---
The village of Black Hollow was still, unshod and shapeless, its dirt tracks dry and its houses shrouded in dusk. Despite the weak moonlight, the area currently throbbed with an unnatural feeling, as befitting that of a place having darkness as its own. Jayson and Lucas trudged along the narrow street, their footsteps echoing faintly against the muted hum of distant whispers.
"I don't like this place, Jayson muttered, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Relax, chaos boy, Lucas replied, his ever-present smirk softening the tension in his tone. "Not everyone you meet is an enemy. These sort of people are probably just farmers too frightened to leave their houses after dark.
Jayson shot him a glare but said nothing. While Lucas had a point, the unease gnawing at the edge of his consciousness couldn't be ignored. Something about Black Hollow felt wrong—like a wound festering just beneath the surface.
"The Hollow Hearth."
Within, it was lit dimly by some of the dancing lanterns. The air smelled of damp wood and something faintly metallic. At the back of the counter stood an elderly, bent man, with a drawn face and a pale white look as though life had been drained from him. His sunken gaze moved towards the new arrivals, and his lips drew into a forced smile.
"Travelers," he croaked, his voice barely audible. Don't worry about a thing as long as you do not make trouble.
Lucas nonchalantly leaned against the counter, his smirk laced with feigning charm. "No trouble at all, old man. Just a couple of rooms and maybe some food."
The innkeeper's gaze lingered on Jayson for a moment, narrowing as though he could sense the chaos energy coursing through him. Saying nothing, he got down from the counter and grabbed, two keys.
"Rooms are upstairs," he muttered. "Food will be brought to you shortly."
---
The Uneasy Night
Their bedrooms were quite spartan—straw mattresses, at best, and pebbly wooden walls in the worst case. Mold smelled wet into the air and from barely audible whispering could be heard through the flimsy wooden floorboards.
Jayson sat cross-legged on his bed, his sword resting across his lap. His eyes were shut and he concentrated on and tried to control the chaos energy that agitated within him. It was like fighting the elements, untamable, unpredictable, and relentless as the storm.
His focus switched off when Lucas just entered the room unannounced, with a grinning on his face.
"Really, Lucas?" Jayson sighed, opening his eyes. "Ever heard of privacy?"
Lucas shrugged. "We're traveling together now, chaos boy. Get used to it."
Jayson groaned. "What do you want?"
Lucas stood with a usually inscrutable stance against the doorframe. "There's something off about this village."
Jayson frowned. "You feel it too?"
Lucas nodded. "The villagers are scared, and not just because we're outsiders. They're hiding something. I tried to ask the innkeeper a few questions, but he just kept staring at me like I'd grown a second head.
Jayson's grip on his sword tightened. "What do you think it is?"
"No idea," Lucas admitted. "But I'd bet my last coin that whatever it is, it's not good.
Before Jayson could respond, a loud crash echoed from downstairs, followed by a muffled scream.
The two boys looked at each other and silently ran out of the room.
---
A Dark Discovery
The inn's common room was in chaos. Tables and chairs were crashed and dim lanterns danced wildly, throwing terrifying shapes on the walls. In the center of the room stood a grotesque figure, its twisted body writhing as though it were made of smoke and flesh.
Villagers who had minutes before been partaking, were now cowering in the corners of the homes, their visages white as ghosts, faces wringing with fear.
"What in the world is that? Lucas whispered, his lightning aura flaring instinctively.
Jayson stepped forward, his sword gleaming as it caught the flickering light. "It's not human, he said, his voice low and steady. "And it's not from this world."
The monstrous thing snarled, its empty pupils focused on the two young men. Suddenly it lunged upon them, its clawed hands sweeping out like talons.
Lucas reacted first, raising his hand and releasing a bolt of lightning that struck the creature square in the chest. The room lit up for a brief moment, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.
But the creature didn't stop.
Jayson moved on the spur of the moment, as chaos energy filled the air around his sword blade and it curved outwards in a wide arc. The blade sliced a creature's arm and the resulting black ichor splashed across the floor.
The pain creature shrieked and its body twisted as a thick, black cloud began to form from its body.
Lucas stepped back, his breathing heavy. "What the hell was that thing?"
Jayson shook his head, clutching his sword in a hand that seemed to be hardening. "I don't know. But it's not the only one."
He pointed at the villagers, who meanwhile remained followed by the others, standing in the corners, with eyes wide open with surprise. "They know something. We need answers."
---
The Truth About Black Hollow
It took some coaxing, but eventually, the innkeeper confessed.
"The shadows," he whispered, his voice trembling. "They come from the forest. They've been taking people—our friends, our families. We believed that silence would protect us, but. nothing stops them.
Jayson's jaw tightened. "Why didn't you leave?"
"Leave?" The innkeeper let out a bitter laugh. "This village is all we have. If we leave, we lose everything. We remain and hope that the darkness will not engulf us.
Lucas crossed his arms, his lightning aura crackling faintly. "Well, that's not going to work anymore. Those things aren't just shadows—they're something worse."
The innkeeper stared at them, and his empty gaze reflected only helplessness. "Can you stop them? Please. We'll supply you with anything gold, food, whatever you want," they said.
Jayson looked at Lucas who then nodded to him.
"We'll help," Jayson said finally. "But we'll need information. Tell us everything you know about these creatures."
---
The Shadows Stir
And with every passing hour, the village went silent, in a anxious tense silence. Jayson and Lucas prepared for the coming battle, their minds racing with questions. What were these creatures? Were they connected to the Mellians? Or were they something else entirely?
Chaos energy in Jayson swelled as he began to prepare for himself, and for the first time, he embraced it as a force. Whatever these shadows were, he would face them head-on.
And as the first light of daybreak started slipping over the horizon so, shadows of the forest started to creep.
---
End of Chapter 3