Under an orange sun that had begun to melt behind the horizon, the seven comrades walked with cautious steps into the town of "Umbra," a place built entirely of grey stone and dark wood. There was no sound of children playing, nor the bustle of markets; only eyes watching from behind wooden shutters, and sharp glares from men coldly sharpening their swords as they monitored the strangers.
Picos (Whispering as he looks around anxiously): "Am I the only one who feels like we're walking through a ghost town? These people are looking at us like we're demons crawled out from the bowels of the earth."
Romulius: "Quiet, Picos, and don't draw attention. Our clothes, our jewels hidden beneath our shirts... we look completely different from them. To them, we are an unknown threat."
Nikos (His hand on the hilt of his sword): "Stay grouped. No one strays from the pack. Ortinus, do you sense any strange energy here?"
Ortinus (With a serious expression): "No strange energy, but I feel pure human malice. These people are afraid of something, and we have arrived at the wrong time."
They stopped before a dilapidated building, went inside, and sat in a dark corner. Picos ordered simple food, but the waiter slammed the plates down before them without a word, his eyes fixed on the jewel glowing faintly beneath Nirar's shirt.
After dinner, the comrades rented an upper floor in an old wooden building reserved for travelers. The air was stifling, and the silence outside boded no good.
Darius (Peering through a crack in the window): "Father... the streets were empty a moment ago, but now... there are torches moving. A lot of them."
Nirar (Feeling his orange jewel): "I feel a disturbance in the near timeline... something is going to happen in the coming minutes. Picos, get away from the window!"
Suddenly, the main door of the building downstairs was smashed open with a resounding thud. Angry shouts erupted in an ancient language they didn't quite understand, but the heavy thumping of footsteps on the wooden stairs told them everything they needed to know.
Ortinus: "They've come for us. Get ready, but try not to kill them... they are just humans."
The room door burst open, and dozens of armed men entered with primitive swords and spears. Their faces were covered in black paint, and their eyes overflowed with hatred.
The leader of the attackers (Screaming while pointing his sword): "You jewel bearers! You won't leave Umbra alive! Your blood will purify our land!"
Nikos (Stepping forward coldly): "We don't want to fight you. Retreat now and no one gets hurt."
They didn't listen. Three men lunged toward Nikos. With a swift movement, he didn't use his sword; instead, he touched his blue jewel. "Repelling Wave!" A burst of water exploded from beneath his feet, tossing the attackers out of the room like feathers in a gale.
Picos (Dodging a spear): "Oh, they've really started! Fine, take a little bit of this heat!"
Picos waved his hand, and fiery sparks formed a blazing wall that prevented the rest from entering. "I'm just warming the place up a bit, don't get close!"
The battle was entirely lopsided. The townspeople had courage, but the comrades had the energy jewels.
Romulius used his sharp green leaves to slice through the attackers' spears without wounding their bodies. Darius released small electric shocks that paralyzed anyone trying to get near Nirar.
Meron (Stamping the ground with his foot): "Dust Storm!"
The room and corridor filled with thick dust, leaving the attackers coughing and stumbling in the dark. In the midst of the chaos, Ortinus appeared with his golden swords flying around him like bees, precisely severing the enemies' weapons.
Ortinus (Grabbing the leader by his collar): "Why? Why are you attacking us? We've done nothing to you!"
The Leader (Trembling with fear and rage): "The stars... the winged man destroyed a town near us... he said the jewel bearers are the ones who will bring the end of the world! We are protecting ourselves from you!"
The fighting ceased suddenly once all the attackers were immobilized. The comrades looked at each other in shock.
Nirar: "The unknown man... he's one step ahead of us. He's tarnishing our reputation in this world before we even arrive."
Nikos (Sheathing his sword): "He's using fear to make the whole world our enemy. These poor souls thought we were the monsters who destroyed their neighbors."
Darius: "But we saved the bird! We're trying to help!"
Ortinus (Looking at the leader): "Leave... and take your men with you. We are not your enemies. The real enemy is the one who told you these lies."
The inhabitants slowly retreated, looking at the glowing jewels with a mix of terror and regret.
Picos (In a sad voice): "Even the food we ate... they might have poisoned it if they'd stayed longer. The journey has become harder than I imagined, Ortinus."
Ortinus: "Now, we must leave Umbra before dawn. The world is beginning to burn, and we must find that man before he turns the whole earth into a coal of hatred."
The comrades exited the town under the cover of darkness.