They gathered in the small home of the village elder, the air thick with the smell of burning wood from the hearth. The old man, who had introduced himself as Ralith, sat hunched over at the table, his hands wringing together anxiously.
"It started a month ago," Ralith explained, his voice hoarse. "One by one, the children of the village began to disappear. No one knows where they've been taken or who's behind it, but every few nights… another child vanishes."
Maeve's face had lost its usual cheer. "How many are gone?"
Ralith's shoulders shook. "All but two. The last two… they'll be taken next if we don't stop them."
Cedric felt a surge of anger rise within him. "Who's taking them?"
Ralith shook his head. "We've seen no one. No signs, no tracks. It's as if they vanish into thin air."
Lira's voice cut through the tension, cold and sharp. "What about your guards? Your village isn't unprotected, surely?"
"We have no fighters," Ralith admitted. "Only farmers and tradesmen. We are simple people."
Cedric looked between Lira and Maeve. "We have to help them."
Lira nodded grimly. "We need more information. We can't fight an enemy we can't see."
Maeve leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "I don't like it. Magic's at play here. Something that can make children disappear without a trace? That's dark stuff."
Cedric's mind raced as he thought of what his magic could do. Could he use it to create traps, defenses, or even locate the missing children? But without knowing what they were up against, he hesitated. Whatever force was behind this, it was unlike anything they had encountered before.
"We'll stay the night and keep watch over the village," Cedric said, his voice steady. "We won't let anyone else disappear."