by iznt
In a world where peace is fragile and memory is weaponized, protection is never as simple as standing guard. Gautti is a young soldier of the Wild Serpent Syndicate, a force known for defending struggling wards from raiders, unrest, and threats that never leave clear tracks behind. Though the Syndicate is seen as a shield against violence, its true role is far more complex—standing at the quiet front of a long, unspoken conflict that most of the world pretends does not exist. When the Syndicate is hired to protect a newly formed ward called Morrowridge, something immediately feels wrong. The town has no walls. No children. No animals. The people are quiet in ways fear alone can explain—but not excuse. As patrols begin, Gautti uncovers signs of violence that don’t belong to the land itself: darkened earth that refuses to fade, missing tracks, and shadows that move with intent. What appears to be a routine contract slowly reveals itself as a carefully constructed test—one meant to measure the Syndicate’s response, discipline, and resolve. Caught between his father, Major—the Syndicate’s leader—and truths he was never meant to uncover so early, Gautti begins to realize that the raiders they fight are not the true enemy. They are symptoms of a much older struggle, one waged quietly through manipulation, fear, and false peace. As ancient forces stir and invisible lines are crossed, Gautti must decide what it truly means to protect others—when even standing still can be an act of war. Because in a world shaped by shadow and entropy, the coldest battles are the ones no one admits are being fought.
