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Eleo yawned loudly, arms stretched wide like a sleepy bunny starfish. "Okaaay... I'm tired!"
Kenji let out a short, quiet breath, his expression neutral as always. "Same here," he muttered, rubbing his eye once before quickly folding his arms again.
Olorun pointed dramatically ahead. "Then onward, my sleepy crew-to the legendary Rest Lodge! Home of warm beds and even warmer blankets!"
They walked into the cozy, dim-lit lodge. Moss covered the corners, and magical lanterns floated midair, softly flickering. Right near the entrance, Tony's glowing eye caught a dusty framed picture on the wall.
He stepped closer. "Huh..."
The image showed four heroes-each striking a bold pose: a wild-looking cat girl with blades in both hands, a huge brute with a battle axe, a sharp-eyed archer mid-draw, and a robed mage with energy swirling around his staff.
The words carved beneath: "Protectors of Silvan."
Timmy floated up near Tony, tiny hands on his cheeks. "Whoa... what happened to them?"
Olorun scratched his head. "They probably got hit with the curse. Poof. Game over."
Tony crossed his arms, frowning. "Let's hope we don't end up in a creepy 'before' photo too."
Eleo skipped up to the front counter. "Hello?" He rang a small bell. No answer. "Huh. Weird..."
Kenji stepped beside him. "What is it?"
"There's no one here," Eleo said, leaning over the desk like he was expecting someone to pop out.
Timmy blinked. "That's... really strange. Shouldn't there be someone managing this place?"
Olorun flopped dramatically onto the front desk. "Who gives a damn! That means we can pick a room fast! I call dibs!"
He dashed down the hallway with everyone trailing behind, flung open Door #1, and stepped inside.
Only one bed.
Silence.
Then-Kenji and Olorun locked eyes like two warriors sensing war. Their auras practically clashed.
"Rock."
"Paper."
"Scissors-SHOT!"
Olorun's scissors cut Kenji's paper.
"YEEEEEEEAAAHHHHHH!!" Olorun leaped up like he won the lottery. "The bed is MINE! You see that, Kenji?! DESTINY!"
Kenji sighed with quiet dignity. "Damn it."
Just then, Tony strutted forward, cracking his skeletal knuckles with dramatic flair. "Hold it, muscle boy. You forgot the final boss."
Olorun's grin widened. "Bring it, bones."
"Rock, paper, scissors-SHOT!"
Scissors again. Olorun wins.
"YES!! That's TWO kills, baby!" Olorun pointed at the ceiling. "Is anyone seeing this streak?! Someone paint a mural of me!"
Tony slumped to the floor. "I should've punched you instead..."
Olorun spun around. "Alright, Eleo! Let's go, bunny boy!"
Eleo stepped up, face serious like a champion gladiator entering the arena. "Okay!"
They locked fingers.
"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS-SHOT!"
Eleo wins with paper.
"I WIIIIIIIIIINNN!!!" Eleo did a triple spin, backflopped onto the bed, and wrapped himself in the blanket like a burrito. "I am the bed king!!"
"NOOOOOOOOO!!" Olorun dropped to his knees, slamming the floor. "My undefeated streak-BETRAYED!!"
Eleo stuck his tongue out. "Sorry, Olorun! Better luck next time!"
Suddenly-Timmy's tiny head popped up right next to Eleo's face.
"Yeah, Olorun. Better luck next time."
Eleo blinked. "Wait... Timmy? You didn't even play."
Timmy puffed his chest. "Yeah, but I'm super, super tiny. I don't take any space!"
Eleo nodded sagely. "Oh yeah. Good point. Me and Timmy are winners!!"
Kenji sat cross-legged in the corner, arms crossed again, watching all this with a completely blank face... until a tiny smile cracked at the corner of his lips.
Tony rolled onto the floor like a sack of bones. "If this bed doesn't collapse from karma, I'll be impressed."
Olorun laid flat, arms spread dramatically. "I was so close... So. Close..."
Eleo gave him a thumbs up from the bed. "You're number one in our hearts though."
"No I'm not!" Olorun shouted from the floor.
"Yeah, you're right," Eleo giggled, wrapping the blanket tighter.
---
Meanwhile:
In the dimly lit mayor's hall, storm winds howled against the windows. Lightning briefly lit the room, casting long shadows of the four former heroes standing before the desk.
Budey leaned back in his oversized chair, feet propped up on a table cluttered with scrolls, half-eaten candy, and a single potted plant that looked suspiciously more alive than it should've been. A twisted grin stretched across his face as he bit into a sticky caramel apple, the crunch echoing in the quiet chamber.
The cat girl, Gatta, flicked her tail impatiently. "Want us to take them out, sir? I can make it look like an accident. Slipped on some roots and-bam-snapped neck."
Bruto grunted and ripped off a chunk of meat from a giant turkey leg. "No need for tricks. I say we bust in and crush 'em. That bunny? He'd pop like a grape."
Freccia sat near the corner, methodically sharpening one of his arrows with a bone file. "That swordsman... the way he looked at the picture. That wasn't curiosity. That was recognition. He's seen real war. Could be a problem."
Mago stepped forward, his long cloak dragging behind him, face half-hidden under his hood. "If you'd like, I can erase them without a sound. Just say the word."
Budey waved his caramel apple dismissively. "No, no, no! That's the old way of thinking."
He stood up slowly, licking caramel off his thumb with exaggerated flair.
"At first, I was worried they might ruin everything... but now? Heh. Now I see opportunity."
He walked toward the window, hands behind his back as he stared out into the cursed forest that shimmered with eerie light.
"I won't waste pawns when I can use them to play a bigger game."
He spun around dramatically, pointing the apple at them like it was a weapon.
"Yes... the plant monster can have them. Let it feast. That idiot rabbit, the shady skeleton, the tiny gremlin, even the swordsman and the godling-feed them all to it."
Gatta laughed darkly. "So we're not killing them... we're feeding them to your overgrown salad?"
Bruto let out a roar of laughter. "I like it! Nothing like watching prey get swallowed whole."
Mago smirked faintly, already turning to leave. "I'll prepare the seals. No one escapes that thing once it's hungry."
Freccia gave a single nod. "And if they survive, they won't be the same."
Budey leaned against the window frame, watching the cursed trees sway unnaturally.
"And once they're gone... the rest of the people in Silvan will be easy. One by one, they'll fall-roots in their veins, minds hollowed out, slaves to my master."
He took another loud bite of the apple, grinning through the crunch.
"Let's see if the little bunny's courage still shines... when he's being digested."
---
The Next Day
Morning sunlight crept through the lodge's wooden blinds. Birds chirped faintly outside. Inside, the room was a pile of tangled bodies.
Eleo lay sprawled out, Timmy curled on his chest. Tony was face-down on the floor, one sock missing for unknown reasons. And in the center of the bed-
Olorun was lying flat on his back, arms folded like a dignified samurai... with Kenji curled on top of him like a giggling sloth.
A moment of peace.
Then-
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Kenji's eyes shot open. "What the hell-?!"
Olorun woke next, groggy. "-HUH?! Who's touching my abs?!"
Both screamed.
"AAAHHHHH!"
Kenji flailed, elbowing Olorun.
"WHY ARE YOU ON ME?!"
Kenji snapped, "Because you moved me on top of you!"
Olorun shot back, "Bullshit!"
Tony stirred. "Huh? Are we under attack? Did someone set fire to the floor again?"
Eleo sat up, hair a total mess. "What's goin' on? Is it breakfast time?" He looked at Timmy. "Hey, why are you hiding?"
Timmy peeked out, trembling. "Protect me, Eleo! I sense dangerous vibes!"
Eleo nodded. "I got you, buddy. Danger's got nothin' on us!"
Olorun stood up, fixing his bedhead. "The real danger is this samurai elbowin' me in the freakin' brainstem."
Kenji pointed. "Sleep somewhere else next time."
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!!
Louder this time.
Tony stood, yawning. "You guys keep arguing. I got this."
He walked to the door, cracked his knuckles, smiled. "Alright, alright, keep your petals on. Hello? Who's-"
SMASH! A vine-covered fist exploded through the door, decking Tony square in the face and launching him like a cannonball.
"--UUUURGGHHHH-!"
Tony crashed into Kenji and Olorun. They toppled over.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Kenji roared.
Olorun wheezed. "That... was not room service..."
Eleo's eyes went huge. "Whoa... that punch was awesome!"
Timmy vibrated with fear. "WE'RE GONNA DIEEEEE!"
The door groaned open. A snarling plant monster stood there-vines writhing, flowers blooming on its shoulders, sap dripping from its jaw.
It roared, charging.
But before it could strike-
"INK BARRAGE!"
Eleo shot out of bed, arms coated in ink. His fists blurred, pummeling the monster. Explosions of black streaks burst everywhere.
The final blow cracked the monster's jaw-sending it through the lodge wall.
Timmy peeked out. "Nice job, Eleo!"
Eleo wiped his brow. "Thank you, thank you! I do take tips, by the way."
Olorun groaned. "How the hell did that thing even get in here?! Weren't the Tree Knights guarding this place?"
Kenji grabbed his swords. "I get the feeling... something happened to them."
Tony stood, cracking his neck. "No time to lose."
"Wait for me, Tony!" Eleo chased after him. Timmy followed.
Timmy leapt to Kenji's shoulder. "Come on, guys!"
Kenji and Olorun nodded, then sprinted after the others.
They barreled through the lodge-dodging broken beams, racing toward the front.
But when they reached the entrance-they skidded to a halt.
Eleo and Tony were already outside. Calm. Waiting.
Olorun blinked. "Ah. You guys waited for us. That's actually... kinda sweet."
But no one smiled.
The group stepped outside-and froze.
The village was a battlefield.
Thousands of plant monsters swarmed the land. Vines twisted. Eyes glowed red. Flowers oozed black.
Some walked on four legs. Others towered like trees. The air reeked of rot and sap.
Eleo's jaw dropped. "Uhh... wow. That's a lot."
Tony let out a dry huckle. "Yep. Looks like we're a little outnumbered."
Timmy's voice shook. "H-How did this happen?!"
Kenji's grip tightened. "I-I don't know..."
Olorun's eyes narrowed. "...The curse, maybe."
The dark wind howled.
And in the distance... something massive moved.