The forest thinned as they moved east.
Tall pines gave way to shorter trees, the ground less dense with roots and shadow. The air felt different—lighter, but uneasy. Even the wind carried something unfamiliar.
Sora noticed it first.
"…It's quiet."
Johan didn't stop walking.
"…It should be."
Sora frowned slightly.
"…No. Not like this."
Silence stretched between them.
Because Sora was right.
There were no birds.
No insects.
No movement.
Only the sound of their footsteps against the dirt path.
They reached the ridge by midday.
From the top, the village came into view.
Small.
Isolated.
Exactly as Juluis described.
A handful of wooden houses scattered across a clearing, surrounded by farmland that had long since been abandoned. Fences were broken. Crops had withered. Some rooftops had collapsed slightly, as if left unattended.
But that wasn't the problem.
The problem was—
there were no people outside.
Sora rested his sword on his shoulder.
"…Looks dead."
Johan's eyes scanned the area carefully.
"…No."
Sora glanced at him.
"…No?"
Johan pointed slightly.
"…There."
A curtain moved.
Just slightly.
Inside one of the houses.
"…They're hiding," Johan said.
Sora smirked.
"…Then let's knock."
They walked into the village.
Step by step.
The wooden path creaked under their weight.
Doors remained shut.
Windows covered.
Eyes—
watching.
But unseen.
Sora stopped in the center of the village.
"…Hey!"
His voice echoed.
"…We're not here to cause trouble!"
Silence.
Johan sighed quietly.
"…You're too loud."
Sora shrugged.
"…It works."
A door creaked open.
Slowly.
An old man stepped out, his movements cautious, his eyes filled with suspicion.
"…Who are you?"
Johan stepped forward.
"…Travelers."
Sora added—
"…Strong ones."
Johan ignored him.
"…We're here to investigate."
The old man's eyes flickered.
"…Then you should leave."
Silence.
Sora raised an eyebrow.
"…That's not how this works."
The old man shook his head.
"…You don't understand."
His voice lowered.
"…It comes at night."
The wind passed through the village.
Cold.
Unsettling.
Johan stepped closer.
"…What comes?"
The old man hesitated.
Then—
"…We don't know."
Sora frowned.
"…You don't know?"
The old man's hands trembled slightly.
"…We hear it."
A pause.
"…Something moves in the dark. Fast. Heavy."
Johan's eyes sharpened.
"…Have you seen it?"
The old man shook his head.
"…No one who sees it… talks about it."
Silence.
Sora smirked.
"…Good."
Johan glanced at him.
"…Good?"
Sora rested his sword on his shoulder.
"…Means we get to find out ourselves."
The old man stepped back.
"…You shouldn't stay."
Johan spoke calmly.
"…We will."
More doors began to open.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Villagers stepped out, watching them with cautious hope—and fear.
A woman spoke.
"…If you're really here to help…"
Her voice trembled.
"…Then stay until night."
Sora grinned.
"…That was the plan."
Johan nodded slightly.
"…We'll observe first."
The villagers exchanged glances.
Uncertain.
But desperate.
The sun began to lower.
Shadows stretched across the village.
The air grew colder.
Heavier.
Sora sat on a broken fence, staring toward the forest.
"…Feels like it's watching us."
Johan stood nearby.
"…It probably is."
Sora smirked.
"…Good."
Time passed.
Slowly.
The sky darkened.
The last light of day faded.
And the village—
once silent—
became something else.
Doors shut.
Windows locked.
Lights extinguished.
Sora stood up.
"…Here we go."
Johan stepped beside him.
"…Stay alert."
The forest beyond the village shifted.
The wind stopped.
Completely.
Then—
a sound.
Thud.
Sora's eyes sharpened.
"…You hear that?"
Johan nodded.
"…Yes."
Thud.
Closer.
Heavier.
The ground trembled slightly.
Not enough to shake the village—
but enough to feel.
Sora tightened his grip on his sword.
"…Finally."
Johan raised his hand slightly—
aether flowing.
Controlled.
Ready.
The darkness between the trees—
moved.
Something was there.
Something large.
Something fast.
Then—
silence.
Sora frowned.
"…Where'd it go?"
Johan's eyes narrowed.
"…No—"
Behind them—
CRASH.
A house collapsed.
Wood splintered.
Dust filled the air.
Villagers screamed.
Sora turned instantly.
"…It's here!"
A shadow moved through the dust.
Too fast to see clearly.
Too heavy to ignore.
Johan stepped forward.
"…Don't rush—"
Sora was already moving.
His body reacted.
His instincts took over.
He dashed straight into the dust.
Sword ready.
Eyes sharp.
Johan clicked his tongue—
but followed.
Inside the cloud of debris—
something moved.
Low.
Fast.
Violent.
Sora swung—
CLANG.
The impact shocked his arms.
"…What the—"
It wasn't flesh.
It wasn't bone.
It was hard.
Solid.
The shadow lunged.
Sora barely dodged—
the force behind it splitting the ground where he stood.
Johan arrived—
his aether pulsing outward—
pushing the dust away.
And for the first time—
they saw it.
A creature.
Large.
Twisted.
Its body covered in jagged, stone-like armor.
Its eyes—
glowing faintly in the dark.
Sora grinned.
"…Now this is more like it."
Johan's gaze hardened.
"…Stay focused."
The creature let out a low, distorted growl.
Its body tensed.
Then—
it vanished.
Gone.
In an instant.
Sora's eyes widened.
"…Fast."
Johan's voice was calm—
but sharp.
"…Too fast."
A blur—
from the side—
"Move—!"
Sora reacted.
Barely.
The creature's strike grazed past him—
shattering the ground behind.
Johan countered—
aether striking outward—
forcing the creature back.
For a moment—
everything stilled.
Then—
Sora smirked.
"…Heh."
He adjusted his grip.
"…Now it's interesting."
Johan stepped beside him.
"…Don't get careless."
The creature crouched.
Ready.
Sora leaned forward.
"…Let's go."
And under the darkened sky—
their first real battle—
began.