Rain had stopped, but the air in the northern village of Altheria still smelled of smoke and damp earth. Ren stood in the middle of the village square, his calm expression betraying none of the chaos he had just prevented.
Lyra Veylin, the red-haired girl who had saved him, turned to him with wide eyes.
— "You… did all that?" she asked quietly, still catching her breath.
Ren smirked faintly.
— "Who knows?" he said, almost teasing. The fewer people know, the better.
Before Lyra could respond, another voice called out.
— "Hey! You're not getting away that easily!"
A young woman with silver hair and emerald eyes strode into the square. She wore a tight-fitting adventurer outfit with belts and pouches dangling from her waist, revealing hints of her toned figure. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and mischief.
— "I'm Seris Alven. I saw your little 'performance' from the forest edge," she said, smirking.
Ren raised an eyebrow.
— "Performance?"
— "Yes. That 'Flame Hound'… it didn't take you long."
Ren chuckled softly.
— "You're perceptive. I like that."
Seris tilted her head, studying him.
— "Hm… interesting. Most people just run screaming. You… are different."
Lyra scowled.
— "Different? He's… dangerous!"
Ren's lips curled into a small, amused smile.
— "Exactly."
Word of the 'miracle' spread quickly. By late afternoon, the village council gathered in the small wooden hall. Elderly men and women eyed Ren suspiciously.
— "Stranger," said one of the elders, "you've saved the village… but who are you really?"
Ren remained silent, his eyes scanning the room, calculating. These people see only the surface. Perfect.
— "I'm just someone who wants to help," he said finally, voice calm, measured. "I prefer to stay in the shadows. Let others claim the glory."
The elders nodded slowly. They think him humble… perfect.
After the council meeting, Ren found a quiet alley behind the village. He focused, letting the shadows around him twist and bend at his will. A small black sphere of shadow energy hovered above his palm, spinning lazily.
— "Just a warm-up," he murmured. With a flick, the sphere expanded into a small protective barrier, unseen by anyone else in the village.
Lyra and Seris had followed him, unseen. They watched silently, puzzled.
— "He's… playing with shadows," Lyra whispered.
— "I've never seen anything like this," Seris added.
Ren looked back over his shoulder, a faint grin on his lips.
— "Keep watching. You might learn something."
Just then, a hooded figure appeared at the far end of the alley. Their presence radiated tension. Ren didn't move, simply letting the shadows stretch toward the stranger, sensing their aura.
— "So… the boy in the village is more than he seems," the figure said, voice low and smooth.
Ren tilted his head.
— "I was hoping someone would notice."
The figure's lips curled into a subtle smile.
— "Good. Then perhaps we can make a deal."
Ren's grin widened.
— This is already getting interesting.