Later that evening, Kenrir, Variann and Sem's group were gathering together while Malin and the twins worked to drop off their supplies.
Malin, who was rather fast on his feet, had run ahead of the group to set up the meeting with Kenrir per Sem's request, so that Kenrir would be ready for them upon their arrival.
It was dark out, and the meeting was to be gathered at the dojo within Kenrir's quarters, while Malin, Ania and Yonka would be working on destributing the supplies.
Sem, Ulva, and Sheila entered the temple grounds, each with a clear concern on their face. Variann was waiting outside the dojo as requested by Kenrir while he made preparations. She was standing, propped against the dojo wall as she tried to remain calm, her eyes closed as she took deep breaths.
"Vari!" Sem called out upon seeing her.
Variann caught eyes and stepped forward to approach them.
"It's good to see you all made it back safe. We have much we need to discuss," she stated.
Sem and the others exchanged glances over Variann's choice of words in a brief silence.
"And Kenrir?" Sem asked.
"Waiting inside," she answered.
"Right, then let's get this under way," Sem insisted.
Without a moment to lose, the four of them moved their business inside. When the door to Kenrir's private quarters sealed behind them, the room itself was dark, illuminated only by a single washi paper lantern. After Variann's initial panic, she was nervously eager to tell the others about the strange substance she had found in the forest, and was the first to break the silence.
"Malin tells us your matter is rather urgent, and I believe Master Ken wants to hear your concerns before we go further," she said with a reluctant patience.
"That would be correct," Kenrir confirms as he steps out into the room. "We have rather pressing matters to bring to light, but we need to gather more information before we can move forward, even if it's a subject not to be taken lightly," he adds, "So what have you got for us today?"
"It's the forest," Ulva answered, "Something seems to have happened to one of the cat colonies. It's become..." she hesitates, "...completely empty."
"That's not all," Sheila adds, "I've noticed there were irregular disturbances to the plant life there."
Sem nods with concerned eyes, listening in to Sheila's further detailed insight. Kenrir stood there silent, and Variann could practically be seen sweating, as her hands trembled.
"We believe something serious must have happened," Sem addressed, "It's not like the surrounding colonies to just leave, and there wasn't so much as a trace."
"What about the air?" Kenrir asked, "Could any of you smell anything?"
Ulva shook her head.
"There was nothing for miles. No cats, and not so much as any kind of wildlife," she claimed.
"We only noticed how empty the place was after traversing it for a few miles," Sheila explained.
"Then that adds to our current concern," Kenrir stated.
"What do you mean?" Sem inquired.
Kenrir nodded to Variann, giving her permission to explain. Her whole body was shaking amongst the building tension, and as she went to speak, her voice cracked.
"I went into the forest today. I heard something there, and I'm almost certain it..." she paused, "Sem, I believe they have returned..."
Sem's demeanor changed upon hearing those words. It didn't take but a moment for him to understand. When Ulva saw Sem's shocked expression, she too realized what Variann was referring to.
"Wait, you don't mean those monsters?" Sheila inquired. Her voice became shaky as she reflected on the history of their village. "Weren't those things wiped out ages ago?! How can they be here?" she added.
"First off, we don't know for certain if that is the case," Kenrir began, "But it's definitely not a possibility we should ignore. The risks of brushing something off such as this are too great a threat."
"Then— we can't just leave again. Not if it means leaving the village at risk," Ulva concluded.
"But we can't just leave everyone to go hungry either! Not after all the years we've spent building the village into what it is. If this threat has indeed returned, then what are we going to do? How are we going to look after our village?" Sheila hastily inquired.
Variann closes her eyes and dips her head in thought as she takes a deep breath to help sooth her temors.
"You both have good points," Sem began to address them, "That's why we're going to postpone our hunt, but we won't do so for long. I suggest we go out tonight to explore the outskirts of the village, just to make sure that whatever came within range of our community is gone, then in the morning we continue our search for food close to the village until we know for certain the village is safe," Sem explained.
There was much uncertainty regarding the outskirts search, but everyone felt that reconnaissance was necessary for their safety.
"And what if it does come back? Say we don't find it tonight, but it returns in the day time while we're rounding up supplies? Is our group going to be enough to handle something like that if it is what we're proposing it to be?" Ulva asked.
"I dread to think," Sheila muttered.
"These concerns are indeed valid points to ask, and I believe there may be a solution to those matters," Kenrir began to address, "As the task of collecting resources for our home is an important matter, Variann and I can head out with your group as additional support. However, someone will still need to be left behind in our place. After all, I have prior promises to uphold."
Sem nodded to Kenrir, acknowledging his terms and agreeing with his fidelity.
"Ania and Yonka can stay behind in your place," Sem suggested, "They're still young, and it would give them time to catch up with my daughter."
Kenrir nodded to Sem in agreement, but his eyes weren't so sure.
"So what about the students here?" Ulva began, "Are Ania and Yonka really going to be able to handle the responsibility of training up a whole class?"
The group fell silent for a moment while everyone considered the conditions.
"I can postpone the lessons to another time. It won't be too much trouble for this time being. However meanwhile, I'm going to need someone capable to lessen the load for their non-combat studies until my return," Kenrir stated.
"That won't he a problem. I have someone in mind who I know would be happy to help," Sem insisted.
"Very well. If you can make those arrangements, I'll gather the material for you when we return," said Kenrir.
"Understood," Sem agreed.
"So... when do we head off?" Variann asked, her voice shaking subtly.
"Let's not waste any time with this matter," Sem insisted.
Kenrir closed his eyes for a moment.
"I agree," he replied as he reopened his eyes, "We leave for the forest now."
Everyone in the group collectively agreed, even Variann, though be it with a mild sense of reluctancy. As such, the group departed the dojo and proceeded to the outskirts of the village.
When the group arrived in the forest, all was quiet. They treaded lightly, gradually making their way towards the area where Variann found the substance, and upon that arrival, that is when they all stood still.
There was little more than the brushing of leaves to be heard as the wind carried beyond the trees. Everyone remained quiet, keeping a keen ear. Variann could hear the heartbeats of those around her, but aside from the howl of the gentle breeze, no other sound was present; not the burrowing of a mole, nor the skittering of a mouse.
"Does anyone hear anything?" Kenrir asked quietly.
"Nothing — it's completely quiet," Sheila slowly replied.
"Vari, what about you?" Sem asked her.
Variann took a short, sharp breath and sealed her eyes, focusing her senses. As she lowered her hood, and crouched to touch the ground, it was as though she could see within the ground itself. Suddenly, she detected a faint rumbling in the distance, one that was steadily building louder as it grew closer.
As the rumbling had upruptly grown swiftly in strength, Variann's eyes shot open in emergent panic. "Something's coming!" she cried out, as she instantaneously rose to her feet. Her sensitive ears began ringing wildly, shocked by the frequency of her own voice.
The rumbling was upon them, only to be heard by her, though muffled by the ringing of her ears. The instant she threw her hood back over her ears, while gritting her teeth, everyone was turning in Variann's direction, as they soon felt the tremors under their feet.
It was as though time slowed, and a beastly, earth-shaking scream could be heard as a monstrous, vine-like tentacle crashed out of the earth before her.
No one saw what was to come.
When Variann tried to react, she knew instantly there was no escape, as before her feet even left the ground to leap back, she could already hear another rumbling tearing through the earth behind her.
Everyone's eyes were in shock as they caught a partial glimpse of an otherwise unseen beast, as it tore through the world faster than they could even react. Variann could feel an immense tremor surging throughout her every being, just as the incomprehensible speed of the incursion whipped over her, swiftly sweeping her from her senses.
As more tentacles burst from the landscape around them, the bellowing screams of the great threat echoed over the plain.
"What the HELL is that?!" Ulva called out.
In that instant, a shadow towered over Sheila. Her eyes pulsed with fear, and her body slowly began dropping to get away, as the unworldly appendage flung down, sweeping itself upon her before she could touch the ground.
"Shei–laaa!" Sem's cry echoed out, as he watched helplessly while it swung down. In slow motion, Sem and Kenrir had instinctively started to move, but there was nothing anyone could do, as the appendages all around them swept over them without a moments notice, and their whole group had been lashed from their collective senses within mere seconds.
The next thing anyone knew, they were still searching for signs of the beast they all feared, and there was nothing but strange holes in the earth.