Are you leaving already?

***

I looked around, and people seemed to be concentrating on their business, running around, carrying ribbons, or arranging decorations. Every now and then someone would pass by carrying plates of food and huge pots and pans whose smell made my mouth water, even though I had just eaten.

Someone touches my shoulder and, with a shiver, I recognize the voice.

"Are you really going already?" - says the young boy

I look at the young hands, touching my shoulder carefully and noticing Riff's smiling and even slightly apprehensive look, I answer forcing a smile, however my concern was evident.

"I must leave before sunset. The road is long and unfortunately, dangerous..."

He looks around as we walk towards one of the exits of the city.

"I thought you were staying, after all, it's been a long time since we've had any visitors..."

"Yes, I imagine.... W-Well I, I'd like to stay, it's sure to be a.... A great party."

I swallow dryly as I watch him, he looked extremely pale for someone who lives in this area, maybe because he works nights and hardly goes out during the day?

His answer made me wonder, don't they get any visitors? If the town really disappeared, it would make sense, but how did I end up there? Maybe magic?

"Louie?"

"Huh? What?"

The girl in front of me giggled sweetly and innocently happy.

"I believe you were... How can I put it... Lost in thought?" - she, still laughing, puts a few golden strands that had escaped from her hairdo, behind her ear.

I end up getting a little embarrassed.

"Forgive me miss, I am still very shaken by this whole situation."

"The whole situation?" - Riff looks at me with apparent doubt.

I feel a chill run down my spine. I have no idea what is going on, but surely they will think I am a nut if I tell them everything that happened? Or maybe, if they know, what will happen to me? Will I be able to leave here? Will I be stuck forever in this city trapped by time?

"A-ham! I mean the events of last night, the wild animal, my unfortunate fainting, and the way I ended up arriving in the city through the darkness of the forest."

As we walked along, he sits on the edge of a well that was near the center of town, and the girl accompanying us suddenly stops and, shyly begins to speak.

"Oh! It's true! I didn't even introduce myself! How embarrassing. I'm Sarah Gerd."

She does a little bow, smiling.

I watch her more carefully. A young woman with long sun-gold hair, braided, tied with a delicate red ribbon in the shape of a bow has approached, hugging Riff lovingly. Beautifully curvy, she appeared to be about 5'8" tall. She looked no older than 16 or 17 years old. She wore a yellow dress with floral prints, making her look very delicate, except for her sturdy, muddy boots.

She looked embarrassed. Maybe because I had been watching her for so long. I felt my face blush as well.

"Forgive my indelicacy Miss Sarah. I couldn't help but appreciate your beauty."

"Beauty... Yes, the most beautiful in the village, no, in the whole kingdom of Faloriand!" - Riff interrupted, lovingly placing a small red flower, which was born in the well, in her hair.

Her face turned as red as a tomato, while Riff smiled, but something was bothering me, he seemed to be watching my purse? Maybe it was just me?

I could notice him lowering his eyes, towards the floor.

"Don't you want to stay for her birthday? It's going to be a blast." - Riff grew more serious.

I was feeling tense. I just wanted to go back to Barvh and try to understand what had happened.

"Oh, yes. I imagine it will be, but I'm leaving before dark. I have some things to... sort out. Goodbye!"

He was looking at me and our eyes met. I felt a chill run down my spine again, his light blue eyes were almost white, but why did they seem to be... lifeless?

He looks away quickly, as if he has realized my realization and continues:

"If you must go, we will no longer hold you.... See you... later."

Sarah also says goodbye, this time nodding.

I continue walking to the exit of the city, without looking back.

***

After passing through the city gates, I walked for a couple of hours in the forest path, and stopped to rest a bit and check the map. I should be arriving at the main road by now, but... It seemed that the further I walked, the deeper I got into the forest. Besides, something was bothering me. I had a constant feeling that I was being watched. I still had some nuts from the night before, as I had kept some in my bag. Since they were toasted, I wouldn't even need a fire to prepare them. But when I put my hand in my bag, I noticed the small package with the bread that the tavern keeper had given me before he left.

I had not yet opened it. I took the small parcel and untied the knots, opening it carefully. But what was there was not bread. It was something that I was sure I had left in the capital... That golden necklace with a crystal pendant in the shape of a drop...

"I had left it in my living room drawer right?"

However, I didn't have time to think much about it, I heard a strange noise, as if something or someone was coming towards me and noticed that the pendant began to glow. Without understanding much, I put it back in my bag and hurried out of there.

It was close to dusk and I still hadn't found the main road. It was very bad luck. Was it the same creature as the night before? Desperate thoughts were running through my mind. What could I do? As I was running through the branches and bushes, I noticed lights nearby. Maybe a village or a tavern on the road.

"Poof... I'm saved!" - my lungs seemed to be short of air. Even though I trained as an adventurer, I spent many years in the library. Maybe I should have continued my physical training.

No, this was not the time to think about it. Some creature was chasing me and I needed to get to the lights that seemed to indicate that there were people there.

It doesn't take long and I'm breathlessly making my way to what appears to be a small village. I was propping myself up on my knees, trying to regain the rhythm of my breathing, when I was approached by someone I didn't realize was approaching.

"Louie?"

I closed my eyes, as I took a deep breath. I looked in the direction of the familiar voice, and I could recognize the burly young man who was looking at me curiously, as he reached out his hand to try to help me stand, it was Randell. What the hell was he doing there?

"Randell? W-what... Poof... Are you doing here?"

I hold his hand, and although he looks much younger, his hand was bigger than mine, making it almost disappear as he held it to support me.

He looks at me seriously.

"I thought you left earlier.... Did you decide to come back?"

"I left... What do you mean... come back?"

"Yes... Haha, you're not going to say you got lost in the woods?" - Randell laughed as he patted my back.

Once I caught my breath, I looked around. Although it was already getting dark, I knew where I was. My fear had been realized. I was back in Gerd. There was no way I could have gotten lost, I could read maps and was on the correct path... Maybe... During the run I might have gone a little off course, but there was certainly no way I could have turned around.

While I was wrapped up in my thoughts, I hear footsteps that seem to be coming from the forest. I look back quickly, thinking it might be the creature that was chasing me, but the silhouette comes closer and reveals a familiar smile... Riff was carrying some lumines in a lantern, as he walked towards us.

"Hey, you changed your mind and decided to stay for the anniversary?" - He said with a somewhat mischievous smile.

"Not exactly... But... You didn't see... anything strange on the way?"

"Just someone running past me and.... Ahhh, it was you?"

Even though I don't understand, I try to look calm and smile.

"I was under the impression that I saw.... Wolves or something, and I got scared. Hehe And I ended up coming back." - I was sweating cold, something about him was strange, Riff couldn't take his eyes off my bag, I held it tighter, pulling it close to my chest.

"Anyway, I think I'll need to stay one more night here.... I wonder if Nita would mind lending me the bed just for one more night. I plan to leave early tomorrow morning, so there will be no chance of encountering any strange creatures.... Hehe."

"Huhu, she'll love it, she spent the day complaining that we were rude to you, that's why you're in such a hurry to leave. Anyway, let's go, Riff has to work and I'm starving" - Randell looked calm, as he pointed to go to his house.

Riff just nodded, not showing any reaction. But for some reason, I could sense that something was wrong. He seemed... different?