?" he asked, his voice low.

The guards lowered their swords and stepped aside. "Sergeant Lana," they said, bowing respectfully.

Lana walked forward, her eyes sizing up the mysterious man. "Who are you to ask this?" she questioned, her voice firm. "You don't seem local to me."

Ray simply raised his hand. The motion instantly put everyone on alert, including Lana, who immediately tensed, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword.

But their guard was quickly broken when a pure golden aura burst from Ray's palm, illuminating the entire area with a holy, warm light.

The pure energy washed over them, and a second later, it was gone, subsiding as quickly as it had appeared.

Lana stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. "Are you from the Temple?" she asked, her voice hushed.

Ray shook his head. "No," he said honestly. "But I'm on your side, that's all I can say." His words were the truth, but they sounded mysterious.

His holy aura was a testament to his affiliation with the Holy Temple, but seeing him not accepting the affiliation made them thought that there must be reason behind it which they aren't in a position to question.

"Sir!" Lana bowed in respect, followed by the rest of the guards and knights.

Ray sighed, shaking his head. "No need for this," he said. "So, can we talk inside?"

Lana's respect was immediate. "Yes, yes, of course," she said, motioning toward the door. "Please, come in." She took the lead, gesturing for him to enter.

Ray was soon seated at a large wooden table with the four Sergeant-level knights.

Lana sat across from him, while the three other men sat on either side of the table. A long moment of silence hung in the air.

Ray looked at them, his question was very clear. "If the Knight Order is here, then why are innocents dying in this city, and not by night creatures, but by fellow humans?"

He asked, his voice stern and his tone filled with a subtle accusation.

Lana was taken by surprise, her eyes widening slightly at his directness. Before she could answer, one of the male knights, a large man with a brown moustache, spoke.

"We were advised by the higher-ups not to act against the masses," the man said, his voice flat.

"When the public has already decided a witch is a witch, our interference would only lead to a riot."

Ray didn't accept the answer. "Going against the masses is one thing, but you can change their view or at least catch the main culprits," he argued, his voice cold.

"The men who accused her and killed her. You could have caught them."

The man looked away, the moustache on his cheek twitching slightly. "You are right, but that's not how it works sir," he said, sighing.

"There are big people involved in this, and taking action might have repercussions."

He spoke with a sense of weariness, a painful resignation that told Ray he had heard the same words a hundred times.

It was the same answer he got from the man at the pub, but hearing it from the knights themselves made it clear that their hands were tied.

It wasn't just about power or strength; it was also about the fear of authority.

"Seems corruption is everywhere, even on the noble side," Ray spoke, his words were clear to their ears.

His simple statement felt like a profound truth, and the four sergeants couldn't deny it. It was true that corruption, authority, and fear had made it possible for innocents to lose their lives.

Ray then saw Lana's expression, which was filled with a mix of anger and frustration. "Seems you don't like all of this, huh?" he asked, assuming she didn't like the way he had questioned them like they were criminals.

A young man, one of the other sergeants, quickly spoke up.

"No, sir," he said.

"Actually, she's been furious since that woman died.

If not for her oath to follow the higher command as a part of the knighthood, she would have punished those men herself and saved the woman. But alas..."

He sighed, his tone filled with a quiet, defeated resignation.

Ray's gaze shifted from the young man back to Lana, and a small chuckle escaped his lips. The chuckle grew into a full laugh, startling the knights.

He stopped a few seconds later, a genuine smile in his eyes, hidden behind the mask.

"Hahaha-haaha, I like that attitude of yours. But it's also commendable that you are still following your duty as a knight."

His words surprised them, and they kept quiet, including Lana, who looked at Ray, a man behind a strange mask, trying to understand him.

Ray's tone then shifted to a serious one. "Now tell me everything you know about night creatures," he commanded.

"Everything from past stories to current incidents, including the recent werewolf attack."

Hearing this, their faces saddened, the easy atmosphere of the room quickly fading. The young knight who had spoken before cleared his throat.

"Vampires..." he began, his voice low as if speaking of darkness.

"They are beings beyond understanding and few in number, but they are incredibly cunning and powerful.

We've heard stories of them possessing a charm that can bend a man's will and an insatiable thirst for blood.

Their bodies are fast and hard to kill, and their power grows as they drink more blood. We have stories of entire towns wiped out in the night.

Their weakness is said to be the holy light and a piece of wood through their hearts."

"Lycans," another knight said, picking up the story. "They are much more common, but they are also much more dangerous.

They hunt in packs and are filled with a rage that can't be controlled. They don't discriminate between friend or foe once they lose control.

Their strength is unmatched, and their claws can tear a man apart as if he were nothing. Their weakness is silver."

"Recently," the young knight continued, his voice filled with a familiar weariness, "we had a few small incidents.

A few travelers were found dead in the forest, their bodies torn to pieces. We assumed it was just a small pack of beasts, so we didn't raise much alarm.

But a few days ago, two of our sergeants went out on patrol and found a pack of three werewolves.

They engaged them." The knight's voice broke. "They were well-trained and knew what they were doing, but werewolves... they are a different breed of beast."

Lana, who had been listening quietly, spoke for the first time. "We found them a few miles from the city gates.

We killed all three werewolves, but we found that two of our sergeants... they were gone." Her voice was soft but sad. "They lost their lives in that process."

"They died doing their duty," Ray said, his tone firm. "But what action did you take after? Did you try to find how the werewolves came close to the city?"

The knights had no answer. They looked at each other, their faces filled with a helplessness. Luna finally spoke; her voice laced with bitterness.

"We were given orders that soon, someone from a higher order would be dispatched. Until then, we were told to just remain silent, keep patrolling, and nothing else."

Ray's face remained calm behind his mask, but inside, his mind was racing. "So, where is this higher-up from the Temple? Did they ever come?" he asked.

The knights all looked stunned. The man with the brown moustache answered, his voice full of disbelief. "Sir, we thought you were..."

Ray shook his head, interrupting him. "Didn't I tell you that I'm not affiliated with the Temple?"

His words were hard for them to believe, but his tone was firm.

He didn't give them time to question him further. "How long has it been since the werewolf incident happened?" he asked Luna.

"Close to three months," she answered, her voice a low.

'Three months and no one came...' Ray thought to himself, the words confirming his deepest suspicion that something was very wrong here.

The Temple had either forgotten about this place, or they had bigger problems to worry about.

He decided he had heard enough. He got up from his seat. "Well, thanks for telling me all this. I should leave then."

Just as he turned to go, the young man spoke, his voice filled with concern. "Sir, we have food, drinks, and a room ready. You can rest here for the night."

Ray stopped. He had completely forgotten that he didn't have any coins, nor did he have a place to stay. 'Oh, right,' he thought, a sense of relief washing over him. 'Better accept their hospitality.'

He turned back to the young knight. "Very well," he said.

"Lead me to the room and send food and drinks there. I prefer privacy."

The young man nodded eagerly. "Yes, sir, I'll take you." He began leading Ray away from the table, leaving the others behind.

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