The next morning, I sat quietly in the corner of the room, my mind still in a fog. The pounding on the door was so loud it felt like it was shaking the walls. When I opened it, Noomba was there, her voice annoyingly cheerful as she asked, "Ready to get to work?"

"Mmmh, sure," I muttered, slipping past her. I glanced at the men already outside and said, "Let's head to the gates. Noomba, do you have a map of the town?" My voice cut through the silence with a sharp edge.

"Oh! Let me grab that for you," she replied, quickly hopping to it. Within seconds, she was back, handing me the map with a proud smile. “See you guys back here tonight!”

"Alright, let's head out," I said, taking the lead as we made our way to the gates of Galas.

The gates of Galas stood tall and gleaming in the sunlight. As we stood there, the wind kissed my skin, lifting my hair into the air. I looked down at the map, struggling to keep it steady against the wind, then glanced ahead at the three-way road that stretched before us. Without waiting for anyone to speak, I took charge and veered left, leaving the party behind.

After about 15 minutes, I reach the edge of the forest, the damp grass beneath my feet as I follow the path ahead. The trees tower above, their branches thick with moss, and the earthy scent of the forest fills my lungs as I press forward. Suddenly, I find myself face-to-face with a Bugbear. Its face is a blend of goblin and beast, with a flattened nose and a wide, snarling mouth filled with sharp, yellowed teeth. It locks eyes with me, screeching as it charges. Taken slightly off guard, I barely have time to react before it lunges, slashing my shoulder. But I stand my ground, hardly flinching, absorbing the blow.

Just then, the two others rushed in behind me, and I heard the low growl of Azkar, readying himself for the fight. I gripped my silver longsword tightly, driving it deep into the Bugbear before me. The blade sliced through muscle and bone, and the creature let out a blood-curdling screech that pierces my ears. Dark blood spurted from the wound, spraying across my armor as the Bugbear convulsed in agony. From the corner of my eye, I saw another Bugbear emerge from the bushes, its fur matted with mud and blood.

Halron rushed past me, but instead of attacking the Bugbears, he shot an arrow straight into a tree. For a moment, I was confused, until I saw the branches start to move, swatting at him as he continued to fire arrows into its massive, animated form. The tree groaned as if in pain, its bark splintering with each shot.

Huh, never seen that before.

Within seconds, Azkar charged past me, his form almost shrouded in what seemed like dark smoke. His fury was unlike anything I’d ever seen. With a swift, brutal strike, he slashed the Bugbear that had emerged from the bushes. His glaive cut deep, slicing its chest wide open. The creature’s insides spilled out onto the ground, it blood pooling at Azkar’s feet. The stench of decay filled the air, and the Bugbear’s eyes rolled back in its head as it let out a final, choking gasp.

The Bugbear in front of me snarled in rage, launching another attack. I narrowly dodged its swing, the claws grazing my cheek, and countered with a lunge of my own. The sword plunged into its abdomen, tearing through flesh and organs. It let out a guttural roar.

I glanced over to see Halron firing arrows in a rapid flurry, his focus entirely on the animated tree. His arrows embedded themselves deep into its bark, splintering the wood and causing the massive branches to thrash violently as they were struck. As I refocused, a loud, agonized scream echoed through the trees—Azkar’s opponent fell to the ground, lifeless, its body mangled and torn beyond recognition.

I swung my sword again, landing a solid hit on the Bugbear before me. The blade cleaved through its skull, splitting it open with a sickening crunch. Its body twitches violently, and from afar, I heard the tree crashing down, its massive form splintering and breaking apart.

Before I could react, Azkar appeared behind the Bugbear in front of me, delivering a final, lethal blow. His glaive cut through its spine, severing the head from the body in one clean stroke. The creature collapsed lifelessly at my feet, its head rolling to a stop beside me, eyes still wide in a deathly stare.

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Without thinking, I raised my sword to Azkar’s throat. "Get in my way again, and you’re dead," I warned, my voice cold and steady. He stood there, speechless, our eyes locked in a tense silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

“Hey, guys, let’s settle down, okay?” Halron quickly stepped between us, breaking the standoff.

I sheathed my sword, securing it on my back. Looking down at the lifeless body at my feet, I crouched to examine its face. Its mouth hung open, and its eyes were completely black, even the whites. As I stared, I noticed the glazed blackness slowly fade, revealing the now-normal, vacant eyes of death. I stood up abruptly. “Let’s head back to the library,” I said, hurrying away.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Halron shouted, catching up as I rushed down the path, with Azkar trailing behind, still in shock.

Reaching the heavy doors of the library deep within the castle, I paused, my mind racing as I reflected on what I had just witnessed.

“Hey, do you want to explain what’s going on?” Halron's voice irritated with a whiny undertone. I ignored him, scanning the spines of the books and brushing my fingers along them as I walked down the line.

“Hey!” he shouted, it stopped me with the sharpness in his tone.

“What? What the hell is it?” I responded, my voice laced with aggression as I stepped closer to him.

“What did—” he took a step back, “—you see back there? Why rush back?”

“The Bugbear, its eyes black.. All black.. Even the whites, and I also saw the black fade to its original color.”

Hearing what I said, Azkar hurried off, soon returning with Noomba by his side. He relayed the information to her, and her face lit up with realization. It seemed my part in this was done. I headed back to the tavern we visited the night before.

Outside the tavern stood the brother I had seen the other night, looking as though he had been waiting for hours. His face brightened when he saw me. “Ah, yes, please come in,” he said, gesturing for me to enter. “Let’s get a table for us.” He followed me inside, extending his arm toward the nearest table to guide me.

I sat in silence, observing him more closely. He was short and stocky, with noticeable bald patches on his head.

“I spoke to my brother,” he began, “about the creature that attacked him. He described it as almost like a werewolf, surrounded by a dark essence. That’s all he could recall, all he remembers.”

“Hmm, okay.” I waved over Christian. “Ale!” I called before he could reach our table. He turned with a scowl and walked back to the bar, annoyance clear on his face.

I remained silent as the stubby man fidgeted impatiently. “Come on, you’re just going to sit there and say nothing after what I just—”

I stood up, cutting him off. “You can have the ale I ordered.” I placed 1 silver piece on the table and walked out of the tavern. The man’s protests and groans faded behind me as I moved further away.

I met up with my companions and relayed the new information I had gathered at the tavern. As I finished speaking, Noomba placed a book in front of Azkar with a grin. “I think this is what you were looking for,” she said. “Maybe not completely, but it contains lore related to the rumors we’ve been hearing.”

She took a seat, her eyes sparkling. “It’s not exactly a match to the creature described, but it could give us some valuable context. This book covers ancient myths and accounts of similar beings that might provide clues or connections to what we’ve encountered.”

Azkar picked up the book, flipping through its pages with growing interest. “This could be useful,” he murmured, his voice reflecting a mix of curiosity and urgency.

Halron leaned in to examine the book’s contents. “What’s the significance of this lore?” he asked, his tone eager and inquisitive.

Noomba shrugged. “It’s hard to say without diving deeper, but the descriptions in this book might help us piece together the puzzle. If we’re lucky, we might find something that can guide us or offer insight into the dark essence described.”

I watched as the group engaged with the new material. This could be the lead we needed to understand the threat better and prepare for what lay ahead.

I stand up and say, “Well, I’ll be in my room then.” I head to the door and quickly make my way to my room, eager for the silence I had missed throughout the day.