Sylas swung his axe into the thick wood with a grunt. It was a simple task: chop enough wood for the irrigation system. He'd been putting it off, but now, with the project hanging over him, he had to get it done.
The forest was quiet, the only sound his axe hitting the tree. He wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled. The air felt thick with stillness. Even the birds were quiet today. He couldn't explain it, but something about it felt off.
> [Quest Log – Active]
– Build Irrigation System (In Progress)
– Learn Local Language (Complete)
– Shadow Beneath Haresh (Incomplete)
Sylas glanced at the quest log again. The irrigation system was easy. But that other quest—the one about Haresh—still bugged him. He couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with the way the town felt. The silence. The emptiness. Everything just felt wrong.
He was about to take another swing when he heard rustling behind him. His hand instinctively went to his dagger, but when he turned, he saw a girl stepping through the trees.
She couldn't have been much older than sixteen or seventeen, wearing simple brown clothes. She held a bundle of herbs in her arms, her eyes meeting his. She didn't look scared—just unsure.
Sylas lowered his hand from the dagger. "Uh... do you need something?"
The girl blinked at him, startled. "Oh, no. I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just picking herbs."
Sylas relaxed. "It's fine. I'm just chopping wood for a project."
The girl stepped closer, curiosity in her eyes. "A project? Out here?"
"Yeah. Part of a quest," he explained, gesturing to the pile of logs. "Building an irrigation system."
The girl tilted her head. "I see. I've seen you around Haresh... working in the fields?"
"Yeah," Sylas said, a little surprised. "I'm trying to settle in. Been busy."
She smiled faintly. "I'm Selene." She held out her hand.
Sylas shook it. "Sylas."
They stood there for a moment, both unsure what to say next. The forest around them was still. Then Selene spoke, her voice quieter now.
"You know, there's something strange happening in Haresh," she said, looking around like she didn't want anyone to overhear.
Sylas raised an eyebrow. "Strange?"
Selene's face grew serious. "People have been talking about the crypt. Some say it's cursed. Some say there's something buried beneath it."
Sylas felt a chill. He'd heard the rumors, of course. But hearing it from someone else made it feel real. And a little more dangerous.
> [Quest Log Update]
– Shadow Beneath Haresh (Quest Details Updated: Investigate the Crypt)
"You think it's true?" Sylas asked, trying to keep his voice even.
Selene paused, looking down at the herbs in her hands. "I don't know. But... I've heard enough. People go missing around there. It's not just stories."
Missing people. That got Sylas's attention. He hadn't heard much about it, but now he wondered if there was more to the strange things in Haresh.
"Maybe I should check it out," he said, more to himself than to her.
> [Quest Log Update]
– Shadow Beneath Haresh (New Objective: Investigate the Crypt)
Selene gave him a sharp look. "You shouldn't. It's dangerous. People who go there don't come back."
Sylas exhaled slowly, thinking about it. The crypt had been on his mind ever since he arrived. Something about it felt important, even if he didn't know why. But now, hearing this... he felt like the answers he needed were there.
"I'll be careful," he said, more to reassure himself than her.
Selene shook her head, worry clear in her eyes. "If you do go, be careful. The crypt... it's not just a place. There's something older there. Something you don't want to mess with."
Sylas nodded, though part of him wasn't sure what to think about her warning. She seemed like she knew more than she was saying, but he didn't press her for details. He was already feeling the pull of the crypt. He had to check it out.
"Thanks for the warning," he said, turning back to the pile of wood. "I'll keep that in mind."
Before he could start chopping again, Selene spoke up one last time. "I'll see you around, Sylas."
"Yeah," Sylas replied, watching her disappear into the trees. "See you."
As she vanished from sight, Sylas felt a nagging pull in his chest. The crypt. Something about Haresh didn't sit right, and he was starting to think the answers were down there, buried under the town.
He turned back to the tree in front of him, raising his axe once more.
> [Quest Log Update]
– Shadow Beneath Haresh (Objective: Investigate the Crypt)
[New Quest – Unlocked: Hidden Secrets of Haresh]
He swung the axe again, this time with more purpose. The work was easy, but the real task—the real quest—was just beginning.