The boy and the burly man arrived shortly after the two had finished talking, the boy panting heavily as the large man gently rubbed his back. "You know, I could’ve just carried you," the man said with a raised brow.

The boy glanced up at him between labored breaths. "Oh, right. I didn’t think of that." He quickly turned his attention to his sister before his gaze shifted to the newcomer, scanning him from head to toe with wide eyes. "You don’t look hurt. Are you okay to move?"

Placing a firm hand on the big man’s side, he continued earnestly, "He can carry you back if you want."

"No thanks," he replied with a small shake of his head. "I feel fine."

The boy gave him an uncertain look, but shrugged after a moment. "Alright, if you say so." He turned and the group began making their way back toward the village. The path was uneven, with small patches of overgrown grass and loose rocks scattered about. The sky remained clear, but the looming darkness in the distance added an eerie contrast to the otherwise peaceful surroundings.

As they walked, the big man broke the silence. "Name’s Brin," he said in a deep but friendly tone, giving a brief nod. "I’m one of the villagers here. This boy here is Kai."

Kai flashed a quick grin, still slightly out of breath. We saw the light and came running,” he said, looking up at him with curious eyes. “That’s how we knew someone would be here. The light always means Fore’s close by.”

"Fore...," he muttered, still thinking of the man in the light. He glanced at the girl beside him, who had been leading the group with a calm and steady pace. "Brin, Kai, and Sis right?

The girl smiled and nodded. "Everyone calls me that, yeah. I take care of most of the younger ones in the village, so the name stuck."

He studied her for a moment, taking in the warm but no-nonsense demeanor she seemed to carry. "It’s a fitting name," he remarked. "You’ve got that older sibling vibe."

"Maybe." She glanced over her shoulder at him with a playful smirk. "But I’m also the one who’ll keep you in line if you’re trouble."

Kai laughed, nudging Brin. "She means it too. You don’t wanna get on her bad side."

Brin chuckled in agreement, the deep rumble of his voice breaking the otherwise quiet air. "She’s tough when she has to be. Takes care of all of us, not just the kids."

The group continued their trek, with Sis leading the way and Brin keeping an eye on the path behind them. The darkness seemed to press closer, even though they were moving toward the safety of the village. It was unsettling how quiet the world felt aside from their footsteps.

He glanced at the three walking with him, letting his thoughts drift. Their attire stood out to him now that he was looking more closely. Sis wore a simple tunic, cinched at the waist, with sturdy boots that suggested she was used to trekking through rough terrain. Her expression was sharp, eyes focused ahead as if she were already planning their next move. She carried herself with the kind of authority you’d expect from someone used to leading, but there was something softer underneath that—something protective.

Kai, on the other hand, looked younger and far more energetic, his clothes a bit mismatched but functional, like he was always on the go. The excitement on his face was palpable, even though he had just run a great distance. His wide eyes kept darting around, as if he were still taking in everything that had happened.

And then there was Brin. The big man’s heavy frame and worn cloak gave off a sense of rugged experience, like he’d seen more than his fair share of whatever dangers lurked in this world. He walked with a calm but watchful air, occasionally glancing back to make sure no one was lagging behind.

He still didn’t know where they were headed, or what this place really was, but the way they spoke about Fore—that mysterious light in the darkness—made him uneasy. He tried to push the thoughts aside, focusing instead on keeping pace with the others.

The walk continued in relative silence after that, with only the occasional murmur between Sis and Brin. He kept his thoughts to himself, unsure of what to make of any of this, but the questions kept swirling in his head.

What happened to me? How long was I in the darkness? And why did I survive when others didn’t?

He glanced at the three around him once more, his thoughts lingering on the light that had saved him. It felt like there were more questions than answers now, but one thing was certain: whatever happened next, it had to be better than the darkness.

And with that, he followed them onward, toward a place he still didn’t understand, but perhaps where he might find some answers.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

As they continued toward the village, Kai sprinted up a nearby hill, pausing briefly before shouting to announce their arrival. “Hey, everyone! We’re back, and we’ve got a newcomer!” His voice echoed down to the valley, and almost immediately, Sis yelled after him. “Kai, get back here! You’re supposed to stay with the group!” With a slight chuckle, she ran up the hill after him.

He watched the exchange with mild surprise, taken aback first by Kai’s sudden burst of energy, and then by Sis’s unexpected shift to a more exasperated, older-sibling demeanor. Brin, watching the scene unfold, sighed in a familiar way, muttering, “Don’t mind them too much; happens all the time around here.”

“It does, huh?” he replied, his brow raised slightly in curiosity.

Together, he and Brin reached the top of the hill, and the village sprawled out below came into view. It didn’t look like any village he’d imagined. Rather than an orderly cluster of homes, it was a scattering of people moving in and out of a central stone structure that looked like it was barely holding together. Smaller, dilapidated buildings surrounded it, forming a patchwork network of temporary-looking shelters.

“This is your village?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he took in the sight.

Brin gave a half-smile. “I know it’s not much. We’re only here temporarily, so we just focus on keeping the stones from crumbling down on us.” He pointed out villagers who were busy reinforcing beams and laying down stones to brace walls. The people moved about with an unspoken understanding, each working to patch the worn structure as best they could.

Looking closer, he could see how the villagers had improvised with whatever they could find—logs for support beams, baskets filled with stones to prop up walls. It struck him as chaotic but resourceful. He found himself almost admiring the rough practicality of it.

“Anyway,” Brin continued with a laugh, “at least you won’t wake up buried alive. Hopefully.” He gave a reassuring pat on the shoulder, clearly trying to keep things lighthearted.

The sound of Sis calling from up ahead broke his thoughts. “Come on!” she shouted, waving them over as she waited near the stone structure. “Fore’s light was bright enough for us to see it from here, so we figured something big had happened. But of course, I missed him again. He’s always gone by the time I get close enough!”

At her mention of Fore, his thoughts returned to the beautiful man who had guided him through the darkness. There had been warmth in his touch—a brief respite from the cold fear that had surrounded him. He still couldn’t shake the image of that figure, whose face was already starting to fade in his memory. It felt surreal to think that Fore was something beyond human, and that he alone could travel through the darkness unscathed.

As they neared the village entrance, Kai and Sis were still animatedly discussing the light’s arrival, while Brin simply kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. Despite the ragged appearance of their shelter, he sensed a sort of camaraderie here. These people were living on the edge, facing a force they couldn’t fully understand, yet they still made room for strangers like him.

He followed the group into the village, still absorbing his surroundings. People moved with a sense of purpose, weaving in and out of makeshift dwellings with practiced efficiency. The heart of the settlement seemed to revolve around that central stone structure, which loomed over the other shelters like an ancient sentinel.

Sis led the way, her energy infectious even as she chatted with everyone they passed. Kai had rejoined her, bouncing at her side as if nothing could shake his enthusiasm. Brin trailed slightly behind, his gaze scanning their surroundings with the casual awareness of someone who knew this place inside and out.

As they approached the stone structure, more villagers turned their heads, some pausing their tasks to observe the newcomer with a mix of curiosity and caution. One elderly woman with a basket of herbs nodded at Brin, who gave a small wave in response.

Finally, Sis stopped at an open area just before the main structure, gesturing for him to take a seat on a low, rough-hewn bench set among the stones. “Make yourself comfortable,” she said, smiling as she took a spot across from him. “So, you were really down there for a while, huh?”

He nodded, glancing around as more villagers gathered nearby. “Feels like I was,” he admitted, his voice soft.

Brin leaned against a post nearby, crossing his arms. “Lucky Fore found you,” he said, almost to himself, then met his eyes. “People don’t come back the same if they’re down there too long...if they come back at all.”

He nodded, not entirely sure how to respond to that. Just hours ago, he hadn’t even known that such a place existed—now, he was sitting among people who seemed to live with it daily.

Kai sat down beside Sis, fidgeting with a small rock. “So, did you see anything while you were there?” he asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

He hesitated, remembering the oppressive darkness, the laughter, the way it had felt like something was trying to strip his sense of self away piece by piece. “Yeah, I saw...things,” he said carefully. “Heard things, too.”

The group fell quiet, and Sis nodded in understanding. “Yeah, everyone says that,” she murmured. “It’s like it has a voice of its own, doesn’t it?”

He managed a small nod, but his gaze drifted past them to the walls around him, where villagers continued reinforcing the stone structure. A life held together by temporary beams and patched stone—a fragile existence perched right on the edge of a spreading darkness.

Just then, an older man approached, carrying a bundle of wood under one arm. He glanced at him, his expression unreadable, before giving Sis a nod. “Newcomer, huh?”

Sis nodded. “Yep. Fore’s light brought him in.”

The man grunted, turning back toward his work, and muttered, “Better make sure he knows the rules.”

Sis laughed, waving him off. “We’ll get there, Jarl.”

He looked at her, eyebrow raised. “Rules?”

She shrugged, still smiling. “Just some basic things. Safety, mostly. Like making sure no one goes near the edge without someone else around.”

“Or without Fore,” Kai piped in, grinning.

Brin chuckled softly. “Yeah, but Fore doesn’t exactly show up on command.” He glanced over. “Still, you’ll get used to it here. Everyone does...eventually.”

He nodded, listening as they spoke, feeling something strange as he watched these people. They spoke of danger with familiarity, as if it was woven into the fabric of their lives. And yet they seemed—remarkably—at ease.