The Luxen Town Seasonal Tournament ended with cheers, applause, and the clinking of coins as the awards were distributed beneath the evening sky.
When the ceremony finally concluded, the excitement slowly faded into the warm glow of night across the town.
The fighters who had battled fiercely only hours ago went their separate ways. Some celebrated their victories with loud laughter and full plates of food. Others quietly disappeared into the streets, already thinking about their next journey.
Vyvian, Faye, and Rem spent the evening much more simply.
After the long day of fighting, the three found a small place to eat. The food tasted better than usual after a battle, and the air between them was relaxed.
Faye leaned back slightly. "Not bad for a tournament."
Rem nodded. "You both fought well."
Vyvian rested his chin on his hand, staring at the lantern light above their table.
"Still lost though," he muttered.
Faye smirked. "You tried to freeze the entire battlefield. That's not exactly subtle."
Rem gave a small chuckle.
Somewhere above the rooftops of Luxen Town, a black raven cut through the night sky.
Cherri had already left the town, her wings carrying her far beyond the lights and noise before midnight even arrived.
The rest of the night passed quietly. After eating, the three returned to their lodging and slept, their bodies still recovering from the exhausting battles.
Morning arrived beneath a strange sky.
Luxen Town was unusually quiet.
Dark clouds stretched across the sky, covering the sun and casting the streets in a dim, gloomy light. The air felt cool and still, as if the town itself had not yet woken from the excitement of the previous day.
After breakfast, Vyvian, Faye, and Rem stepped out into the street.
"Before we leave," Vyvian said, stretching his arms, "we should visit Will."
Faye nodded. "Yeah. He'd complain if we disappeared without saying goodbye."
Rem simply turned toward the familiar street where the restaurant stood.
The three made their way through Luxen Town one last time.
Most of the tournament banners were still hanging from buildings, though some had begun to droop after the night's rain. Shopkeepers slowly opened their doors while townsfolk moved about their morning routines.
Eventually, they arrived at the small family restaurant.
The smell of freshly cooked food drifted through the doorway.
Inside, Will was already working, carrying a tray of bowls across the room while his parents prepared meals behind the counter.
Vyvian stepped inside and waved.
"Will! It's me. Come over here!"
Will turned his head, surprised for a moment before breaking into a grin.
"Oh! Leaving already?"
He set the tray down and walked over to them.
"I heard that Sterling guy won the whole thing," he said. "Bet you guys did pretty well too."
Faye shrugged slightly. "We tried."
Rem gave a small nod of agreement.
Vyvian scratched the back of his head with a faint smile.
Will crossed his arms. "A tournament with fighters like that… sounds crazy."
"It was," Vyvian replied.
For a moment they simply stood there, the quiet warmth of the restaurant surrounding them.
Rem finally spoke.
"We'll meet again next time we come through Luxen Town."
Will glanced toward the kitchen where his mother was calling his name.
"Yeah," he said with a small laugh. "You guys better come back."
He stepped backward toward the counter.
"Have a great trip, Vyvian. Faye. Rem."
He pointed his thumb toward the kitchen.
"Gotta help my mom before she throws a pan at me."
Vyvian laughed.
"See you, Will."
They waved one last time before stepping outside.
The sky above Luxen Town remained heavy with clouds.
Without saying much, the three turned toward the forest road leading away from town.
Their journey home had begun again.
Nothing unusual happened during their journey toward Sereneth. The forest paths were calm, and the quiet rustling of leaves accompanied them as they walked. By the time the sun began dipping toward the horizon, the three of them had already reached the outskirts of the town.
Sereneth welcomed them with its familiar wooden houses and peaceful air.
"Well, Rem, we reached your hometown," Faye said, stretching her arms slightly. "Let's go see Elder Seriyah. After that, we'll head back to our home."
"Yeah," Rem replied with a small nod.
The three of them walked toward the shrine where the elder lived. The quiet structure stood beneath tall trees, the same as always, calm and unchanging.
Rem stepped forward and called out.
"Grandpa, we're here."
A moment later the elder hurried outside, pushing aside the curtain at the entrance.
"Ah, you three are here," Elder Seriyah said warmly. His eyes moved between them with relief. "How was the journey with your new friends?"
"It was great, Grandpa," Rem answered.
Faye gave a small smile. "It was nice meeting your son too, Elder. We made a new friend as well. We'll visit Sereneth again sometime."
She turned slightly toward the forest road.
"But for now, we should head home."
The elder nodded slowly.
"Travel carefully," he said. "I saw a giant flying beast heading toward your region earlier today."
Vyvian and Faye barely reacted to the warning. Creatures wandered forests all the time, and neither of them thought much of it.
"See you, Rem," Vyvian said.
"Nice meeting you," Faye added with a casual wave.
Rem gave a quiet nod. "See you."
With that, Vyvian and Faye turned back toward the forest road that would lead them home.
The same gloomy clouds still hung overhead.
The sky had not cleared since morning, and the dim gray light made the forest seem quieter than usual.
Still, the two walked comfortably through the familiar path.
They talked about the tournament, about Luxen Town, and about finally returning home after days away.
"Maybe we should've just stayed the night in Sereneth," Vyvian said after glancing up at the darkening sky. "If we waited until morning we could travel peacefully. Now we'll have to set up camp again."
Faye shrugged.
"It's fine. We'll reach home tomorrow anyway."
The night passed quietly in the forest.
They set up a small camp beneath the trees and rested until dawn.
By the time morning came, both of them were already moving again, walking with renewed energy.
They were almost home.
The thought alone made their steps lighter.
But when Rivera Village finally came into view…
Everything changed.
The first thing they noticed was the smell.
A heavy, metallic scent clung to the air.
Then they saw the smoke.
Houses stood broken and collapsed, wooden beams shattered and scattered across the ground. The peaceful village they knew had been reduced to ruins.
Vyvian slowed to a stop.
Faye's eyes widened.
Then they saw it.
A massive winged creature stood among the remains of the village.
Its body was enormous, covered in thick muddy skin that looked as if it had been dragged through filth and blood alike. Its wings folded lazily behind its back, and its claws gripped something in its hand.
Flesh.
Human flesh.
The creature lifted its head and glanced toward them, chewing slowly.
Blood stained its mouth.
Both Vyvian and Faye froze.
Their bodies trembled as nausea rose in their throats.
The monster swallowed and wiped its mouth with the back of its arm.
"Well… good thing I'm full now," it said with a low chuckle. "And restored."
It grinned widely.
"Otherwise you two would've been dead as well."
Faye's eyes burned with rage.
Without hesitation she transformed, flames bursting around her as she lunged forward.
But the creature was far larger.
Before she could reach it, the monster simply flicked its hand.
The impact sent Faye crashing into the ground.
She collapsed, unconscious.
The creature glanced down at her with mild amusement.
"Don't try anything funny," it said casually. "I'm in a good mood right now."
Vyvian's legs shook.
His voice trembled.
"Where… are our parents?"
The monster tilted its head slightly.
"I don't know," it said lazily. "Probably dead."
Then it laughed.
A deep, grotesque sound.
"I didn't just kill them," it continued, almost proudly. "I made sure they suffered first."
Its eyes glinted with cruel amusement.
"Their homes were their cages. Their bodies… my toys."
The creature slowly licked the blood from its claws.
"The women screamed until their voices broke. The men tried to fight back, but I crushed them and forced them to watch. Even the young ones cried and begged…"
It chuckled darkly.
"I took my time with every single one of them. Broke them. Shamed them. Took everything from them before I finally devoured what was left."
Its wings stretched slowly.
"That's just how I restore myself. Not my fault."
The words crushed the air around Vyvian.
For a moment he could not breathe.
The monster laughed again before launching itself into the sky, its massive wings beating once as it flew away, disappearing beyond the clouds.
Silence returned to Rivera Village.
But it was not the peaceful silence it once had.
Everything was red.
The ground was soaked with blood that had flowed through the village paths like a second river. The once-clear stream that ran beside the homes had turned dark and heavy, its waters stained crimson as they carried the remains of what used to be life.
Broken doors swayed slowly in the wind.
Burned rooftops collapsed inward like exhausted skeletons.
The village that once echoed with laughter, voices, and the gentle rush of the river now stood silent… drowned in blood and ruin.
Vyvian stood there, unable to move.
The air felt suffocating.
Behind him, Faye lay unconscious among the shattered ground.
And before him…
Rivera Village was gone.
Vyvian slowly sank to his knees beside Faye.
His mouth opened… but no sound came out.
No scream, no cry.
Even his tears refused to fall.
The grief inside him was too heavy for tears.
It sat in his chest like a collapsing sky.
The wind moved through the broken village, carrying with it the faint smell of smoke and blood. Somewhere a wooden beam creaked as it slowly gave way, collapsing into the ruins of what used to be a home.
His home.
The place where he laughed as a child.
Where his parents waited for him.
Where the river once ran clear and gentle beside the village paths.
Now that same river flowed like a wound across the land.
Red, heavy and silent.
Vyvian lowered his head.
The guilt wrapped around his heart like iron chains.
He had trained.
He had fought.
He had traveled to tournaments and chased strength.
And yet…
When it mattered most
He had not been there.
Not for his parents,not for his village,not for anyone.
His hands trembled as he sat beside Faye's unconscious body.
The monster was gone.
And deep inside, Vyvian knew the truth.
Even if he had arrived earlier…
He could not have stopped it.
The realization hollowed him from within.
Above them, the dark clouds continued to drift slowly across the sky.
The wind whispered through the broken homes of Rivera Village.
And somewhere beyond the ruined horizon…
Something unseen had already begun to move.
What was about to come next…?