Volume 2 Chapter 2: Towards To The Mission

As we set off towards the village, a sense of unease lingered inside me. The mission seemed easy, but the real issue wasn't the monsters. Being alone with Eris… having to talk to her… that was what truly worried me.

Eris, as usual, walked ahead. Her sword rested on her back, and she moved forward with confident steps, shoulders held high. Watching her, a strange feeling stirred inside me. On one hand, I admired her, but on the other, I had no idea what to say.

"You're really quiet today," she suddenly said, glancing back at me.

I swallowed. "Am I?"

Eris raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Normally, you'd be arguing with me the whole way or at least complaining."

I forced a small smile. "I don't have much energy today."

She studied me carefully but didn't push further. That was both good and bad—because the longer I delayed this conversation, the heavier it would become inside me.

Chaos in the Village

When we arrived at the village, things were worse than we expected. Some of the houses had been damaged, and the villagers looked tense. Whispers filled the air, thick with fear.

An old man, who seemed to be the village chief, greeted us. His lined face and weary eyes spoke of deep concern.

"Thank the gods you're here," he said in a trembling voice. "These monsters… we can't fight them off. They have turned our lives into a nightmare."

Eris got straight to the point. "When do they attack?"

The man shook his head. "Mostly at night. But some have been seen during the day as well. The worst part is… someone is still inside."

I frowned. "Inside?"

He lowered his head. "Some villagers went to hunt them down, but they never returned. One of them might still be alive, but… no one dares to go after them."

Eris and I exchanged glances. There was much we needed to figure out.

Stepping into Danger

As we moved deeper into the forest, where the monsters had been spotted, Eris unsheathed her sword while I prepared my magic. The further we went, the heavier the atmosphere became. The air grew thick, and eerie sounds from between the trees made my skin prickle.

At one point, Eris suddenly stopped and motioned for me to halt.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered.

I listened closely. At first, there was only silence, but after a few seconds… a muffled groan echoed through the trees.

"It could be an injured person," I said.

Eris nodded, and we cautiously moved toward the sound.

But I had a feeling.

This mission… was not going to be simple.