"It's already ti, huh?"
Akamir mumbled, walking down the street.
The clouds had already thinned, leaving behind a pale, overcast sky.
The village's lanterns flickered to life one by one, casting trembling light onto the cobbled paths.
Akamir slowly walked towards the church, his black cloak drawn over his shoulders, hair neatly tied behind him.
Zia walked beside him, her hands tucked into her sleeves for warmth.
The bells of the church tolled slowly in the distance, their echo lingering like a warning.
"I talked with so villagers. They've never done this before," Zia whispered, glancing at Akamir, who walked ahead.
"Even during the worst storms or disappearances. They never called the whole village like this."
Akamir didn't answer.
His eyes were fixed on the church, visible past the clustered rooftops.
The closer they drew, the more he noticed it.
The tense atmosphere of the place.
The villagers were gathering in silence, faces pale and solemn.
Murmurs, low and clipped, filled the place.
'They are afraid.'
Akamir thought, glancing around him.
So people moved out of his way, so glared furiously.
'Do they think it was us who did this?'
Akamir wondered, not being bothered by the looks he was getting.
They weren't on the level to touch anyway, nor would they.
'It would be an execution on the spot.'
Trying to attack a noble is quite a serious offense.
They reached the church courtyard. More villagers had gathered now—dozens of them, pressed together, whispering under their breaths.
Children clung to their mothers. Elders stood with canes gripped tightly.
And at the front, just beneath the church's towering doors, several robed figures lood.
Among them, a man stood wearing a crimson priest robe.
He stepped forward with grace, robes trailing behind him like flowing blood.
His eyes scanned the crowd, finally settling on Akamir.
Zia gripped Akamir's sleeve gently. "That's Priest Elore."
"Elore..." Akamir whispered, filing the na away.
He was older than Akamir expected.
Thin, almost skeletal, with white hair slicked back and skin pulled taut over his high cheekbones.
His eyes were dark. Not in color, but in feeling like pits that drank in the room's warmth.
'Sothing that a priest shouldn't have.'
When the murmurs faded, the priest raised his hands.
"Children of Faith," he began, his voice low and smooth, yet it echoed unnaturally, carrying to every ear. "Tonight, we gather to talk about things beyond the walls."
He paused, letting the silence stretch.
"I will be clear. The forest has awakened."
Several villagers gasped.
Akamir felt Zia's hand tremble.
"Old tales are no longer dormant. As such, the Church of the Goddess Morana will do a test of purity. Every soul, born of this village or not, will be tested."
Akamir's expression tensed up as he heard his words.
'...What does he an, tested?'
"To ensure none among us carries the mark of the faithless."
Faithless.
The word struck a chord in Akamir's mind.
Trial of the Faithless.
Fairies consu the faithless.
Sothing was coming together slowly, faintly—like a puzzle turning in his head.
Elore's voice deepened, almost reverent. "Those who fail... shall be cleansed."
He raised a crimson-gloved hand, and from behind, figures stepped forward.
Each of them held an orb, glass-like and pulsing with dim, shifting light.
"Approach, one by one," Elore said. "Your heart will be asured."
The line began forming slowly, the villagers hesitant, mostly uncertain.
But none dared disobey.
They moved forward, one after another, stepping up to the figures who held the orbs.
Zia leaned in close, her whisper barely audible. "They'll use the orb to judge if soone's lying... or hiding doubt."
"Let's go." Akamir said as he turned around to walk away.
He wasn't sure what would happen if he touched the orb, nor did he plan to wait and find out.
"Young Master Asher."
Priest Elore's voice made him halt in his steps.
"Noble or not, you have to take the test."
"By the rules of the kingdom," Akamir said, glancing over his shoulder. "Nobles shouldn't be forced to follow the church and vice versa."
"It's just a test, young lord," Elore pressed, his voice booming in place. "If you don't have anything to hide, then why fear?"
"Persuading won't change my decision," Akamir replied, walking away. "I hope you have a great night ahead."
Elore turned silent, blankly looking at Akamir's departing figure.
A smile slowly blood on his face. "May Goddess Morana smile upon you."
Zia rushed after him, her footsteps quick over the cobbles. "Young master, wait—"
"Tell everyone to be alert tonight," Akamir said, glancing back at her. "I don't want any assassin this ti."
"You could have just—"
"Am I clear?" Akamir interrupted her once again.
"Yes, young master," Zia replied, nodding her head gently.
Just as they moved towards the main street, a carriage ca into view.
It was a simple one with no insignia or marking of the noble.
Akamir's steps halted as he looked at the two ladies stepping down from the carriage.
Even though they had changed their appearance...
With how they carried themselves, along with the familiar sword in one of their hands....
Akamir could vaguely guess who they were.
'...Is she really a princess?'
Akamir wondered as his eyes t with the woman.
They stared into each other's eyes when—
"SRECHHHH!!!"
A loud screaming voice echoed from the forest.
Akamir's hand instinctively reached for the dagger beneath his cloak.
The scream wasn't just loud—it was unnatural and twisted.
Like tal grinding against bone, laced with sothing alive.
The villagers froze.
Every head turned toward the tree line beyond the village walls.
Then—
Another scream, a lot closer this ti.
Zia's breath hitched as she stepped beside Akamir, eyes wide. "That... that wasn't human."
"No," Akamir murmured. "It wasn't."
The two won by the carriage had stopped as well.
The one with the sword scanned the horizon, eyes narrowing.
The other whispered sothing under her breath, fingers twitching with magic.
A horde of villagers suddenly bolted from the church, running for their hos in a panic.
So nearly crashed into Akamir—too exhausted to push him, too terrified to ask him to move.
But they veered around him all the sa.
He didn't budge.
In just a few breaths, the entire town beca empty as everyone locked themselves in their houses.
Akamir turned to look at those two ladies.
"You need help?" he asked, looking at them.
"We already have accommodation," the girl without the sword replied. "Thanks for asking though."
Akamir nodded. "Be safe."
He walked back to his mansion-like house, and just as they entered, Zia imdiately shut the door behind her.
"This place is really bad," she whispered softly, looking at Akamir. "Can't we just go back—?"
"No."
Akamir replied, placing his robe on the hanger.
"Please make sothing to eat."
"...Yes."
Zia grumbled, making her way to the kitchen while Akamir moved to his room upstairs.
'What even is a Faithless?'
Akamir wondered, walking inside his room.
He walked over to the desk near the window, pulled the curtains slightly apart, and gazed at the forest.
Another terrifying scream echoed within the town.
Akamir stared at the forest without a word.
'What keeps those things out?'
Is that the strange statue placed on the walls?
Or is there sothing else hidden in the town?
'Hmm?'
Akamir narrowed his eyes as he saw sothing at the top of one of the trees.
He wasn't sure what it was, but the thing was crawling on the tree.
Limbs too long, spindly, black as pitch. It clung to the tree like a spider, moving with disturbing ease.
Suddenly, its head moved—it exactly looked like a human....Just like him.
Its eyes were hollow and empty.
A wide grin ford on the face as it stared back at Akamir.
The creature acted like it could see him.
Its mouth opened up as it let out a scream that echoed within the town.
'Is that thing mocking ?'
Akamir wondered, tilting his head as he stared at the creature.
'If it did mock ...'
He made up his mind to get to the end of this beings.
'Then death awaits him.'
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