Chapter 4: The Figure

Arawn, Elora, and Zephyr walked back to the inn, unaware of the figure watching them from a distance. The figure was tall and cloaked in black, and its face was hidden in shadow.

As they walked, Arawn couldn't shake the feeling that they were being followed. He kept glancing over his shoulder, but he never saw anyone. He tried to convince himself that it was just his imagination, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

When they reached the inn, Arawn, Elora, and Zephyr found Eira sitting in the cafe. She was eating a hearty meal and washing it down with a mug of ale.

"Any luck?" Eira asked as they approached.

"Not much," Arawn replied. "The people in Rushdia don't seem to know anything about the curse."

"That's strange," Elora said. "I thought everyone in the land knew about it."

"Maybe they're just trying to forget," Zephyr suggested. "The curse has brought a lot of pain and suffering to this land."

They sat down at the table and Zephyr told them about the people he had talked to in the market. None of them had heard anything about the curse, either.

"I'm starting to doubt myself," Arawn said. "Maybe I just imagined the whole thing."

"Don't give up," Elora said. "We'll find a way to break the curse. I promise."

"Maybe we should go to the Adventurer's Guild," Eira suggested. "They might have some information."

"That's a good idea," Elora said. "Let's go there tomorrow morning."

Arawn still didn't believe that the people of Rushdia didn't know about the curse. He had seen it with his own eyes. But he was willing to try anything to break the curse, so he agreed to go to the Adventurer's Guild with Elora, Zephyr, and Eira the next morning.

After dinner, Arawn went to his room and tried to get some sleep. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He tossed and turned for hours, but he couldn't find any rest.

Finally, he gave up and got out of bed. He went to the window and looked out at the night sky.

There, in the distance, he saw the figure again. It was standing in the shadows of a nearby tree.

Arawn watched the figure for a long time, but it didn't move. Finally, it turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Arawn's heart raced. He knew that he had seen the figure before, but he couldn't remember where. He also knew that the figure was somehow important, but he didn't know why.

Arawn quickly got dressed and left his room. He needed to talk to Elora, Zephyr, and Eira about what he had seen.

He found them sitting in the common room, talking to each other. He told them about the figure he had seen.

Elora, Zephyr, and Eira looked at each other with concern.

"I think we should be careful," Elora said. "Whoever this figure is, they're interested in something. And they might not be friendly."

"I agree," Zephyr said. "We need to be on our guard."

Eira nodded. "And we should keep this information to ourselves," she said. "We don't want anyone else getting hurt."

Arawn agreed. He knew that they needed to be careful, but he also knew that they couldn't let the figure stop them from finding out what it was up to.

The next morning

Arawn, Elora, Zephyr, and Eira set off for the Adventurer's Guild. They were determined to find information about the curse and the malevolent spirit.

They arrived at the guild early in the morning. The guild was already bustling with activity.

Arawn had never been to an adventurer's guild before. He was amazed by the size and scope of the place. It was like a cathedral for adventurers.

They approached the receptionist desk. A young woman with a bored expression on her face looked up at them.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Yes," Arawn said. "We're looking for information about the curse."

The receptionist frowned. "The curse?" she asked. "What curse?"

Arawn explained what had happened to him and the others. The receptionist listened patiently, but when Arawn was finished, she shook her head.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I've never heard of any curse."

"Are you sure?" Eira asked. "There haven't been any unusual activities happening lately?"

The receptionist thought for a moment. "Well," she said. "The number of monsters has been increasing lately, especially at the southern gate."

Arawn looked at his friend with a blurred expression. "The southern gate was the safest gate in the capital. Why were there more monsters there?" Elora explain.

"Do you know anything about any curses or phenomena that could explain this increase in monster numbers?" Arawn asked.

The receptionist shrugged. "I'm afraid not," she said. "But I'm sure you can find someone who does. The guild is full of adventurers who have seen and done all sorts of things."

Arawn thanked the receptionist and turned to his friends.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"I think it's worth looking into," Elora said. "The increasing number of monsters is definitely suspicious."

"I agree," Zephyr said. "And the fact that the receptionist didn't seem to know anything about the curse is even more suspicious."

"Maybe she's just trying to cover it up," Eira said. "Or maybe she's just ignorant."

"Either way," Arawn said. "We need to find out what's going on. Let's see if we can find someone who can tell us more about the curse."

Arawn and his friends left the receptionist's desk and began to explore the guild. They talked to other adventurers, but no one seemed to know anything about the curse.

Finally, they came across an old man sitting in a corner by the fire. He had a long white beard and a weathered face. He looked like he had seen a lot in his lifetime.

"We're looking for information about the recent increasing monsters in the southern gate," Arawn said.

The old man looked up at Arawn with wise eyes. "I just know a bit," he said. "But it is not a matter that should be spoken of openly."

"But we need to know," Eira said.

"I haven't seen you before, are you a newbie, young one?" the old man asked Arwan.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Eira pouted.

They all laughed at such a scene.

"He's not a registered adventurer," Zephyr explained. "This is his first time in Rushdia. But he has a fair amount of fate that led him here."

The old man nodded. "I see," he said. "Well, in that case, I may be able to tell you a little bit about the recent increase in monsters at the southern gate."

The old man leaned forward and whispered in Arwan's ear. "It is said that a powerful malevolent spirit has been awakened in the mountains south of Rushdia. This spirit is said to be drawn to the negative emotions of people, and it is believed to be responsible for the increase in monsters at the southern gate."

Arawn's eyes widened. "A malevolent spirit?" he asked.

"Yes," the old man said. "It is a very dangerous creature.

"But the one who is destined to bring the peace, then you must face this spirit and defeat it."

Arawn took a deep breath. He knew that he was not ready to face such a powerful creature, but he also knew that he had to do it. The fate of the land depended on it.

"Thank you for the information," Arawn said to the old man, "I suggest you register with the guild first. The guild could help with many things." the old man said, "I will consider that." arawn replied

The old man nodded. "I wish you luck," he said.

Arawn and his friends left the old man and returned to the inn. They had a lot to think about. They knew that they had a long and dangerous journey ahead of them, but they were determined to defeat the malevolent spirit and break the curse.

Arawn and his friends left the old man and returned to the inn. They had a lot to think about. They knew that they had a long and dangerous journey ahead of them, but they were determined to defeat the malevolent spirit and break the curse.

As they walked, Arawn couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He turned around and saw a figure standing in the shadows. The figure was wearing a grey hood and its face was hidden.

Arawn pointed the figure out to Zephyr. Zephyr looked and saw a faint smirk on the figure's face. They both felt a sinister aura coming from the figure.

Arawn and Zephyr felt a chill run down their spines when they saw the figure in the grey hood. They had never felt such a sinister aura before. They knew that this was no ordinary figure.

Arawn felt a sense of dread. He knew that the figure was somehow connected to the curse and the malevolent spirit. He also knew that he and his friends were in danger.

Zephyr felt a surge of protectiveness towards his teammate. He knew that he had to keep them safe from the figure. He also felt a sense of determination. He was determined to find out who the figure was and what it was up to.

Arawn and Zephyr looked at each other, their faces filled with concern.

'Who was that?' Elora asked.

Arawn shook his head. 'I don't know,' he said. 'But I have a bad feeling about him.'

'Me too,' Zephyr said. 'We need to be careful.'

Arawn and Zephyr decided to try to approach the figure. They took a few steps forward, but before they could get close, the figure vanished into thin air.

Arawn and Zephyr stopped in their tracks, their hearts pounding. They looked at each other, their faces pale.

'What was that?' Eira asked, her voice trembling.

Arawn shook his head. 'I don't know,' he said. 'But it wasn't good.'