"That's not possible. We're stepping on... a Crimson Lotus camp," Enatsu whispered, looking around. Every single bush that grew on that piece of land was in the same condition.
It was as if a sudden plague had fallen upon those strong and lush plants, dehydrating them and letting them die.
"I don't understand. What's wrong? Maybe the inhabitants of this place did not take care of the camp, or maybe there was a period of drought and ..." as he spoke, Yoichi heard the sound of the sea. "Okay, no. The dry weather is out of the question. There was a well even in that old abandoned tower."
"None of this makes sense. The earth is still moist, Yoichi. These flowers died overnight," Enatsu explained, resting his hand on the soil next to the bush.
"It seems that the only people left in the village are some refugees over there, in those three huts" – Shioko's voice rumbled behind the two adventurers, who turned in her direction.
The red-haired girl was on Taya's back and was heading at a slow pace towards them. Her expression seemed genuinely displeased for her disrespectful behaviour towards Yoichi.
"Come on then, there's no more time to waste," Yoichi added, without crossing his eyes with Shioko. He put a hand on Enatsu's shoulder, inviting him to get up and follow him.
Proceeding with circumspection, the three adventurers approached Blackborough's only three illuminated huts. The Crimson Lotus camp was located right in the centre of the village, in a strategic place that was supposed to protect all its inhabitants.
The central hut, larger than the other two, was a two-story wooden building. Although it had a thatched roof and was supported by fragile wooden walls, it looked like the residence of the village leader.
Above the wooden door, a hand-engraved inscription on the wall read the name of that godforsaken place. A dim yellowish light pulsated from the two square windows on the high sides of the building.
"Shh! Silence! Break open the weapons. Someone is approaching!"
"Shut up and get ready to defend yourself! Children, stay back!"
The voices of villagers hidden behind the thin walls of damp wood echoed out of the hut. Yoichi and Enatsu looked each other in the eye, happy to have found survivors.
"Don't worry, Blackborough villagers. We don't want to hurt you. The demonic snake that attacked your village has been defeated. You are safe", Yoichi announced aloud, taking the reins of the situation.
"What? Defeated?"
"Does he mean it? Who are these people?"
"Village leader, did they really defeat the wild demon?"
"Silence! Let me think!" the deep voice of an older man suddenly stated. After shutting everyone else up, the mysterious voice spoke again, "who are you and where do you come from? What are you doing in Blackborough?" he asked, addressing the three unexpected visitors.
"We are tamers from Goldhaven... we were not supposed to stop here, we were just passing through. But when we heard the screams… well, we came to the rescue. The giant Hebigure was defeated, but one of us got hurt... we entrust ourselves to your solidarity, village leader", Yoichi repeated, taking Shioko's place as captain of their team.
"How do I know it's not a trap? You could kill us all if I open the door and let you in!" the village leader answered. "There are women and children and... we have already lost too many friends today", he repeated in an increasingly sad and dull voice.
"If I had hostile intentions, I would have destroyed the thin walls of this hut with a single blow, don't you think?" Yoichi spoke. After the unexpected fight, the young tamer seemed tired of talking.
His sentence was followed by about ten seconds of silence, interspersed with the sound of the sea and the wind. Soon after, the door to the hut was opened from the inside.
A short old man with an imposing headdress and wide grey cloth dresses crossed the threshold, stopping in front of the travellers. A high, thin hat, similar to Ryutaro's, but much bigger and heavier, was adorned with feathers, small teeth, and trinkets of all kinds.
The village leader's face was so wrinkled that his eyes disappeared through the skin of his cheekbones and his jowls, embellished with facial paints. Thin, long white moustaches hung from the sides of his mouth down to the ground, touching the sand.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Yoichi affirmed, breaking his silence. Trying to show minimal respect for the generosity of the village leader and the severe trauma his people had suffered that night, he knelt down, lowering his head.
Enatsu did the same while Shioko sat on Taya's back, a few feet behind. The village chief looked intently at his guests through his always-closed eyes.
"Which one of you is hurt?" the old man asked, looking at Yoichi from head to toe and recognizing him as the captain. "My colleague was bitten by the Hebigure. We would be incredibly grateful if..."
Yoichi's response was interrupted by the noise of Shioko's feet on the sand. She got off her horse and approached the old village leader holding her injured arm with her other hand. From the fingertips, the blood drops marked her way.
Yoichi and Enatsu looked at each other for an instant, fearing that Shioko's aggressive character might annoy that old man. If he had said something unpleasant or inappropriate, they would have missed the only chance of a peaceful approach with the people of Blackborough.
Against all expectations, Shioko passed over Yoichi and knelt before the village leader. "Mh?" the old man crossed his arms and peered at her carefully.
The red-haired tamer's bloodied face was revealed to the unknown man, and her big eyes gawped at him. "I need help. I can't feel my arm anymore," Shioko admitted, humbly asking for help.
Unable to tell if that little old man had heard or seen anything, the three adventurers waited silently for an answer.
"This way. You will receive the care you need as a reward for saving my people," he stated, opening the door of the hut and letting the three tamers in with a hand gesture.
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