Discovery

Ethan woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside his window, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face. He stretched, thinking back that he now had a compass, his key to venturing farther without fear of getting lost. Today was the day he would explore beyond the familiar forest and hills.

After a quick breakfast of cooked chicken, Ethan packed his inventory with essentials: his iron sword, a few tools, food, torches, and the compass. As he glanced down at the compass, its needle pointed north with a reassuring steadiness. He smiled to himself.

"Alright, let's see what's out there," he said, stepping out of his house and locking the door behind him.

The journey started easily enough. The sun was high, the breeze was cool, and the compass made navigating the terrain easier than before. He traveled through the plains and across a small river, pausing briefly to admire the view. But after several hours of walking, the familiar landscape began to change. Trees became sparser, the ground rockier. He climbed a steep hill, and as he reached the top, something unusual caught his eye.

"There's something out there," he muttered to himself, narrowing his eyes at the distant shapes.

Structures. They were too square and symmetrical to be natural formations.

"A village?" Ethan said aloud, excitement and curiosity bubbling up. He quickened his pace, jogging down the hill toward the strange sight.

As he got closer, the excitement faded, replaced by a growing sense of unease. The village looked… off. The houses were intact, but the place was eerily silent. No villagers, no animals, nothing. Ethan slowed to a cautious walk as he entered the village.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing in the empty streets. No answer.

The crops in the village's farm were half-harvested, some still ripe. Doors were left ajar, and a faint trail of smoke rose from one chimney.

"This doesn't make sense. Someone was here recently…" Ethan murmured, glancing around.

He walked through the village, checking house after house. Inside, he found basic supplies—some bread in a chest, a few tools, but no sign of the villagers. Everything was eerily pristine, as if they had just left.

"Where could they have gone?" Ethan muttered, stepping back outside. The silence was unnerving, and a chill ran down his spine. For a moment, he thought he heard footsteps behind him, but when he spun around, there was nothing there.

Just the wind.

"I don't like this…"

Ethan entered a larger building in the village, likely the town's central hall. Inside, on a dusty table, he found a map. It was hand-drawn, marking several other locations, but it seemed unfinished, like the villager who made it had abandoned it halfway through.

"Maybe this can lead me to other villages," Ethan thought aloud. He carefully rolled the map up and tucked it into his inventory. As he did, he heard it again, footsteps. This time, they were louder, more distinct, like someone, or something was moving just outside the building.

He froze. "Hello? Is someone there?" His voice wavered slightly, betraying his growing anxiety.

No answer.

Ethan unsheathed his iron sword and slowly made his way to the door. His heart pounded in his chest as he peered outside. The sun was starting to set, casting long, ominous shadows over the village.

There was movement. A figure darted behind a house, too fast for Ethan to make out clearly.

"I'm not alone," he whispered, gripping his sword tighter. He felt the weight of the silent village closing in around him, the tension in the air almost suffocating.

The daylight was fading fast, and Ethan knew he couldn't stay here much longer. But just as he was about to leave, a low growl echoed from the edge of the village.

His eyes widened. "Not good."