Jake stirred as the faint sound of footsteps approached. Quickly, he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Moments later, a gentle tap landed on his shoulder.
"It's your turn to keep watch," Luna whispered.
Jake blinked as if just waking, nodding silently. Luna lay down beside the fire, and within minutes, the camp fell quiet again.
By morning, a heavy mist blanketed the ruins, the air damp and cold. The small group gathered near the smoldering fire, their breath visible in the chill.
Mia rubbed her arms and glanced at Luna and Jake. "You two are the best fighters," she said. "Can you go hunt something for us? We need food before we move on."
Luna nodded. "Alright."
Jake slung his bow over his shoulder. "Let's go."
As they walked into the fog-covered forest, Jake broke the silence. "Hey, Luna… last night—you weren't there when it was your turn to guard. Where did you go?"
Luna froze for a heartbeat, then quickly replied, "I heard a noise. I went to check it out, just to make sure we were safe. When I came back, I woke you."
Jake studied her face, uncertain. Something about her answer didn't feel right—but he chose to let it go. "Alright," he said quietly. "I trust you."
They continued in silence until Jake spotted movement in the trees. With one swift motion, he drew his bow and released an arrow, striking down a large forest bird. Together, they brought it back to camp, where Mia cleaned and cooked it over the fire.
After breakfast, they packed their things and set off once more, following the broken road toward the old village. The day was brighter than before, and strangely, there were fewer monsters lurking in the mist.
When they arrived, the ruins felt eerily quiet.
"Let's split up," Mia suggested. "We'll cover more ground that way. Look for anything—clues about the monsters, or what happened here."
Jake and Luna went one way, while Mia and Alex searched the opposite side of the village.
Luna walked through the broken streets in silence, her eyes scanning every corner. But then, something caught her attention—a small, crumbling house at the edge of the path. She stopped suddenly.
Jake turned to her. "Luna? What is it?"
She didn't answer. Her gaze was fixed on the house, her heart pounding.
"I… I've seen this place before," she whispered.
"Luna, we're supposed to stay together," Jake urged, but she was already moving, stepping through the half-broken doorway.
Inside, the air was thick with dust. The faint scent of old wood and forgotten memories filled the room. Luna ran her fingers across a cracked table, a wave of familiarity washing over her. Why does this place feel so… known to me?
"Luna?" Jake whispered, following close behind. "We shouldn't be here—"
Before he could finish, a sharp thwip cut through the air.
Luna gasped as an arrow buried itself deep into her shoulder. Her eyes widened in shock before her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.
"Luna!" Jake shouted, rushing to her side. He spun toward the doorway, sword raised. "Show yourself!"
He grabbed a small signal flare from his belt and fired it into the sky—a bright flash calling for help.
Moments later, Alex and Mia came running through the fog, weapons drawn. But before they could reach them, a tall, human-like monster emerged from the shadows. Its pale skin shimmered unnaturally, and its eyes glowed faintly red.
It reached down and seized Luna's limp body in one massive hand.
Jake charged forward. "Let her go!" he shouted, swinging his sword, but the creature blocked the strike easily.
Then it turned its gaze toward the newcomers.
"Well, look at that," it sneered. "More little children come to play."
Mia's heart pounded as she drew her bow.
They were outnumbered, unprepared—and their strongest fighter was wounded.