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Scene: The Heart of Valendar Village, Tension Thick in the Air
The villagers' glowing eyes remained fixed on Mordryn and Kang Wo Hu, their spears trembling slightly as though they were caught in some internal struggle. Mordryn could feel the ancient tension rippling through the air, the clash between past and present tangible. His eyes narrowed, and dark energy crackled at his fingertips, ready to act if necessary.
Kang Wo Hu:
whispering nervously
"Mordryn... what do we do?"
Mordryn didn't answer, his mind racing. The villagers weren't attacking, but their weapons remained raised. It was as if they were trapped, caught in some strange compulsion that neither side could break.
Suddenly, from the heart of the village, an old voice cut through the heavy silence—a voice filled with wisdom and authority.
Village Elder:
firm but aged
"Lower your weapons."
The villagers hesitated, their glowing eyes shifting as the words reverberated through the tense air. Slowly, almost reluctantly, the spears were lowered, the threat momentarily defused.
Kang Wo Hu exhaled in relief but remained cautious, her gaze darting between the villagers and the source of the voice. From the depths of the village, an elderly man emerged, his figure draped in long, tattered robes. His face was etched with the lines of time, and his eyes, though old, held a piercing sharpness.
Village Elder:
with respect
"You stand before Mordryn, the Hero of Valendar. Do you not recognize the one who once saved this village from ruin?"
The words hit the villagers like a tidal wave. They stiffened, then, almost in unison, they dropped to one knee, bowing their heads in reverence. The glowing light in their eyes flickered and dimmed, replaced with something akin to recognition, perhaps even awe.
Kang Wo Hu blinked, completely taken aback.
Kang Wo Hu:
whispering to Mordryn
"They think... you were a hero?"
Mordryn's face remained unreadable, though something flickered in his eyes—an old pain, a distant memory that hadn't surfaced in thousands of years. Hero. That wasn't how they saw him at the end, not when they turned on him. But this village... it seemed trapped in a fragment of time where he was still revered, where his deeds hadn't been twisted by fear and misunderstanding.
The Elder approached slowly, his steps measured as though he carried the weight of centuries. He stopped a few feet from Mordryn, his ancient eyes scanning him with reverence and curiosity.
Village Elder:
bowing his head slightly
"We have waited long for your return, Lord Mordryn. The legends spoke of your disappearance, but the village of Valendar never forgot its protector. Forgive these villagers. They are bound by the ancient magics that keep us... trapped here."
Mordryn's gaze darkened.
Mordryn:
quietly
"Trapped?"
The Elder nodded solemnly.
Village Elder:
"Yes... time here is not as it should be. The magic of this gate has ensnared us, but it is because of the pact made long ago to keep Valendar safe. The people still remember you, though time has clouded their minds. You are still our hero."
Kang Wo Hu watched the exchange, trying to process everything.
Kang Wo Hu:
whispering to herself
"So this is why... this village exists inside a gate."
Mordryn's eyes flickered with something unspoken. He had saved them once, yes—but he had also been betrayed by them. How much of the past did they remember? And how much had been rewritten by the magic that bound this place?
He looked at the kneeling villagers, their heads bowed in submission.
Mordryn:
half to himself
"They bow now... but would they still, if they knew the truth?"
The Elder lifted his head, his eyes meeting Mordryn's.
Village Elder:
"Your presence here... it may be a sign. Perhaps you are the one who can finally release us from this prison."
Mordryn said nothing, his mind churning with thoughts of the past, of betrayal, and of the strange twists of fate that had led him back to this cursed village. But before he could respond, something else stirred in the distance.
A sound—deep, guttural, and growing louder. It came from the mountains that loomed over the village, the towering peaks bathed in the eerie glow of the gate's magic.
Kang Wo Hu's head snapped up at the sound, her eyes wide with alarm.
Kang Wo Hu:
"What... was that?"
The ground began to tremble beneath their feet, a low rumble that sent a wave of panic through the villagers. The spears they had lowered moments ago were now clutched in fear, but none dared raise them again.
Mordryn's eyes narrowed, his instincts kicking in as the ancient roar echoed through the mountains once more. He recognized that sound—he had heard it long ago, in the days when dragons still roamed the skies.
The Elder's face paled, his voice trembling as he spoke.
Village Elder:
"The dragon... it has awoken."
Kang Wo Hu's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing as the pieces fell into place. A dragon? Here, in this gate? But how?
Before she could voice her thoughts, the rumbling grew louder, and from the peak of the nearest mountain, a massive shape began to rise. Its scales glinted in the dim light, and its wings unfurled, casting a shadow that stretched across the village below.
Kang Wo Hu:
in shock
"A dragon?!"
Mordryn's eyes locked on the creature, his expression dark and determined. This was no ordinary dragon—it was a being of ancient power, tied to the very essence of this gate.
Mordryn:
quietly, almost to himself
"So, even you still exist."
The dragon let out a deafening roar, its eyes glowing with the same eerie light that filled the villagers. It was a creature of the gate, bound to this place just like the people of Valendar.
The villagers began to scatter, panic spreading through the streets as the massive beast spread its wings and prepared to descend upon the village.
Mordryn stepped forward, his dark energy flaring around him as he prepared for the battle ahead.
Mordryn:
grimly
"This is far from over."
The Elder's voice trembled, his eyes wide with fear as he looked up at the dragon.
Village Elder:
pleading
"Lord Mordryn... save us."
Mordryn's gaze never left the dragon, his mind already calculating the battle to come. But even as he prepared himself, something tugged at the back of his mind—an unsettling feeling that this dragon wasn't just another enemy to defeat.
It was tied to the magic of this place, to the ancient forces that had kept Valendar trapped for centuries.
As the dragon roared again, descending from the mountain toward the village, Mordryn clenched his fists, his dark power swirling around him.
This was only the beginning.
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End of Chapter 18