The night was heavy, shrouded in silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves, the crackle of logs in the fire, and the rhythmic footsteps of the other rangers.
Thales stood guard at the camp, his eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the flames, his right hand firmly on the hilt of his sword.
A figure emerged from the shadows. At first it seemed only a shadowy silhouette, moving with an unsettling grace. As she stepped into the fire's glow, Thales saw that it was a woman.
Her black hair fell over her shoulders, shining in the moonlight like a silken cloak. Her impossibly bright eyes met his, trapping him in an invisible web.
"Are you lost, warrior?"
Her voice was soft, but it held a strange, almost hypnotic melody. Her lips curved in a smile that seemed both inviting and threatening.
Thales felt his muscles relax, as if the weight of the arduous weeks of marching had disappeared in an instant. Something in his mind told him to come closer.
The shadows danced around her in an unnatural way, as if the darkness followed her obediently. He took a step forward, his vision of her filling all his thoughts.
"Who... who are you?" he murmured, his voice weaker than he intended.
"A friend," she replied, bowing her head slightly.
Her bare feet touched the ground, but the sound of hooves echoed softly in the air. Then he noticed: her legs were disproportionate, resembling those of a donkey.
An alarm sounded in his mind, but the charm she exuded quickly drowned out any rational thought.
He couldn't look away. She kept advancing, each movement resembling a dance. Her eyes promised comfort, desire, and peace, but they hid something sharp and predatory.
Thales blinked, trying to clear his mind, but his vision seemed blurry. The world around him grew dark, except for her, lit as if the fire worshipped her.
"Come..." she whispered.
"You don't have to watch anymore. Let me watch over you."
Her words were like a spell.
Thales's grip on his sword loosened, and his feet began to move of their own accord.
Each step took him closer to her, and his heart pounded with a mixture of fascination and terror.
A loud crack echoed through the camp, the wind blowing a spark from the fire against his arm, burning it slightly.
The pain was like a blow to his face, dispelling the fog in his mind.
He blinked, seeing clearly now.
The woman was still there, but her appearance had changed. Her eyes, once seductive, now burned with a fierce glow.
Her smile became a row of sharp teeth, and her deformed legs reflected a sickly glint.
Thales backed away, his hand returning to his sword.
"You almost came for me, warrior," she said, laughing hoarsely.
"But that's okay. You're already a dead man walking."
Before he could react, she was on her way like an arrow.
Thales drew his sword in time, blocking the sharp claws that were thrusting at him.
The shock of the impact stung his hand, but he stood firm.
The empousa retreated into the shadows, letting out a disturbing laugh that echoed around the camp.
Thales looked around, listening for every sound and movement.
Suddenly, she sprang again, this time from behind.
Thales spun at the last moment, blocking the blow. He gritted his teeth, concentrating the aether flowing through his body.
His sword began to glow a dark, pulsing hue.
As she lunged forward again, he struck with a swift blow, piercing the monster's belly.
With a firm movement, he raised his sword and cut it in half in a single, savage, brutal arc.
The empousa's body fell, dissolving in a pungent, metallic smell.
Thales stepped back, panting. His arm shook, both from the physical effort and from the adrenaline rush. Every detail of the fight was still fresh in his mind, any mistake would have cost him his life.
"Maybe the merchants were attacked by her," he muttered to himself, still processing the events.
"And the savages didn't attack us because we were in her territory."
With this hypothesis in mind, he sought out one of the rangers and ordered.
"Gather what's left of the monster. Alchemists or magicians will pay well for this."
As he watched the camp return to calm, Thales allowed himself to relax.
At least for now, the danger had passed. The march could continue peacefully now. The surrounding forest was dense, its imposing trees forming a natural dome that filtered the sunlight, painting the ground with ever-shifting shadows.
The sound of firm footsteps on the beaten earth echoed in the air, interspersed with the rustling of leaves and the distant song of birds.
Thales walked in the front line, attentive to his surroundings. The damp smell of wood and earth was almost suffocating, but the road beneath his feet was a relief.
"This road is new," commented the junior officer Laertes, breaking the silence of the march.
With attentive eyes that searched the They were looking at the trail, he explained.
"You can tell by the soft ground." Dorian nodded and gave his opinion.
"It was made in a hurry, I suspect a group of savages walked through here recently."
"If it was the savages, we better be on our guard," Dorian said, his voice firm but carrying the weariness of weeks of marching.
"These trails could be traps."
"Or they could lead to a civilized place," a third soldier replied, a forced smile on his lips.
"We've been marching for weeks and we should be close to our destination."
A few muffled comments echoed through the group, but soon silence reigned again, broken only by the sound of boots on the earth and the horses' hooves.
The path wound through the trees, climbing a slight hill. When they reached the top, Thales stopped abruptly, raising a hand to signal the group. "There," he said, pointing to the horizon.
In the valley below, the trees began to disperse, giving way to open fields and a settlement. The wooden houses, covered with thatched roofs, seemed in good condition, but something about the sight made the men hesitate.
There was no visible movement, no smoke rising from the chimneys, no sound of voices or animals.
"We have finally reached our destination," said the young soldier, with relief in his voice.
Thales approached Dorian, narrowed his eyes and said: "Be careful. Something is wrong."
He then ordered Dorian to lead a group of scouts to reconnoiter the area. The group began walking along the road towards the entrance of the village, their hands firmly on the hilts of their swords, ready to draw at any moment.
As they approached, the silence became oppressive, as if the entire forest were holding its breath.
They stopped at the edge of the path, their eyes fixed on the seemingly deserted village.
A wind blew, making a door creak open. From a window, a man peered at the group before moving. Dorian swallowed hard, as the scouts tightened their grips on their weapons.
The man slowly walked out of the house, his hands exposed, indicating that he was not carrying any weapons.
Dorian asked him:
"Where are the rest of the people in the village? Why is it only you here?"
"My name is Dagmaros, I am a mercenary from the Bravehearts group. As for your question, I have some very bad news to tell you."
Before Dagmaros could continue, Dorian, underestimating the gravity of the situation, interrupted him:
"You will report to Commander Thales and explain everything in a meeting."
"Very well," Dagmaros replied. "But there is a woman and a child in the village. It would be wise to notify them before you leave."
"I understand. Go and notify them. We will wait here to take you to the commander."
Dagmaros went to Helena, informed her of the soldiers' presence, and then left with Dorian and the group.
Upon reaching the makeshift camp, Dagmaros spotted a tall, blond man in the center of a group of soldiers, wearing plate armor.
His presence was unmistakable, and the other men watched him with reverence.
"The commander must be that blond one," Dagmaros muttered. "He has an arrogant bearing, and reminds me of Gregorius."
The man stepped forward and declared.
"My name is Thales Stefanos, commander of this army and vassal of House Spathariosen."
Stunned by the knight's polite tone, Dagmaros stumbled.
"M-my name is Dagmaros, sir."
Hector, one of the men beside Thales, let out a soft laugh, but quickly stifled it when he noticed the commander's stern gaze.
Thales continued:
"Dagmaros, explain the situation to me and my men. What happened to the inhabitants of this village?"
"Yes, sir..." Dagmaros answered hesitantly, recounting how the group of mercenaries had found the village deserted and describing the unsettling events that followed.
Hector, normally talkative, remained silent, looking discouraged.
Hector, normally talkative, asked quietly, looking dispirited. He had hoped to find an opportunity to gain influence in the village and become a minor local despot during the mission, but reality had shattered his expectations.
Cassandro, on the other hand, was intrigued and asked. "Can you show us the site of the ritual?"
"I can try... But I don't know if it's still intact. The ritual took place before winter."
"It doesn't matter," Cassandro replied. "If it was the work of a sorcerer or a Necros, there must be traces."
Dorian intervened, alarmed. "Wait, Cassandro! The Necros disappeared thousands of years ago. If this report is true, going there might alert them to our presence. We won't leave this place alive."
Timon, who had been listening in silence until then, decided to speak up. "I propose that we reach a consensus by vote, I invoke the Psephema manifesto."
Thales, visibly irritated, responded. "Timon, are you questioning my authority? Is summoning Psephema now a frivolous thing to do?"
"Forgive me, Thales," Timon said, "but I fear you are not making the best decision. Do you remember what happened when my brother died because you insisted on hunting the manticore without retreating?"
Furious, Thales exploded. "You bastard! I was inexperienced, but I regret it. I felt deeply. You forgave me, or so I thought."
"Haha, you're a joke, Thales," Timon said sarcastically.
"I won't waste energy arguing. I've already summoned Psephema."
Timon looked at the group and declared.
"Let's vote, gentlemen. Those in favor of continuing the mission, raise your hands. Those who wish to return home, keep your hands down."