Nightfall and Scary Stories

The bonfire crackled, filling the quiet night with warmth and light. Around them, the Kobold camp was now nothing more than abandoned tents, scattered weapons, and the faint smell of blood.

Night had fallen, and with it came the cold.

Ink sat near the fire, chewing on a piece of roasted meat they had found in the camp. It was a little tough, but still better than nothing.

Avery sat across from him, leaning back slightly, enjoying her own meal. The flames flickered, casting shadows on her face.

After a moment of silence, she asked casually, "Do you belong to any faction?"

"I'm a student from Hugnelts School," Ink replied.

Avery's eyes lit up with recognition. She smiled. "The entrance exam is next week. Have you thought about which college you want to attend?"

"Luxarth College," Ink said confidently.

Avery's smile widened.

"You'll need to be in the top five to earn enough points to choose Luxarth," she said. "And you'll need to be at least level 15 or 16—otherwise, forget it."

Luxarth College was the best in the entire empire. It was filled with geniuses, managed numerous dungeons and resources, and could support students until they reached level 50.

But it only accepted the best.

Each province sent its strongest candidates, but only the top five had a real chance of joining.

Avery glanced at the fire and then back at Ink.

"Here's a tip," she said. "Save your points when you get there. Don't waste them everywhere."

Ink raised an eyebrow. "Are you from Luxarth?"

Avery grinned mysteriously.

"Maybe."

Ink leaned back, looking past the warm glow of the bonfire. The firelight didn't reach far, and beyond it, the night was dark and empty. A cold breeze rustled the old Kobold tents, making the silence feel even heavier.

"This is the perfect time for scary stories," he mused, his voice calm but playful.

Avery, who had been lazily nibbling on her meat, perked up instantly.

Her violet eyes lit up with excitement.

"Really?" She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Tell me one."

"Sure."

He let the silence stretch for a moment, the firelight flickering against his face.

"There was once a man who died," he began, his voice taking on a lower, steady tone. "But death wasn't the end. He was reborn in another world… as a baby."

Avery raised a brow, intrigued.

"He wasn't alone. There were many other babies around him, all taken care of by kind and gentle nannies."

"Even as a baby, he was aware of what was happening around him. He could hear the nannies chatting amongst themselves. He often heard them mention 'Spirit Pool 3,' 'Spirit Pool 5,' and eventually, he realized—he was in Spirit Pool 4.

"His nanny was named Liu Ni and she took great care of him. She was always gentle, always smiling."

Avery took another bite of her food, listening intently.

"Four years passed. One day, the nannies gave him a cultivation method. They told him that at the age of twelve, he and the other children would be taken to a great cultivation sect.

"If he was talented, they said, he'd be taken to an even better place."

"He trained hard. And four more years passed, by then, he had become the most talented child across all the Spirit Pools. He had reached Qi Refining Stage 6, while most others were still struggling at Qi Refining Stage 3."

"As for the other children who were stuck at Qi Refining Stage 1, disappeared, he asked and the nanny smiled and told him they were taken to another good place to be better taken care of."

"Everyone liked him, the nannies gave him everything he wanted, except telling him to never wander outside the Spirit Pool"

"And then… in the blink of an eye, four more years passed."

"He was twelve, The nannies praised him as the greatest genius in a thousand years. They told him he was special. That he would go to a holy place of cultivation."

"The ones who would take him there were already on their way."

"The nannies gathered all the twelve-year-old children together, and then…The 'noble ones'

arrived."

"They looked weirdly excited scanning the kids, a little girl of age 16 locked her eyes on him she seemed extremely satisfied and choose to take him"

"He was taken away by her, walking for miles through quiet forests, and that's when the doubts started."

"Why weren't they flying on a spirit ship? a noble person like this girl should have one…why are they walking?"

"The girl had been silent the entire way. But then…He noticed something."

Avery was completely focused now, listening intently.

"She was trembling. Her back was turned to him, but something was changing, and then—

She turned."

"The moment he saw her, he was horrified."

"Her teeth were too long. Too sharp, her flesh was peeling, her once-fair skin turning into something gray, something rotten"

"And then, She lunged."

"Before he could even react, she bit off his entire right arm."

"He screamed and tried to resist, but the gap in strength was too great."

"His left arm was next."

"Then his right leg."

"Then his left."

"Bit by bit, she ate him alive."

"And as he was dying, realization dawned."

Ink's voice dropped to a whisper.

"The Spirit Pools…"

"The children who disappeared..."

"The ones taken away by the 'noble ones'..."

"The reason the nannies never let them wander outside..."

"The reason the cultivation method felt so empty, lacking any true offensive power..."

"They weren't being trained to become great cultivators."

"They were being fattened up."

"Raised like livestock."

"Taught to grow strong—so they would taste better."

"And then, just as the truth became clear, He died."

A heavy silence fell between them.

The fire crackled. The wind howled softly through the abandoned camp.

Avery exhaled, leaning back.

She let out a small breath—one she hadn't realized she was holding.

Her grip on her dagger had tightened at some point, and she forced herself to relax, shaking off the tension.

That story… it was unsettling.

She wasn't the type to get scared easily, but something about it stuck with her.

Maybe it was the calmness in Ink's voice.

She glanced at him, ready to make a joke about the story—

But the next moment she froze.

Ink wasn't even looking at her.

He was staring at the starry sky, his face completely blank, lost in thought.

There was no hint of amusement, no smirk, no reaction.

Just silence.

"…Ink? Why are you spacing out?"