Shrouded in Shadows

Prologue

Despair.

It was the only thing he could remember feeling that day, the day officers arrived at his house. He could remember the flashing lights of red and blue peering through the windows and the smell of burnt toast wafting through the air. There was a cartoon playing when it happened, but the sirens drowned out any other sound. It all felt like a trance, one that he couldn't escape from. Only when someone called out to him could he snap out of it. "Reo! Go to your room," they exclaimed quickly before walking towards the door where men in uniforms stood. Sometimes, Reo wished the door had never opened.

The officers walked in, their shiny silver badges reflecting the light from the television, and looked around. It was only him and his brothers there, their father working overtime in Lycriex. He didn't remember who opened the door, all he knew was that it had happened to let the men in. Reo hid behind their patchy red couch, intending to listen in on the conversation that was about to unfold.

"Sorry for your-"

"Sorry to interrupt but... who are you talking about?" One of the brothers asked, tilting his head as he glanced at the other standing next to him.

But Reo knew all too well who the officers were talking about. There were obvious signs that had been overlooked, making Reo feel terrible for not noticing sooner. His mother had been away for the past few days without telling him and his father refused to speak about it... it only made him even more worried about what the officers would say next.

"Have your parents taught you no respect?" the officer scowled before calming down, knowing they were just kids, "We are talking about a woman named Aika Dagon. She was found dead in an alleyway in Wyveria. The cause of death was determined to be a freak accident."

Reo's heart pounded in his chest as the gravity of the officer's words settled in. Aika, his mother, was now gone. The shock and disbelief gripped him, momentarily paralyzing any coherent thoughts. His brothers, Ren and Relix, exchanged glances once more, their expressions mirroring the mix of horror and sorrow that their little brother felt. Tears streamed down his face like a cascading waterfall as he made his way from behind the couch toward his older brothers. The officer, now more empathetic, observed their distress and continued with a softer tone, "I understand this is a lot to take in. But we need your cooperation. Did Aika have any enemies, or was there anyone who might have wanted to harm her?"

Reo's mind raced, memories of Aika's warm smile and comforting presence flooding his thoughts. He shook his head, unable to fathom anyone harboring ill intentions towards her. "No, officer, Momma was kind to everyone. She didn't have enemies. She was... she was like the sun."

Ren, wiping away Reo's tears, added, "Yeah, she takes care of us when Father leaves for work each morning. We can't believe she's gone."

The officer nodded sympathetically, "I understand. We'll need to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the details surrounding her death. If you remember anything, no matter how small, please don't hesitate to come forward. It could be crucial to solving this case."

As the officer took their statements, Reo's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Aika's death than a mere accident. Questions circled in his mind, and a determination to uncover the truth ignited within him. However, that was eight years ago; no one knows what truly happened but perhaps with time, the truth will surface.