Outside, darkness had already fallen, shrouding the town in an unsettling stillness. The wind rustled through the leaves on the ground, the only sound that could be heard amidst the eerie silence.
In the sky, a blanket of dark clouds obscured the stars, promising an impending storm. Thunder rumbled, and sporadic flashes of lightning illuminated the cobblestone street, guiding Leios and Ava on their way.
As they briskly walked down the street, Ava's arm remained tightly wound around Leios', a habitual gesture that only seemed to occur in the dark of night. Their footsteps echoed against the stones, accompanied by a tense silence.
"Hey, aren't you pressing too hard?" Leios whispered, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had been hanging over them.
"What do you mean by that?" Ava whispered back. "I'm not hurting you."
Leios sighed. "Of course you're not hurting me, but it's making me uncomfortable."
"Are you saying I should stop touching you?" Ava asked, her voice growing slightly more defensive.
"I'm asking you to stop pressing on me so much," Leios replied, trying to keep his voice even.
Ava glanced around the shadowy street, scanning their surroundings. "It's too dark. I don't want us to get separated."
Leios sighed again, exasperated. "I've noticed you only cling to me at night. Aren't you just scared of the dark..."
Before Leios could finish his sentence, Ava tightened her grip on his arm, her hostility causing him to wince slightly.
"Do you wish to die, Leios?" she whispered menacingly, looking up at him with a piercing stare.
"No," Leios immediately replied, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
Ava's face relaxed slightly, but her grip on Leios' arm did not. The two continued down the dark street in silence, their footsteps echoing in the night.
***
As they continued down the street, they came to a familiar path lined with cercis trees, their delicate pink flowers swaying gently in the breeze, exuding a sweet and intoxicating fragrance.
The path was paved with cobblestones, each one worn smooth by the passage of time. As Ava and Leios made their way through the tunnel of trees, the sounds of nature grew louder, the buzzing of cicadas and chirping of crickets competing with the intensifying thunder and flashes of lightning.
The wind was picking up, buffeting Ava's short, frilly dress. With each gust, the dress threatened to reveal more than she intended. She instinctively reached with her free hand to hold the dress in place, still clinging to Leios with the other.
The sky above them darkened, portending the impending storm, and they quickened their pace. As they rushed through the path, the cicadas and crickets grew louder, their cries reaching a fever pitch as the wind whipped around them, seemingly conspiring to slow their progress.
When they reached the halfway point of the darkened path, a shadowy figure came into view, standing at the side of the path some fifty meters ahead of them. They halted, fixating on the enigmatic form before them.
Ava swallowed audibly, whispering under her breath, "You see that Leios?"
"Yeah," he confirmed, matching her hushed tones.
A sudden gust of wind blew, its ferocity seeming to conspire with the silhouette.
A flash of lightning ripped across the sky, but the figure remained obscured by shadows, its form as enigmatic as ever.
Ava's mind raced back to the words of her grandpa, his caution earlier before leaving the tavern. The hidden dangers that may be lurking in the shadows. She tensed against Leios, her fear palpable.
Leios could sense her trepidation, but his own fear was tempered by a promise he had made to himself, a vow to keep Ava safe.
"Let's head back to the tavern," Ava urged, her voice filled with newfound confidence.
But Leios, driven by his sense of duty, rejected the idea. "We can't turn back now," he countered.
"It's too late, we need to deal with the obstacle."
"You're insane!" Ava hissed, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. "What if it's a demon?"
Leios didn't respond, his silence masking the same doubts that plagued Ava's mind. As they stood frozen on the path, the wind howled, the shadows danced, and the smell of rain hung heavy in the air.
All they could do was speculate, their imaginations conjuring terrifying scenarios as they stared at the figure. Could it be a demon?
Since the demons had invaded the kingdom, neither Leios nor Ava had personally encountered them. However, they had heard the harrowing stories and warnings from traveling traders, families returning from the invaded regions, and the broadsides posted by the kingdom's authorities, that warned those who resisted.
The night of Estaben's family's tragic demise marked the start of the demons' invasion from the Western region of the kingdom. The East, being the farthest region from the West, escaped the initial invasion. However, whispers of danger still permeated the air, and before the townsfolk retreated behind locked doors and barred windows, there were reports of bodies found in the streets and alleyways, their pale, thin frames bearing the telltale marks of the demons' vampiric bites.
The initial reports of deaths, with their mysterious bite marks and ghastly appearance, served as a warning to the people of the East. Many chose to retreat to the safety of their homes, barricading themselves against the unknown danger that lurked in the shadows.
But Ava, driven by her love of profit and her carefree attitude, refused to heed the warnings. Though she knew of the rumors, she clung stubbornly to the belief that the danger was not as great as people believed.
Leios, despite his best efforts to convince her of the peril outside, ultimately gave up, realizing that his words could not penetrate her stubborn nature.
"We're heading back now," Ava said, her voice firm, as she squeezed Leios' arm and tried to lead him away.
In the darkness, the mysterious figure stirred, sending a ripple of apprehension through Leios.
"Wait, it's moving," he whispered, halting Ava's retreat.
Ava froze, her gaze darting to the shadowy form ahead, her breath caught in her throat. But the figure remained still, cloaked in darkness.
"I don't see anything, it's the same as before," Ava whispered back, her fear mounting with every passing moment.
Leios opened his mouth to assure Ava that the figure had, indeed, moved, but before he could utter a word, a husky voice broke through the tense silence, "Jeez! How long are you two planning to stand there!"
The voice called out from the darkness, its tone laced with frustration.