The morning sun slanted lazily over the rolling hills beyond Mirefield Outpost as Leo, Ari, Vellum, and Elaria prepped for their survey. According to Rayleigh's last instructions, a nearby area had shown signs of unstable magical activity—nothing explosive, just… twitchy.
Boots crunching on dewy grass, they made their way to the site marked on the guild's map. Leo kept glancing at the old runestone they'd passed earlier—it buzzed faintly, like a bell only he could hear. But the moment passed.
Hours crawled by with only mild readings. Faint magical shifts, inconsistent pulses, but nothing threatening. Just air that felt too still. Soil too soft. A tree trunk that was a little too warm for shade.
"Either the world's just weird here," Vellum muttered, yawning, "or we're overreacting to bad weather."
"Or something is hiding," Ari replied, brushing her fingers across a patch of moss that shimmered oddly in the sun. "I don't like the silence."
Leo didn't say much. But something about the place itched at the edge of his senses.
After wrapping up their initial scan, Elaria pointed toward the trail below.
"There's a village down that path," she offered. "Maybe they've seen or felt anything odd lately?"
Vellum was already halfway down. "Odd or not, they might have food."
Ari smacked the back of his head.
—
The village looked like a painting.
Warm yellow houses, kids running with kites made of dried leaves, and a market buzzing with colors and voices. It was like they'd stepped into a postcard of peace.
But the smiles.
Everyone smiled.
A little too wide.
A little too perfect.
Vendors called out to them cheerfully, offering fruits, woven bracelets, baked buns, and sparkly charms.
"Visitors! How lovely! You must try the honey cakes!"
"Take this charm, young man! For protection and prosperity!"
"Fresh juice for your journey! No coin needed!"
Vellum was a sponge. In ten minutes, he had a bag full of everything: bracelets up both arms, three cakes stuffed in his coat, and a suspicious juice pouch tucked into his belt.
Ari's eye twitched so hard it probably caused a small magical ripple.
She snatched the bag from his shoulder. "Return. All. Of. It."
"But—"
"Do you want to explode into a llama?"
"No…"
"Then. Return. It."
Vellum sighed and dragged his feet back to the overly nice villagers, sheepishly handing things back while muttering apologies.
Leo, meanwhile, had wandered toward the center fountain. A little girl stood there, staring into the water. Not moving. Just smiling.
He glanced around. Every single person had the same expression. The same vacant cheer.
Something was wrong here.
Something was smiling back.
—