THE ROAD TO THE CRIMSON CIRCLE VILLAGE.

We decided to leave when it was still dark, the people had not yet gotten up to open the stalls or the shops in the village, Tom was waiting for us at the door to say goodbye.

- So, it's time for them to leave.

- Yes, if we stay longer, we will not arrive as planned.

- Be careful, I haven't heard good rumors about that place.

- What do you mean?

- A few days ago, some people with torn clothes arrived talking about monsters in the forest through which this path passes, they could barely get out of the chase alive.

The first thing I asked myself was why they hadn't told us anything even when they knew we were going to that place, however, my need for explanations was appeased by the concern of what could be happening there, I contained my emotions and what was it occurred to me was to talk to those people

- I know it's early, but can we talk to them?

- That is not going to be possible, when they arrived dying the words that came out of their mouths were "darkness, darkness, everyone was dying, we could not escape from their eyes, our legs were numb, we fell into a pile of bones and hid while they devoured others" and then passed out and haven't woken up since.

- We must leave as quickly as possible, even with the walls that protect the villages, we cannot know what situation that place is in, let's hurry.

We all got on the wagon and set off, at the same time Tom and the sentinels closed the doors, after passing the limits from where you could see the village that we just left, a silhouette was drawn on the road, it was someone standing right in front of our way

When we stopped, from among the dark ones in the cloak I clearly perceived how he looked at me with penetrating eyes that I had already seen, I was sure it was that woman who sang in the fountain, however, she did not identify herself, but these words came out of her mouth "Fortune favors those who face their fears with courage and bravery, where their hearts go there is neither fortune nor bravery, only calamity" when I decided to get off the wagon a lock of crimson hair came out of the cloak that hid the face, the instant it disappeared and a whisper was heard in the air "His compassionate love... his path will guide... even without a path their paths will cross... again their hands will hold each other... even in the dark he will find her ".

"What the fuck was that," Franz said, as the girls seemed to be frozen for the moment, "hey, are you okay?" I said, as a growing concern welled up within me, "yeah, it just scared us a little."

We all remained silent for several hours, as if our lips had been woven with a steel cord, why did so much concern arise, it was just a comment from someone we did not even know the name of, but perhaps that was the biggest reason.

We were going full speed as the horses looked increasingly tired, yet despite Franz keeping his guard up and looking carefully all the way, we didn't see a single monster for several hours.

Even so, I could see how a lugubrious paleness as if it were a dead man took over Franz, something was wrong, I could perceive it too, that feeling of uncertainty that runs through your skin when you know that you are being watched, I inevitably turned a little head to see how Saria and Rose are doing, and they looked pretty bad.

"Stay strong", we will be there soon, just a little more.

Saria stood up with difficulty as she muttered a few words, apparently, she was casting a spell and said "May the wind guide our way and lighten our steps, and take us out of the darkness that lies in wait for us Rasthagor! "Windwalker"".

And as if it were a crescent down the path a great gust began to run, driving us at great speed, "with this we should be able to reach the crimson circle, but this sinister presence, we have to do something, I feel as if hundreds of eyes are on us." Look, I don't know how long I can maintain the spell without falling" he added, it was understandable, I had never perceived anything like this, was it really just any problem that we came to solve?

"Leave it to me" Rose said, "This darkness, this malice, I feel like I'm going to vomit, but I'll take us safely there" then her staff began to glow as she said "May the light protect us and reflect the darkness that pursues us, to make us invisible to the danger that lies in wait for us and take us safely to our destination, Valanhar! "The light guides us"" while we were increasing speed it seemed that light was opening up on the path, I don't remember when it became night, but as if it were a glowing thread, we continued advancing through it, while the gust of wind it drove us.

It looked like we were making it when Franz yelled, "faster, stay the course, or we won't make it", I looked back and saw nothing, but I knew immediately that he was dead serious, he jumped up on the roof from the wagon and said "I'll hold you off while we arrive, Saria, Rose, don't falter, "Pierce through my enemies Edge!" and so it began to rain a whirlwind of arrows directed backwards, intensely over and over again Franz released bursts that seemed to be hitting something, but I couldn't see what it was, he looked more and more tired and sweat dripped from his pale face, but he kept doing it, what was it he was seeing that scared him so much?

But I didn't need him to tell me anything, when we got closer to the end of Rose's spell, I could clearly see the village, what was happening? wasn't it night? When we came out of the darkness, I turned back and what I could see was a huge dark shadow that covered the forest where we came from, a huge shudder ran through me, I wasn't even able to see that aberration any longer, I felt that something was pressing on my stomach and I wanted to vomit, I couldn't take it anymore and I kept looking towards the village, at what moment had something like this engulfed us, and more importantly, why did it let us escape?, but that didn't matter to me now, we managed to leave it behind and we are safe.

Both girls feel exhausted on the floor of the wagon, while I could see that Franz's hand was torn from throwing attacks so much, he saw that terror all that time and continued to resist, it's just impressive.

- Open, open please, we come from the church, we come for the mission, but we have been attacked in the forest. My companions have been injured, and we barely made it out without taking a lot of damage.

I saw multiple stakes driven into the ground, signs of battle, and the walls torn as if large beasts had tried to pull them down. A person named Colt ran to help us, I showed him the Church medal and he immediately let us through, "Come on, quick," the guard said as he led us to a chapel in the center of town.

All the chapels in the villages have a magic circle that provides protection and healing to those who remain inside, it is not known why, nor who made them, but it is a relief that we were able to arrive before something more serious happened,

Nothing like this had ever happened to me in the trips I've had with the teacher, so this darkness is what she's referring to when she said it wasn't time to go on my own yet, I can't help but feel anxious about what just happened, they feel bad, although they have been treated, they will need a few days to be as before.

Now I understand what Liz was referring to about "it's her first time", she didn't mean it because of how they fought, because it's obvious to me that they have experience, what just happened and what happened with the bandits proves it to me, but It seems that they have never dealt with corrupted monsters, these aberrations are something that can make anyone lose their sanity, if they withdraw from the mission, I will not stop them, even if I have to do it alone, alone, I don't want to see them die in a battle they have not chosen of their own free will.

While they were sleeping, I decided to go to the guard who had helped us, "he thinks he can give me an idea of the situation", with what happened in the forest before we arrived and the faces of the people in the town it was easy to deduce that they were in a bind, the question was a mere formality for them to receive us as help from the church, since they themselves had paid for us to come.

- As you have seen, we have been defending ourselves as best we could, the walls barely resist, and the defenses we have put up to fight no longer work, we are in trouble. It all started a couple of months ago, some lumberjacks saw some strange creatures in the forest, but they didn't care, and they continued working day after day, until one day a whole crew disappeared. According to their families, the last day they were sighted, they were carrying weapons, the question was instantaneous "are they going to fight with the trees?", but there was simply no response from anyone, perhaps at that moment the matter had gotten out of hand. hands.

- How long ago? And why until now only a week ago we have been sent to deal with the matter.

- We simply did not realize that the lumberjacks had disappeared immediately, these people usually go into the forest for weeks on their jobs, it did not seem strange to us that they did not return at once.

Their explanation was quite clear, but why wait so long to deal with the matter, or they just didn't know how to do it.

- Eventually after a few weeks we decided to send guards to investigate, and we even hired some adventurers who were passing through, but no one came back, and we decided to keep the village closed permanently, while this happened, the people who were passing through They stopped coming through the village, and our only option was to venture a large group to cross the forest and look for help, while we fought during that time against the siege of these creatures, that is how we contacted them after so much time.

- This is more serious than I thought, in two days we will march towards the forest to eliminate the cause of the crack, everything that happened is more than evidence to know that there is one very close, it is the fastest we can help them.

- I thank you, as the leading guard of the village, I assure you that we will keep you safe while you recover.

- Okay, I'll go back to my teammates.

I rushed to the chapel before dark, now even the night seems threatening to me, in this place, despite having the circle of protection, you can feel a sinister aura.

To my surprise they were awake, "they feel better", was the first thing that came out of my mouth, I felt useless, without having protected them, even though it is my only mission here.

- Do not think that we are so fragile, look, my hand is like new.

- That's right Knight, Rose healed us quickly, we're ready for what's coming.

I felt great relief, but I was still disturbed by the thought of us going to fight, I don't have a good feeling of what's to come.

- Liz informed me that this was her first time, I suppose she was referring to the assault on a rift, do you really feel prepared for something like that? This will be really dangerous, if you want to withdraw from the mission, it's fine with me, it is not something that can be taken lightly, our lives will always be at stake.

I just let my feelings out without further ado, maybe it sounds presumptuous of me since they knew what the mission was about, but I don't want them to die, the fear that invades me is enough to know that my shield will not be able to cover them all.

- And let you take all the glory and reward; it shows that you are greedy and worthy of the cursed church...

- You're going to go anyway right gentleman?... There is no battle in which I am not afraid that my friends will get hurt or die, precisely for this reason I cannot leave them alone, that you tell us that shows how kind you are, I don't I have made a mistake in my judgment towards you.

- See, both Franz and Rose will go and of course me too, don't worry, we'll be careful.

The relief that invaded my heart is priceless, but my resolve to protect them will be unwavering, their kindness is too much, this is out of the question when it comes to money.

- If they are going to insist, I can't refuse, Franz, don't complain if I keep all the credit, it's okay...

- You wish I have…

- Hahaha calm down, now it's a competition?

- Very well, go to sleep, we will leave tomorrow as soon as there is visibility.

And so, we prepare for the battle that we are about to face, uncertainty is growing, but Goddess, guide me and give me the strength to protect my allies.