The village lay quiet now, save for the distant crackle of dying flames and the soft murmurs of survivors emerging from their hiding places. Ash hung in the air, swirling around like snow, as Kaelen leaned on his blade, catching his breath. His gaze flicked to Sigrid, who stood at the edge of the wreckage, her expression unreadable, then to Nessa, whose usual sharpness was dulled by fatigue.

A gray-haired man in tattered clothes approached hesitantly, flanked by two younger villagers. He bowed his head low, his voice trembling with gratitude.

“You’ve saved us. We thought… we thought the beasts would be our end.”

Kaelen wiped the edge of his sword on a torn banner, sheathing it with a practiced motion. "Lucky for you, we were passing through," he said, his voice as dry as the scorched earth beneath them. "But luck doesn’t come cheap."

Sigrid shot him a look, her brow furrowing slightly, but she said nothing.

The old man nodded quickly, wringing his hands. "Of course, of course! We’ve little left after the raid, but we will offer what we can. Food, shelter for the night—"

"Coin," Nessa interrupted, stepping forward with her usual bluntness. "We need coin for supplies. Food doesn’t pay for blades or potions."

The man flinched but nodded. "We… we’ll gather what we have. Please, come inside. Rest."

Kaelen glanced at the villagers—pale, shaken, and wearing what little hope they could muster on their faces. For a moment, a flicker of something softened his features, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

"Fine," he said. "But don’t waste our time."

Inside the largest intact building—a modest inn—Kaelen and the others sat at a long, wooden table. The villagers brought what they could: a few loaves of stale bread, smoked fish, and a handful of tarnished silver coins. Nessa counted the money, her lips thinning as she tallied the pitiful sum.

"This barely covers the effort," she muttered.

Kaelen bit into a piece of bread without complaint, his eyes flicking to Sigrid. She was unusually quiet, staring into the flickering fire in the hearth.

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"You good?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Sigrid’s eyes shifted to him, her expression unreadable. "Just thinking."

"Careful with that," Kaelen quipped, though his tone lacked its usual edge.

She ignored his jab, leaning back in her chair. "Those beasts weren’t random. Something drove them here—drove them to attack."

Nessa glanced up from the coins. "You think they were summoned?"

Sigrid shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe something nearby is stirring them up. Either way, it’s not normal behavior."

Kaelen chewed thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing. "If that’s the case, this village isn’t safe yet. And neither are we."

The door creaked open, and the old man shuffled in, wringing his hands nervously. He hesitated before speaking, his voice barely above a whisper.

"There’s… something you should know."

All three hunters turned their attention to him, their gazes sharp.

"The beasts," he continued, "they’ve been coming for weeks now. Small groups at first, but… last night was the worst. We tried to send for help, but no one came."

"And?" Kaelen prompted, leaning forward.

The man hesitated, then lowered his voice further. "There’s an old ruin in the hills to the north. Some of the older folks say it’s cursed, that it’s been waking up after all these years. I don’t know if it’s true, but… the beasts always come from that direction."

Sigrid exchanged a glance with Kaelen, her expression grim. "A cursed ruin. How original."

Kaelen smirked faintly. "Sounds like a job."

Nessa groaned, leaning back in her chair. "We just got done fighting off a horde of monsters, and now you want to go chasing after curses? You’re insatiable."

"Better than sitting here waiting for the next attack," Kaelen replied.

The old man clasped his hands together, his voice trembling with desperation. "If you could… if you could investigate, we’d be forever in your debt. We’ll gather more payment, I swear it."

Kaelen raised an eyebrow at Nessa. "What do you think? Worth it?"

Nessa sighed heavily, pocketing the coins. "Fine. But I’m holding you to that more payment promise, old man."

Sigrid stood, her daggers gleaming faintly in the firelight. "We leave at first light."

Kaelen rose as well, stretching his shoulders. "Get some rest, then. If the beasts are coming from that ruin, we’re going to need it."

The night passed uneventfully, but unease settled over the group as they prepared to leave the next morning. The villagers watched them go with wary hope, their whispered prayers following the hunters as they made their way toward the northern hills.

The landscape grew more desolate as they climbed, the air colder and heavier with each step. The trees became sparse, their twisted forms casting long, skeletal shadows. Finally, they reached a crumbling stone archway half-buried in the hillside. Beyond it lay the ruin: a maze of jagged walls and collapsed towers, shrouded in an unnatural fog.

Kaelen drew his sword, its edge catching the faint light. "Well, this looks inviting."

Sigrid’s hand glowed faintly as she summoned a small orb of light, illuminating the dark entrance. "Let’s not waste time. Stay close."

They stepped inside, the air instantly colder and thick with the scent of decay. Shadows danced along the walls, and the faint sound of whispers echoed through the corridors.

"Do you hear that?" Nessa whispered, her hand tight on her blade.

Kaelen nodded, his grip firm on his sword. "Stay sharp. Whatever’s in here, it’s not friendly."

As they ventured deeper, the whispers grew louder, twisting into something almost intelligible. Kaelen’s eyes narrowed as a sense of recognition crept over him.

"I’ve felt this before," he muttered.

Sigrid glanced at him sharply. "What do you mean?"

Before he could answer, the shadows coalesced, forming into a massive, wolf-like beast with glowing green eyes and a mane of writhing tendrils. Its growl reverberated through the chamber, shaking the very walls.

"Looks like we found the source," Kaelen said grimly.

Sigrid’s magic flared to life, and Nessa unsheathed her blade. "Any brilliant ideas?" Nessa asked.

Kaelen’s eyes glowed faintly as he stepped forward, a dangerous smile on his face. "Yeah. Don’t die."