*The sound of howling wolves reverberated through the village, piercing the air with their haunting cries. Ray and Vaurz locked eyes, their expressions turning rigid and tense, their senses heightened by the eerie symphony.*
*As the sun bathed the village in its afternoon glow, casting long shadows, the villagers managed to hold onto a sense of composure, their instincts sharpened while remaining on guard.*
"Prepare to fight," Ray commanded, his gaze piercing through the village's bamboo walls, as if he could see beyond their confines.
"Yes, leader," the members of the Corps of Teleknight replied in unison, the sound of unsheathing swords filling the air. Vaurz, plagued by an unsettling uneasiness that had plagued him earlier, finally traced its origin. His pupils contracted, and he tightened his grip around his swords.
"This is bad," he muttered, his eyes scanning the mercenaries and their precarious situation.
....