ch 34
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Chapter 34: The Edge of Fire
The night wrapped around the village like a blanket made of whispers.
No birds.
No insects.
Only the sound of flames crackling in the distance—and the faintest giggle hidden inside the wind.
Elric stood at the edge of the hill, barefoot, hair tousled by the breeze, eyes locked on the soft orange glow beyond the trees.
Behind him, Boneclaw was silent, one hand resting on its jagged blade. Hiss slithered in circles around his legs, huffing quietly. Rocky stood upright now, eyes dim but body tense like a hound about to bark.
They were his companions. His pack.
But even with them beside him, Elric felt something crawl across his skin.
Fear?
No.
Anticipation.
---
He didn't descend the hill just yet.
Instead, he squatted low behind a patch of tall grass and watched.
The fire wasn't spreading.
That was odd.
It flickered in one place—between the trees—but didn't consume them. Like it wanted to burn, but wasn't allowed to.
Elric narrowed his eyes.
Suddenly, from the side, another figure appeared.
Someone tall.
Walking.
Not human.
A beast?
No.
It walked upright. Long arms. Hunched shoulders. Thick black fur, almost oily, with a golden mask over its face—crafted like a smiling human. Thin red lines dripped from the eyeholes.
Elric's breath caught.
It wasn't a beast.
It was wearing robes.
Not tattered like a wanderer—but stitched and patterned like a priest's.
The thing stepped into the fire and bowed toward the trees.
Then it laughed.
Soft. Wet. Gurgling.
Elric didn't move.
Neither did his pack.
But Rocky's fingers clenched into fists.
The thing paused.
It turned its golden mask slightly, tilting its head in Elric's direction.
And then, without sound—it vanished.
The fire died instantly.
The trees stood still.
Only the scent of burning sap remained.
---
Elric walked back down to the village before sunrise.
He didn't tell his mother.
Didn't wake his sisters.
He only slipped quietly into the barn behind their home and pulled a worn-out notebook from the hay pile he used to hide snacks in.
Inside: rough sketches. Memories. A list of everything strange he'd seen since he was three.
He flipped to a blank page and wrote:
> Masked Beast?
Robes. Gold face. Blood from eyes.
Disappeared in fire.
Didn't chase. Just… watched.
Why?
He stared at the words for a while.
Then tore the page out, folded it, and stuffed it under a loose floorboard near the feeding trough.
He had a dozen notes hidden across the village now. Places only he knew. Because whatever was watching him…
He needed to keep some secrets.
---
That morning, he trained alone.
No System instructions.
No quests.
Just repetition.
Push-ups. Sprints. Short blade swings with a wooden stick.
Rocky mimicked his movements like a slow, stone echo.
Hiss sat nearby, curling and uncurling.
Boneclaw did not train. He simply stood under the tree like a silent guard.
It wasn't that Elric was afraid.
He wanted to be ready.
Because sooner or later—something was coming.
---
Later that day, Grandpa Riven joined him in the backyard. He wore a heavy coat, a large walking stick in one hand, and a loaf of bread in the other.
"Training again, are we?" he asked with a grin.
"Yep," Elric replied, breathing hard. "Gotta be strong."
"For what? Arm wrestling contests with the baker's son?"
Elric smirked. "That kid's got arms like noodles."
Riven chuckled and sat on a nearby log. He broke the bread in half and handed a piece to Elric.
"You've been out late at night. Watching."
Elric's hand paused halfway to his mouth.
"I didn't go far."
"Did you see it?"
"Something." Elric bit down. "Wearing a mask. Not human."
Riven didn't look surprised.
"Then it's getting close."
"What is?"
"The Veiled Ones," Riven said quietly. "They used to be priests. Long before the System came."
Elric blinked. "You mean they're people?"
"Were. Maybe. Hard to say now." He leaned back. "Whatever they are, they're attracted to power. Especially untethered power."
Elric frowned. "Like me?"
Riven gave a short nod.
"You're not tamed by the world yet. You're still… wild."
---
That night, the village held a small harvest gathering.
Baskets of bread, vegetables, and firewood were placed near the center, and families gathered to share stories and drink weak cider.
Elric sat with his sisters under the old lantern tree.
Feli had braided flowers into her hair. Yui wore her oversized tunic and held a wooden sword she made herself.
Their laughter filled the air.
For a moment, the world felt normal.
Warmth. Laughter. Crickets.
But even then—Elric felt it.
A heartbeat in the dark. Watching. Listening.
---
Later, when most had gone to sleep, Elric snuck away again.
This time, he didn't go alone.
Boneclaw walked beside him.
Hiss coiled around his neck like a scarf.
And Rocky lumbered slowly behind.
They headed toward the burnt hill.
Where the fire had glowed. Where the masked creature had stood.
But when they arrived…
There was nothing.
No ashes.
No burnt bark.
No footprints.
Only one thing remained.
A small circle carved into the earth.
No deeper than a finger.
Markings around the edge.
Runes.
Elric knelt down and reached for them.
They pulsed beneath his hand.
And suddenly—
> [Main System Menu]
— Core Class: Legendary Shepherd
— Summons: Boneclaw | Hiss | Rocky
— New Summon Slot: Unlocked
— Skill Gained: Ash Beacon (Passive) — Reveals hidden fragments of dying dungeons near your domain.
— Warning: Unknown Dungeon Activity Detected Near "Riven's Hollow."
System Note: "You are being hunted."
Elric exhaled.
Slowly.
Then stood up.
The world had been quiet too long.
Something was waking up.
And now?
It had noticed him.
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