Night of Shadows

After the village dinner ended, a heavy air filled Huina. What was once a bright and happy occasion, full of laughter and chatter, turned into quiet clusters of worried villagers. Around the long wooden tables, people whispered in small groups. Parents pulled their children close. The elders frowned as they listened to worried farmers, hunters, and guards talk about what had happened in the forest and what might happen to the village.

All the important grown-ups—Ronova, Herman, Ton, and the other leaders—headed towards the chief's house. They wanted to talk more about what had happened, and what to do next. Their voices were low and determined, their faces pale in the lantern light.

But Gilian, Arvan, and Alice did not join them. They stood outside, a little apart from the gathering. The sun was already gone, and chilly night air wrapped around them. The cheerful girl Alice, always the first to smile or giggle at a joke, now looked distant. Her big eyes stared at the ground, the usual curiosity replaced with a quiet darkness. Gilian looked at her, worried about drawing lines across his young face.

"Alice…," he said softly, "do you want to go home together?" He glanced at Arvan, who nodded. Arvan was brave. He was the first to climb trees, or to hunt in new places. But even he seemed uneasy tonight.

The three walked in silence to Ton's Remedy, Alice's home. The warm light inside tried to cheer them, but it could not chase away the shadows that had followed them in from the forest.

They sat at the big old table, where Alice had often made snacks for her friends. Now, her hands just rested on the smooth wood, her shoulders drooping. Gilian bit his lip, searching for the words to say. Arvan crossed his arms, trying to look calm but glancing at the door as if checking for something outside.

"I… I asked Arvan to come," Gilian finally said, his voice hesitant. "We saw you at dinner, Alice… you're not yourself. We're worried."

Alice gave a small, sad smile, but she did not look at them. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I wanted to be with everyone, but I couldn't. Something feels wrong."

Gilian and Arvan tried, each in their own way, to cheer her up. Gilian told a silly story about falling in the river last summer. Arvan tried to show off a scar on his leg with an even sillier explanation about fighting a squirrel. But Alice only blinked slowly, her lips barely moving.

Realizing they couldn't make her laugh, Alice finally shook her head with a weak chuckle. "You two… thank you. I know you're trying." She stood up and walked to a cupboard, pulling out a small jar. "Here. My favorite sweet nuts. Let's share them."

They ate in silence for a little while, the sweet taste doing little to ease their minds. When they finished, Alice looked back at her friends with a new kind of seriousness. "Gilian. Arvan. Please… Tell me what really happened in the forest. Not just what the adults said. I go to that forest too, for herbs… I need to know."

The boys paused, their faces turning uneasy. They looked at each other, recalling the images burned into their memories.

Wounds that should have been fatal, people missing, and creatures moving as if life refused to let them rest.

Gilian spoke first. "It was… it was bad, Alice. We saw Beary, the big one, and an adventurer—they were hurt. But—" His voice shook. "They kept walking. Their wounds were…" He gulped, unable to finish.

Arvan continued, staring at the table. "There were others missing. Adventurers who came back with bites all over, bleeding. But still walking behind the Grove Beary. They shouldn't have made it back. Then… One of the villagers was so crazy—he hit his head on the wall, again and again. And Cren was attacked by Sabre—its claws make Cren wounded, it shouldn't be here… It's not normal, Alice."

Alice listened carefully, her eyes wide and hands trembling. She pressed herself to ask, "Did you… did you know how to stop it?"

Gilian shook his head. "No. They should have been dead in the first place. I don't know how to stop something that shouldn't be alive at all…"

The silence grew. All three felt the coldness sink deeper. It was as if the darkness outside had crept into the room with them.

Just then, the door opened, and Rutina stepped in. She was a little tired after treating Cren the whole day. Yet her smile shined. She took in the scene—her little sister and her two friends sitting in gloom.

"Hey, what's with these faces?" Rutina said gently. She came over and ruffled Alice's hair, then Arvan's and Gilian's. "You look like you've all seen a ghost."

"We're just scared," Gilian admitted, "and worried for Alice."

Rutina knelt between them, putting her arms around Alice, Gilian, and Arvan. She drew them close in a soft embrace, warm and gentle. "It's okay to be scared," she whispered. "But you're not alone. We're safe here, together."

As she held them, Rutina quietly murmured a spell under her breath. A soft, warm glow spread from her hands, and a feeling of calmness settled over the trio. Gilian felt as though his fear and confusion faded away, just for a while. Arvan's tight shoulders eased. Alice's tense hand uncurled, tears glimmering in her eyes—happy ones.

Rutina smiled and let go. "Remember, you always have each other. Things are tough now, but you are strong, especially when you are all together."

The feeling of warmth lingered, and the darkness in the room did not feel so threatening anymore. Gilian and Arvan thanked Rutina quietly, touched by her kindness. Even Alice managed a small laugh, like the sound of a little bell.

"We'll leave you girls to sleep," Arvan said, standing up. "Let's go, Gil!"

The two boys stepped out into the cold night, waving goodbye to Alice and Rutina. They walked side by side along the empty road.

When they reached the familiar fork where Gilian turned right and Arvan left, they said their goodnights.

"See you tomorrow?" Gilian asked, his voice hopeful.

"Of course," Arvan replied with a grin—one that was just a little forced, but honest.

Gilian watched his friend vanish into the darkness, then made his way home, heart still pounding but a little lighter.

***

But as the peaceful night settled over Huina, trouble began to boil close to them.

At the edge of the distant forest, near the unsuspecting village of Arnan, torches flickered in the wind. Shadows twisted and danced along the walls. Suddenly, there was a great crashing sound—the outer wooden wall shattered. People screamed, alarms rang out.

Within moments, the village was in chaos. Creatures burst inside, not caring if they were seen or not. Villagers ran in all directions, some dragging loved ones, others searching for missing children. The attackers moved among them, strange and terrifying, unharmed by normal weapons. There were cries and shouts, doors slamming, and windows breaking.

Inside the small houses, those who tried to hide soon found nowhere safe. Outside, the field burned, and the sky glowed red with fire and fear. The village chief tried to rally his people, but something slammed against the inner wall—it cracked, and the enemy came pouring in, destroying everything.

By the end of the night, there was no hope left in Arnan. Where once laughter and life had lived, now only screaming and silence remained.

And as dawn approached, the horror would travel onwards—closer and closer to Huina.