"But where should we visit first?" I asked, looking at the endless plains stretching ahead of us.
"There should be a village nearby, right?" I added.
"Well… I guess there is," she replied, narrowing her eyes at me. "But how did you know?"
"That's a secret."
"What? …Fine. Let's go."
We reached the village within ten minutes.
The place looked peaceful — almost too peaceful. Small wooden houses stood in neat rows, their roofs covered with red clay tiles. Thin smoke curled up from chimneys. Narrow stone paths connected tiny shops lined on both sides. Vendors displayed fresh fruits, handmade tools, colorful fabrics, and shining trinkets hanging from wooden racks. Children ran around laughing, and the scent of roasted meat mixed with sweet flowers drifting in the wind.
It looked normal.
Too normal.
We stopped at a small accessory shop. Beads, necklaces, bracelets — most of them clearly for women — were displayed neatly.
"Welcome, my dear customers!" the shopkeeper greeted with a wide smile. "Take a look at these beautiful accessories."
"It's all female stuff," I muttered. "Do you see anything you like?"
She ignored me. Her eyes had already locked onto something.
"Oh… you already chose one," I said. "A metal bracelet?"
She picked it up quietly.
"How much does this bracelet cost?" I asked.
"Not much," the shopkeeper replied. "Only four silver coins."
"Four silver coins… I think we have silver and gold coins."
I handed him the coins. "Here. Four silver."
The moment the coins touched his palm—
BOOM.
The ground trembled.
"Aha—"
A scream cut through the air.
"Uhh… what was that?" I looked around. "Why is everyone running?"
"Hide. Now." Her voice turned sharp.
A rough shout echoed from the street.
"Hey! Catch him!"
"Okay, boss!"
"Ann! I didn't do anything! Please, spare my life!"
My fists clenched.
"Let's go. We have to save him," I whispered urgently.
"Shut up and stay still," she snapped.
"Just die already."
A wet, heavy sound followed.
"Ahh—!"
Silence.
"They… killed him," I said, my voice shaking. "Why did you stop me?"
"You think you could've saved him?" she asked coldly.
"You could have! Why didn't you?"
"Idiot. Do you think that man was our only enemy? They're in a group. If we attack one, the entire group will swarm us. We'd die in seconds."
I hated that she was right.
"We need to get out of this mess," she continued. "Give me your hand. I can teleport us a short distance away."
She grabbed my hand and began chanting.
Nothing happened.
Her expression changed.
"What happened?" I asked.
"My magic… it's not working."
"What do you mean not working?"
"I think there's an anti-magic barrier around the village."
"A barrier that blocks magic?"
"Yes. And we're trapped inside it."
My heartbeat quickened.
"Wait. I remember something,"there is another exit warehouses near the farms. If we reach there, we can escape."."
"should we move Then."
We walked through the narrow alleys, keeping low. The once cheerful village now felt like a cage. Doors were shut. Windows closed. Blood stained the stone paths. The air smelled metallic.
The deeper we moved, the more enemies appeared ahead.
Then—
"Ahh!"
I turned instantly.
An arrow had pierced her shoulder.
"Are you alright?!" I caught her before she collapsed.
A man stepped out from the shadows, laughing.
"I didn't think one poisonous arrow would be enough to kill her… but it seems it is. Hahaha!"
My vision blurred.
Poison?
Her grip on my clothes weakened.
Something inside me snapped.
"You… will die," I whispered.
The air froze.
In that instant, the entire village fell silent.
The rage I released wasn't normal. It wasn't human.
It devoured everything.
A pressure heavier than the sky crushed down. Buildings cracked. The ground shattered. The enemies couldn't even scream.
Within seconds—
Every single one of them was dead.
The peaceful village…
…had turned into a graveyard.
And I stood in the center of it.
Breathing.
Burning.
Alone.