The morning sun filtered through the trees as Kael, Dren, and Lyra walked along the edge of the village, their breaths visible in the crisp air. It was a rare moment of quiet, yet the weight of recent rumors hung between them. The trio had grown closer over the past days, but Kael couldn't shake the tension in the air.
"I heard old man Geralt talking about seeing shadows moving near the forest last night," Lyra said, her tone casual, though her eyes stayed alert. She twirled an arrow between her fingers, her bow slung over her shoulder.
Dren scoffed. "Geralt thinks every rustle of the leaves is an invasion. The man jumps at his own shadow."
Kael chuckled softly but felt a chill run down his spine. "What if he's right, though? With all these travelers passing through and the rumors about mercenaries, maybe it's not just his imagination."
Lyra shrugged. "If it's trouble, we'll deal with it. It's what we do, right?"
Dren grinned. "Speak for yourself. I'll deal with it by hiding in the nearest root cellar. Maybe you two can handle the fighting."
The conversation lightened the mood, but as they passed the village square, Kael's eyes caught something unusual. His father, Aiden, stood by the well, speaking with another man. Both wore serious expressions, and their voices were low. Aiden's hand rested on the hilt of a dagger at his belt—something Kael rarely saw him carry.
"What's going on over there?" Kael muttered, nodding toward the pair.
Lyra glanced over and frowned. "Your dad's on edge lately. I've noticed him watching the woods a lot."
Dren chimed in, "Maybe he's just being cautious. If there are mercenaries around, who can blame him?"
Kael felt the weight of the artifact in his pocket, as if it had grown heavier. He remembered how it had reacted faintly the other day. Now, the thought of it made him uneasy.
"Let's head to the woods," Lyra suggested. "I saw some tracks yesterday. They didn't look like anything I've seen before."
Kael hesitated. "You think it's connected to the rumors?"
"Only one way to find out," Lyra replied, her boldness making Kael both admire and envy her.
The three ventured beyond the village, their steps careful as they approached the edge of the forest. Lyra crouched by a patch of soft earth, pointing to faint impressions in the dirt.
"See? These tracks are too big to be from any animal around here," she explained.
Kael studied the ground, a strange unease washing over him. "Could it be travelers passing through?"
"Maybe," Lyra admitted, "but these are fresh. Whoever made them was here last night."
Dren leaned closer, a mix of curiosity and nerves in his expression. "So, what do we do? Report it to the village?"
Before anyone could answer, Kael's hand brushed against the artifact in his pocket. A sudden warmth spread through his palm, and for a brief moment, his vision blurred.
A flash of an image—vague and shrouded in shadow—appeared in his mind. It was the silhouette of a man standing atop a hill, rain pouring around him. The figure's posture was commanding, almost regal, but the details were indistinct.
"Kael? You okay?" Lyra's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Kael lied, shaking his head. "Just… thinking."
Lyra and Dren exchanged a glance but didn't press him further.
As they made their way back to the village, Kael couldn't help but glance toward the hill where the figure had stood in his vision. It was empty now, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching.
Back at home, the tension grew worse. Aiden confronted Kael about wandering too far from the village, his tone stern. "You don't know what's out there, Kael. You need to stay close to home."
Kael pushed back, his frustration bubbling over. "I'm not a kid anymore! I can handle myself."
"You don't understand," Aiden replied, his voice softer now. "It's not just about you—it's about keeping this family safe."
Kael stormed off, his mother watching with a worried expression. In the privacy of his room, he pulled out the artifact, turning it over in his hands. It felt like a puzzle he couldn't solve, its secrets just out of reach.
As the evening set in, the whispers in the village grew louder. People spoke in hushed tones about the mercenary threat, their fear palpable. Kael lay awake that night, the image of the shadowy figure on the hill etched in his mind.
Something was coming, and Kael knew it was only a matter of time before their quiet village was caught in the storm.