Captain Rosewalt slumped in the scarred oak chair, boots crossed on the desk, staring at the ceiling as if answers might bleed through the cracked plaster. The lantern on his desk guttered, throwing long shadows that danced like guilty memories.
*What's happening to this town?*
Missing girls. A black-skinned boy appearing out of nowhere. The pieces refused to fit, and its taunts him.
*Well, I'll be damned.*
He smirked without humor. *I'm the protector. My cross to carry.*
A fist hammered the door—three sharp blows that cracked the silence.
"What!" Rosewalt barked.
"Sir—"
"Didn't I say *no one* knocks? Was I unclear?"
"Sir, the townspeople—they're about to enact mob vengeance."
"What!" The word exploded from his chest.
"They want it on the kid we saw with Sango today."
"Hell no. Not on my watch. Such barbarism isn't allowed in this town."
Rosevelt snatched his sword from the wall rack, the steel singing free. He flung the door wide.
The guard outside was tall, round-faced, sweat shining on his brow despite the chill. His blue-and-gold jacket strained at the shoulders; white gloves trembled.
"First time seeing mob vengeance, huh?" Rosewalt said, reading the man's eyes.
"Yeah." The guard swallowed. "Savagery like that , Makes you wonder what horrors humanity's made of."
The station buzzed like a kicked hive—shouts, clattering boots, the sour stink of panic. "You all need to calm down i go a town to worry about i beg you dont add this establishment to the list of my worries" Sango word felt deep as he tries to put out a brave face but deep down he couldn't as his worries were evident.
The whole station became calm as everyone couldn't believe their eyes for the first time their captain is vulnerable.
"Captain#! You dont need to worry about us no more head out alone after all any one of us coming along would actually slow you down"
"You all are doing me a great favour"Rosewalt voice calm but confident
"Head out leave the rest to us we wont let you down"
"Hey round face im putting you in charge and everyone !!# lets do our best!" Rosewalt said as he exists the station.
"To the far east i guess" Rosewalt said as he unchealth his blade.
"Everyone—calm down!" Rosewalt's voice cut through the chaos. He swept the room with a glare sharp enough to draw blood.
"Look who decided to show up," Lieutenant Damascus drawled from the doorway, arms folded. "Better late than never, I guess."
"What is all this, Lieutenant?" Rosewalt's knuckles whitened on the sword hilt.
"What else does it look like, Captain?" Damascus's smile was all teeth.
"Lieutenant—*why?* I swore this town would *never* see mob vengeance under my watch."
Damascus stepped closer, looming. "The people have spoken, Captain. Town Action Code: when the *entire* town agrees, authority becomes meaningless. No one is above the citizens."
"Look at me, Captain!" His voice cracked like a whip. "Do you *really* want to stand against the people?"
He spun to the mob, fist punching the sky. "Everybody—speak louder! Let the Captain hear your resolution!"
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"
The chant rolled like thunder, shaking dust from the rafters. Every soul in Godfall seemed to have gathered, torches painting the night orange.
Rosevelt's gaze drifted to the bound girl cradled in her mother's lap.
"Mommy, what's going on?" the child whimpered.
"We're about to vanquish a demon," the mother whispered, stroking matted hair.
"But Mummy—wasn't he the one who saved me?"
"No, sweetheart. He only wanted to *use* you. If not for Lieutenant Damascus, you'd be dead in a demon's hands."
The girl's eyes widened. "So… it was the lieutenant I spoke to? With my psychic voice?"
"Yes. A miracle he found you." The mother's grip tightened on her daughter's thigh.
Tayo's head hung from the cross, ropes cutting crescents into his wrists. He stared at the girl. Their eyes met.
She looked away.
A laugh—broken, hollow—tore from Tayo's throat. Tears tracked clean paths through the grime on his cheeks.
"So you too, huh? You believe them."
Silence swallowed the laugh.
Rosevelt's jaw clenched. *He's just a kid. A kid shouldn't be burn for sins he never committed. I'll find a way—even if it costs my badge.*
"Hey, everyone—what the hell do you think you're doing to my friend?"
A shadow dropped from the school roof, landing cat-light on the ridge tiles. Moonlight outlined a lean figure, arms akimbo.
"What's all the noise?" Bachi yawned theatrically. "Some of us are genuinely trying to sleep."