The dawn advanced, but something woke Gwydion up, they were certainly safe inside that cabin, but there was something strange, he closed his eyes and felt the presence of creatures outside, but the cabin is intangible, how was it possible that they were looking for them. Gwydion saw beyond the veil that divided the room of the cabin and the outside, everything was surrounded by monsters and shadows, and from among them came that monster with which they had fought, to his surprise it now had a more sinister appearance. Had it grown? He wondered, but
stranger than that was that he was in perfect condition, how was it possible to heal the limb that had disintegrated with his attack.
Shortly after, Lariat and the others joined in because the presence of the monsters was overwhelming, adding to this that they were disconcerted by how they searched everywhere as if they were trying to find them.
- Master, do you really think they are looking for us?
- I don't think they can see us, but it's as if a trail brought them here, OUR BLOOD!
- It can't be, do you already know that we are close?
- I'm afraid so.
- But if that were the case, all these creatures are controlled by my brother.
-Normally that would be impossible with his power, but after seeing the conjured insects it is more than evident that he is using malice to create and control monsters, even so, a high price of sacrifice would be needed for this.
- Brother, why are you doing this?
Tylos and Elise asked:
- For what purpose could you do something like that?
-What does Alexa have to do with all this?
- It's simple, lust for power!
Gwydion told them to continue sleeping because the energy trails that the monsters were following would soon disappear and their sense of smell would not take them any further, there was no point in keeping watch, since they would not be able to enter there.
- Grandpa, can't you sleep?
- You haven't called me that in a while... do I look that bad?
-You look very worried and tired...
Lariat couldn't help but worry about Gwydion, and although he didn't tell him anything, he could see blood stains on his hand due to the illness he suffered from, and added to this, now knowing that his grandson is after his own family seems to have affected him even more.
Indeed, it was dawn and just as the old man said, the monsters were gone, Tylos, still sleepy from having stayed up all night, had a vague feeling of danger, but there was no one nearby, everything was silent which was even more suspicious, his sword was not there. It shone and he did not feel any presence nearby, however, the tension little by little began to invade him.
They continued on their way for a few days until they got close enough to the village without any further altercations. When the village was visible, Tylos prepared to enter with Elise hidden in his cloak, since the only one they had no knowledge of was him.
They soon let him in without asking him many questions, because apart from the sword he carried on his back and the bladeless hilt, he didn't seem suspicious of anything, was what the guards said.
- Let's look around, I'll show you where everything happened.
- You don't think it's very dangerous, they could be suspicious, and if it's like you told me, maybe anyone here could be our enemy.
- It's okay, it seems like it's an ordinary town during the day, you can feel it, right?
- I wouldn't say it like that, rather, something strange happens here with those people, they don't seem "human."
- What are you talking about.
- Everyone is too friendly, there are no fights, I don't see anyone stealing or drunk... it's strange, by nature something like that can't exist...
-When we came, they acted like sexual maniacs, even the mayor and after her when they captured her, everything changed... let's go closer to the church, let's see if we can enter.
Tylos approached from place to place observing objects and buying provisions, going unnoticed until he decided to go to the church, and he felt greater and greater tension, but he did not understand what was worrying him, his senses felt danger, but he still advanced. and opened the doors, there were a few people in there, they looked like old women praying and someone who seemed to be a priest.
They felt danger, but they still went forward and opened the doors, there were a few people in there, they looked like old women praying and someone who seemed to be a priest.
Tylos decided to sit down, while Elise tried to find them by searching for her essence. After a while of sitting in a low voice she whispered "they're still down here."
-Who are you talking to boy?
Tylos' hair stood up all over his body when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. It was Tom who, with a twisted smile, touched her shoulder. Elise immediately knew it was him, and she began to tremble, but the boy put her hand on her and she was able to calm down and hide the situation.
On the other hand, Tylos felt that that old man was dangerous, and since he had caught him off guard, he had a horrible feeling in his stomach, and said:
- I'm sorry sir, it's a bad habit, I've tried in many ways to get rid of it, but I can't seem to let it go, it already knows how to "talk to itself", I didn't want to interrupt anything, I have to go.
Tylos turned around and opened the door to leave, and when he was about to close it, those ladies turned around, emaciated like corpses, sunken and shining eyes said in the middle of the darkness of the church:
- DON'T FORGET TO ATTEND THE NIGHT FESTIVAL, "YOVEN".
Calmness returned to him, then he proceeded and closed the door calmly and slowly saying:
- I WILL BE THERE.
They all smiled as he walked away.
- What the hell was that, how could you be so calm.
- I know why I felt that way, they are damn monsters, but that in itself is not a problem for me.
- What's wrong with them, I haven't seen anything like that.
- It's something strange, I've been to several places, but this corruption is something new for me, I haven't seen anything like it either, let's see what happens at night.
- Are you sure you can handle this?
- Gwydion and Lariat can come if we have problems, and I'm not going to jump on them suddenly either, we need information.
They both wandered together until nightfall through various places in search of clues about "THE FESTIVAL."
- Let's recap, first we went to a tavern, it seems like the only one in town, although it is quite big, there was not a single drunk, not a single fight, did you hear when I asked about the "FESTIVAL", they only gave me ambiguous answers like: it's great , it feels very good, every night is phenomenal, but they never described anything, I even went to the square, and it was the same, all the people say the same thing, it's strange.
- But those you saw at the sales stands did seem different.
- It seems that they are newcomers to the village just like us.
- It's a trap, they let people enter here to rob and kill them, a group of adventurers previously captured bandits on the mountain that comes from the southern city towards this place, and it was they themselves who attacked Elise and me , we have to do something, they will surely do something during that "FESTIVAL".
- For now let's go to the inn and wait to see what happens.
They stayed for the night in the same inn as that small group of people who had arrived to keep an eye on them. They were mostly women and only one man, a total of seven people.
When they entered the inn and were going to sleep, they called him from the dining room.
- It's you, the afternoon boy.
- It's true, look girls, it's the beauty of this afternoon.
- Come sit with us, let's talk for a while.
- I'm in a hurry
- To go to sleep? You don't look very tired.
One of the girls accidentally spilled beer on her at a guy. "PLEASE EXCUSE ME, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME," she said, while she lowered her head and her ears, but he just ignored her, not even He told him nothing.
-Hey tylos, that girl...
-I know, you can smell her fear.
- Is something wrong kid?
The man who was with the girls asked.
- It's nothing, sometimes I talk to myself.
- What a strange custom.
All of them were drinking, except Tylos, since he was not used to doing so and the situation would not allow him to relax to do so either, one of the women threw her arm around him and even did not hesitate to kiss him passionately, since he did not seem to put up any resistance. She was quite beautiful so she did not refuse, the night progressed little by little until most of the people retired and the girls fell asleep, having those who were more sober take them to their rooms.
The knight who was next to the women had also invited him to sit down, he was a very insightful man in speaking and at all times he looked at him with the corner of his eye, but Tylos especially noticed that he was looking with interest at the weapons on his back.
And at one point he tried to take one from his back with a cautious movement, with which Tylos grabbed him and threw him on the table spilling all the beer and food on the floor.
- Ahhhh... what a pain... shit, relax boy, I wasn't going to steal it from you, I just wanted to see it.
- Leave…
After leaving, that woman who kissed him whispered in a sensual and slightly macabre voice:
- You already made him angry, I'm sure it's an exquisite delicacy.
- You can taste it later.
Tylos hurried up to the room that had a balcony and there he sat in silence for a while, around ten at night and when everything was quiet and lonely, Elise spoke:
- Thank goodness you kicked her ass, that prowler was about to murder you.
- Prowler?
-Don't you know what they are? Well it makes sense since you don't have magic, I guess even for those who can use it, only a few can see through the deception of it.
- Well, well, then what are they:
- Twisted spirits, lost souls, mostly murderers and people who were tortured or tormented in life, are bound to the earth by their remorse or as punishment you could say, they can take many forms.
- Oh, that sounds interesting...
- You're not ashamed... you were kissing that monster and you had me in your pocket suffocating me, if that spirit wants to cut off your head, I'm not going to help you.
- Okay, calm down, I'm counting on you.
- That's how it will be, we must leave for Alexa tonight, we don't have time for your nonsense, so I'm counting on you too, I'll make it up to you…I swear.
- We still can't guarantee anything, but let's get to it.
- May the goddess Mauren Gala guide us!
If anyone reads this story I would like to know your opinion, and thank you very much for reading what I write.