𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲

𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬The soft hum of the train filled the silence as I stared out the window. The sky outside was locked in an eternal twilight—no Sun, no stars, just an endless expanse of darkness.Across from me, a man sat down. He had a sharp, angular face, his blonde hair perfectly styled despite the dim light. His beard was well-groomed, adding an air of ruggedness to his otherwise sleek appearance. He wore a black formal suit under a dark trench coat, the kind that whispered of sophistication. Dark sunglasses shielded his eyes, though the absence of light made their presence all the more curious. He studied me for a moment, his silence imposing yet not unfriendly, before he finally spoke."First time heading to Rotheos?"I didn’t answer.He exhaled, seemingly unbothered by my silence. "It's different from other cities. Safer. Stable. People come here looking for work, a fresh start, or just a place to exist without asking too many questions."He leaned back slightly. "You’ll find something in Rotheos, whether you want to or not." After a pause, he extended a hand. "Elias Vinter."I didn’t take it.Elias smirked, unfazed, then turned his attention to the window. "Well, since we have time, let me tell you about the place you're headed to..."And just like that, he started talking—about the city, its jobs, its opportunities. He spoke as if filling the silence was more important than whether I listened.

𝐀 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

When we stepped off the train, we walked toward the state border at -[cough]-, (sorry, where did I go from here?). The concrete road was quiet, bordered by tall, dense trees. Our footsteps echoed in the still air. The border marker appeared ahead, marking the shift from one state to another.We paused briefly, the silence around is thick. Continuing forward, the trees began to thin, and in the distance, the first signs of Rotheos appeared. The wilderness slowly gave way to the city.Rotheos revealed itself—a compact city of neatly arranged buildings, their clean-cut structures standing in contrast to the eerie twilight above. Unlike the chaotic ruins of other places, Rotheos was strangely peaceful. There were no odd, crumbling structures, no abandoned districts swallowed by time. The city was organized, well-maintained, and—most importantly—safe.The streets were quiet, but not empty. People moved with purpose, neither rushing nor loitering. There were no signs of crime, no sense of impending disaster. It was unsettling how normal it all seemed."Security’s tight here," Elias muttered, as if reading my thoughts. "Strict systems keep the city running. No unnecessary trouble. That’s why it still stands while other places fell apart."He walked forward at a steady pace. "Finding a job here isn’t hard. Retail, cafés, deliveries—you name it. The police and city government are always hiring. If you’re ambitious, you could even aim for city council. And if you're looking for something bigger, there’s the FBI internship program."He glanced at me but didn’t wait for a response. "It’s a small city, but there’s room to grow. Plenty of safe places to live too—decent housing, affordable rent. Shouldn’t be too hard to get settled."He stopped at the edge of the station platform, looking out at the city before turning back to me. "That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?"Then, without another word, he disappeared into the back alley.I stood there for a moment, letting my eyes wander over the peaceful, well-kept streets.

𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞… 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Rotheos wasn’t like the lawless ruins of other cities. It functioned. It was quiet. It was safe. The tight control over the city ensured stability, but why?Maybe that’s all that mattered. Maybe all I needed was a job, a cheap apartment, and a place where I wouldn’t have to look over my shoulder. Maybe developing myself here and securing a future wouldn't be so hard.Or maybe… the peace was just an illusion.Either way, Rotheos was waiting.------------------

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 !

• 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫

• 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐱 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩

• 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥

• 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐛𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥