Departure from Zoria
Samuel and his party left Zoria early in the morning, heading north toward Drelmire, the last village before the kingdom's border.
The King's request weighed on Samuel's mind. Disappearing warriors and merchants? That meant it wasn't just bandits. Something dangerous was waiting for them.
Jason rode beside him. "So, what do you think? Monster? Bandits? Or something worse?"
Samuel kept his eyes on the road. "I don't know. But whatever it is, we'll handle it."
Marianne smiled
Elaine, riding behind them, smiled too. "That's what I like about you, Samuel. You always believe we can win."
Sylvia, leading the group, smirked. "Well, we haven't died yet, so I'd say we're doing pretty well."
Lyra, who had been quiet most of the journey, finally spoke. "We need to be careful. If knights disappeared, that means brute force won't be enough."
Samuel nodded. "Agreed. We'll scout first."
Jason stretched. "Scouting, fighting, sleeping—this job has everything."
Elaine chuckled. "You really don't take anything seriously, do you?"
Jason grinned. "If I did, I'd have wrinkles by now."
The group laughed, but they all knew the situation was serious.
Drelmire: A Village in Fear,
After two days of travel, they arrived at Drelmire.
The village was eerily quiet. No children playing, no merchants selling goods—just a few villagers walking quickly, eyes filled with fear.
Samuel and his party dismounted. A man approached them, an old villager with a tired expression. "You're the ones the King sent?"
Samuel nodded. "Yes. What's been happening here?"
The old man sighed. "People disappear at night. First, travelers… then our own people. No blood, no screams. They just vanish."
Lyra frowned. "Have you seen anything strange?"
The old man hesitated. "Some say they've seen shadows moving in the trees, but when we look, there's nothing."
Elaine crossed her arms. "So whatever's doing this is smart."
Jason scratched his head. "Great. A monster that plays hide-and-seek."
Samuel looked at the old man. "We'll take care of it."
The old man nodded. "Be careful."
Setting the Trap,
That night, Samuel and his party set up camp just outside the village.
"If it only attacks at night, then we'll give it something to attack," Jason said.
Elaine raised an eyebrow. "You mean us?"
Jason grinned. "Exactly."
Samuel looked around. The forest behind them was dense, dark, and unsettling.
Sylvia yawned. "Let's get this over with. I don't like creepy forests."
Lyra pulled out her sword. "Stay alert."
Marianne holds her staff.
They waited.
Minutes passed. Then an hour.
Then… they heard it.
A low whisper, like wind moving through the trees. But there was no wind.
Samuel stood up. "It's here."
Then, out of the darkness, something moved.
The Enemy Revealed itself,
From the shadows, figures began to emerge—tall, humanoid shapes with glowing blue eyes.
Jason stepped back. "Okay… that's creepy."
Elaine's hand trembled slightly. "What… are they?"
The creatures had no mouths, no noses—just eyes. Their bodies shifted like smoke, yet they moved with purpose.
Samuel's grip tightened on his sword. "They're not normal monsters."
One of the creatures lunged at Jason.
Jason barely dodged. "They're fast!"
Samuel swung his sword, but it passed through the creature like mist.
Lyra cursed. "Our attacks don't work?!"
The creatures surrounded them.
Then one of them touched Sylvia's shoulder.
She gasped—and vanished.
Elaine and Marianne screamed. "SYLVIA!"
Samuel's eyes widened. No blood, no body—she was just gone.
Lyra's hands tightened into fists. "We need a new plan. NOW."
The creatures moved closer, their glowing blue eyes staring without emotion. Samuel gritted his teeth, his mind racing. Normal weapons didn't work. Magic didn't work. What now?
Elaine stepped back, holding her dagger. "We can't fight them like this!"
Lyra gripped her sword. "We have to find a way!"
Samuel clenched his fists. Think, think… Then he remembered. The Leviathan's soul had given him the ability to breathe underwater. If every beast he tamed granted him their powers…
His Dragon.
He looked at his hands. What if…?
The creatures lunged.
Samuel raised his hands—and fire exploded from his palms.
Not ordinary fire. It was the deep, crimson flame of the dragon.
The moment it touched the creatures, they screeched—the first sound they had ever made. Their bodies burned, the fire clinging to them like a curse.
Jason's eyes widened. "That works?!"
Samuel exhaled, his hands still burning. "It looks like only Dragon Fire can hurt them."
The creatures hesitated now. Before, they had been fearless. Now, they backed away.
Samuel stepped forward. "You took Sylvia."
One of the creatures hissed. Then it turned—and vanished into the trees.
The others followed.
"They're running?" Elaine whispered.
Samuel's fire dimmed, his body slightly shaking from the power's strain. "No… they're leading us somewhere."
Lyra's expression darkened. "Then we follow."
Samuel nodded. "We're getting Sylvia back."
Without hesitation, the party chased into the forest.
The Hidden Village,
They ran for what felt like hours. The deeper they went, the darker the forest became. Then suddenly—the trees ended.
Jason stopped first. "What… the hell?"
Before them was a ruined village. The houses were old, rotting, yet untouched by time. The air was thick, heavy with something unnatural.
And in the center of the village was a massive stone altar.
Elaine shivered. "This place feels… wrong."
Samuel's eyes scanned the area. "This is where they took Sylvia."
Then, from the darkness, a voice spoke.
"You are not welcome here."
They turned.
A figure stood on the altar. Unlike the other creatures, this one had a human form. He wore a cloak of black mist, his blue eyes burning brighter than the rest.
Samuel took a step forward. "Where is our friend?"
The figure tilted its head. "She is beyond your reach."
Jason rolled his shoulders. "That's what they all say before we break their faces."
Samuel raised his hands. Fire flickered to life.
The figure smiled.
And then—the altar began to glow.