Two weeks had passed since that day at the church.
For the residents of Lamping Village, days went by as usual. Farmers tended to their fields, mothers cooked in their kitchens, and children played in the meadows. But for Razaq, those two weeks felt like two years.
He was still alive. He still ate. He still helped his father in the fields. But something within him had died. The light in his eyes had dimmed. His smile, which was once rare but sincere, never appeared anymore.
Relia and Lucy said nothing. They simply continued to support him in their own way—his mother with warm meals every morning, his father with a firm pat on the shoulder.
But Razaq remained silent.
"Ra!"
The shout from outside was all too familiar.
Usaid appeared at the threshold with his signature wide grin. His violet grimoire hovered by his side—a new habit he couldn't seem to shake.
"You've been moping long enough," Usaid said, stepping inside without an invitation. "I haven't seen you smile in two weeks."
Razaq didn't answer. He just sat on his cot, staring blankly at the wall.
Usaid sighed. He sat on the floor, leaning against the wall right beside Razaq.
"Ra, I have an idea."
"Hm?"
"Let's go hunting."
Razaq turned his head. "Hunting?"
"Yeah. Into the deep forest." Usaid pulled out his grimoire, flipping through a few pages. "I want to test out my new abilities. You know yourself, my shadow magic hasn't been properly tested yet. And you..." Usaid paused, choosing his words carefully. "You need to get out. You need to forget for a while."
Razaq remained silent. But in his chest, something stirred.
"You don't have to think about the grimoire," Usaid added. "Just come with me. I'll handle the monsters. You can just keep a safe distance."
Razaq looked at his best friend, seeing the sincerity in his eyes.
"When?"
Usaid's grin widened. "Now."
The deep forest wasn't a place they visited often.
Back when they were children, they only dared to stay within the safety zone, where birds still chirped and sunlight could pierce through the canopy. But now, they stepped further. Deeper.
The trees here were different. Larger, older, with roots sprawling across the ground like giant frozen serpents. A thin mist shrouded every corner, reducing visibility to just a few meters. The sound of birds was gone, replaced by an eerie, oppressive silence.
"This is pretty creepy," Usaid muttered. But he kept walking.
Razaq followed from behind. His hands were empty. No grimoire. No magic. Only his own body.
They walked for quite some time. An hour, maybe two. Occasionally, Usaid would stop to examine animal tracks on the ground before moving on.
"You know," Usaid started a conversation. "Sometimes I wonder why I was the one who got shadow magic."
Razaq didn't respond.
"Technically, you're the one with the largest mana pool. You're the one who deserves a cool grimoire. But it ended up being me." Usaid gave a small laugh. "Life is strange, isn't it?"
Razaq stayed silent.
"But I believe, Ra. I really do." Usaid stopped and turned around. "One day, you're going to get something far cooler than my book. I'm sure of it."
Razaq wanted to say something. He wanted to tell Usaid he was a fool for still believing. But the words wouldn't come out.
Because suddenly, Usaid raised his hand. Alert.
"Something's there."
In the distance, behind the mist, a large shadow moved.
It wasn't like the monster they had encountered as children. This one was big. Far bigger.
Usaid pulled out his grimoire. The pages flipped rapidly. His eyes were focused.
"Ra, get back. Far back."
Razaq obeyed. He hid behind a massive tree, peeking through the gaps.
The shadow emerged from the mist.
A giant bear. Its fur was pitch black, its eyes glowed a menacing red, and its claws were as large as a man's arm. It growled—a sound that made the leaves tremble.
Usaid didn't flinch. "Shadow Magic: Shadow Wolf!"
From beneath his feet, two black wolves surged forward. They attacked the bear from both sides. The bear roared, swinging its claws. One wolf was crushed instantly, but the other managed to sink its teeth into the bear's hind leg.
Usaid moved quickly. "Shadow Magic: Shadow Spear!"
A black spear materialized in the air and shot forward, impaling the bear's shoulder.
The bear went into a frenzy. It charged at Usaid with unexpected speed.
Usaid was too late to dodge. A massive claw struck his chest guard. He was sent flying, crashing onto the ground.
"US!" Razaq screamed.
The bear turned, ready to finish off the fallen Usaid.
Razaq didn't think. His body moved on its own. He ran, grabbed a large rock, and hurled it at the bear's head.
The rock bounced off, ineffective. But it was enough to divert the creature's attention.
The bear turned. Its crimson eyes were now fixed on Razaq.
"RUN, RA!" Usaid yelled.
But Razaq didn't run. He stood his ground, staring the monster down.
"Come on," he whispered. "Over here."
The bear lunged.
Meanwhile, in Lamping Village, a black mist began to swallow the houses.
Relia watched it from the window. The thick mist moved slowly, and from within, strange sounds began to emerge. Groans. Cries.
"Lucy," she whispered. "Something is coming."
Lucy grabbed the axe he usually used to chop wood. "Where is Razaq?"
"Still in the forest. With Usaid."
Lucy's expression darkened. "They need to get home fast."
But outside, screams began to erupt. Villagers were shouting. Some were running, some were falling.
And from within the mist, figures began to emerge. They walked with a stiff gait, their eyes a milky white, their skin a pale, sickly green.
Undead.
In the deep forest, Razaq and Usaid had no idea what was happening.
The bear had gone—for some reason, it had suddenly bolted away. But Razaq didn't care. A dark premonition filled his chest.
"Ra, let's go home," Usaid said. "Now."
They ran, leaving their hunt behind. Leaving everything behind.
And as they reached the peak of the last hill, they saw it.
Lamping Village was on fire.