The afternoon sun hung low as the forest slowly gave way to rolling hills.

Ashen adjusted the bandage wrapped across the left side of his face. The wound beneath it had begun to close, but every step reminded him it was still there.

“…Does it still hurt?”

Lyric asked without turning around.

“A little.”

“It will.”

Ashen instinctively reached toward the bandage.

Before his fingers could touch it—

“Don’t.”

He immediately lowered his hand.

“If you keep picking at it,” Lyric said, “it won’t heal properly.”

Ashen nodded.

“…Will it leave a scar?”

“It will.”

Silence settled between them.

Ashen stared ahead, the breeze gently stirring his dark hair.

“…Then I’ll keep it.”

Lyric glanced at him.

“It’ll remind me…”

His hand drifted to the dagger resting at his waist.

“…that I still have a long way to go.”

Lyric said nothing.

But inwardly…

She approved.

⸻

As they crested the final hill, a village slowly came into view.

A weathered wooden wall surrounded it, patched together from mismatched timber. Several sections leaned outward, barely holding themselves upright.

Smoke drifted lazily from scattered chimneys.

Fields stretched beyond the walls, yet many had been abandoned.

The remaining crops looked sickly.

Half-eaten.

Trampled.

The road leading toward the village was unnaturally quiet.

No merchant wagons.

No hunters returning from the forest.

No farmers tending their fields.

Only silence.

A faded wooden sign stood beside the entrance.

Briar Hollow

Two weary guards stood watch at the gate.

Their armor was scratched and dented from repeated battles.

One man’s left arm rested inside a sling.

The moment they noticed the Adventurer’s Guild emblem fastened to Lyric’s cloak, relief washed across both of their faces.

“You’re… the adventurers?”

Lyric nodded.

“We accepted your request.”

The older guard wasted no time opening the gate.

“Chief Voldon has been waiting for you.”

⸻

Ashen followed Lyric into the village.

His crimson eyes wandered from one street to the next.

The entire place felt…

Heavy.

People moved slowly.

Conversations were kept to quiet murmurs.

Several storefronts had closed entirely.

An empty marketplace sat abandoned except for a handful of lonely stalls selling dried vegetables and old sacks of grain.

Children peeked from behind curtains.

None of them played outside.

A blacksmith’s forge stood cold.

Its furnace had long since gone dark.

Ashen frowned.

“…This place…”

“It reminds you of home.”

Lyric finished quietly.

Ashen lowered his gaze.

He didn’t answer.

She already knew.

⸻

An elderly woman carrying a woven basket paused when she noticed them.

Her tired eyes lingered on Lyric’s guild emblem.

“…Are you really here to help us?”

“We are.”

Relief softened her expression.

“Thank goodness…”

Then she looked toward Ashen.

Her eyes lingered on the bandage covering his face.

“…You’re so young…”

Ashen wasn’t sure what to say.

The woman smiled sadly before reaching into her basket.

“Here…”

She held out a bright red apple.

“For the road.”

Ashen hesitated.

Then carefully accepted it with both hands.

“…Thank you.”

The woman smiled warmly.

“Stay safe, little one.”

With that, she continued down the quiet street.

Ashen watched her disappear into the crowd before slipping the apple into his pack.

⸻

Near the center of the village stood the largest building.

It wasn’t impressive.

Only sturdier than the rest.

Waiting outside was a broad-shouldered man with graying hair and a thick beard.

His clothes were simple but well-kept.

Years of responsibility rested heavily across his face.

He stepped forward.

“You must be the adventurers.”

Lyric offered a respectful nod.

“I’m Lyric.”

The man smiled politely.

“And your companion?”

Ashen answered before Lyric could.

“…Ashen.”

The man’s smile softened.

“A strong name.”

He extended a calloused hand.

“I’m Voldon.”

“Chief of Briar Hollow.”

Ashen shook it.

His grip was small compared to the chief’s weathered hand.

⸻

Inside, the meeting room was modest.

A single wooden table occupied most of the space.

Maps of the surrounding forest lay spread neatly across its surface.

Voldon motioned for them to sit.

“I appreciate you coming.”

He exhaled heavily.

“Truthfully…”

“I wasn’t sure anyone would accept our request.”

Lyric unfolded the guild contract.

“The report mentioned repeated mana beast attacks.”

“It did.”

Voldon pointed toward the map.

“Nearly a month ago, livestock began disappearing.”

“At first, we thought little of it.”

“It happens from time to time.”

His finger traced deeper into the forest.

“Then our hunters began reporting strange behavior.”

“The beasts weren’t simply hunting anymore.”

“They became territorial.”

“They attacked anything that entered the forest.”

“Even other mana beasts.”

Ashen leaned closer.

“…They fight each other?”

“They always have.”

Voldon nodded.

“But never like this.”

He pointed toward a heavily shaded section of woodland.

“Everything leads back here.”

“Our hunters tracked the attacks as far as these woods.”

“But none of them were willing to go any farther.”

“…Why?”

Ashen asked quietly.

Voldon looked toward the window.

“Because everyone who did…”

“…never came back.”

The room fell silent.

“We’ve stopped sending people.”

“Our merchants avoid the roads.”

“Our hunters refuse to enter the forest.”

“Our food stores grow smaller every week.”

He looked directly at Lyric.

“If this continues…”

“…Briar Hollow won’t survive.”

Lyric slowly rolled the map shut.

“We’ll investigate immediately.”

Relief flooded Voldon’s face.

“…Thank you.”

He stood and bowed deeply.

“I pray the Guild sent the right people.”

⸻

As they stepped back outside, the afternoon breeze drifted through the quiet streets.

Ashen looked toward the distant tree line surrounding the village.

From here…

It looked peaceful.

Almost beautiful.

Yet something about it felt…

Wrong.

He couldn’t explain why.

“…Do you think it’s only one beast?”

he asked quietly.

Lyric followed his gaze.

“I don’t know.”

She answered honestly.

“But I intend to find out.”

The two continued toward the village gate.

Behind them…

Briar Hollow slowly faded into the quiet afternoon.

Ahead…

The forest waited.

Dark.

Still.

Watching.

Its ancient trees stood like silent guardians, concealing whatever had twisted the creatures within.

Neither of them knew…

That by tomorrow…

Ashen’s understanding of strength—

and the true dangers of the world—

would change forever.