A People in Fear

When Shen and Zara finally got to the southern border, the last of the daylight shone across the horizon in yellow and red stripes. As they came out of the quiet depths of the thick forest, they saw the huge shape of Maveron's border station. It was a strong building with tall stone walls and watchtowers that stood like grim sentinels against the fading light. It cast a ghostly white light over the fortress, making everything look like it was made of silver.

The sentries patrolling the battlements saw them right away. A man broke away from the wall, and his armored boots clattered loudly on the stone steps. He stopped in front of them while wearing armor with the insignia of a high-ranking officer.

"Commander Zara," he said in a formal, sharp voice. We were told you would be coming. It's a pleasure to have you here.

Zara nodded slowly and calmly, and her eyes were already scanning the area. "Report of the statement." Anything strange?

The soldier lowered his head, and his face became very worried. "Commander, the border itself has been quiet. But we got a complaint of distress from a nearby community. The mayor of the area is asking us for help. He sounded upset, but there aren't many details. It's not clear if they are being attacked or if something else is going on.

Zara frowned slightly and furrowed her brows. She didn't hesitate at all to give her directions. "Don't leave this position unprotected; keep the defensive line. "Get a few of your best men together," she said, pointing to the officer. You are with us. Commander Shen and I will go to the village.

The soldier quickly turned on his heel and followed the order. Shen looked Zara in the eye, and in that brief but important moment, they talked about everything. Shen's determination grew stronger when he thought about helping others in need. They all moved together, ready for anything that might happen.

The small group walked through the dark woods under a sky that was an endless, starless sea of darkness. The moon had not yet risen above the trees. As they got closer to the village, Shen could feel the heavy, stifling air getting heavier with each step. It felt like a weight that was sticking to the air they were breathing. As the first thatched roofs and timber frames of the village came into view against the blackness, a cool silence fell over the scene. There was just a strange, unsettling silence. No voices could be heard in the night air, and the bulbs in the windows didn't flicker.

As he leaned very close to Zara, Shen spoke in a low voice that was lost in the quiet. "This is wrong. A village shouldn't be this quiet.

Zara's piercing gaze moved across the empty streets as she rested her palm on the hilt of her blade. "This place is steeped in fear," she whispered, her voice tense.

They found them when they went into the village square. A small group of people huddled together in the deepest shadows, their faces pale masks of fear in the dim moonlight. The armed soldiers didn't help them feel any better; their fear was so strong that it felt like a snake writhing in the air. An old man walked up, his back straight from the weight of being in charge. His eyes showed that he was very tired, but he stood up straight. He was the mayor of the small town.

"Commanders," the mayor said in a rough, shaky voice. "We didn't have any other choice. You had to get a call. The Night Hunters are in charge.

When Zara heard the name, her eyes turned to ice and her face hardened right away. "Night Hunters?" How long have they been taking advantage of you?

The mayor winced and looked nervously into the dark, suffocating space around them. He said in a sad voice, "They've been coming from the woods for a while now." They quietly hunt and pull people out of their homes. Three more were taken last night. They never come back. We don't know the number, but he choked up and his voice broke. "My people are always scared."

Zara's lips made a strong, thin line. "When was the last attack? You said that three were taken?

"Just last night," the mayor said, looking down at the floor. "At least three... no one has come back." We don't know what to do. He finally lost his cool because he felt so helpless, and his last words were a raspy whisper.

When Shen saw the old man's face twisted with pain, she felt a wave of icy determination. Zara gave a clear, firm order without any hesitation. "Tell us where they went."

Shen looked at the warriors he and Zara had brought, then followed them. He pointed to two of them and said, "You two stay here." Make sure these villagers are safe. The rest of you are with us.

Under the mayor's direction, Shen and Zara led the way to the edge of the village, where the forest looked like a wall of black that couldn't be broken through. It was a small path that was covered in darkness that looked like it was hungry and old. Shen finally broke the tense silence by asking the question that had been bothering him while he was walking next to Zara.

"What are Night Hunters, exactly?"

Zara stopped and gave him a stern, disbelieving look. Shen's lack of awareness of the basic threats in their environment was always annoying, even after all the times they talked and spent time together. She sounded angry. "Do you know anything, Shen?"

Shen didn't say anything, which was a confession in and of itself. Zara's voice got softer and more serious as she started over, letting out a deep, frustrated sigh.

"Night Hunters... Think of something much worse than the worst stories you've ever heard. They are not cannibals; they are predators, and we are their prey. They are very strong, smart, and bloodthirsty. One of them is five times stronger than a trained soldier. "When we run into more than two out there, our chances of getting out alive drop to almost zero," she said, looking at the scary woods.