Chapter 6 The circle of ash

CHAPTER 6

The circle of Ash

Okholm's nights felt colder now. Not from the weather-but from the weight of the secrets hanging in the air. Zion and Lyra moved in shadows, beneath the city's surface, chasing ghosts and leads that had almost been buried.

They started with Antwon's old safehouse-an apartment above a burned-out bookstore, untouched since the day he vanished from the force. Zion picked the lock in silence. The place still smelled like old smoke and charred paper.

Inside, everything was covered in dust-except for a small desk in the corner. Zion flipped on his flashlight.

"What are we looking for?" he asked.

Lyra's gaze didn't leave the desk. "Evidence Antwon kept hidden. Something that connects the Mayor to the disappearances. To the ritual."

Zion opened a drawer. Inside, beneath a stack of receipts and maps, was a leather-bound notebook. The pages were filled with messy scrawl, symbols, and newspaper clippings. He flipped to a bookmarked page.

Antwon had drawn the same crescent moon with a tear again and again.

Lyra took the book gently, eyes scanning. Then she froze.

"This name," she whispered, pointing. "Councilman Vey. He's still alive. Still working with the Mayor."

The entry read:

> "Vey funds the cover-ups. Oversees the 'cleansings.' Paid off the hospitals, the morgue. If anyone could testify, it's him. But he's afraid."

Zion's jaw tightened. "He's the weak link."

They knew what came next: find Vey, get him to talk.

---

They waited outside his estate. Midnight. No guards in sight.

Zion and Lyra moved through the back, slipping past the fence and disabling a small camera near the shed.

Inside, Councilman Vey sat alone-papers strewn across his desk, liquor glass half-full. The moment he saw Zion, he paled.

"You... you're supposed to be dead," Vey whispered.

"I get that a lot," Zion replied.

Lyra stepped from the shadows. Her eyes glowed faintly in the lamplight.

Vey stumbled backward. "No... it's you. The ghost."

She stepped closer. "I need answers. Tell us what you funded. Who died for it."

Vey broke.

"I didn't want to," he stammered. "The Mayor... he said it was protection. That the city needed sacrifices. That if we didn't follow the rites, worse would come."

"Sacrifices?" Zion asked. "What kind?"

"People. Unseen ones. Orphans. Runaways. Anyone that wouldn't make the news." Vey wept. "Antwon found out. He said he'd expose it all. So they killed him. And blamed it on a break-in."

Zion felt the rage swell.

Lyra stared coldly. "Do you have proof?"

Vey nodded shakily. "Hard drives. Photos. He gave me copies in case he didn't make it. I hid them in the basement furnace panel. I'll give them to you. Just... get me out."

"Too late," came a voice from the hallway.

Zion and Lyra turned.

Detective Lang.

Gun drawn. Eyes dead.

"You're not supposed to be here."

Zion reached for his sidearm.

But Lang smiled. "Boss says you're off the leash, Zion. This ends now."

The room exploded into motion.

Zion dove left, Lyra vanished into mist, and Lang fired two shots-one striking the wall behind Vey, who screamed.

Zion rolled, fired back, and clipped Lang in the shoulder.

He dropped.

Lyra reappeared behind Lang, whispering something in his ear.

Lang froze. His eyes rolled back. He collapsed.

Vey shook. "Wh-what did you do?"

"Nothing permanent," she said.

Zion stared at her. "We need to move."

They gathered the drives from the basement.

The truth was no longer just whispers.

Now, it had a name. A face.

And very soon, the whole city would hear it.

While Running

Zion felt an clipse of peace to come

Was he going to save the city with his ghost lady

Who he thought was clean

But having to suffer for the stubbornness of antwon

He had to be here for her

Solve this case and make everything settle

The thought of the little girl came to mind

It's for them

The likes of this kids

Okholm had to be cleansed

If they needed a hero it was meant to be them

And they needed to act fast.

Meanwhile at the police district Captain Raleigh had a conversation with the crescent cult on how their secrets where about to be exposed

They really needed to act fast

They also knew time wasn't by their side...