Ray walked past everyone, watching them go about their day. Some were working, others were chatting, and some, like him, were just walking around.

In no time, he reached the city gates.

He noticed there were no guards present during the daytime; anyone could enter or leave the city as they pleased, while the guards came to patrol every hour.

His eyes then landed on the holy enchanted bell, a large object with a holy symbol, placed at the top of the city entrance.

He stopped a passerby. "Excuse me, why is that bell at the entrance gate?"

The man gave him a confused look. "Did you come from a village or something? Don't you know that's a holy bell that keeps night creatures out of the city?"

Ray couldn't help but smile at his question. "Yes, something like that. That's why I didn't know. Thanks."

The man nodded. "Now you know. Because of that bell, night creatures can't enter the city."

The man continued, his voice a low, reassuring rumble. "Once they try, the bell alerts everyone in the city, and the knights defend the city while the bell makes a protective holy shield, covering the whole city."

Ray nodded in understanding, a thoughtful expression on his face. He thanked the man, then asked, "Well, can you tell me where the closest city is from here?"

The man gave Ray another confused look, but then he answered. "If you go straight on this path and cross the wooden bridge after the forest, there is a path crossing that goes towards the east and one that goes straight.

The one that goes straight leads to another city; it's a four-hour walk. While there is another one towards the east, which is six to seven hours from here."

Ray's mind was already racing. A four-hour walk. That would give him enough time to get to the city, rest, and then come back at night.

He had a plan now, a plan that would shake the whole world.

He knew the bell wasn't just a simple warning system; it was a weapon. The power that kept the night creatures out, but he was so sure that it won't work on him.

With a newfound purpose, Ray began walking along the path, his steps were normal as if he was taking stroll in the park.

He was leaving but also preparing for a battle that would change everything.

As he walked, a few other travelers joined him, also going in the same direction.

They were all going about their lives, unaware of the storm that was brewing, a storm that he was about to unleash.

The path was simple, cutting through a dense forest. Ray's mind was on the city he had just left.

The families, the corrupt temple person, and their cruelty. He had seen the fear in the eyes of the people, the innocence of the woman who was burned.

He would not forget it.

The four hours passed by quickly. He barely noticed the wooden bridge as he crossed it, his mind lost in a haze of thoughts.

After four hours, he reached the new city. It was smaller than the one he had just left, but it also had a bell at the city gates, and there were guards patrolling.

He didn't have any problems entering the city. He walked through the gates and began wandering the streets.

He was just looking for a place to stay, but in his mind, he was already formulating his plan for the night.

Ray first approached a crowded place, an open market with people selling vegetables and food. He stopped at a stall where a man was selling bread.

"How much for a cream bread?" Ray asked.

"One buck a piece," the man replied, a welcoming smile on his face.

Ray nodded. "Thanks, I was just asking for the prices."

Without another word, he moved on, leaving the man slightly confused. He went to a vegetable vendor next.

"How much for the apples and a cabbage?" Ray asked.

The vendor looked him over. "Two bucks for the apples, and one buck for a single cabbage."

Again, Ray nodded. "Thanks." He didn't buy anything.

He repeated the same routine. From a meat shop to a noodle stand, he only asked for the prices and then walked away. He wasn't hungry; he was gathering information, and he had a plan.

He finally made his way to an inn, a two-story building that looked simple but clean. He went inside and found a man standing behind a small counter.

"How much for a room?" Ray asked.

"One hundred bucks for a night," the man replied. "One hundred twenty with food."

"I'll take the one with food," Ray said.

The man smiled. "Alright, that'll be one hundred twenty bucks." He extended his hand for the payment, but Ray didn't move.

"Can I have a word with you in private?" Ray asked, his voice low.

The man raised an eyebrow, but seeing no harm, he nodded. "Sure, follow me." He led Ray to a small room at the back.

As they entered, Ray closed the door behind him. "I'm afraid I have a problem," Ray began, a serious look on his face.

"I lost my money pouch on the way here. But I promise I will pay you back tomorrow morning."

The man's eyes widened in utter shock. He was about to get angry, but just as he was about to speak, Ray raised his hand, and a bright, holy aura erupted from his palm.

The room was instantly filled with a warm, golden light.

"I swear in the name of God that I will pay you tomorrow," Ray said.

The man couldn't refuse. He was stunned by the holy aura and now believed Ray was a priest from the Temple.

His shock turned to awe. "Sir, please, there is no need. You can stay here for free."

Ray shook his head. "No, I will pay you. Just give me the room for tonight."

The man, now completely in awe, couldn't argue. He nodded and left the room, returning moments later with a tray of food. The light outside the window had faded, and darkness was beginning to spread. It was already night.

The man placed the tray on the table. "You can rest, sir," he said. "The room is yours."

Ray nodded. "Thank you. I was coming from another city and needed to rest."

The man left, closing the door behind him. Ray sat down at the table, a plate of warm food in front of him. He looked out the window at the moon, a cold resolve settling in his heart.

He knew that after this, he was going to do something he never expected himself to do, but right now, he felt it was needed.

Ray ate his food, and he liked it. Once he finished, he went back downstairs to the inn's front desk. The owner was there, polishing a glass.

"Excuse me," Ray said. "I feel pretty tired from my journey. Do you have any drinks that might help?"

The man smiled warmly. "Yes, of course. I'll send some right up to your room."

Ray pulled a hand out of his pocket as if to grab money. "How much will that be?"

The innkeeper waved his hand. "No charge, please. It's on the house."

"At least send a couple of them," Ray said, as if it was a small favor.

The man simply nodded, and Ray returned to his room. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Ray said.

A young servant entered, holding a tray with four mugs of beer.

Ray was resting on the bed. "Just leave the drinks on the table. You can go now," Ray told him. The servant nodded, left the mugs, and quietly exited the room.

Once the servant was gone, Ray let out a long sigh knowing the time was getting close.

He took the first mug and drank it down, then the second one right after it, then lastly left the other two untouched.

The night grew darker, and the streets below became quieter. The sounds of the city faded away, people shut themselves in their house.

When the street below was finally empty, Ray got up from his bed.

He looked out the window one last time, seeing the moon high in the sky. He moved quietly to the window and slipped out, landing silently on the ground.

He moved through the shadows, like a ghost in the night. The city, which had been so alive just hours before, was now a quiet maze of dark alleys and silent houses.

Ray knew this was the perfect time for what he was about to do. He made his way toward the city gates, staying hidden from the streetlamps.

He finally reached the city gates. As he had expected, they were closed and locked at this hour.

But what surprised him was the number of guards. He had assumed there would only be a few, but there were dozens.

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