Veliona observed the curious village led by an even more curious older woman and child. The four of them had dismounted their horses, leading them by their reins as they walked.
It wasn't a large village, but it buzzed with the sound of giggling children and mothers calling after them. A child ran up to Yasuo, startling his horse. With quick reflexes, Yasuo steadied the horse, giving the child an unamused look. The mother hurriedly apologized, and Yasuo reassured her with a nod.
"Oh my," Mushashi said. "Sorry about that; the children can get a bit too rowdy. Please forgive them."
They reached Musashi's larger house at the village center. Waiting outside was Shunsui Takahara, the old man, and village chief. He welcomed them with a smile, which Veliona reciprocated with royal grace.
"Welcome, travelers," Shunsui greeted with a laugh. "I am Shunsui Takahara. I believe you've met my wife here already."
Veliona began to curtsy, then stopped midway, as if just remembering she wasn't wearing a skirt. "Thank you for the warm welcome. I am Veliona, and these are my... companions. Aldrich, Levi, and Yasuo."
Upon hearing their names, Aldrich gave a little bow, Levi a small wave, and Yasuo a curt nod. The little girl, Momo, tugged at the chief's pants leg. He gazed down at her and patted her head.
"Can't forget about little Momo here." Shunsui chuckled. "Our village's pride and joy."
Momo's face lit up, happy to be acknowledged. "Can we play now grandpa? Pleeeeease?"
"Soon, Momo. But they just arrived, let them settle down first." Shunsui said.
Momo started to pout but nodded anyway. Shunsui turned back to them. "Please, come in. You must be tired."
Veliona made herself at home in Shunsui and Musashi's house. Yasuo, still concerned, stood by the entrance with his guard up. Meanwhile, Levi had pulled Aldrich away.
"I can feel something in this place," Levi said.
"Something?" Aldrich asked, leaning against the wall. "Could you be a bit more specific?"
Levi looked confused. "I can't say for sure, just that it feels familiar. Like a piece of myself, and it's calling out to me."
Levi's unsure expression was replaced with a more convinced one. "There's a fragment of Abaddon here. Somewhere nearby."
Aldrich pushed off the wall. "You think it's attached to one of the villagers?"
"There don't seem to be any monsters in the area, so yeah, I think so."
"What are you two talking about?" A small, high-pitched voice asked.
They looked down to find Momo staring up at them. Levi hadn't noticed her walk up. The little girl had a huge smile, revealing a gap between her front teeth. Clutched in her arms was some kind of doll.
Aldrich shifted on his feet. "Oh hello. We weren't talking about anything important."
The chief walked up to join the three of them, patting the little girl lightly on the head. "Why don't you go play outside, Momo? We'll join you in a minute."
Momo's face lit up at his words. "You mean it?!" She was almost bouncing with excitement.
There was something off about the doll she was carrying, Levi realized. It had a weird smell about it, and he might have been crazy, but he could swear its beady little eyes shifted at one point.
Shunsui gave her a wide smile. "Of course. Now run along, you little scamp. We'll be right out."
"Wait, that doll-" Levi began, reaching his arm out. But Momo was already gone, halfway across the room before he got half his words out.
Shunsui turned to him, a mildly confused look on his face. "Is something the matter?"
Aldrich and Levi exchanged a quick look. Maybe it'd be best to keep their suspicions to themselves for now. Levi shook his head, "No, it's nothing."
His answer wasn't all that convincing, but thankfully, the chief decided not to inquire further. Instead, he told them the reason he had come over. Veliona had been regaling him and his wife with tales of their most recent adventure, emphasizing how she saved both their asses. Shunsui was interested in their side of the story.
"They don't believe me," Veliona said with an air of indignation as they approached. "Come on, I was totally awesome. Tell them!"
Musashi turned her attention to them.
"Maybe just a little bit." Aldrich teased.
Veliona folded her arms over her chest. "You two would be dead without me!"
The three settled into a round of bantering while the elderly couple watched. They began to laugh, which made the three of them stop and look over at them.
"Oh, don't mind us," Musashi told them, wiping a tear from the side of her eye. "It's just quite refreshing to have such lively energy in our little village."
Shunsui placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I'm afraid in terms of people, Hakone village has been quite dead, for lack of a better word."
Yasuo, who had been standing so still beside the wall, suddenly perked up at the chief's words. He stepped towards them, a strangely urgent expression on his face. "I'm sorry, what did you say this village was called?"
"Hakone village," Shunsui repeated. "Why?"
Yasuo's eyes widened for a second, as if just realizing something. But the expression was gone almost as fast as it came. Instead, he put on a calmer face. "I've heard about it... from a friend who passed through some years ago. All good things, of course."
Aldrich could tell that wasn't all he wanted to say. Yasuo was pretty fast at making up a lie to divert attention.
"Oh, did you now?" Shunsui asked. "What was their name? Not many people pass through, so I'd probably remember them."
"Don't be fooled by his gray hair." Musashi chuckled. "My Shunsui has a great memory."
From the man's facial expression, Aldrich gathered he didn't really want to share any more information for some reason. So he decided to step in.
"Why don't we go outside now? I'm sure Momo is wondering what's taking so long."
"Oh my," Musashi held a hand up to her mouth. "Completely slipped my mind; we should get going then dear."
"Yes," Shunsui agreed, but his eyes lingered on Yasuo for a little too long. "Let's go going then."
"I'll come too-" Veliona called after them, jumping off her seat, but Aldrich grabbed her arm and held her back. She stared at him, confused. "What?"
Aldrich shook his head angrily then gestured over to Yasuo. He had something to say.
Levi stepped forward. "What's wrong?"
Yasuo's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "Hakone village, I thought I recognized this location." He looked up, his gaze serious. "I've been here before."
"And they didn't recognize you. I guess the old man's memory isn't quite as good as they make it out to be," Veliona quipped. But her joke was met with an intense silence.
"The last time I was here... everyone was dead."
A collective sound of surprise escaped their lips. "What are you talking about?" Veliona chuckled nervously. "They look fine to me."
Yasuo shook his head. His words were almost sad, which was the most emotion they had seen him show in the short time they'd known him. "Years ago, I was a newly stationed samurai serving under the previous emperor of Yumekawa. Hakone village was located in one of his territories, one I was charged with protecting.
But it was pillaged by raiders; by the time I arrived, everyone was dead. I-... I couldn't save any of them."
The three were silent, unsure of what to make of his revelation. That was when a voice came from the entrance door. It was Musashi's, but she didn't sound as kindly as she had earlier.
"If only you had gotten here faster," she wailed softly. "You could have saved us. All of us."
Yasuo's head snapped towards the old lady. Behind her, her husband entered as well.
"It was your fault," Shunsui croaked. "All of our blood is on your hands."
Right before them, the two elderly people began to change, their forms shimmering and shifting. The room grew colder as an otherworldly aura surrounded the elderly couple. Their features distorted, taking on a ghostly pallor. Wisps of ethereal energy enveloped them, creating an eerie glow. Aldrich felt a shiver run down his spine.
"W-what's happening to them?" Veliona stammered as she reached for her dagger, taking a step back.
"Yurei," Yasuo breathed. "Malevolent yokai. They're spirits of the deceased who weren't able to cross over. But that's impossible; I hunted down the raiders, and then I made sure to bury all of the villagers. Even did a prayer."
Levi looked at Aldrich, who returned his gaze. The soul fragment, they hadn't told Yasuo or Veliona about it, but Levi suspected it was involved somehow.
The light shining around the yurei dimmed, revealing the couple in much more ghastly forms. Shunsui with his neck slashed open, dried blood all over his clothes. His wife had a smaller gash right over her face, but just as bloody.
"You may not have made it in time, but you're here now." They talked in unison now. An eerie harmony that completely unsettled Aldrich. "The least you can do for us... is die!"