"Beneath the Silence"

The group arrived in Armeria, but the city was strangely quiet. A heavy atmosphere hung in the air, very different from the hustle and bustle one would expect from a commercial center.

"I... I remember Armeria," Evelyn commented, her voice thick with sudden melancholy. "It was vibrant... full of life. People came from far and wide to trade here. Colorful stalls, music, the smell of spices..." She looked around at the empty streets and the closed or half-open shops. "What happened here...?"

Leonard frowned. "Doesn't look good."

They advanced slowly through the deserted streets. The few people they saw had a sad, dejected countenance and walked with their heads bowed, as if carrying the weight of loss.

Mikaela, sensing the evil energy of the place, stopped near a man passing by with an almost empty wheelbarrow. "Excuse me, sir," she began gently. "Could you tell us what happened here? We're from out of town."