Unkown Lands

"Diadus the Conqueror, whom I follow," Olivia said, drawing a black lace cord from around her neck. Hanging from it was a silver pendant in the shape of a majestic deer, its long, outstretched antlers crowned with red gemstones for eyes glinting faintly in the lantern light.

"Diadus, is it?" Madra mused, nodding with interest. "And you two? If you don't mind sharing."

Flavian and Lucius exchanged a glance before each pulled a similar black string from beneath their tunics. Their pendants were carved in the likeness of a regal bird, its wings and tail feathers crafted in intricate, sweeping lines. Its eyes were tiny blue gems, shimmering like sapphires.

"Ah… Solvenna, I see," Madra said, her gaze softening as she admired the craftsmanship. "It's been some years since I last saw someone from the Central Region walk into this town."

Bodroy leaned back with a grunt, folding his arms. "You don't see many of your kind this far west. You're either brave… or foolish."

"Well," Lucius said with a faint smile, "we told you we're searching for something. And we've learned quickly that ignorance of the empire's many corners won't serve us well. The Yoman Empire is vast. And knowledge… well, it's an endless road."

The three tucked their necklaces back into their shirts.

"I do have a question," Olivia said, her voice steady as she turned to Madra and Bodroy. "Are there any Eldorian Beasts in this region?"

Madra blinked, briefly caught off guard. "None that I know of," she said, then glanced toward her husband. "Honey?"

Bodroy gave a firm shake of the head. "Never seen a Mystic Beast in these parts. Not once in all my years."

"Well, that's strange," Olivia said, her brows furrowing. "Because I'm quite certain I saw what looked like an Edri Butterfly near the pier earlier this evening."

At this, both Madra and Bodroy exchanged a look, a tense, silent communication that shifted the tone of the room.

"That wasn't real, dear," Madra said flatly, her voice low.

"Did you try to interact with it?" Bodroy asked, sitting forward slightly.

"I… yes. I was going to touch it," Olivia admitted, "but these two stopped me just in time."

Bodroy let out a deep breath, eyes narrowing. "Then they did you a great service, Missy. Just a few weeks ago, some orphans found one of those cursed things. Thought it was harmless. One of 'em reached out just like you almost did."

Madra's eyes darkened. "He didn't even get the chance to scream. Poor child froze solid the moment he touched it. And the one holding his hand? Froze right along with him."

Olivia's eyes widened. A chill swept through the group at the weight of what they'd narrowly avoided.

"No one's sure if the creature meant to kill," Madra added, her tone grim. "Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was malice. All the other children who escaped said the same thing: the boy made contact, and he was gone in a blink."

"But if what you said really happened," Lucius asked, frowning, "then how can you sit here and tell us what we saw wasn't real?"

Madra turned to him, her voice firm. "Let me make myself clear, it wasn't real in the sense that it wasn't a living creature. It wasn't a beast. What you saw was a golem, or some other construct, whatever its creator intended it to be. But make no mistake, that thing is not a natural beast of any kind."

She rose from the table and began gathering the dishes. Bodroy silently joined her, collecting the pot and the plates with the remaining loaf inside.

"I'll say this, though," Madra added as she stacked bowls with a practiced hand, "whatever it is, it's been appearing more frequently in this region. Neither Bodroy nor I have seen it ourselves, only heard accounts from others. Second-hand stories, but too many to ignore."

With that, she turned toward the kitchen, balancing the dishes in her arms, while Bodroy followed close behind, carrying the pot and utensils.

"In any case," she said over her shoulder, "good night. Breakfast will be ready around eight."

The kitchen door swung shut behind them, leaving the trio alone at the table in thoughtful silence.

"I'm really glad you two stopped me from touching that thing," Olivia murmured, staring down at the grain of the wooden table, her fingers curling around its edge as if grounding herself. Her voice was quiet, almost distant.

"Well, I'll be damned if I was going to let you touch something you knew nothing about," Flavian said, shaking his head. "That was out of the question."

Lucius nodded in agreement. "She's lucky we were quick."

A brief pause settled between them before Lucius asked, "Do you guys still think we'll find it out here after what Madra said?"

Flavian leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "I'm not so sure anymore. Back in the capital, we never heard a word about these kinds of things. Spirit beasts, haunted constructs, cursed lands? It's like another world out here."

Lucius exhaled slowly. "Now I understand why the Prevomus family never left the capital. They ruled over the Ventos Region… but always stayed in the center. I used to think it was political maneuvering."

"Now," Flavian said, voice low, "maybe it was survival."

"Maybe no one will be the wiser to the answer," Olivia said quietly as she rose from her chair.

"In any case, breakfast is at eight," Lucius added, stretching his arms. "We can get up earlier, scout the area a bit, and get our morning training in."

"I've got no issue with that," Flavian replied.

With that, the trio made their way upstairs. Once they reached the upper floor, they exchanged quiet goodnights and each slipped off into their rooms for some well-earned rest.