Deep inside a forest nearby Everdawn…
It was midnight, and the forest was cloaked in heavy shadows. An old couple trudged through the undergrowth, the man holding a flickering lantern in his left hand, a sturdy stick in his right for balance. The woman carried a basket of fruits.
"Are we lost, dear?" the old woman asked softly, her voice trembling against the surrounding stillness.
"Don't underestimate this old man," he chuckled, though the tightness in his voice betrayed his bravado. "I could never lose the path."
But inside, his thoughts churned in panic. "Why does this trail feel so unfamiliar? If she realizes, she'll never let me hear the end of it."
He glanced over and forced a reassuring smile, but she watched him closely, her brow furrowed in concern.
After another stretch of silence, they stumbled upon three strange figures draped in black cloaks, their faces hidden. They were kneeling, hands weaving through the air in intricate patterns, chanting softly. Something about their movements spoke of dark intent—summoning magic, a ritual whispered of only in nightmares.
"Excuse me," the old man called out hesitantly, his voice quivering as he stepped closer. "Is there a village nearby where we can spend the night?"
The cloaked figures stopped their chanting. For a heartbeat, the forest fell silent. Then, in one swift motion, one of them slashed through the old man's neck. He fell soundlessly, the lantern crashing to the ground, its light extinguished.
The woman let out a scream that echoed through the trees, but it was cut short as another blade found her throat. Blood spattered against the trees, soaking the leaves in crimson.
One of the cloaked figures snapped his fingers, and the bodies ignited in eerie green flames, leaving only ash. Sensing the presence of others, the summoners gathered their cloaks tighter and vanished into the shadows.
The next morning…
Aeron, Allesio, and Arcane sat cramped inside a rattling carriage, the wheels creaking as it bumped along a dirt road.
"Tell me again why we're heading back to Everdawn?" Allesio sighed, leaning back against the wooden wall.
"Because this idiot lost the note Master gave him," Arcane snapped, glaring at Aeron. "It had crucial information about where we were supposed to go next to solve the mystery of something that Aeron isn't telling"
"It's not my fault," Aeron huffed, crossing his arms. "With all the fights we've been through, how could I keep track of everything?"
"You could've read it just once before losing it," Arcane said, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
Aeron just smirked, an infuriating glint in his eyes.
Suddenly, the carriage lurched to a stop.
"What's going on?" Aeron called to the driver.
"The road ahead is blocked," the driver replied.
Peering outside, they saw trees cut down and piled haphazardly across the path.
"How are we supposed to get through that?" Aeron asked, frustration lining his voice.
"We'll need to take a detour," the driver said.
"More travels. Great," Aeron groaned, leaning back in his seat.
Later that day…
As the sun dipped below the treetops, casting long shadows across the road, the driver pointed ahead. "It's getting dark. There's a village up ahead—we can spend the night there."
In the distance, they saw a scattering of houses made of hay and bamboo.
"Everdawn is close by," the driver added. "We should reach it by morning."
Later that night…
"Hey, you asleep?" Aeron asked.
"Not yet," Arcane replied, his voice low and thoughtful.
"I'm wondering… why are you going through all this with us—fighting, running around?" Aeron questioned, his curiosity surfacing.
"You'll get your answer when the time comes," Arcane said softly.
Aeron stayed silent for a moment
"Don't worry," Arcane added with a faint smirk. "I'm not here to kill you or get you caught or something."
Aeron let out a small chuckle, Aeron's laugh was soft but carried a hint of relief.
A few moments later…
Their peace was shattered by the piercing screams of the villagers. The three of them burst out of their hut, their weapons drawn.
"What's happening? Why are there so many Shadowfangs attacking the village?" Aeron shouted, surveying the chaos.
"The villagers warned us about the mob attacks," Arcane replied grimly.
Earlier that evening…
"Recently, our village has been constantly attacked by mobs, especially Shadowfangs," one villager said.
"They usually come at night," another added.
"Many of us have already fled," a third said, their voice laced with despair.
"When did this start?" Aeron asked.
"A few days ago," a villager replied.
"Did you figure out why the mobs are attacking?" Aeron pressed.
"No, but they all seem to come from that direction," the villager pointed.
"That's the path to Everdawn," Aeron murmured, growing more worried. "What's happening over there…"
Present time…
Aeron grabbed a torch from their hut and slammed it against a Shadowfang about to pounce on a child, knocking it aside.
"Are you okay?" he asked the child, kneeling beside her.
Suddenly, Allesio sliced through another Shadowfang closing in on Aeron.
"Stay sharp," Allesio warned.
"Where's your mother?" Aeron asked the child softly.
She pointed, trembling, toward a bloodied corpse being devoured by two Shadowfangs.
Aeron immediately covered her eyes.
"Wind Charge!" Arcane unleashed a blast of wind magic, slamming the creatures into a tree, the sharp branches impaling their bodies.
Just then, two villagers—a man with a bow and another with a sword—approached.
"Are you alright?" the archer asked.
"Yeah, we're fine," Aeron replied, catching his breath.
"You should get to safety," the swordsman urged.
"We can help you," Aeron said determinedly.
"Don't burden yourselves," the archer said.
"It's okay. We're used to this," Aeron insisted.
"But first, we need to get her to safety," he added, still holding the girl close. "Her mother… she's gone."
"Take her to the shelter," the archer instructed the swordsman.
The swordsman gently took the girl from Aeron.
"How many Shadowfangs are there?" Aeron asked.
"About ten to twelve," the archer replied.
"We can handle them," Aeron said confidently.
But suddenly, the Shadowfangs stopped moving. Their growls turned to whimpers, their bodies trembling in fear.
"What's wrong with them?" Aeron asked.
"It's because of that," the archer pointed.
They turned to see a new creature emerge from the shadows. Unlike the others, this one was enormous and crimson-black, with a scar-like pattern etched across its hide and eyes like pitch-black voids.
"Is that a Shadowfang?" Aeron asked, his voice filled with unease.
"No," Arcane whispered, his voice tight. "That's a Demon Shadowfang."
"A demon?" Aeron asked, eyes wide.
"It's a hundred times stronger and faster than a normal Shadowfang," Arcane explained. "And it has magic resistance."
"Why is it here…?" Arcane's brow furrowed.
The Demon Shadowfang roared, sending a chill down everyone's spines. In an instant, it tore through the remaining Shadowfangs, eviscerating them effortlessly.
Then, it lunged straight at Aeron.
Arcane jumped in front of him, delivering a powerful punch that sent the beast staggering back.
The creature snarled at Arcane before retreating into the depths of the forest.
"You okay?" Aeron asked breathlessly.
Arcane gave a curt nod, though his expression was unreadable.
"How… how did you punch it back like that?" Aeron pressed.
"Let's check if the villagers are safe," Arcane deflected.
Aeron stared at him, suspicion lingering in his gaze, but didn't ask anything
Allesio, standing beside Arcane, watched Arcane quietly. His eyes seemed to say, "How long will you keep hiding the truth from him?
Later that night, at midnight…
Arcane quietly slipped out of the hut while everyone was asleep. He moved silently into the dark forest, following the path where the Shadowfangs had invaded the village.
"I know you're here. Show yourself," Arcane called out calmly, yet with an edge of warning.
From the shadows, a figure emerged. At first glance, he resembled a human, but the details revealed otherwise—crimson red eyes with pitch-black pearls at the center, long, razor-sharp teeth. He was a demon.
"You're as sharp as ever, Arcane," the demon said smoothly.
"What are you doing here, Lynx?" Arcane asked coldly, his stance tense.
"I was just wandering nearby when I happened to see you," Lynx replied with a sly grin.
"Don't lie to me," Arcane snapped, his voice low and dangerous.
"I even sent my precious dog to save you from those filthy monsters," Lynx said with a smirk.
"And also ordered it to attack Aeron?" Arcane countered.
"Who's Aeron?" Lynx asked, feigning ignorance. Then, with a mocking tone, he added, "Oh, that boy? You're questioning me over a mere human?"
Arcane's expression hardened. "Demon Art: Blade of Ragnarok!" he summoned a blade that gleamed with a crimson red aura mixed with shadows. The forest itself seemed to tense under the blade's dark glow.
"I sense a killing intent in you," Lynx said, his voice light but with a hint of amusement.
Arcane closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly lowered the blade.
"Did Father send you?" Arcane asked quietly.
"Yes," Lynx confirmed. "He wants you to return home."
Arcane's jaw tightened. "Tell him I'll return… shortly," he said.
"Don't make him wait too long," Lynx warned.
"Before you go," Arcane called after him, "I need you to do something for me."