The Night of Terror

As night enveloped the village, William and Henry's sense of unease grew. The wind howled through the trees, the leaves rustled ominously, and the villagers huddled together in fear, refusing to leave the safety of the central square.

William and Henry decided to take turns keeping watch, hoping to catch any signs of danger. William took the first watch, while Henry retired to a nearby hut to rest.

The night was quiet, save for the occasional howling of wolves in the distance. William patrolled the perimeter of the village, keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding woods. As he made his way back to the central square, he noticed something amiss.

One of the huts where Henry was supposed to be resting was pitch-black. William's heart pounded in his chest as he quickened his pace and made his way to the hut. He called out to Henry, but there was no response. As he pushed open the door, a sudden chill ran down his spine. The hut was empty, and there was no sign of Henry.

William felt a sudden sense of dread. Something was very wrong. He quickly checked a few more huts, but they were all empty. He was starting to panic. Where had everyone gone?

Suddenly, he heard a loud thud from one of the huts. William's heart raced as he made his way towards the source of the noise. As he pushed open the door, a gruesome sight greeted him.

Henry lay on the floor, drenched in blood. His eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling. William rushed over to him, but as he checked for a pulse, he realized it was too late. Henry was dead.

William's mind raced, struggling to comprehend the horror that had unfolded. He searched the hut frantically, but there was no sign of anyone else. He knew he had to find out what was happening.

As he made his way back to the central square to alert the villagers, he heard strange chanting coming from the darkness. He felt a cold sweat break out on his skin as he crept closer to investigate.

The villagers stood in a circle, chanting in unison, their white robes reflecting the pale moonlight. William's heart raced as he stepped closer. They turned as one to face him, their eyes hollow and empty.

"Where have you been, William?" asked one of the villagers in a monotone voice.

"I... I found Henry dead in one of the huts," replied William, his voice barely audible above the chanting.

The villagers showed no sign of emotion. They continued their eerie chant, and William felt a deep unease. He knew he had to leave, but he couldn't resist the pull of the chanting. It filled his head, the voices echoing through his mind, urging him to follow.

He stumbled away from the chanting, his footsteps taking him deeper into the woods. As he pushed through the undergrowth, the chanting grew louder, filling his head until he couldn't think. His eyes were drawn to a strange light, pulsating in the darkness.

When he finally emerged from the woods, he found himself standing on the edge of a vast abyss, its inky blackness stretching out before him, swallowing everything in its path. He felt a sudden urge to jump, to give in to the darkness and let it consume him.

But then he heard a voice, a man's voice, calling out to him from the darkness. William felt a sudden jolt of terror, but he couldn't resist the call. He stepped closer to the edge of the abyss, peering into the darkness.

Suddenly, he was jerked back to reality, his eyes flying open to find an angry Henry standing over him.

"How dare you fall asleep during your watch, senior apprentice brother!" Henry exclaimed.

William's heart raced as he listened to Henry's words, his mind struggling to weigh the options before him. His fingers tapped nervously against his thigh as he debated whether or not to divulge the details of his dream. The memory of it made him shudder, his stomach twisting in knots. But ultimately, he decided it was best to keep it to himself.

As they made their rounds, they couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It was as if an invisible presence was stalking them, watching their every move. Every rustle in the bushes and every snap of a twig set his nerves on edge.

Then, out of nowhere, a blood-curdling scream pierced the night air, causing William's heart to skip a beat. He and Henry rushed towards the sound, their swords drawn and at the ready. But when they arrived at the source of the scream, there was no one there. Just the deafening silence of the night.

The hairs on the back of William's neck stood up as they continued their patrol. The eerie whispers that filled the air sent chills down his spine. Objects began to move on their own, as if they had a life of their own, and the shadows around them seemed to come alive.

As they turned a corner, William caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. He spun around, his sword held high, but there was nothing there. He could hear the sound of footsteps trailing behind them, but every time they turned around, they were met with empty darkness.

Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked over a lantern, casting the area in a flickering light. In the brief moment of illumination, William caught sight of a figure moving in the shadows. His heart pounded in his chest as he and Henry rushed towards it, swords at the ready. But when they arrived, the figure was gone.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of terror and unease. The shadows continued to move, whispers continued to fill the air, and the feeling of being watched never subsided. When the sun finally rose, William let out a shuddering breath of relief, grateful to have made it through the night. But the memory of what they had experienced would stay with him for the rest of his days, haunting his every thought.

.....

The following day, William and Henry approached Old Zhou to deliver some important news.

They explained that after a day of investigation, they had come to the conclusion that the strange occurrences were not the work of an intelligent animal or human, but rather something far beyond human capabilities.

They recommended that Old Zhou report their findings to the White Lotus City and suggest that the situation may be related to cultivators.

They also promised to stay in the village until they received a reply from the Headquarters.

.....

Despite what everyone expected, no further incidents occurred in the village after that unforgettable night.

The headquarters even sent some low-level cultivators to investigate the village, but they were unable to find the source of the phenomena or determine why it had stopped.

Some speculated that whatever force was causing the strange happenings had become frightened of the cultivators and had fled.

However, a the martial apprentice brothers remained in the village to ensure the safety of the villagers even after the cultivators had left, just in case the ghost returned.

After a month had passed with no further incidents, the martial apprentice brothers decided to return to the White Lotus City.

.....

Life in Greenfield Village slowly returned to normal, and everyone began to forget about the strange occurrences.

However, little did they know that what they had dismissed as unimportant would be reinvestigated years later and labeled as the birthplace of the greatest evil ever to emerge in their world.