As the Crimson Vanguard prepared to head toward the distant village, a familiar voice echoed in their ears.
"Your hour is up," Gelian's voice announced cheerfully. The group snapped out of their focus, looking around in confusion.
"Already?" Garrick exclaimed, pulling off his virtual helmet. "I thought we'd just started!"
The others removed their helmets as well, glancing around in disbelief at the real world surrounding them once again. Time had flown by, and their excitement hadn't waned in the slightest.
"That was insane! I've never felt so… transported," Elena murmured, her face flushed with exhilaration.
Kaden, sensing the group's eagerness, grinned. "We can go another hour or two, right? Just to see what's in that village?"
After a quick exchange of enthusiastic nods, they decided to extend their session for another two hours. Gelian smiled as they put the helmets back on, feeling a surge of satisfaction as he watched his café come to life with the sound of laughter and excitement. A soft chime in his ear alerted him: "Task complete: Acquire five customers. Complete two more tasks to earn a spin on the reward wheel." Gelian's grin widened.
With their session renewed, the group found themselves back in the lush, blocky landscape, now standing at the edge of the village. As they approached, they saw blocky figures moving about, each one engaged in different tasks—some villagers tending to farms, others trading goods, and a few pacing between houses.
The villagers gave the group curious glances, eyeing them for a moment before returning to their work.
"What do you think they're doing?" Lyra whispered, fascinated by the simplicity of the villagers' lives.
"These must be their daily routines," Elena observed, watching a villager harvest wheat. "It's like they have their own little world."
Suddenly, Lyra's eyes went wide. "Wait! Is that a golem?" She pointed toward a towering figure of iron and vines lumbering through the center of the village. It was an iron golem, its massive arms swinging by its sides as it moved with a slow, deliberate pace.
Kaden's eyes sparkled with excitement. "It's like the guardian diamond golems back in Aetheria, protecting villages and towns."
The group tensed, their hands hovering near their non-existent weapons, ready to defend themselves. They watched as the golem strolled past, not even sparing them a glance.
Ronan relaxed with a chuckle. "Looks like it's just keeping the peace. We're safe—for now."
The group exchanged relieved glances, their curiosity outweighing their caution. They continued to explore, taking in the various village structures. Ronan noticed some hay bales stacked neatly near a stable, alongside patches of flowers and rows of carrot crops.
"Think we could take some of this back for our place?" Ronan asked, eyeing the hay and crops. "Would make our house look a bit nicer."
Lyra shook her head firmly. "That's practically stealing! What if it offends the villagers?"
Elena nodded in agreement, folding her arms. "We don't want to cause trouble, especially with that iron golem around. They might see us as enemies."
While the three debated the ethics of "borrowing" supplies, Kaden noticed a small child villager toddling nearby, its blocky form adorably awkward.
"Look at this little one!" Kaden said with a grin, reaching out to pat the child villager's head. But he overestimated his strength, his hand bumping the small villager harder than he'd intended.
The child let out a tiny cry, and before Kaden could apologize, a heavy thud shook the ground. The iron golem turned, its blank eyes now focused on Kaden with an unwavering intensity.
"Oh no," Kaden whispered, backing up as the golem raised its arm.
Without warning, the golem lunged forward, swinging its iron fist with surprising speed. The blow connected with Kaden, and he stumbled back, gasping as his health bar dropped precariously low.
"Run!" he shouted, spinning around and sprinting away from the village as the golem charged after him, each heavy footstep echoing in his ears.
The rest of the group froze for a split second, watching the golem chase Kaden before they, too, broke into a run.
"Don't look back!" Ronan yelled, his face pale as he raced beside Lyra and Elena.
The group sprinted across the blocky landscape, the sound of the golem's pursuit fading behind them. After several tense moments, they finally stopped to catch their breath, far away from the village.
Elena laughed breathlessly, clutching her side. "Well, so much for making friends with the villagers."
"Or taking anything from them," Garrick added with a grin, looking back in the direction of the village. "Guess we learned our lesson."
Kaden managed a chuckle despite still catching his breath. "Next time, we'll be a little more careful around the locals. And definitely avoid anything that looks like a walking fortress."
With a mix of exhilaration and exhaustion, the group set their sights on what they'd tackle next, eager to continue their adventure in this strange and unpredictable world.