Chapter - 58
The next day, Jacob, Elara, and Seraphina met in the afternoon, ready to embark on their journey to the Arcjund Valley. The valley, known for its lush greenery, lay to the southwest of Ironhelm. It would take them at least a day to reach their destination. The Arcjund Valley was a vast expanse, dotted with fertile fields, dense forests, and quaint villages. The temple they sought was nestled in the middle portion of the valley.
They journeyed under an open sky, the warm scent of wildflowers filling the air as their path wound through hills and sunlit meadows. Birds flitted from tree to tree, chirping their songs.
The further they ventured though, the more subdued the atmosphere seemed to become. The once-joyful birdsong faded into a weighty silence, interrupted only by the crunch of their boots on the gravel path.
As dusk fell, they arrived at a small village hidden amongst towering oaks. The village was modest, with thatched-roof cottages and narrow, winding streets. However, something felt off. The villagers moved about with dark expressions, avoiding eye contact and steering clear of the newcomers.
Just as they were starting to wonder if they would be forced to camp outside because of the unwelcoming nature of the villagers, an elderly man approached them, his posture slightly hunched and his eyes shifty. He introduced himself as the village head and, after Jacob explained their need for shelter, offered them a night at his cottage.
"This way, travelers," he said with a forced smile that barely touched his eyes. "You must be weary from your journey."
Jacob thanked him, but the subtle discomfort prickled his instincts. The old man's tone was pleasant enough, but there was something guarded in his gaze, a hidden wariness that set Jacob on edge. Leaning slightly towards Elara and Seraphina, he whispered, "Stay alert. Something's not right here."
Once they'd settled into the modest cottage, Jacob asked to speak with the village head alone. They sat together in the lounge.
Jacob began gently, trying to put the man at ease. "It's a quiet village you have here. Beautiful, too. Though I did notice a bit of, well, worry among your people. Has anything unusual happened here or in the valley recently?"
The village head gave a strained smile, glancing around as if wary of eavesdroppers. "Ah, unusual? No, nothing out of the ordinary," he said, his voice gruff. "Just the usual troubles any village might face. Our crops struggled a bit this season, but we're managing."
Jacob pressed further, his tone friendly but probing. "And the temple nearby? I've heard rumors that travelers passing through the valley sometimes see… strange things."
The village head's eyes flickered briefly with something unreadable, but he quickly masked it, his expression carefully blank. "Superstitions," he muttered, waving a dismissive hand. "The old delusional stories. Best not to pay them any mind."
Each question Jacob posed was met with vague answers and deflections. The man was skilled in keeping things vague, offering enough to appear polite yet avoiding anything that might give Jacob real insight. By the time they parted, Jacob's unease had only deepened.
Night fell, and the village was cloaked in an unsettling silence. While Elara and Seraphina rested, Jacob kept vigilant by the window, his senses attuned to even the smallest sound. Though nothing stirred, the quiet felt oppressive, and he couldn't escape the sensation of being observed, as though shadowed eyes lurked just beyond the edges of the night.
When dawn broke, casting a pale, hesitant light over the village, Jacob roused Elara and Seraphina. They had breakfast with the village head, before they started packing their belongings. Jacob decided to try one last time to gather information. He approached a few villagers lingering near the cottages, offering polite smiles and friendly questions. But, one by one, they shied away from him, eyes darting with barely concealed fear, some even murmuring a hasty excuse before retreating into their homes.
Disappointed, he turned to head back to the others when he noticed a young girl standing at the edge of a building,. She couldn't have been more than ten, her small frame partly hidden behind the cottage wall as she beckoned him over.
Curious, Jacob approached, glancing around to see if they were alone. The girl motioned for him to crouch, her small hand trembling as she reached into her pocket and slipped a folded piece of paper into his hand. Before he could say a word, she dashed away, vanishing around the corner as quickly as she'd appeared.
Jacob unfolded the note and read the hastily scrawled message: "The village head is a Dark mage. He was sent from the temple."
Jacob's eyes widened. He quickly tore the paper into tiny pieces and let the wind carry them away. Swiftly, he returned to the village head's house, where Elara and Seraphina were.