Ethan slumps along the wall of the Adventurer's Hub, still panting hard as he makes his way back to Graymere. His ribs feel like a dull ache from where the Shadow Hound's claws ripped at him, and his arms had gone heavy through the fight. Kael sits on a bench beside him, cleaning her bowstring with great care, glancing over at him every so often.
"You look like you're about to collapse," Kael said, smirking.
Ethan weakly laughed. "I kinda feel too, though. Tell me again why we signed up for this?
Kael shrugged. "Because it beats starving."
Barely, Ethan mumbled, his head shaking. He looked over at the pouch of silvers theyd made from the quest. "Well at least we aren't broke any more. Maybe now we can actually afford some decent gear.".
Kael nodded. "That's the plan, but we've got to get back to the guildmaster and let her know what we saw out there."
Ethan furrowed. "You believe that Shadow Hound was an unusual creature?
Kael stood up, tucking her bow over her shoulder. "Begs the question. Common brutes do not destroy cattle yards and disappear into glory at death. Something is amiss.".
"Great," Ethan said as he pushed off from the wall. "Time to go deliver the bad news."
---
Much as it had for centuries, life stirred in the Adventurer's Hub. New recruits crowded around the quest board while veterans traded tales over foamy tankards of ale in the background, and a nearby blacksmith rang out the glowing sword against the anvil. Ethan and Kael cut through this bustle to the counter where the guildmaster, Lyra, sat over a stack of parchments.
She looked up as they entered, her narrowed vision rather sharp. "Back already? Didn't think you two'd be back from that farm quest so soon."
It wasn't smooth sailing, Kael said, depositing the pouch of coins onto the counter. "We found what's been taking the livestock. It was a Shadow Hound."
Lyra's face darkened. "A Shadow Hound? I wasn't expecting to hear that."
"Yeah, we figured as much," Ethan said, leaning on the counter. "Any idea why something like that would pop up near Graymere?"
Lyra sighed. It took her a moment to move the parchments aside, but then: Shadow Hounds aren't natural creatures. They're corrupted—beasts tainted with dark magic. They're usually found near areas where the Voidborn have influence.
"Voidborn?" Ethan asked, frowning.
Kael crossed her arms. "I have heard rumor about them. They're tied into the Fractured Realms, aren't they?"
Lyra nodded. "The Voidborn are very old and bound to the corruption that's affecting Eryndor. It is extremely uncommon, but when they do exist, they tend to bring ruin with them wherever they go. The fact that you found one so close to Graymere. disturbing in itself."
Ethan swallowed painfully. "So what does that mean to us?
"It means you were lucky to survive," Lyra cut in candidly. "And it means Graymere might not be as safe as we thought." She leaned forward, a serious look on her face. "If more of these kinds of things arrive, it could be disastrous for the village."
Kael's jaw locked. "What can we do?
"For now, nothing," Lyra said. "This is above your rank. I'll send word to the capital and request reinforcements. In the meantime, stick to F-rank quests and stay out of trouble."
He raised an eyebrow and slid a look at Kael. "Sure thing," he said, but he had no doubt that no matter what he did, trouble was bound to find its way there.
Lyra's gaze softened slightly. "You two did good work today. Take some time to rest, and make sure you're prepared before your next outing."
"Will do," Kael said. "Thanks for the heads up."
So, Ethan and Kael left the Hub to visit the marketplace. The square was full of boisterous, brash peddlers selling everything from fresh-baked bread to shining swords.
"We need better gear," Kael said, scanning the stalls. "That Shadow Hound was just the beginning. If there are more creatures like that out there, we're going to need more than a crude spear and a half-decent bow."
He nodded, "Agreed. Let's see what we can afford."
----
The Marketplace
They stopped first at the stall of a smithy. The smith himself was a stout man with soot streaks on his arms and had looked up as they came near.
What can I do for you?" he asked in his raspy voice though friendly.
"We need weapons," Kael said. "Something reliable."
He gestured toward a rack of swords, axes, and daggers. "Help yourself, but be warned—I don't sell garbage. Quality comes at a price.".
He studied the weapons, but his eye fell upon an iron spear, smooth and shining. The weapon felt pretty well-balanced in his hands; much sturdier than the crude one he had been using.
"How much is this?" he asked.
Fifty silver, countered the blacksmith.
Ethan winced. That was all the reward they got for the farm quest. "Any wiggle room on that?
The blacksmith chuckled. "Not unless you've got something worth trading."
Ethan sighed, looking at Kael. She was stretching the tension on a new bowstring, her brow furrowed in consideration. "Looks like we're spending it all," Kael said, setting the bow down. "Better broke and alive than rich and dead." Ethan nodded reluctantly. "Very well, we'll take the spear and the bow," said the blacksmith with a smile, counting his coins. "You will not regret this. These weapons will do you good." --- Shepherding his way out of the stall, he twirled his new spear experimentally. "Okay, that does feel much better." She slung her new bow over her shoulder. "At least we're not going into the next fight with garbage. Let's just hope the next quest doesn't involve anything worse than a Shadow Hound."
Ethan shuddered. "You're not inspiring confidence.
"That's not my job," Kael smiled.
---
As they walked in the Hub, commotion in the market stopped them in their tracks. A man, rumpled and filthy, stood beside the well, screaming hysterically.
"The darkness comes!" he yelled, eyes turned mad with desperation. "The Voidborn are here! They will consume everything!"
The villagers sidestepped him, grumbling nervously among themselves.
Ethan furrowed his brow and took a step closer. "What's gotten into him?"
"Yeah, I guess he finally lost it," Kael said, but her voice was unsure.
The man's eyes focused on Ethan and lunged forward. He caught himself on his elbow. "You! You've seen it, haven't you? The red eyes! The shadows!"
Ethan froze. "What? How do you know that?"
"They're coming," the man hissed, tightening his grip. "The Fractured Realms are breaking, and the Voidborn are spilling out. You must stop them before it's too late!"
Kael pulled him back, her face set. "That's enough. You're scaring people."
The man was twisted, faltering back, his wild eyes zigzagging between them. "You can't run from this. None of us can."
He spun, disappeared into the throng before they could do anything more than open their mouths.
Ethan stared after him, unease coiling in his chest. "What the hell was that about?
Kael's face was grim. "I don't know, but I don't like it."
Ethan nodded, his spear clutched tightly in his hand. Whatever was happening in Eryndor, it was considerably bigger than they'd imagined—and far from over yet.