Night slowly retreated from the small village, yet darkness stubbornly clung to the edges of windows and doors, casting long shadows that twisted like living fingers across the simple mud walls. The cold wind sneaked through the cracks of the windows, carrying faint sounds of falling leaves, making every movement in the room feel eerie.
Valen woke suddenly, leaping from his bed as if struck by an invisible force, a shiver running down his spine. His heart seemed to jump inside his chest.
He sat gasping, clutching his blanket tightly, as if it were a weak shield against some unseen threat. His eyes wandered across the dark room, trying to pierce the corners, while the shadows seemed to watch him closely. His voice trembled as he whispered:
Valen: Who's there…?
A hoarse, weak, trembling voice came to him, familiar enough to bring a fleeting sense of relief.
The Old Woman: Don't be afraid, my boy… It's only my cat.
But Valen's heart was pounding violently, defying logic. No… it wasn't just her cat. Something slithered in the room, twisting like black smoke around the walls, wrapping the furniture in a suffocating embrace, whispering silently to him—a sinister presence.
Still, manners prevented him from questioning it. Respect for elders was a hidden chain inside him, stronger than fear itself. He swallowed his anxiety and forced himself to nod, despite the dread tightening around his heart.
---
Dawn — 5:00 AM
A rapid knock echoed on the wooden door, its sound bouncing through the simple house.
Raizen: Wake up, Valen. The best time to investigate is now—before the village wakes and the clues grow cold.
Valen: (rubbing his tired eyes) Okay… just a minute.
Raizen's gaze swept the room, checking the shadows that still lingered, as if guarding every corner, while a rising sense of unease filled the air.
Raizen: Do you know where Rento went? I haven't seen him since dawn.
Valen: No… do you think he was kidnapped?
Raizen raised an eyebrow, his expression heavy with unspoken concern, while the wind gently moved the curtains, adding to the tension.
Raizen: This village isn't as safe as it seems… We need to find him before something bad happens.
The two of them stepped outside. Light mist crawled between the mud houses, wrapping around walls and fences, making familiar streets look strange and eerie. Valen noticed movement near the back yard.
Rento was there, training with near-maniacal intensity—push-ups… squats… jumps—sweat dripping from his forehead, each movement precise, as if showing strength to himself more than anyone else.
Raizen: What on earth are you doing? You scared us half to death!
Rento: (smirking) Did you think I'd get kidnapped? Come on… I'm not that weak.
Valen chuckled lightly, shaking his head.
Valen: Alright, as long as we're fine… let's start the investigation.
Raizen raised a finger, signaling them to pause.
Raizen: Wait. I have an idea. Let's ask about the village's important locations first. The old woman knows everything.
Rento groaned loudly.
Rento: Suddenly smart, huh…
Valen: But she's asleep now… we should wait a bit.
Rento exploded in frustration:
Rento: Many children could be in danger… and you're thinking about not disturbing an old woman?!
Valen: Respect is mandatory.
Rento: She's just a person; she shouldn't be sacred.
Raizen intervened to calm the escalating tension.
Raizen: We'll go see… if she's awake, we'll ask; if not… we'll wait patiently. Agreed?
Valen: Agreed.
Rento: Fine… the important thing is to finish the mission quickly.
---
Inside the Living Room
They found the old woman seated in the middle of the room, her frail body bent, her face pale as ash, her eyes shaded with the darkness of sleepless nights, as if carrying the weight of the entire village.
Raizen: Why do you look like that, grandmother? You seem sick.
The Old Woman: I didn't sleep last night… the illness weighs heavily on my chest.
Valen: Then rest… don't trouble yourself with us.
But Rento intervened immediately, impatient by nature:
Rento: Before you rest… we want a map of the village's important locations.
The old woman exhaled deeply, recalling heavy memories from the past.
The Old Woman: I will give you a map… it shows eight important places… but there is one forbidden place… the great cave behind the forest.
Rento: Why?
The Old Woman: Because of the village's traditions… no one has entered that cave and returned alive.
A heavy silence fell in the room, even the air seemed to hold its breath.
She handed them the map along with three ancient rings, each engraved with delicate patterns that gleamed faintly in the dim light, carrying a hint of the distant past.
The Old Woman: Take them… a gift for responding to my call.
Valen held one of the rings, feeling warmth spreading into his heart, carrying a hidden strength and an unfamiliar sense of comfort.
Valen: Thank you… I'll take good care of it.
Raizen: Thank you, grandmother.
Rento: …Alright.
Inside Valen, a strange feeling flared—something like care, tenderness, a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time.
Could this be what it feels like for someone to truly care for you?
He vowed to himself:
I will defeat the villains… I will make this village safe.
He approached and whispered with determination:
Valen: We'll investigate the seven places first… if we find nothing… we'll enter the cave.
Rento and Raizen: Agreed.
---
The Hot Spring — First Location
The three of them stood before the spring as steam rose toward the sky, curling like ghosts of forgotten memories, surrounding the ground as if cleansing all fatigue from previous nights.
Valen: Why this place first?
Raizen: Because I want to bathe… and regain my energy.
Valen: But you haven't done anything yet…
Rento: Neither have I… I finished training… I want a hot bath.
Valen raised his eyebrow in surprise:
Valen: A miracle! You actually agree for once.
Rento and Raizen: For the greater good.
They entered the spring, warmth spreading through their tired bodies, dissolving all exhaustion. The steam swirled around them, reflections on the water resembling mysterious faces dancing on the surface.
Raizen: This is amazing…
Rento: The best feeling after training.
But Valen felt a pang of guilt:
Why am I bathing with them… while we're on an urgent mission?
Suddenly—
The water and steam vanished around him, as if the spring itself swallowed the world. He could no longer see or hear them, only a heavy silence pressing on his ears.
Instead, he heard two soft distant voices:
??: Do you feel relaxed?
??: Yes…
Then everything disappeared, leaving Valen in a dark void filled with unease.
Rento: Valen?
Raizen: Valen!!
Rento dismissed it quickly:
Rento: Don't worry… his mind is wandering.
Raizen looked at him with deep concern, eyes scanning the area as if it might swallow them at any moment:
Raizen: Valen… what happened?
Valen: Nothing… just… a strange feeling.
He suddenly stood up.
Valen: Enough relaxation. Let's focus on the investigation.
---
Seven Locations — No Clues
They moved from place to place… abandoned houses, an old well, the market square, back fields… each place carried the scent of the past, dust, and eerie silence, but no trace of any clue.
Until they reached the last area… closest to the cave.
Night fell again, covering the ground in a black veil, shadows deepening, forming frightening shapes between trees and rocks.
Raizen: It's getting late… nine o'clock… and this place is very close to the terrifying cave.
He muttered:
Raizen: I'm starting to crave hot curry…
Rento and Valen: And that's a reason not to turn back.
Valen noticed something at the edge of the sandy hill, his eyes scanning every inch of the dirt:
Valen: Look… there's a hole. It was recently covered with soil.
Raizen opened his mouth in shock:
Raizen: You want us to dig it?!
Valen: Yes.
Raizen: No.
But Rento couldn't contain himself:
Rento: Dig! We want to finish the mission quickly.
Raizen: I don't care about your plans.
Rento approached him slowly, his voice carrying a challenging tone:
Rento: If you dig… I'll ask the old woman to make a special curry.
Raizen shouted immediately:
Raizen: Deal!
They began digging… until their hands struck something hard.
A tense silence followed.
Then they lifted the soil… and saw…
A severed child's head.
Raizen recoiled, screaming in shock, his voice trembling:
Raizen: Zombie!! Zombie!! I told you it's a haunted cave!!
But Rento focused his gaze, eyes showing no fear:
Rento: No… this is one of the evil organization's victims.
Valen pointed toward the cave, eyes narrowing, face radiating determination and anger:
Valen: The hole leads directly to the cave entrance. This means only one thing…
Raizen: Ghosts!!!
Valen: Man… stop this nonsense!
Raizen: This is the harsh reality!
Rento decided:
Rento: Come on… let's approach the cave. I'll carry Raizen if he refuses.
Raizen: No way, I'm not moving a step!
Rento lifted Raizen onto his shoulder with force, ignoring his shouts:
Raizen: Let me go!! I'm not a sack of potatoes!!
But Rento continued walking, the sandy ground cracking under their feet, the darkness wrapping them tighter, as if the cave itself was watching.
As they neared the cave…
A cold breeze unlike any night wind blew.
A faint voice emerged from the darkness… a trembling child whisper:
Voice: No… don't… cut off my head