[What's with the big blue dome?]

"*Sigh* This is what is protecting our village from a very bad thing."

[It's cracked…that's bad, right?]

"Yes, but don't worry about it. We'll somehow deal with it."

She is slightly smiling, trying to reassure me.

[If it is an issue, I could perhaps do something about it?]

They did help me after all. I'm not gonna trust them just yet but if it's something easy I can lend a hand.

"Don't worry boy. We'll manage, you just recover and find inner peace."

Sure whatever. I and Wolfie simply stroll around all day long. That is when I notice something strange. There are no children at all. None! Only old people or middle-aged men. I could try my best to slowly investigate it. There is bound to be a hidden secret. But nope, I simply go back to that lady's place.

"Welcome back, how was your walk?"

She's smiling.

[Hey, why are there no children?]

"*Sigh* they all left a while back. They went somewhere far away for their own safety. We are the only ones left."

Wait a damn minute! I know this trope! I know it too damn well!

[Say lady, are you a ghost?!]

It would fit the name. Maybe this village doesn't exist anymore. Maybe this is a mirage. I should be immune to illusion magic, but I guess ghosts are different.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA, you sure have a vivid imagination. Or are you perhaps cursing me? Do I look like a ghost?! I'm old, but I'm not that old!"

[Sorry, it's just …]

"I understand don't worry. We have our circumstances. Nothing you should worry about."

The more she tells me not to worry, the more sketchy it seems. When everything is fine you can usually explain it right away. Well, whatever it doesn't concern me.

A few weeks pass peacefully. We walk around the village, we eat carrots, and we sleep. That's it. Nothing else. Honestly, that's just what I needed. The quiet helps. A lot.

But staying inside the village is starting to bore me. We leave. As we come across the barrier it is clearly deteriorating. A whole portion of it is missing now. They still haven't fixed it…

Whatever. I just keep walking across it.

*Whimper*

[What's up Wolfie?]

For some reason, she stopped at the barrier.

[You coming?]

She seems to be struggling to pass through without success. What the hell?!

[Are you feeling fine?!]

She nods. That's a relief. But this is weird. Time to go back to my host. She seems to be cooking, some more carrot soup.

"Hey there, are you hungry?"

[I have a problem, for some reason Wolfie isn't able to leave the village. Any idea why this is happening?]

"*Sigh* Sorry for not telling you earlier. No one can leave this place once they have entered. Actually, you weren't supposed to be able to enter. Something happened to the barrier, somehow. So now you are stuck here with us. Forever."

[Nope, I can leave just fine. The problem is with Wolfie.]

"I'm telling you it's impossible to leave."

[I'm telling you I can!]

"Fine let's go there together."

She seems confident. As if she's 100% sure of the result. We go to the edge of the village. Then I simply walk through the barrier.

[See? Not hard, right?]

"Y-you! How are you able to go outside?!"

[I just walked…]

She rushes forward only to collide with an invisible barrier and falling to the ground. Then she goes back up as if nothing ever happened. Then she keeps looking at me as if I'm some kind of treasure.

[You okay?]

"I'm more than okay! We may not all die after all! This is amazing!"

[If you thought we were all going to die why the hell didn't you tell me?!]

"Didn't want to worry you…"

Oh my fucking god! Is she for real?! I just want to scold her but she's already rushing back to the village. Before long she comes back disheveled with literally every single villager there is. No matter how old they are, all are running toward me. Then they collide with the barrier one after the other.

[What are you guys doing?]

"Testing the barrier. How are you the only one able to pass?!"

Wolfie is harboring the smuggest expression that translates to: isn't my master amazing! Bow down to how epic he is. That is what you get for underestimating him! At least it seems to be something along the lines.

Then they all get super excited and start talking over each other. The only thing I manage to understand is how much of a miracle me being here is.

[All of you shut up! *Quiet* Perfect! Now, one of you, explain what is going on.]

"It's like this. This village is connected to a sub-realm that…"

[What's a sub-realm?]

"The earth realm is a true realm. It is big, stable, and filled with all kinds of elements. A sub-realm is a smaller realm that is smaller and has peculiar laws. Sometimes it can be…"

[Oh, right! Like that time I went through a portal and arrived at a death domain! Alright keep going.]

"What?! You went into a death domain and managed to come back?! How?! Wait, no! Anyway, this place is connected to a sub-realm. One inhabited by Abyss Devourers, a great evil that consumes all on its way."

[What rank are they?]

"It is hard to classify them using a rank. Strength wise they aren't that strong, but they have a frightening ability. They can devour ambient mana."

[So pretty much the earth realm is an all-you-can-eat buffet for them? Also if they eat all the mana then the only way to kill them is with physical might, right?]

"Exactly! The problem is they are near-infinite. This means that physical might is bound to fail at some point, no matter how strong one is. Now, this is why we have the barrier. As long as it is intact, they cannot invade."

[So now there is a mana-hungry army heading our way?]

"Exactly!"

[So we are screwed?]

"Well, yes. But we have one option remaining. You'll have to travel far and get us an item to repair the barrier."

[Oh? Where should I go?]

"Have you ever heard of the dwarves?"