Our mission was simple: investigate the village's problem, eliminate the monsters, and maybe grab a bite on the way back. At least, that's how Eris saw it.
Me? I had a strange sense of unease. As if things weren't going to go as expected…
But, of course, I couldn't say that to Eris. Because every time I showed concern, she would give me that smug grin and ask, "Are you scared, Lorien?"
And unfortunately, that would mean letting her win.
A Mysterious Voice
As we moved deeper into the forest, amidst the rustling wind and chirping birds, we heard a strange voice.
"Is… someone there? Help…!"
Eris immediately reached for her sword. "What was that?"
Narrowing my eyes, I stepped toward the sound. "Someone might be injured. Let's be careful."
Eris chuckled. "There he goes again, entering hero mode."
I let out a deep sigh and shot her an annoyed look but didn't reply. This was no joke—there could be a real threat nearby.
As we advanced, we noticed bloodstains on the ground. Eventually, under a large tree, we found a wounded man lying there.
His clothes were torn, his face filled with fear. As soon as he saw us, he tried to sit up slightly.
"D-don't… come closer!"
Eris rolled her eyes. "What? You don't want us to save you?"
But then, we realized…
The man wasn't looking at us—he was looking behind us.
And a second later, we felt it.
An Unexpected Attack
On instinct, I leaped back and formed a barrier spell. Eris, meanwhile, swiftly drew her sword, ready for combat.
A massive creature lunged at us, its glowing eyes locked onto its prey. Its body resembled that of a wolf, yet it was cloaked in a black mist.
Eris gritted her teeth. "This… is no ordinary level 3 monster."
"I noticed." I raised my hands, preparing a spell. "Alright, let's finish this!"
But at that moment, Eris suddenly ducked, blocking another monster from attacking me from behind.
"Could you cover me, oh great mage? Or are you just here for decoration?"
I frowned. "How about you stop making sarcastic remarks and actually focus on fighting?"
I fired off several spells, attempting to drive the monsters back, but their movements were more erratic than we expected.
And then, we realized.
These weren't just ordinary monsters.
Something… or someone was controlling them.
A Terrifying Truth
Eris delivered a swift, final strike, piercing the last creature's head. As the monster dissolved into black mist, she cursed under her breath. "Something's wrong. These things aren't acting like normal monsters."
The injured man was still trembling as he watched us. "H-he's still here!"
Both Eris and I turned to him at the same time.
"Who?" I asked.
But before the man could answer, his eyes widened in horror. The shadows behind him shifted, and then… it appeared.
Eris tightened her grip on her sword. "Lorien… I think this mission just got a lot more complicated."
I had to agree. And I finally understood the source of my unease.