Chapter 98

The village of Aramoor was nestled in a small, wooded vale, at the base of a large mountain. With less than a thousand people, it was small compared to many of the communities in Lund, but large for the borderlands.

Situated at the edge of Dwarven lands, their primary source of income came from mining precious ores and gemstones from the mountain or panning for gold in the many streams and rivers surrounding the village.

In the center of the community, the afternoon sunlight of Secundus barely taking the late autumn chill from the air, a large gathering of the residents were angrily shouting and arguing. Standing on a box, head and shoulders above the crowd, an older man was listening to their concerns. Around his neck was a heavy iron chain, the symbol of his office as mayor of Aramoor.

“It’s been three weeks, and we’re still locked out of the mines! And now, you’re blocking us from panning the river as well. What do you expect us to do, starve to death? We need coin, winter’s just around the corner!” A villager yelled, his face flushed red with anger as he raised pointed at the mayor.

“Until this crisis is resolved, no one will be allowed to leave the village!” The mayor said, his face expressionless as he let the wave of anger wash over him.

“What about my husband? He’s been gone for over a week! What are you lot doing to find him!” A woman asked, a small child held in her arms. Several other men and woman joined her, raising their voices, demanding answers.

“We have found no trace of those missing, and the mines are too dangerous to send anyone else in to join the search. Until the Guild members arrive, we can only wait and pray that they are safe.” The mayor explained.

Standing to the side, a small group of town guards were gathered. Clearly injured, their leader stepped forward. Whatever authority he had was diminished by the stub where his right arm had been. The town guards were all Rank 1, with their leader bordering on Rank 2.

“Whatever is taking out people, it’s too strong for us to handle on our own. Until the guild arrives, we will do our best to protect the village, but we won’t be going down into the mines again.” The guard leader explained, and tears were threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes.

The other guards all had expressions of shame and anger on their faces, helpless to protect their friends and family.

“And what about when it starts taking people from their homes! We’ve lost over a dozen people already. How much longer do we have to wait for help?” A man asked, his arm wrapped around his wife protectively.

“We’ve contacted the Guild and offered a large reward. Until they respond, all we can do is take shelter in the village. As long as the suns are in the sky, we have nothing to be concerned about.” Before the crowd could erupt, the mayor continued.

“I’ve been assured that someone will be sent before Night arrives!” He explained, hoping to assure the crowd.

“We’ve given you every bit of coin we’ve had, and all you can tell us is that we ‘need to wait and pray’? I say we get every able-bodied man, woman and strong lad and we march to the mines and take our people back! Who’s with me!” A large man yelled, and a few others in the crowd joined him.

A nervous expression on his face, the mayor quickly sought to stomp that sentiment immediately.

“That will only make things worse! No one here is trained or capable of stopping whatever it is that’s assaulting us. We just need to wait a few more days, help will arrive! I promise you!” He said, pleading with them.

“I say we collapse the mines! At least that will keep whatever it is from taking more of us!” An older woman said.

“You daft fool, and what will you do after that!? The mines are the only thing keeping this town alive. You try anything like that, I’ll toss you into the mine myself, let the monster have you!” An old man yelled, pointing his finger accusingly at the woman.

“Everyone, please! No one is going to do anything rash! We aren’t collapsing the mines, and we aren’t sending anyone down there, not until the Guild arrives. Just give me some more time! If they still haven’t come by the end of the week, I will personally travel to Ur and plead our case to the city lord!” The mayor assured them, pleading for more time.

Ur was nearly a week’s journey away. If the Guild hadn’t arrived by the end of the week, it was likely that most of the village would have to leave.

While the villagers shouted and argued, a dark cloud quickly spread across the sky above. The bright sunlight of Secundus was drowned in a sea of grey, and the temperature began to drop. Unnoticed by all, a heavy fog began to roll down from the mountains, a tide of heavy mist that obscured the ground.

With a scream, the first person on the edge of the crowd noticed the fog curling around her ankles. Panicking, she began to run for her home. Soon, more of the villagers joined her, pushing and shoving against each other in their scramble to take shelter in the nearest buildings.

“Everyone, remain calm! Take shelter and bar your doors!” The mayor yelled, trying desperately to maintain order, all while running towards his home.

Over the past few weeks, the arrival of fog had become more frequent as the temperature dropped. Coinciding with the disappearance of the villagers, most couldn’t help but connect the two, despite there being no evidence that monsters were assaulting them from the fog.

Soon, screams filled the air as people ran towards their homes, barricading themselves behind thick wooden doors.

In minutes, not a living soul remained outside. All the houses were dark, their shutters closed, and windows barred tight.

In his home, the mayor and his wife were gathered in their main room, the village guard leader nervously pacing as a silence as thick as the fog enveloped everything. The only sound was their breathing and the nervous pounding of their hearts in their ears.

For long moments, nothing broke the silence, and the anxious edge surrounding the village began to slowly ebb. Just when the mayor was about the breathe a sigh of relief, a faint noise echoed through the house from outside.

‘Flap’ ‘Flap’ ‘Flap’, the sound of something heavy was heard, approaching from the distance, but they couldn’t determine what it was. As it grew closer, a screeching cry resounded through the fog, splitting the silence, and sending a shiver down the mayor’s spine.

“We’re under attack!” The mayor hissed, looking at the guard leader. The man’s face paled even further, and he shook like a leaf in the wind. The guard leader had been one of the most vocal about the village’s safety, as long as they were outside the mines. If the village were assaulted…

“We’re safe here. Stay inside, this beast is unlikely to be the creature that carried the others away. It cannot be what we saw in the mines.” The leader advised, cursing his missing arm and his inability to defend them.

Another screech, this one much louder, sounded in the silence, before something landed heavily in the square at the center of the village. An odd whining noise followed, like a series of gears grinding against each other, before silence returned.

Huddled in their homes, the residents cowered in fear as they waited for whatever creature had arrived to knock down their doors, pluck them from their residences with its talons, and carry them away.

After nearly a minute, the silence was again broken by voices, muffled through the thick wood of the door, and the crunching of gravel under boots.

“Bandits?” The mayor asked, his voice a whisper as he looked to the leader of the guards for answers. Seeing the man shake his head in response, he was cut off by a knock on the door. Steeling himself, the guard leader took a step towards the door, before looking back at the mayor.

“Stay here.” He ordered, before lifting the latch from the door with his remaining hand. Taking another steadying breath, the man rushed from the door, closing it firmly behind him. The mayor and his wife heard muffled words, the guard leader’s voice a deep rumble, before the door slammed open again.

Standing in the doorway, grinning, was the leader of the town guards, a relieved look on his face.

“We’re saved, the Guild is finally here.” He said, before gesturing for the mayor to come and greet their guests.

Rushing to the doorway, he came face to face with the adventurer sent here at his request.

In front of him was a young woman, with long silver hair and a beautiful face. Wearing thick, spotless white robes, she was carrying a large pack over her shoulder.

The mayor, being mundane, was unable to sense her mana, but he could tell by her equipment, and the attitude of the Rank 2 guard leader, that she was undoubtedly a higher rank than anyone in Aramoor.

On her collar, a gold pin with an ‘AG’ stood prominent, indicating her status in the Guild. To the mayor’s confusion, no large creatures or beasts stood behind her, nothing that could have created the noise they had heard earlier.

“Hello. My name is Astrid, of Ur.”