The happy village

The first light of dawn filtered through the trees as Adonis and Elora stepped onto the worn stone path leading into Darknot Village. After their eerie encounter in the forest, they expected empty huts and silent streets. Instead, they found the opposite.

A woman laughed as she bounced a giggling baby on her hip. Children chased each other through the dirt roads, weaving past grazing goats and tethered cattle. Men bent over plows and mended fences. Smoke curled from chimney stacks, and the scent of fresh bread drifted on the breeze.

"It's… lively," Adonis whispered.

Elora's eyes sparkled. "Just as I suspected—no curse can kill the will of a true village."

They paused in the square to share a quick look, then set off toward the largest cluster of houses: the Village Chief's residence.

After asking directions twice—once to a baker kneading dough, then to a blacksmith hammering at a horseshoe—they arrived at a modest timber-framed home. A neat garden of herbs and vegetables flanked the door.

Adonis rapped on the heavy wooden panel. Moments later, it opened to reveal an elderly woman wearing round spectacles and a dark apron flecked with flour.

"Visitors?" she asked, voice bright but cautious. "May I know your business?"

Elora stepped forward, puffing out her chest. "We're adventurers—C-Rank—sent to investigate the missing villagers. We'd like to understand the situation and request lodging until it's resolved."

The chief blinked, stepping back. Elora looked no older than twelve, and Adonis's mask hid his face. Without their gear, the woman might have thought it a prank.

Elora, sensing the doubt, produced her adventurer's license with a flourish. "Here is the proof of rank."

The chief peered at the laminated card, then at Elora. "C-Rank at your age? Prodigy of some grand institution, perhaps?"

Elora's lip quivered in a mix of pride and coyness. "I am, but that's confidential for now. Please—tell us what you know and where we can rest."

Adonis absentmindedly wiped his lips. "Narcissistic loli hag…" he mused, recalling Elora's earlier boast. Then he cleared his throat. "Apologies. I just have a bit of a… draft."

The chief laughed gently. "No matter. We'll begin first thing tomorrow. Until then, my assistant Elliott will show you to your rooms."

She called, "Elliott!"

A young man with kind eyes hurried forward, bowing respectfully. "Yes, Chief."

He guided Adonis to a sturdy room with a simple cot, a wash basin, and a low table. Then he took Elora through a narrow corridor to a smaller chamber cluttered with books and herbs.

"Rest well, both of you," Elliott said before departing.

No sooner had the door closed than the chief's smile faded. She stepped onto her porch and looked up at the night sky. There, where a star should have shone silver, burned a single red point of light.

She closed her eyes and cupped her hands. In a hushed voice, she murmured, "May the Sorcerer bless us… and guide our protectors."

Behind her mask, Adonis's brow furrowed, and Elora tilted her head in silent curiosity—unaware of the weight those words carried in the heart of Darknot Village.