The morning sun filtered through the tall canopy of the forest, casting dappled light over the village as life resumed its daily rhythm. Despite the peace of the scene, the presence of the three adventurers had sent ripples through the close-knit community. While some villagers were cautiously welcoming, others kept their distance, their eyes betraying their unease.
Elara felt the children's gazes long before she spotted them peeking from behind a house. Her sharp elven hearing picked up their whispered excitement.
"Look! She's an elf! She's got pointy ears!"
"Do you think she can talk to the trees?"
"Shh! Don't let her hear you!"
Elara couldn't help but smile despite her lingering weariness. She crouched to appear less intimidating, motioning for the children to come closer. "I don't bite, you know."
A few of the braver ones emerged from their hiding spots, but one boy lingered behind, his hands gripping the corner of the house tightly. "You're not going to hurt anyone, right?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Elara's smile faltered. "No, I promise. We're just here to rest. You're safe."
The boy's tension eased slightly, but he still didn't approach. The other children, however, swarmed her with questions.
"Do you really talk to trees?"
"Are you a warrior?"
"Can you shoot an arrow through ten trees in one shot?"
Elara chuckled, letting their enthusiasm distract her from the heaviness in her chest. She answered their questions patiently, occasionally embellishing her tales of adventuring to make them laugh. For a moment, she forgot her pain and the memories of her fallen companions.
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Kaelen had found himself at the village square, surrounded by a group of curious villagers. Most were adults, their initial wariness giving way to curiosity as they noticed his calm demeanor and the pouches of herbs at his belt.
One of the older women stepped forward, her sharp eyes scanning him. "You're a healer, aren't you?"
Kaelen nodded. "I am, though not as skilled as some of the clerics back in the cities."
The woman's lips pressed into a thin line. "Still better than most of us. We don't have a proper healer here, just some folk who know a bit about plants. Could you take a look at my granddaughter? She's been coughing for weeks."
Kaelen agreed immediately, following the woman to a modest home. Inside, a little girl sat on a bed, her face pale and her breathing labored. Kaelen knelt beside her, speaking softly as he examined her.
"It's not too serious," he assured the grandmother after a few minutes. "It's likely a lung irritation from the damp air of the forest. I'll mix some herbs to help her breathe more easily, but she'll need to rest and stay warm."
The woman nodded, her shoulders relaxing for the first time since he'd arrived. "Thank you," she murmured. "We don't get many outsiders, but it seems you're one of the good ones."
As Kaelen prepared the remedy, he noticed a few villagers lingering near the doorway, their expressions a mix of gratitude and unease. He overheard whispers.
"Maybe they're not so bad after all…"
"Still, what if they figure out about Leiurus?"
Kaelen frowned but said nothing, deciding it wasn't his place to pry.
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Riven leaned against a tree at the edge of the village, his sharp red eyes scanning the bustling scene. Unlike his companions, he preferred to keep his distance, observing rather than engaging. He noticed the way some villagers cast furtive glances his way, their unease palpable. He was used to it.
The quiet didn't last long. A boy, no older than ten, approached him, holding a wooden sword. "You're a fighter, right?"
Riven raised an eyebrow. "I am."
The boy grinned, his nervousness melting away. "Can you show me some moves? I want to be an adventurer when I grow up!"
Riven considered refusing—he wasn't exactly the teaching type—but the boy's enthusiasm was infectious. With a sigh, he pushed off the tree and drew one of his short swords, holding it carefully so the blade faced away.
"All right. Show me what you've got first."
The boy lunged with his wooden sword, his stance clumsy but full of energy. Riven blocked effortlessly, correcting the boy's grip and stance as they sparred. Soon, other children gathered around, cheering and laughing as the boy tried and failed to land a hit.
One of the adults watching nearby muttered, "He's good with kids. I didn't expect that."
Another replied, "Maybe. But don't forget, they're adventurers. They've seen things we can't imagine. Who knows what secrets they're hiding?"
Riven pretended not to hear, focusing instead on the boy. But inwardly, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the village. The way some of the villagers acted around Leiurus in particular… it was almost as if they were guarding a secret.
.
Leiurus watched the interactions from a distance, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. He could feel the villagers' mixed emotions—some were warming to the adventurers, while others remained cautious, their fear directed not just at the newcomers but also at the possibility of them uncovering his secret.
As someone who had only recently gained his human form, Leiurus wasn't entirely comfortable in his skin yet. He was still adjusting to the nuances of human behavior and emotions, and the added pressure of keeping his true nature hidden weighed on him.
Elyndra's warning echoed in his mind. "The world isn't kind to those who are different, Leiurus. If they knew what you were, they might not see you as one of their own."
He sighed, shaking off the thought. For now, his focus was on ensuring the safety of the village and the adventurers. He approached Kaelen, who was finishing up his herbal remedy for the little girl.
"How are you finding the village?" Leiurus asked casually.
Kaelen looked up, surprised. "It's… peaceful. The people seem kind, though I can tell some of them are still wary of us."
Leiurus nodded. "They're cautious by nature. Living so close to the forest, they've learned to be wary of the unknown."
Kaelen hesitated, then asked, "What about you? You seem… different from the others. Not in a bad way, just… different."
Leiurus's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his expression neutral. "I've had a unique journey, let's put it that way."
Kaelen didn't press further, sensing Leiurus's reluctance. But the brief exchange left Leiurus feeling uneasy. How long could he keep his true nature hidden?
.
The elder watched the interactions from his porch, stroking his beard thoughtfully. He could see the potential for harmony between the villagers and the adventurers, but he also knew the risk. If the adventurers discovered Leiurus's secret, it could jeopardize everything they'd built.
"They seem trustworthy enough," the elder murmured to himself. "But trust can be fragile."
He glanced at Leiurus, who was speaking with Kaelen. The elder had known Leiurus since the day he first emerged as a magic insect, and he'd watched him grow into a guardian of the forest. This human form was new, but the elder trusted Leiurus completely.
Still, he couldn't ignore the unease among the villagers. They had every right to be cautious. The world beyond the forest was often cruel to those who didn't fit into its narrow definitions of normalcy.
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Far from the village, Grimfang prowled through the forest, his senses sharp as he searched for the high-class monster the adventurers had mentioned. He couldn't help but think about Leiurus and the burden he carried.
"Humans are fickle creatures," Grimfang muttered to himself. "They fear what they don't understand."
He paused, sniffing the air. A faint scent of blood and decay reached him, and his eyes narrowed. Whatever this monster was, it was close. And it would soon learn that this forest was under his protection.