We left before the sun rose, entering a foggy forest with damp air. Each step deeper into the woods revealed tall trees, their tops fading into the white mist above. The ground beneath us squished with a mushy sound as we progressed. In the distance, a faint glow appeared.

“Hey! Look! There it is!” Halron exclaimed excitedly, rushing forward. Suddenly, a huge direwolf lunged at him. Suddenly, a huge direwolf lunged at him. Halron barely avoided the attack, but the direwolf's claws raked across his chest, tearing through flesh and leaving deep, bleeding gashes. Blood seeped through his shirt, staining it dark red.

“Halron!” Jade screamed as two more direwolves emerged, their snarls reverberating through the trees, surrounding the group. I invoked the power of the Raven Queen, feeling the cold, dark energy surge through me as I teleported to Halron’s side, while the others braced themselves for the attack.

Quickly, I placed my hand over his chest, feeling the warmth of his blood against my palm as I looked up into the sky. “God of the Raven Queen, I serve you to save. With your power, I will help this man,” I recited in Sylvan, closing my eyes. A faint yellow glow emanated from my hands, seeping into his wounds and knitting the torn flesh together. The bleeding slowed, and the wounds began to close, but the scent of blood still lingered in the air.

I looked down at him blankly as he remained lying there, his face pale but determined. “Alright, stop lying around and get ready, you idiot!” I snapped, my voice cold and unforgiving.

He groaned as he stood, his bow and arrow ready, slowly backing up to take cover behind a nearby tree. I positioned myself in front, gripping my longsword tightly. The direwolves' screeches echoed through the forest as they engaged Azkar and Jade; I had no doubt they could handle them while I focused on the towering beast before me.

The direwolf snarled, its eyes black and soulless, saliva dripping from its fangs. It lunged at me. I swung my sword across its chest, the blade slicing through muscle and bone. Dark, thick blood sprayed from the wound, it howls in pain. It swung its massive paw at me, but I ducked under the blow, and with a swift, brutal motion, I severed its arm. The limb fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Arrows flew toward the creature, puncturing its legs and causing it to stumble. As it reached out to swat at me again, its strength waning, it collapsed to the ground, its breathing ragged and shallow. I didn't hesitate. With one final swing, I severed its head.

I glanced at the others, who were finishing off the remaining direwolves, their weapons slick with blood. Azkar’s glaive cleaved through one of the beasts, splitting it open from neck to navel. Jade’s dagger flashed in the light as she drove it into the eye of another direwolf, the creature’s skull cracking under the force.

Satisfied that they had the situation under control, I rushed over to the fallen creature before me. With a surge of adrenaline, I leaped into the air, sword in hand, and drove the blade deep into the last remaining beast’s skull, splitting it open.

We stood together as the forest returned to an eerie silence, the only sounds now the gentle rustling of the trees and the wind brushing against the grass stained red beneath us.

Halron breaks the silence from behind me. “Cai... thank you for tending to my wounds,” he says, his words sincere for the first time.

I ignore his words and say, “Let’s go check out the tree,” stepping over the limp bodies that lay beneath us. I wait by the tree, letting Halron take the lead. After all, he knows these kinds of things better than I do.

I stand guard by the tree as the others approach it.

“Ahhh wow, I love this place!” Halron yells, hugging the tree. His enthusiasm is starting to wear on my patience. He slips into the trunk's opening, followed by Azkar and Jade. I follow behind.

The dirt stairs, solid and well-worn, spiral down to a large underground room. Colorful fungi growing on the walls and ceiling illuminate the space. The damp air clings to my skin, and a faint smell of decay lingers. Bookshelves line one side of the room, with two skeletons covered in cobwebs lying beside them. A beautiful red rug lies on the dirt floor, and various trinkets are scattered around. In the corner, a round door is tucked away, leading to another unknown area.

“Ahhh, this feels like home,” Halron sighs in happiness. Azkar picks up a shiny trinket, inspecting it.

“Put that down. You don’t know what it is or what it might do,” I snap at him, like he’s a child. He jumps, surprised by my abrupt attitude.

“Alright, fine,” he mutters, placing the trinket back down, clearly annoyed.

“Cai, this is really cool. What do you think is behind the door?” Jade asks, giving me hopeful eyes.

What an annoying face. I kick the door open.

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I’m greeted by a surprising sight: what looks like the outside world, with trees surrounding small houses. A village? I step out, taking in the scenery. The air is fresh and filled with the sounds of everyday life. People stroll through the village, some carrying fruits and vegetables to set up outside their shops. The vibrant colors of the produce contrast with the lush greenery of the surrounding forest. Children play in the streets, and the scent of freshly baked bread wafts from a nearby bakery. The village seems alive and bustling, a stark contrast to the underground room we just left.

“WOOAAH!” Halron’s excitement gets the better of him as he walks past me, bumping into my arm. Gods, I can’t take this anymore. I can’t wait for this to be over.

“Watch where you’re going, you—” I begin to snap, but then a Dwarven woman approaches us. Her hair is a mass of white curls, and her tan, weathered skin speaks of years in the sun. She’s missing a front tooth and wears a velvet blue gown that fits snugly against her sturdy frame.

“Hello, lads! I’m Bruni Deepstone. I had a feeling we’d have visitors soon.” She guides us to a nearby hut.

“Ah, yes, darlings, come in,” her voice is sweet and warm. Sunlight filters through the straw ceiling, and the hut smells of pine. She takes a seat at the center of a U-shaped table, and we sit around her.

“So, I’m sure you’re here because of the missing people in Galas,” she begins. “We’ve had similar issues here. People have been spreading rumors of seeing shadowy figures lurking in the corners of rooms, and shadows under trees. We really need your help!” she pleads earnestly.

“Do you have a place where we can stay for the night?” I ask sharply.

Taken aback, she hesitates. “Uh... Yes, dear, we do.”

Azkar chimes in, “So, ma’am, please tell us what’s been going on?” He gestures, wanting to get straight to the point.

Bruni lets out a sigh. “Ah, yes, yes. Many people in the village have gone missing without a trace. No one really knows what’s happening, but the people and I are deeply worried.” She shivers with fear. “We’ve lost nearly 50 people as of yesterday.”

“Fifty people!” Azkar exclaims in shock, his hands gripping the table. “We’ll get right to it, ma’am. Don’t you worry!”

“Yes, please do! I would greatly appreciate it,” she hums.

“What do we get out of this? What’s the pay?” I ask, kicking my feet up on the table, arms crossed.

Her face turns red with embarrassment. “I—I don’t have the money right now! I can try to gather something to pay you, but—”

“Cai!” Azkar stomps toward me, his voice rising in anger. “They clearly need help!” he shouts.

“I’m not doing anything until I know what we get paid,” I respond calmly, unfazed by his aggression.

“Oh, dears, it’s okay,” she says, waving her hands to calm Azkar. “I don’t know how much I can give, but I promise there will be something,” she reassures. I stand up and head toward the nearest inn where we can stay.

The inn is made of cement, with circular windows that have no glass, and a campfire placed in the corner of the room. It’s warm and cozy inside. I walk to the bar, request my usual ale, and find a table to relax at for a bit as the rest of the group makes their way to the inn.

Azkar, heated, storms toward the table where I’m seated. “Cai, that was ridiculous. Unbelievably rude. How dare you!” he exclaims, pulling his chair away from me.

“Why do a job if we aren’t getting paid for it?” I roll my eyes, thinking to myself, They’ll be dead soon enough anyway.

“It’s about the principle, Cai!” he says, rubbing his head in frustration as the others awkwardly and slowly make their way to the table and sit down. A man follows behind them—tall and muscular, with a tan, baggy outfit, long shaggy hair, golden tan skin, and a beard.

“Hey, guys, my name is Romeo. Bruni told me about your arrival and sent me out to work with you,” he says with a smile. He looks at me, grinning a bit more as he makes eye contact.

“Hi, Romeo. My name is Azkar; it’s a pleasure to meet you!” he says, standing up to shake his hand. “And this is Halron, Jade, and… Cai.” He points us out as he says our names, but when he gets to mine, there’s a subtle hint of distaste in his tone.

I think little of it as I sip my ale, and Romeo takes a seat next to me, his gaze still fixed on me.

“Can I help you?” I blurt out, hoping to break his intense eye contact.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he replies with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Anyway, tomorrow we’ll check out the tunnels beneath the village. I’ve heard rumors that might be where people have been taken.” Azkar and Haron remain fixated on Romeo as he speaks, hanging on to every word he says.

I finish my drink and stand up. "Alright, see you guys in the morning," I say as I walk away to my room. Hours pass as I sit in silence, mostly trying to tune out the noise of the bar crowd. I take deep breaths, but suddenly, I’m disturbed by a knock on the door.

“Hey, it’s Romeo. I wanted to know if we could talk for a—” I open the door mid-sentence and gesture for him to come in.

“What is it?” I demand.

“I… work with the Syndicate. I’ve been sent to help with the mission you’re on,” he says, giving me a devious grin.

“Ah, okay,” I reply. “So, what did you really plan for tomorrow?”

He abruptly and aggressively scratches his head. “In the cave, I was thinking...” He pauses, motioning with his thumb sliding across his neck, indicating we’ll kill them tomorrow.

“Alright,” I say, my tone flat. “Well, since we have that figured out, you can leave.”

He looks at me, taken aback, hesitating at my response before reaching for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning… Cai.” He exits, closing the door behind him.