The walk back to the manor felt longer than Ray had expected, mostly because Marcus kept glancing around nervously at every sound in the forest. The young man jumped at bird calls, froze at rustling leaves, and gripped his rusty sword handle whenever branches creaked in the wind.
"Relax," Ray said for the third time as they approached the village outskirts. "The shadow beast isn't going to appear in broad daylight near populated areas."
"You don't know that," Marcus muttered, his hollow eyes scanning the treeline. "It could be anywhere. Watching. Waiting."
Ray studied his companion's profile. The trauma was deeper than he'd initially realized. Marcus wasn't just scared—he was haunted. The kind of haunted that came from watching friends die while being powerless to help.
"Tell me more about what happened," Ray said as they paused at the edge of the village proper. "The more I know about this shadow beast, the better I can help protect everyone."
Marcus was quiet for a long moment, his knuckles white where they gripped his meager possessions. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"It wasn't like any monster I'd heard about in stories. Shadow beasts are supposed to be mindless, driven by hunger. This one... it was smart. Calculating." He shuddered. "The caravan it created as bait was perfect. Down to the last detail. Real horses, real wagon wheels creaking in the right places, even the sound of merchants arguing about prices."
Ray felt his stomach tighten. An intelligent monster was infinitely more dangerous than a mindless one.
"How close did you get before you realized it was a trap?"
"Close enough to smell the horses," Marcus said bitterly. "That's when I knew something was wrong. The scent was... off. Like rotting meat covered with flower petals. By then, it was too late. The illusion dropped, and we saw what it really was."
"Which was?"
Marcus stopped walking entirely, his face going pale. "Imagine shadows given form and hunger. Tall as two men, with arms that stretched like liquid darkness. Its face..." He swallowed hard. "It had too many eyes. And they all looked at us like we were cattle."
Ray processed this information carefully. The system had mentioned shadow beasts before, but always as minor threats. This sounded like something much more dangerous—possibly an evolved variant or a completely different species altogether.
They reached the village square, where a few early risers were going about their morning routines. Ray spotted one of his father's guards, a grizzled veteran named Sergeant Tommas, overseeing some minor repairs to the communal well.
"Wait here," Ray told Marcus. "Let me handle the introductions."
Sergeant Tommas looked up as Ray approached, his weathered face creasing into what might have been a smile. "Young master Ray. You're up early today."
"Morning, Sergeant. I need to speak with you about something important." Ray gestured toward Marcus, who stood awkwardly at the square's edge. "I found someone who needs help, but there are... complications."
Tommas followed Ray's gaze, his expression immediately becoming more serious. The sergeant had been a soldier for over twenty years—he could spot trouble from a mile away.
"What kind of complications?"
"The kind that involves monster attacks and desperate people making poor choices," Ray said carefully. "He's not a threat, but he needs sanctuary and work. I'm vouching for him, but I think my parents should hear his story."
Tommas studied Marcus for a long moment, taking in the torn clothes, the haunted expression, and the way the young man kept scanning their surroundings.
"Survivor?" the sergeant asked quietly.
"Yeah. Bad situation. He's got information about threats in the area that could be valuable."
That got Tommas's attention immediately. Border security was always a concern in their small barony, and any intelligence about potential dangers was worth hearing.
"Alright, young master. I'll escort him to the manor and request an audience with your parents. But he surrenders any weapons first."
Ray nodded. "Marcus," he called out. "Come here."
The young man approached warily, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. Sergeant Tommas looked him up and down with professional assessment.
"Your name, son?"
"Marcus Thorne," he replied, his voice steady despite his obvious nervousness.
"Well, Marcus Thorne, young Master Ray here says you need help and have information we need to hear. I'm going to ask you to surrender that sword of yours—temporary-like, until we get this sorted."
Marcus hesitated for only a moment before unbuckling his sword belt and handing it over. "It's not much of a weapon anyway," he said with bitter honesty.
"Smart man," Tommas grunted approvingly. "Follow me. Both of you."
The walk to the manor gave Ray time to think about how to present Marcus's situation. The truth—that he'd been part of a bandit gang—would likely result in immediate imprisonment or exile. But a complete lie wouldn't work either, especially if Marcus's knowledge about the shadow beast proved important.
They needed a story that was mostly true but painted Marcus in a more sympathetic light.
As they approached the manor gates, Ray caught Marcus's arm. "When we speak to my parents, let me do most of the talking initially. Follow my lead, and don't volunteer information unless they ask directly."
Marcus nodded, understanding immediately. "What are you going to tell them?"
"A version of the truth that focuses on you being a victim rather than a perpetrator."
The manor's main hall was warm and welcoming, a stark contrast to the tension Ray felt building in his chest. His parents were finishing their morning meal when Sergeant Tommas requested an audience, bringing with him the young stranger Ray had "found in the forest."
Baron Calden Arkwright set down his tea cup and studied Marcus with the same professional assessment that Tommas had used. Lady Elise's expression was more concerned than suspicious—she could see the haunted look in Marcus's eyes from across the room.
"Ray," his father said without preamble, "explain."
Ray took a breath and launched into the carefully constructed narrative he'd been preparing. "This is Marcus Thorne. I found him in the forest while training this morning. He's a survivor of a monster attack that happened three days ago, about ten miles north of here."
That got both parents' immediate attention. Monster attacks were always serious business.
"What kind of monster?" Calden asked, leaning forward.
Ray gestured for Marcus to speak. The young man stepped forward slightly, his voice gaining strength as he focused on the parts of his story that were completely true.
"A shadow beast, my lord. But not like the ones in the stories. This one was intelligent. It created an elaborate illusion to lure my... my traveling companions into a trap."
"Traveling companions?" Lady Elise asked gently.
Marcus's face crumpled slightly. "I was part of a merchant caravan's guard," he said, the lie coming smoothly because it was close enough to the truth. "Twelve men total. We were traveling to the next settlement when we saw what looked like another caravan in distress. When we approached to offer aid..."
He trailed off, genuine trauma making the fabrication convincing.
"The shadow beast killed them all," Ray continued. "Marcus only survived because he was with the horses when the attack began and managed to escape. He's been hiding in the forest since then, too traumatized and afraid to seek help."
Baron Calden's expression had grown increasingly grim during the explanation. "A shadow beast capable of complex illusions. That's... concerning. Sergeant Tommas, have there been any reports of missing caravans or unusual monster activity?"
"Nothing specific, my lord, but we haven't had regular trader contact with the northern settlements in over a week. Could be weather, could be..." He gestured meaningfully.
"Could be a predator disrupting travel routes," Calden finished. He turned back to Marcus. "You said this beast was different from typical shadow beasts. How so?"
Marcus seemed to find his footing as he described the creature's intelligence, its ability to create perfect illusions, and its calculated hunting methods. Ray watched his parents' expressions grow increasingly troubled as the full scope of the threat became clear.
"This creature is still out there," Lady Elise said, not quite making it a question.
"Yes, my lady," Marcus confirmed. "And I... I don't think it's finished hunting."
The room fell silent as everyone processed this information. Ray could practically see his father's mind working through the implications—trade disruption, potential attacks on their territory, the need to warn neighboring settlements.
"Marcus," Lady Elise said softly, "you've been through a terrible ordeal. You're welcome to stay here while you recover. We can certainly use another pair of hands around the manor, and your knowledge of this creature could prove valuable."
Relief flooded Marcus's face so completely that Ray felt a twinge of guilt about the deception. "Thank you, my lady. I... I don't know how to repay such kindness."
"Start by getting yourself cleaned up and fed properly," she replied with maternal authority.
"Ray, would you show Marcus to the servants' quarters? I'm sure Cook can find him some proper clothes and a hot meal."
"Of course, Mother."
As they prepared to leave, Baron Calden called out, "Marcus. This shadow beast—do you think it's territorial, or does it hunt across a wide range?"
Marcus considered the question seriously. "Based on what I observed, my lord, I believe it's actively hunting. The illusion it created suggested it understands human behavior and trade patterns. It's not just waiting for prey to wander into its territory—it's actively luring victims."
Calden nodded grimly. "Then we need to warn the other settlements and consider organizing a hunting party. A creature like that won't stop killing until it's destroyed."
Ray felt the system chime softly in his mind:
💠 [Quest Update: Shadow Threat Recognized]
💠 [Bonus Objective Available: Assist in planning creature's defeat]
💠 [Warning: Creature is more dangerous than initial assessment indicated]