The small settlement of Jamica was quiet. Too quiet.
It had once been a lively place, its people surviving through hunting, small gardens, and whatever they could trade with passing travelers.
But now… it was a settlement on the edge of collapse.
Only about one hundred and fifty people remained.
That number, on the surface, didn't sound bad. But survival wasn't just about numbers.
Jamica had no real hunters left—too many had been killed by beasts or monsters during the last few winters.
The soil around the settlement had grown thin and tired, refusing to yield enough crops.
And the nearest settlement that had the ability to share food with them was too far away. Journeys there and back were dangerous, long, and costly.
The council of Jamica had been meeting daily, trying to find solutions, but every day their meetings ended with the same result: silence.
This day was no different.
