"Remember, Lydia, we don't need to accomplish anything today. This is just a scouting mission." I stated as we walked in the direction they pointed for Old Chalm.
"Yes…" Lydia responded quietly, and I realized I had already gone over the plans with her a dozen times.
"Ah, sorry, I just don't plan for us to enter that dungeon. Rather, the mansion is our goal. According to them, it was flat out abandoned and no one has entered it since the noble family went missing. That means all of the wealth is inside. We have one month to get into the mansion and steal goods. If we're lucky, we'll find coins outright. I'm not going to depend 100% on this caravan or Chalm."
It wasn't that I didn't trust their efforts, it was simply as I said before. I wouldn't risk Lydia on anything.
"Yes."
I had also noticed that Lydia was being oddly quiet the further we walked. Her grip on my shirt was also tightening. We finally reached a low hill, and before us was the city. As for the barrier, it wasn't something that could be seen with the eye. Perhaps a Priest might be able to make it out, but I didn't have that ability.
Where the current Chalm was made completely out of wood and thatch, Old Chalm had many stone buildings. At the far end of the city was a two-story mansion, just as described. It wasn't massive or unreasonable. Probably about fifteen rooms max. There was almost no movement, and the place felt extremely eerie without a sign of people. Strangely enough, the town was not overgrown with weeds. In fact, there was nothing living. The grass looked brown and dead, yet despite fifteen years it didn't seem to rot away. The same could be said about the trees and bushes.
Although the stonework had cracks in it from disrepair and age, the entire city appeared like it might have been abandoned yesterday. This only increased the level of discomfort I felt.
"W-wait!" Lydia cried out as I took a step forward.
"What?" I asked, turning back to her.
Lydia blushed, lowering her head. "N-nothing…"
I could only cock my head in confusion over her odd behavior. I began walking down, and she followed me closely. She reached out and grabbed my hand now, no longer feeling like holding my shirt was enough. It only took a few minutes before we passed the border. It was sudden, and I let out a gasp. It felt like walking through water. On the other side, the city was exactly the same. Part of me thought the appearance outside would have been some deception, and once I got closer I'd see the true town.
Taking a deep breath, I held Lydia's hand and continued to guide her into the city. It was deathly quiet. There wasn't even the noise of insects or animals rustling around. This was a ghost town in every sense of the word.
"I-it's not so bad… in the day." Lydia spoke up, her voice sounding almost startling amongst the extreme quiet.
As if to answer her, a distant squeaking sound started up. The pair of us looked at each other and then slowly began to walk towards the source, which continued on in a rhythmic fashion. Finally, we found it. There was a lone tree, not a leaf on it, that was gnarled and dead. It reached up into the sky like a disembodied hand, and hanging from one of the branches was a lone swing. Ever so slowly, it was swaying back and forth, making that squeaking noise that filled the street.
"Um… Lydia…" I said, working the moisture back into my mouth.
"M-master?"
"Is there any wind today?"
"There is not." Lydia's voice came out in a squeak.
The swing suddenly stopped. Lydia's hand let go of mine, but then grabbed it again so tightly it almost hurt. I didn't look back, as my eyes were focused on the silent, unmoving swing.
"I think we have explored enough of this city for today." I coughed.
"Yes, Master…" The voice that came next to me wasn't Lydia's.