Elara flinched at the ntion of her father, fresh tears welling in her eyes. She hugged herself tightly, her gaze dropping to the worn wooden floor of the inn room. The early morning light, seeping through the gaps in the shutters, did little to dispel the gloom that seed to cling to her.
"My papa..." she began, her voice small and choked with unshed grief. "He... he wouldn’t do anything bad. He was a good man."
Lila moved to sit beside her on the edge of the bed, placing a comforting arm around the girl’s trembling shoulders. "We believe you, Elara. But the villagers... they seed to think he was involved with this sickness. Anything you can tell us might help us understand, and maybe even find him."
Elara took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "We... we’re traveling rchants. Or, we were. Papa mostly traded in rare herbs, carved wooden charms, and sotis interesting stones he’d find. We just left Luxia, hoping to find so things to sell."
"And you stopped in Oakhaven?" Riku prompted gently.
She nodded. "Just for a night, to check out a certain place. Papa heard whispers in the market about the Whisperwood, a few days’ travel from here. They said it was an old place, full of strange plants and forgotten things. So said it was haunted, but father wanted to explore. Might be a good opportunity, he said."
"So, your father decided to explore it?" Lila asked.
"Yes," Elara said. "He was always curious, always looking for sothing unique. He said if he could find a few rare herbs or so unusual relics, it would make our trip back to Luxia much more profitable. He asked if I wanted to co, just for a day trip. I... I always liked going into the woods with him.... I... sob." Her voice caught again.
"Here, have so water." Lila got up, offering her so consolation for what she was reminiscing.
"Thank you," Elara said, slowly taking a sip of water.
"What happened in the Whisperwood, Elara?" Riku asked, his tone soft but focused. He had to find out more about this mystery, and Elara was his key for now.
"It was... strange," she recalled, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece together the mories.
"Quieter than other forests. The air felt heavy, and the light was dim, even at midday. Papa found a small clearing, deeper in than we usually went. There were... stones there. Not like normal rocks. They were dark, almost black, and felt cold to the touch, even in the sun. So of them had faint, swirling patterns on them, like veins."
"Dark stones?" Riku exchanged a quick glance with Lila. "What kind of stones? Did your father touch them? Or take any?"
"He picked one up," Elara said. "Just a small one. He said it felt... odd. Like it was humming, very faintly. He put it in his satchel. We looked around a bit more, but didn’t find many herbs. Then... then this mist started to gather."
"A mist?" Riku leaned forward slightly. "What color was it?"
"Reddish," Elara whispered, a shiver running through her. "Like... like dust, or old rust, but it hung in the air. It ca up from the ground, around those dark stones. It didn’t sll like anything, but... it made my head feel fuzzy. Papa said we should leave, that the air felt wrong."
She paused, her eyes distant. "We started to walk back. But the mist got thicker. I felt... so tired. Dizzy. Papa was holding my hand, telling to keep going. And then... then I don’t rember much else. It’s all blurry. I think I fell. I rember Papa shouting my na..."
Her voice broke. "When I woke up... I was alone. Lying on the forest floor. The mist was gone. Papa... Papa was nowhere. I called for him, but he didn’t answer." She touched the crimson marks on her arm. "And these... these were on my skin. They weren’t there before. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. I just... I walked until I found the road, and then I saw Oakhaven. I thought they would help find Papa."
She looked up at Riku and Lila, her eyes pleading. "They said Papa brought the curse. But he wouldn’t! He was trying to get us away from that mist!"
Riku listened intently, his mind piecing together the fragnts. Dark stones. Reddish mist. Crimson marks. Sudden unconsciousness. It painted a disturbing picture.
"Elara," Riku said, his voice calm and reassuring, "you’ve been incredibly brave. And you’ve given us important clues." He looked at Lila. "Those dark stones, the mist... it sounds like the source of this ’Crimson Creep’ might be in that clearing in the Whisperwood."
Lila nodded, her expression serious. "And her father... he could still be there. Or he might know more."
"Exactly," Riku agreed. "Oakhaven is no longer safe for us, or for Elara. We need to leave before the village raises the alarm about her escape." He stood up. "Our best chance to understand this blight, and to help Elara, is to go to the Whisperwood ourselves."
"The Whisperwood?" Elara looked up, a flicker of fear in her eyes. Her hand instinctively went to the crimson marks on her arm. The mory of the oppressive mist and waking up alone was clearly still vivid.
"Yes," Riku said. "We’ll be careful. But we need to see that place you described." He looked at Lila. "Are you ready for another detour?"
Lila t his gaze, a resolute smile touching her lips. "Soone has to make sure you don’t get lost in creepy, mist-filled forests, right?" She stood up, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her dagger. "Let’s go find so answers. And hopefully, Elara’s father."
Riku knelt beside her. "I know it’s a frightening thought, Elara. But it’s the only place we have a solid lead on. And your father... if he’s there, or if he left any clue, that’s where we’ll find it."
Elara’s eyes visibly softened, the initial fear slowly fading when she thought about her father.
"Papa..."
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