Chapter 4: The Hidden Village
500 Words
The air was thick with tension.
Chris stood in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by stunned adventurers and the ashes of the monster he’d just erased from existence.
He looked down at the black blade in his hand — the Voidedge Sword — still humming faintly with power. Its aura flickered… and then, suddenly, it shattered into motes of dark light, vanishing into thin air.
“Wha—!?” he gasped, staring at his empty hand. “Where did it go!?”
The crimson-haired woman stepped closer, cautious but curious.
“You—hey, stop right there!”
Panic hit him. His heart raced. He didn’t even know how to unsummon that sword, let alone bring it back. And now these people were looking at him like he was some kind of monster.
“I-I didn’t mean to—!” he stammered, stepping back.
“Wait!” she shouted.
But Chris turned and ran.
He didn’t look back. He sprinted through the trees, the sound of rustling leaves and pounding footsteps echoing behind him. Branches tore at his clothes, and his lungs burned, but he kept running.
After what felt like forever, he stumbled out of the forest and collapsed near a dirt path. The sun was setting, bathing everything in a warm orange glow. Ahead of him, he saw smoke rising—soft, white, and peaceful.
A village.
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The village was small, surrounded by wooden fences and glowing lanterns. People moved about quietly—farmers, merchants, children laughing in the distance. Compared to everything he’d seen, it felt normal.
Chris pulled up his hood and walked carefully through the gate. No one seemed to notice him. His clothes were a little torn, and dirt covered his face, but he blended in enough.
He wandered through the marketplace, eyes wide. Stalls sold fruit, weapons, potions—things straight out of an RPG. He reached into his pockets—empty. No money.
“Great,” he muttered. “I can’t even buy food…”
Then, suddenly, his hand glowed faintly. The Voidedge symbol pulsed once on his palm before fading again.
“Why now? How do I even use this thing?” he whispered. He tried focusing on it, thinking Sword, Voidedge, Activate—nothing.
A voice startled him.
“You look lost, traveler.”
Chris turned. An old man in a gray cloak stood behind a wooden cart, smiling kindly. “You came from the forest, didn’t you? Few survive that place.”
Chris hesitated, unsure how much to say. “Yeah… I just got lucky, I guess.”
The old man chuckled. “Luck or destiny, hm? Either way, you must be hungry. Come—eat. We’ll talk after.”
Chris followed him quietly, unaware that the faint black aura on his hand hadn’t gone unnoticed. From a nearby rooftop, a hooded figure watched him closely, eyes glowing violet.
> “So… the Voidwalker has finally appeared.”
The figure vanished instantly after saying something...
- Writer
