Prologue (Lore)

Years ago, people started disappearing in Saint Verity. The first was Mayor Alistair Veyr. He was a charitable man. The citizens looked up to him for guidance. His laws were fair. Then one day a shift happened. People began seeing Mayor Veyr in places he could not have been. At first, nobody thought much of it. Another citizen swore he passed them in the market moments after speaking to him at City Hall. Then the sightings became more disturbing: people claimed he would simply stand at a distance and watch them.

Then Mayor Veyr began seeing him too.

A man with his face. His clothes.

His voice.

The first time, it watched from across the street.

The second time, it smiled.

For the third time, at night, long after the city had gone quiet, the cathedral bell rang three times.

No one was inside the tower.

No one had pulled the rope.

By morning, Saint Verity had lost its mayor.

It would not be the last time the bell rang.

---

I am Elias Veyr. And yes, my father was the mayor. On the day he disappeared, I was ecstatic. No one knew who he really was, but I did. A sick man who would beat the living hell out of me because he felt like it. His sadistic tendencies knew no bound.

He was always terrified of something. As a child, I remember him locking doors, covering mirrors, and refusing to go outside after dark.

He always told me, “Don’t ever go outside at night.” I would always ask “why?” and he would never reply.