The goblin village was successfully cleared, and the source of the ghosts was eradicated. Ultimately, the mission was deemed a complete and unequivocal success. The remaining sounds comprised the moans of the freed villagers and the crackling of extinguishing goblin campfires.
The atmosphere on the return journey to Oakhaven should have been one of wearied triumph. The rescued villagers, despite their frailty and fear, proceeded with renewed hope. The trio moved in quiet satisfaction, acknowledging a task well executed.
However, the sky unexpectedly betrayed them.
It did not merely cloud over; it darkened suddenly. The vivid afternoon sun was swiftly obscured, not by rain clouds, but by a profound, unnatural twilight that felt dense and oppressive.
The atmosphere became still and silent, with the birdsong ceasing abruptly. An approaching storm was imminent, yet it was a storm bereft of wind and thunder—a storm akin to that of a predator.
