The village was louder than usual.
Not because of celebration.
But because of questions.
"…He defeated a wolf?"
"…At his age?"
"…Are you sure it wasn't just a normal one?"
Alias stood near the well.
Bandages wrapped around his arm.
The cut still stung.
"…It wasn't normal."
He didn't say it out loud.
He didn't need to.
The villagers kept talking.
Some impressed.
Some doubtful.
Some simply confused.
Haruki stood nearby.
Silent.
Watching.
Emi approached Alias.
"…Sit."
He did.
She began rewrapping the bandage.
Careful.
"…You went too far."
Alias looked down slightly.
"…Maybe."
A pause.
"…Be more careful next time."
"…I will."
That was all.
No anger.
No shouting.
Just quiet concern.
Haruki glanced at him.
"…You saw it clearly?"
Alias nodded.
"…It moved fast."
"…It wasn't like the others."
Haruki didn't respond.
But his eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I see."
The day moved on.
But the air felt… different.
Heavier.
Unsettled.
Then—
A shout.
"Someone's coming!"
Heads turned.
From the far end of the path—
A figure.
Stumbling.
Falling.
Getting up again.
Closer.
Closer—
Then—
He collapsed.
Right at the entrance of the village.
Villagers rushed forward.
"…Hey!"
"…Can you hear me?!"
The man didn't respond at first.
His body—
Burned.
Clothes torn.
Skin blackened in places.
Blood mixed with ash.
Emi froze.
"…Those wounds…"
Haruki stepped forward immediately.
"…Give him space."
They turned him slightly.
The man coughed.
Weak.
Then—
His eyes opened.
Barely.
"…Run…"
His voice cracked.
"…Leave…"
Silence.
"…What are you talking about?" someone asked.
The man struggled to breathe.
"…It's coming…"
A villager frowned.
"…What is?"
The man's hand trembled.
Grabbing onto the ground.
"…A monster…"
He shook his head weakly.
"…No…"
"…Not a monster…"
The crowd fell silent.
"…Fire…"
A breath.
"…From the sky…"
Alias stood at the back.
Watching.
Listening.
"…Fire from the sky…?"
The man continued.
"…It burned everything…"
"…The houses…"
"…The people…"
His voice broke.
"…Everyone…"
No one spoke.
A villager stepped back slightly.
"…That's impossible…"
Another whispered—
"…He's delirious…"
But—
They all saw it.
The burns.
The damage.
This wasn't something ordinary.
Alias frowned slightly.
"…A stronger monster?"
He didn't understand.
Not fully.
Not yet.
The man coughed again—
Harder this time.
Blood.
He reached out suddenly—
Grabbing onto the nearest person.
"…Don't wait…"
His grip weak.
"…Run…"
"…while you still can…"
Then—
His hand fell.
Silence.
No movement.
No breath.
Emi slowly lowered her gaze.
"…He's gone."
The village stood still.
The earlier noise—
Gone.
Replaced by something else.
Fear.
That evening—
Whispers spread.
"…Fire from the sky…"
"…A whole village… gone?"
"…No… that can't be real…"
Some denied it.
Some believed.
Others didn't know what to think.
Then—
More voices.
A group returned from outside the village.
Hunters.
Their expressions—
Tense.
"…We saw it."
Everyone turned.
"…Saw what?" someone asked.
One of them spoke.
"…The forest…"
A pause.
"…It's burned."
Murmurs spread.
"…Burned?"
"…Not like a fire…"
He swallowed.
"…The ground is black…"
"…Trees… gone…"
"…Nothing alive…"
Another added quietly—
"…It's like something… scorched it."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncertain.
Night came.
But no one slept easily.
Alias lay on his bed.
His arm throbbed slightly.
The bandage tight.
His eyes stared at the ceiling.
"…Fire from the sky…"
He repeated it quietly.
"…What kind of monster does that…?"
No answer came.
Only silence.
Slowly—
He closed his eyes.
Far away—
Beyond the hills.
Something moved.
High above.
Unseen.
A massive shadow passed across the moon.
Gone in an instant.
And in the distance—
A faint red glow flickered along the horizon.
Small.
Distant.
But growing.
The village slept.
Unaware.
For now.