The rain poured down relentlessly. The sound of carriage wheels echoed across the old stone bridge that spanned the great river. Through the thick curtain of rain, only the silhouette of the carriage could be seen cutting through the darkness. As it reached the middle of the bridge, a figure suddenly leapt from the carriage, clutching a container tightly, before plunging into the raging waters below.

The violent current swept the figure along in its wake. He struggled to swim, one hand gripping the container as if it were his last hope, while the other fought against the waves. But the force of the water proved too strong to resist. His leg struck an underwater rock, breaking the bone. Pain shot through his entire body, but he had no time to dwell on it. What mattered most was staying alive and protecting the container in his hand.

After being carried far downstream by the current, he finally found a moment to grab onto the riverbank. With what little strength remained, he dragged himself out of the water, limping on his injured leg as he staggered along the shore until he came upon an old abandoned storehouse. Its rotting wooden walls were full of holes that let the rain seep through, and the musty smell permeated everything. Broken debris lay scattered in the corners.

Fortunately, the rain began to subside. A full moon hung prominently in the sky, its light streaming through the collapsed roof. He carefully set down the container, his trembling hands opening it to retrieve some papers and a sharp crystal. Inside the clear crystal was something strange - a brain filled with mouths and teeth, with neural pathways twisted into chaotic spirals.

Using the moonlight for guidance, he read the instructions on the paper and followed the steps. He took out a knife and cut his palm, letting drops of blood fall onto the crystal while uttering strange words written on the paper. The clear crystal gradually turned a deep red. When the ritual was complete, he retrieved a glass vial containing ash-colored liquid, uncorked it and drank, then grabbed the sharp crystal and plunged it into his chest where his heart lay.

Pain rippled through his entire body. His face began to contort, malformed eyes crawling out from his forehead. A sixth finger sprouted from his hand, his mouth split into two parts. He quickly looked around for a nearby tree, and when he found one, he used his still-functioning leg to launch himself forward, slamming his chest against the trunk with all his might. The impact drove the crystal deep into his heart.

His body collapsed onto the wet ground. He felt as if something was trying to take control of his mind. He fought against the internal madness while enduring the physical pain. As time passed, his vision began to change. His mutating body gradually reverted to its human form, but everything around him became distorted.

The moon in the sky transformed into an enormous brain mass, with spiraling nerve endings and mouths filled with grotesque rolling eyeballs. Countless writhing tongues slithered about disgustingly. It stared down at him from above. The starless sky turned blood red.

He fell to the ground, his eyes slowly closing, but before consciousness faded completely, a thought surfaced:

"Ah... so that's how it is."

He finally lost consciousness, lying motionless on the wet earth and grass, with no lights around him, only the cold wind blowing past and the sound of rustling leaves. A final question lingered in his mind before darkness consumed his consciousness:

'When did everything begin? How did it come to this...'

As consciousness slipped away, memories drifted back to the past, to when everything began...

...

When dark gray clouds gathered into a thick curtain, blocking the afternoon sun and casting shadows everywhere, raindrops began falling in streaks onto the dry ground. Soon the rain came down in torrents, water droplets striking the parched earth, releasing the sharp scent of dust and wet soil throughout the area. The hard ground softened, turning into sticky mud puddles. The feet of passing travelers sank into the murky water, making each step difficult. Each step required effort to pull free from the clinging mud. Horse-drawn carts had to turn to other routes, as their wheels might get stuck in the deep mud with no way to move.

In a small rural village in the Kingdom of Hydelyn, located quite far from the capital, an atmosphere of sorrow and dread had spread throughout the village of wooden cottages and houses lined up in rows. Villagers were gathering at the village cemetery, which was full of muddy puddles from the rain, to attend the funeral of the unfortunate souls who had lost their lives.

White smoke from the incense lit before the three coffins rose high into the air before being dispersed by the wind and rain. The elderly stood before the coffins, chanting prayers and incantations, bowing their heads in remembrance of the deceased. The music of mourning played in slow rhythm, accompanied by somber melodies, as if emphasizing the intensifying emotions of grief. Relatives and friends were sobbing, their faces clouded with sorrow. Some wiped their tears with cloth, others let them flow freely. Soft sobs harmonized indistinguishably.

Among the crowd stood a man named Charles Ravencroft, a young man in dark-toned clothing with sharp features, dark brown eyes and hair, in his mid-twenties. He watched the ceremony with an impassive expression, but his mind was deeply curious about the strange events unfolding in this village.

He wasn't originally from this village. Charles had come here at the request of Edmund, a wealthy villager who had hired him to find a missing precious necklace. Although Edmund could easily buy a new necklace anytime, this one was a family heirloom and held great sentimental value for him.

Before Charles arrived at the village, Edmund had gone to hire the guild in the capital to help find the precious heirloom necklace that had disappeared. He didn't dare ask for help from the villagers because he wasn't sure how much he could trust them, as villagers were mysteriously dying one after another. There were also thieves taking advantage of the chaos. So he hired a detective from the guild in the capital to help.

When Edmund went to contact the guild, the clerk recommended one skilled detective: Charles Ravencroft, known for solving many mysteries.

Edmund wondered why they would send such a high-level detective just to find a missing item. The clerk explained that other members were busy with other jobs, and Charles happened to be at the guild. So she recommended him.

Anxious to get the necklace back quickly, Edmund agreed. The clerk brought in Charles, a young man with brown hair who had been staring absently at the job board, and made formal introductions.

Edmund looked at the young man with skepticism, as this twenty-something youth didn't seem very reliable. But the clerk's words convinced him to agree.

In the end, Edmund hired Charles for eighty crusedo, equivalent to about two to three months' income for a farmer, plus covering necessary food, lodging, and travel expenses during the job. Charles didn't hesitate to accept. They both signed the contract and set out for the village immediately, though this made Edmund even more doubtful about the young detective's abilities.

But those doubts were completely dispelled when Charles demonstrated his remarkable capabilities. He found the missing necklace in record time. It turned out the necklace had been stolen during the village's period of chaos by thieves taking advantage of the confusion. In the end, Charles efficiently dealt with the robbers, handed them over to the authorities, and successfully returned the necklace to its rightful owner.

However, during the investigation, the mystery of the strange deaths had captured Charles's interest. He decided to stay on to investigate what was really happening in this small village.

Most of the deceased were farmers. Before dying, they showed signs of madness and insanity, some had seizures, while others experienced burning sensations throughout their bodies. As time passed, those who showed these symptoms died, their skin pale, fingers and toes darkened as if burned by fire. This led villagers to believe it was the work of witches or evil spirits.

Amidst the funeral's sorrowful atmosphere, as the last wooden coffin was being lowered into the grave, a strange sound emerged. It seemed like someone was knocking on the wood from inside the coffin. The moment the sound came from within, the strong men carrying the coffin let go in shock. The wooden coffin fell and crashed hard against the bottom of the grave, causing the lid to open. People scattered in panic when they saw the lifeless body roll out of the coffin. Even the deceased's relatives were not exempt. All eyes were fixed on the scene, unable to move. Some people had goosebumps and trembled.

The funeral atmosphere was filled with fear and silence. Everyone who attended kept their distance from the fallen body, forming a circle with that body at the center. Combined with the weather conditions of gray clouds covering the entire sky blocking the sun, it created an eerie and chilling atmosphere for those attending.

But then a young man's shout rang out, cutting through the silence across the area.

"Something's happened! Another body has been found!" He ran in, panic-stricken, waving his arms frantically.

People turned to look in shock. Fear multiplied. Some whispered questions, others stood stunned, all confused.

"Dead... again? Who is it?" Edmund blurted out.

"I don't know. The condition is terrifying. I couldn't bear to look, so I ran away," the young man answered, panting heavily, sweat covering his body despite the cold weather.

"Where was it found?" Charles asked sharply.

"In the forest near the village," the young man pointed northward, where a dense forest loomed not far away, appearing as a dark shadow.

Charles nodded and was about to lead the way, but had to stop when he realized he didn't know the path or where in the forest the body was. He turned back to the young man who had brought the news. "Could someone guide us?"

The young man quickly raised his hand. "This way."

The group of villagers hurriedly followed, having to be especially careful with their steps because the ground was slippery with mud. Their shoes were covered in filth, making it difficult to pull their feet from the muck, as if something was trying to hold them back.

The forest trees were dense and gloomy, the ground soaked with puddles, full of bushes and branches broken by the wind lying scattered about. Dim light filtered through the branches, making the atmosphere as dark as evening. Pale white mist hung in the air. Rotting leaves made soft crunching sounds.

When Charles's group arrived, they found city guards and another group of strong men waiting outside the forest. Since this was a small village, there weren't many stationed officials, so when major incidents occurred, they might need help from the village's strong men.

Everyone walked in silence, with only the sound of twigs and grass crunching under their feet. All were cautious due to fear of what they would see. Charles's own heart was racing, unable to predict what they would face.

When they reached a large tree, the young man who was leading suddenly stopped. His face fell as he looked at the grass behind the trunk. He swallowed hard before slowly pointing with a trembling finger. The soldiers and villagers followed his gesture, then gasped in shock.

The sight before them was horrifying. A man's body lay in a pool of blood, his flesh being torn at by three wolves. The city guards didn't hesitate, quickly drawing their flintlock pistols and firing to drive the wolves away, sending them scattering in different directions. They carefully approached the body while looking around, stopping to reload their weapons with fresh powder and shot, staying alert for more dangers.

The condition of the body was truly horrifying. The clothes were torn and soaked in blood, limbs twisted unnaturally. The side of the abdomen had been gnawed open, exposing internal organs, though other parts weren't as damaged. The wolves had likely just arrived recently. But the body showed similarities to the farmers who had died before - pale skin, blisters across the body, and fingertips and toes darkened as if burned.

When the full condition of the body became apparent to everyone, voices rose around the group. Some speculated it might be the work of a witch who had cursed this village, noting the black marks on the fingers and toes. But the commotion that had just started was quickly subdued by the city guards who had come along.

"Th...Thomas?!?" Edmund exclaimed in shock.

That name made Charles turn to ask immediately. "Who is he?"

"He's the son of my former fellow soldier. This Thomas had a habit of borrowing money from villagers for gambling but never paying it back. So not many people liked him much," Edmund sighed heavily while shaking his head slightly.

Charles nodded in acknowledgment but didn't ask anything further.

All the villagers helped carry the horrific body back to the village to be placed in the church, awaiting examination by a medical expert who would arrive from the city tomorrow, as no one here had any forensic knowledge.

During the walk back, Charles began to hear the murmurs of villagers who were walking together.

"Again... This is the fourth body now."

"Yes, our village must be cursed."

"Quiet! The witch might be listening."

Their words made Charles contemplate. He couldn't help but think about how mysterious these events were and how many more riddles needed to be solved.

That night Charles had to impose on Edmund's hospitality to stay at his house a while longer to continue investigating the truth. Charles stayed in the same house as Edmund and his son, in a single-story wooden house where Edmund's wife had long since passed away.

While they were having dinner together, Charles apologized to Edmund for having to impose by staying longer, as he wanted to continue investigating this strange case. Edmund didn't mind because Charles had already helped find and return his heirloom necklace.

In the dining room used for receiving guests, there was only candlelight, but it gave a warm feeling. Charles and Edmund sat facing each other, both pondering the events that had occurred.

While eating roasted spiced chicken and green vegetable soup together, Charles took the opportunity to ask about Thomas. "Edmund, I need to talk to you about something. The man who died in the forest - you seemed to know him."

Edmund's hand holding the roasted chicken leg stopped midair on its way to his open mouth. He looked at his son sitting beside him before turning his gaze back. "Can we talk after we finish eating?"

Charles followed Edmund's gaze to look at the child before them. He realized he might have been too presumptuous and that this might not be an appropriate time for such questions. "I apologize."

After dinner, Charles sat in the living room with Edmund sitting across from him. The atmosphere between them was quiet. The only light in the room was a single candle on the table, along with the sound of rain hitting the ground and roof.

"This man you called Thomas - how well did you know him?" Charles opened with a direct question.

"I knew him for a long time. He was the son of my friend who fought alongside me. But even though he was my friend's son, I had grown distant from him for a long time," Edmund sighed.

"You mentioned he had a habit of borrowing money. Did you ever lend him any?"

"Once. He came to borrow one hundred crusedo from me, saying it was for investment. But I later found out he had gambled it all away. When I went to collect the debt, he berated me and threatened violence if I kept pestering him. That was the last time I went to see him."

"Was he in that much debt?"

"As far as I remember, he was in debt to almost everyone he knew, and never paid anyone back. The person he probably owed the most money to would be Reginald Vineyard, who was the fiancé of the deceased village head's former wife."

"I see," Charles lowered his gaze, contemplating something.

Edmund couldn't help but wonder, "Why are you asking about all this?"

Charles met his conversation partner's eyes. "I just want to know why Thomas was in the middle of the forest, and how he died."

"Hmm... I don't know either, since I hadn't been in contact with him for a long time. Maybe that young man was up to something suspicious and got caught by the witch in the forest, so she cursed him to die in agony," Edmund speculated.

Charles raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You believe in witches and curses too?"

"Before this, I never believed in such things. But after seeing these strange deaths with my own eyes, I'm starting to think there must be something supernatural involved," Edmund crossed his arms and sighed, turning to look out the window as if seeking answers from the darkness.

"Tomorrow when the doctor from the capital arrives, we'll finally know the truth," Charles said with determination, his eyes gleaming with resolve.

"I hope so..." Edmund said softly, his lips curling into a faint smile, but his eyes still full of apprehension about what was to come.

In the end, Charles could only hope that tomorrow, when the doctor from the capital arrived, they would get real answers about what was happening to this village.