X Shadow's Concealed X

The moon hung low in the night sky as the trio, now joined by the enigmatic Nix, cautiously ventured deeper into the ruined city. 

As they walked along a desolate street, the trio and Nix heard faint voices approaching—a group of thugs, their intentions malevolent, drawing nearer. The thugs, led by a burly, scar-faced ruffian named Gruff, surrounded the group with menacing grins.

Gruff sneered, "Well, well, what have we here? A bunch of travellers, it seems."

Elena, her hand resting on her katana, asked, "What do you want?"

Gruff chuckled wickedly. "Your valuables, your supplies, and anything else you've got that's worth a penny."

Lucian, his lightning crackling ominously, warned, "You've picked the wrong group to mess with."

Nix, playing the part of a simpleton, stammered, "W-w-we don't h-have anything valuable. We're just ordinary villagers on our way home."

The thugs exchanged glances, clearly unimpressed. Aria, with her knack for deception, chimed in, "Yes, we were just minding our own business when these bullies came along."

Gruff, sizing them up, growled, "Villagers, eh? You don't look like much. But we're in a generous mood tonight. Hand over whatever you've got, and we might let you go."

The group reluctantly surrendered a meagre collection of trinkets and supplies, trying to conceal their true identities and purpose. But as Gruff and his thugs began to withdraw, Nix, the newfound member, suddenly broke into a series of dramatic sobs.

"They t-took everything! Our livelihoods, our dreams!" Nix wailed, earning bewildered looks from both the thugs and the trio.

Elena whispered to Nix, "What are you doing?"

Nix, maintaining his act, continued to wail dramatically. "Please, kind sirs, you've robbed us of our only hope! Our village depends on these supplies!"

Gruff, taken aback by the sudden emotional outburst, grumbled to his comrades, "Alright, alright, let's give' them something. We don't need any more drama."

The thugs begrudgingly returned a fraction of what they had taken, muttering insults under their breath. As they departed, Gruff warned, "Next time, stick to the main road, villagers, and you won't run into any trouble."

Once the thugs were out of sight, Nix wiped away imaginary tears and grinned mischievously. "That should buy us some time. Now, shall we get back to our mission?"

Elena, still puzzled by Nix's theatrics, asked, "What was all that about?"

Nix, dropping the act, chuckled. "I had to give them a reason to leave us alone. Besides, it was kind of fun."

The trio exchanged bemused glances before Elena nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's continue."

As they walked along a desolate street, the group's path suddenly intersected with a figure emerging from the darkness, as a simple, unassuming traveller with a tattered cloak and a weather-beaten hat.

Elena, always vigilant, eyed the newcomer cautiously. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Stranger, putting on a show of clumsiness, stumbled forward, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Oh, dear me! I apologize, good folks. I seem to have lost my way."

Lucian, though wary, couldn't help but feel a tinge of sympathy. "Lost, you say? In this forsaken place?"

Nix, still playing his part as a simple villager, added, "We were accosted by thugs not too long ago. We're just trying to find our way home."

Stranger feigned surprise, his acting skills matching Nix's theatrics. "Thugs, you say. Oh, how dreadful! I too was set upon by ruffians. They kidnapped me and left me to wander aimlessly."

Aria, with her keen instincts, studied Stranger closely. "Kidnapped? And now you're alone?"

The stranger nodded, his eyes darting around nervously. "Yes, I managed to escape their clutches, but I'm afraid I'm utterly lost."

Elena exchanged a glance with her companions before sighing. "Very well, you can travel with us for now. Strength in numbers, after all."

The stranger, keeping his identity concealed, expressed his gratitude with an exaggerated display of relief. "Oh, thank you, kind sirs and madams! You have no idea how relieved I am."

As the group continued their journey, Stranger, still posing as the hapless wanderer, engaged in polite conversation with the trio and Nix. He spun tales of his supposed misadventures and regaled them with stories of his village, all while maintaining an air of vulnerability.

"What's your name?" Nix Asked the stranger walking side by side with him.

"ooh, so rude of me. I apologise for that. I am Darius Shadow". The stranger said while bowing down. " I am a travelling merchant".

The group then continued their journey, while initially cautious, began to warm up to their new companion, finding his tales both dramatic and entertaining. Nix, ever the actor, played along with enthusiasm, occasionally chiming in with his own embellishments.

As the group pressed on, their fates intertwined by the strangest of circumstances, they drew closer to unlocking the secrets of the door to the Realm of Shadows. The shadows concealed their true destinies, and the path ahead remained shrouded in mystery and intrigue.