Arnolt's gaze snapped to Grennyn, a frown creasing his forehead. "Grennyn, what do you mean, 'they're coming'? What kind of threat are we dealing with here?"
Grennyn's face, normally stern and composed, now wore an expression of grim urgency. "I can't give you a full explanation right now. We need to get back to the village first. It's too dangerous to discuss here, and we must be prepared."
Xiona's eyes darted between Grennyn and Arnolt. "Is it something we should be really worried about? How bad is it?"
Grennyn took a deep breath, his voice steady but low. "It's something beyond the ordinary. Trust me, when we get back to the safety of the village, I'll explain everything. Right now, our priority is to ensure that we don't become victims of whatever's hiding in there."
Arnolt turned to his father, noticing that Arwolt's face had gone unusually pale. "Dad, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost. Is there something you're not telling us?"
Arwolt forced a strained smile, shaking his head. "It's nothing, Arnolt. Just an old memory coming back to me. Don't worry about it. My concerns are secondary to the safety of the village. We need to focus on what Grennyn said."
Xiona stepped closer to her uncle, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "Uncle, if you're feeling unwell, you should say something. We can't afford to be dealing with anything else right now."
Arwolt's gaze softened as he looked at Xiona and Arnolt. "I'm fine, truly. Just a bit of unease, that's all. We need to make sure we're all ready for what's ahead."
Grennyn nodded in agreement. "Let's not waste any more time. We need to move swiftly. The longer we stay here, the more danger we might be in. We'll discuss the details back in the village where we can plan our next steps more safely."
The group exchanged anxious glances but quickly composed themselves. They began the trek back through the snowy forest, the tension in the air palpable. Each step felt heavier as the dark aura of the nest seemed to follow them, an ominous reminder of the unknown threat looming over their village.
As they emerged from the forest and re-entered Hingr Wynd, the familiar warmth of their village contrasted sharply with the cold dread they felt. Grennyn led them back to the Yorgir cottage, where they could gather and discuss the situation in a more secure environment.
They were greeted by Roselyn, showing a visible relieve on her face. "Oh you are all back, thank the heavens. Did you find out what you're looking for?" Roselyn asked.
"Yes we did Rose." Arwolt answered. "But we're still not out the danger yet, we're going to discuss it inside."
Once inside, Grennyn gathered everyone around the dining table, his expression serious. "Now that we're back, it's time to explain. What we just found out there is something that's not been seen in this region for many years. The dark aura from the nest marked the presence of a malevolent force, and the reason Venatoria Adventuring Guild was created in the first place."
Grennyn's gaze grew even more somber as he took a deep breath, preparing to delve into the gravity of the situation. "What we're dealing with are known as 'Omens.' The Guild has historical records of these creatures—they are humanity's oldest and most formidable adversaries. Omens are not just monsters; they embody ancient, dark forces with a singular, terrifying purpose."
Roselyn's eyes widened in fear, but Grennyn continued, his voice steady. "Every hundred years, the sky would turn violet for several weeks, this phenomenon known as "Violet's Day", is signaling the arrival of the Omens. Omen Pits would appear all over the world and during these times, they would target and ravage human settlements across the world, causing widespread devastation. This has been a recurring nightmare for millennia, and their activities have been increasing for the past few years."
"I have heard of this, my grandfather used to tell me about how his father was one of many survivor of this event." Said Roselyn with a troubled look on her face.
Arnolt's brow furrowed as he listened intently. "But you said their activity's been increasing lately. Why is that?"
Grennyn nodded, his expression reflecting the weight of his words. "That's the unsettling part, no one really knows. Their activity has been increasing much more than usual, they've grown bolder. We're nearing the next Violet's Day in the year 1300, and things are getting dire. The fact that there's a massive Omen pit right near your village is a grave warning. If we don't take action soon, it could mean catastrophe not just for Hingr Wynd but for the surrounding lands."
The room fell silent as the weight of Grennyn's words sank in, each person grappling with the enormity of the threat. Arnolt looked over at his father, Arwolt, who had been quiet throughout Grennyn's explanation. The strain on Arwolt's face had not gone unnoticed.
"Dad," Arnolt finally said, his voice firm but concerned, "you were feeling unwell earlier. Would you mind telling us what's been bothering you? Could this be related to your past experience?"
Arwolt sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping slightly. He looked at Arnolt and Xiona with a mix of resignation and sorrow. "Yeah, there's something I need to share. As you already know about my past injury, I got it while I was still an adventurer. The monsters my party and I encountered were in fact a group of Omens. They had the same dark aura that we saw today. The attack was sudden and brutal. We were caught off guard, I was gravely injured and my party didn't make it."
He paused, his eyes distant as he recalled the memory. "If it weren't for a high-ranking adventurer who came to the rescue, i would have been dead along with my party, all because we couldn't be patient with our guild mission. The Omens we faced then had a similar aura to that dark pit we saw at the nest, and their presence was overwhelming."
Xiona reached out, placing a comforting hand on Arwolt's arm. "That must have been a harrowing experience."
Arwolt nodded, his expression pained but resolute. "Yes, and that's why I'm so concerned. Those Omens I faced before must've been a part of this anomaly. The rise in their activity now is far beyond the norm, and our village has become the center of it."
"And the worst part is, the nest cannot be destroyed once it's settled on an area. Hingr Wynd will have to endure the full brunt of what the nest can offer." said Grennyn.
The dining room fell silent after Grennyn's revelation, not a single one of them opened their mouth. The lives they had lived for many years were threatened by an unstoppable force just a short walk from their village.