The people standing before them had gone completely pale. Their faces were drained of all color, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. As time passed, they gradually stopped reacting to anything at all.
If this had been trauma, they should have shown some response panic, screams, erratic movements. But no… this wasn't ordinary fear.
This was something else entirely.
It was as if their minds had been sealed shut.
Hypnosis?
Mind control?
Ryan's chest tightened.
The possibility he feared most had begun to take shape.
The village chief carefully observed Ryan's expression. Is the Magic Tower mocking us? he wondered, though he dared not voice the thought aloud. A child no matter how gifted should not be handling matters like this.
Just then, Ryan slowly lifted his head.
His eyes were calm, far too calm for someone his age. When he spoke, his voice was steady, though a faint trace of unease lingered beneath it.
"This monster… it might be capable of controlling human minds."
The room fell into stunned silence.
The village chief's breath caught. Was that even possible? A monster with such abilities would have to be high ranking perhaps even something bordering on a calamity class creature. Yet this was a mountainous region, an area known only for low to mid level monsters.
A deep sense of unease settled in his gut.
Something was wrong. Severely wrong.
Meanwhile, Ryan was locked in an intense inner conflict.
If it truly can manipulate minds…
what can a nine year old possibly do against it?
He clenched his fists unconsciously. More than anything, he hoped he was wrong. He hoped desperately that the creature lacked such an ability.
Needing air, he stepped outside into the courtyard.
The sun shone brightly. Not a single cloud marred the blue sky. The village was peaceful too peaceful.
As his gaze wandered, he noticed the village children playing together. They laughed, chased one another, completely unaware of the tension lurking just beyond the village borders.
Ryan stared at them for a long moment.
I'm a child too.
Yet the realization struck him like a blunt blow he had never truly lived like one. He didn't act his age. He didn't think his age. He carried burdens that no child should.
For the first time, he felt like an anomaly.
A freak.
He exhaled deeply, forcing the thought aside before it could drag him down further, then turned and went back inside.
The atmosphere had changed.
An unnatural silence filled the room. The village chief was still deep in thought, his brow furrowed. His aide looked visibly distressed. And the two men who had encountered the monster… they continued staring blankly ahead, their eyes lifeless.
The situation was complicated.
Ryan knew the chief didn't fully trust him and he couldn't blame him. Who would place their faith in a nine year old when the fate of an entire village was at stake?
I wouldn't trust myself either.
A wave of despair washed over him.
Suddenly smack.
Ryan slapped his own face hard with his left hand.
Everyone except the two entranced men flinched in shock. Then, unexpectedly, Ryan let out a childlike laugh high
pitched and oddly out of place.
The adults stared at him, utterly confused.
The two men remained unmoving.
Ryan turned toward the village chief.
"Where was this monster last seen?"
The chief swallowed.
Moments ago, the boy had seemed fragile burdened by doubt. Now, he stood there with a startling sense of resolve. The shift unsettled him… yet, strangely enough, it also impressed him.
Clearing his throat, the chief answered seriously.
"It wasn't seen inside the village. It appeared in the northern forest
near the edge closest to us."
For a brief moment, Ryan was taken aback.
He's answering me properly…
The feeling lasted less than a second before he suppressed it.
Then I should go there.
Sitting around waiting would accomplish nothing. If he wanted answers, he needed to see the scene himself.
Without wasting any time, he decided to move.
The village chief rested his hand on his chin, thought for a short moment, then spoke.
"Follow me."
He knew the location well. Although he hadn't been present when the incident occurred, he had heard everything from the two villagers. When they first returned, they were shaken but conscious. Only this morning had they ended up in this hollow state.
Soon, they were on the move.
They headed toward the northern forest. Ryan was accompanied by the village chief, the chief's personal guard, and the chief's middle son.
The northern woods were sparse, making it easy to move without getting caught on branches or undergrowth.
As they advanced, the village chief grew increasingly cautious. A monster capable of such actions could strike at any moment.
When they finally reached the location, Ryan carefully examined his surroundings.
This was the section of the forest closest to the village.
Large rocks lay scattered about, bearing marks that resembled claw scratches. Human footprints were also visible
likely belonging to the two villagers.
But the claw marks…
That was the strange part.
They looked fresh.
Too fresh.
As if they hadn't been made three days ago.
Yet the reports mentioned no physical attack.
Ryan frowned.
At that moment
A scream pierced the air behind him.
His heart dropped.
He spun around instantly.
The village chief lay on the ground, blood spreading beneath him.
Standing behind him was a creature unlike anything Ryan had ever seen.
Its skin was a dull, reddish hue. Its arms and legs were unnaturally long, its body thin to the point of being grotesque. Its eyes were completely black no whites, no pupils.
It had no hair.
Not a single strand.
Its mouth hung open constantly, revealing rows of sharp teeth. A long tongue slid in and out, moving like that of a serpent.
Ryan shuddered.
How could something like this exist?
His mind struggled to comprehend the sight before him. The shock was overwhelming so much so that, for a fleeting moment, he forgot how to think at all.
And in that moment of paralysis
The monster smiled.