As Hyas and Elder Ce arrived at the entrance of the village, they were met by a small group of villagers. The village chief, a weathered old man with a kind face, stepped forward to greet them.
"Welcome to our village," the chief said with a smile. "I am Orestes, and I am the leader of this community. What brings you to our humble village?"
Hyas stepped forward and introduced himself and Elder Ce. "We are on a quest to find a artifact," he explained. "We have come seeking guidance from the Oracle of Delphi and need a place to sleep over. We will be away at dawn."
Orestes nodded his head in understanding. "I see," he said. "Well, you are welcome to stay in our village for as long as you need. We are a small community, but we are happy to welcome travelers."
He led them through the village, showing them the different buildings and landmarks. Hyas couldn't help but notice that the village was different from any other he had ever seen. The people were dressed in simple robes, and there was no technology to be seen. Instead, they were using horses and carts to transport goods and supplies around the village.
As they made their way to the hotel, Orestes explained the village's customs and traditions. "We worship Helios as our patron," he said. "He is the god of the sun, and we believe that he brings us warmth and light."
Hyas was fascinated by the village's beliefs. He had heard of Helios before, but he had never encountered a community that worshipped him as their patron.
Finally, they arrived at the hotel. Orestes showed Hyas and Elder Ce to their room, which was simple but comfortable. "I hope this will suffice," Orestes said with a smile. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."
Hyas thanked him, and Orestes left them alone in their room. Hyas sat down on the bed and looked out the window. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the village. It was as if the people were hiding something from them.
Elder Ce noticed the look on Hyas' face and sat down next to him. "What's on your mind?" he asked.
"I don't know," Hyas said. "It's just that something feels off about this place. I can't put my finger on what it is."
Elder Ce nodded his head. "I understand," he said. "But we must be patient. We are guests in this village, and we must respect their customs and traditions."
Hyas nodded his head in agreement. He knew that Elder Ce was right, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
-Hyas-
As I lay in my bed at the hotel in the strange village, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The quietness of the village and the strange looks we received from the villagers had me feeling uneasy. My mind raced with thoughts of what could be the cause of this unease.
In the middle of the night, I was jolted awake by the sound of voices outside. I looked out the window and saw the villagers gathering in the town square, facing a large house at the end of the square. The sight was eerie, to say the least.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I quickly got out of bed and quietly made my way out of the hotel room. I followed the villagers as they walked towards the large house, staying hidden in the shadows as I went.
As I got closer, I could hear the sound of voices coming from inside the house. It was as if there was a large gathering taking place. I climbed up the side of the house and peered through a window.
The room was empty, but I could hear the sound of voices coming from below. I quickly realized that there must be a secret passage leading to a lower level. My mind raced with thoughts of what could be down there.
I looked around the room and saw a bookshelf that looked out of place. I pushed on it, and it swung open, revealing a staircase leading down. I knew I had to investigate further. I descended the stairs, trying to stay quiet.
As I reached the bottom, I found myself in a large laboratory. The room was dimly lit, and there were strange machines and tools everywhere. The alchemists were hard at work, building statues that looked like they were made of pure gold.
As I watched in awe, I realized that this was the reason for the unease I had been feeling since arriving in the village. These alchemists were up to something sinister, and I knew I had to find out what it was.
I crept around the laboratory, trying to avoid detection. As I moved, I heard snippets of conversations that chilled me to the bone.
"I can't believe we are this close to finishing it. Once it's done, we will have unlimited power."
"I hope we can keep the villagers under control. We can't risk them finding out what we are doing."
My heart raced as I realized the gravity of the situation. These alchemists were building some kind of weapon or device that could bring about unimaginable consequences. I had to act fast.
As I moved deeper into the laboratory, I accidentally stepped on a hidden alarm. The room was filled with the sound of blaring horns, and the alchemists quickly turned towards me.
I knew I had to get out of there fast. My mind raced as I tried to think of an escape route. I sprinted back up the stairs, hoping to make it out of the village before anyone caught me.
As I ran through the town, I saw the villagers waking up and looking around in confusion. It was clear that they had been alerted to my presence, and I knew I had to act fast.
The sight of the laboratory and the alchemists at work had my mind racing with thoughts of what could happen if they succeeded in their plan. I knew I had to find a way to stop them before it was too late.
Breathless and filled with adrenaline, I sprinted back to the hotel and burst into the room, waking Elder Ce with a start.
"What's going on, Hyas? Why are you back so soon?" Elder Ce asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I saw something strange in the village," I replied, barely able to catch my breath. "The villagers were all gathered around a large house, and there was something going on in the basement. I found a secret passage and went down to investigate, but I set off an alarm and had to run."
Elder Ce's eyes widened in surprise as I recounted my story. "This is troubling news indeed," he said gravely. "We must leave this place at once. It is clear that something sinister is going on in this village."
Without wasting any time, we quickly gathered our belongings and made our way out of the hotel. As we rode out of the village on Elder Ce's back, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. We had narrowly escaped a dangerous situation, and I was grateful to be leaving the village behind.
We didn't get far after leaving the mesa. I heard a loud stomping sound.
BAM
"Stop, young one," said Elder Ce. "Something is coming."
I was on high alert with my spear, and when I heard the noise again, I leapt forward.
My plan worked, and a huge hand reached out for me. I jumped onto it and struck it with my spear.
Crack.
But my spear broke. No wonder, I had used it so many times. I dodged the second strike and rolled under the machine.
It was a kind of machine golem. It looked exactly like the statues in the city's laboratory. Golden armored with frigid titanium.
"Don't be surprised, lad. Frigid titanium is only destructible by weapons that were forged similarly or better," said Elder Ce. "But I'll take care of the automaton."
He leapt into the air, drew a sword out of nowhere, and swish. A clean cut straight through the golem.
Dumbfounded and impressed at the same time, I watched as the two halves cleanly fell to the ground. The centaur hobbled back to me. The sword had disappeared.
"I have been retired for a long time. In the Titan War, we centaurs fought against the gods. When the war ended, we were punished. A curse sealed our powers, and every time we try to release them, something terrible happens. Our children are free from this curse, but as you have already noticed, I am under its influence," said Elder Ce.
A sad tragedy. "I owe you something. You saved my life, and I will never forget that. I can't expect anything more from you," I said overwhelmed.
"You should go to the south. At the border, you should find what you need to find your friend. You shall succeed," he said and gave me a chain.
"If you encounter a centaur and need help or have trouble, show him this chain. Now hurry before more of these things come."