The morning sun spilled over the peaceful village, and laughter echoed through the cobbled streets. A group of children had gathered in the square, chasing after something with delighted squeals and calls.
"A dog?" Reynar muttered as he walked past the scene, curiosity drawing his gaze toward the crowd.
The creature in question was a small, white-furred dog, tail wagging furiously as it danced among the children. It had mismatched eyes—one blue, one gold—and an almost unsettling intelligence in its gaze. But no one seemed to notice that. Even Liora, passing by with a basket of herbs, paused to watch the commotion. Her rare smile caught Reynar off guard.
He stepped beside her. "Didn't know you liked dogs."
"I don't," she replied without looking at him. "But… it's been a while since the village felt this alive."
Reynar shrugged, watching as the children took turns petting the dog. For a fleeting moment, everything felt peaceful.
That night, it shattered.
Liora's condition worsened fast. Just after sunset, she clutched at her head and staggered as though hit by a wave of invisible pressure. Her breathing became shallow, and Reynar, alarmed, helped her into bed, her skin burning with fever.
"Liora?! Hey—stay with me!"
"I… feel cold… and hot… at the same time…" she muttered, eyes fluttering. "Something's wrong…"
Reynar didn't wait—he raced through the village and pounded on the wooden door of Tarell, the village's elderly mage. The old man arrived quickly, clutching a walking stick and a leather-bound tome. After an incantation and a brief ritual, his expression hardened.
"It's a curse," he said, voice low. "Subtle and malignant. It embeds itself through physical contact. Someone—or something—laid it on her earlier today."
Reynar's blood ran cold. "She only left the house once. In the morning… with the kids…"
He trailed off.
Tarell blinked. "What?"
"There was a dog," Reynar said, slowly. "A white one. She touched it."
The mage frowned. "A cursed beast could have easily disguised itself to lower defenses. It wouldn't be unheard of."
As the realization sank in, a shriek tore through the night.
Reynar bolted outside—dozens of villagers were gathered in the square, panicked voices overlapping in confusion and fear.
"They're gone!"
"My boy—he's missing!"
"Where's my daughter?!"
Tarell joined them, staff in hand. "Calm down! One at a time!"
It was chaos.
Five children. All of them—gone.
Reynar scanned the faces. Every missing child had played with that dog.
No tracks. No signs of struggle. They had simply… vanished.
It was too much to be a coincidence.
Back inside, Liora stirred weakly, her breathing steadier. Tarell had suppressed the curse, though its presence still lingered faintly in her blood. She turned her head toward Reynar, her voice hoarse.
"The kids… are they…?"
"They're missing," Reynar said tightly.
A ping echoed in his mind.
System Quest IssuedTitle: Lost in the DarkObjective: Rescue the missing children of Eirath.Reward: +1 Level, New Ability Unlock, Companion Affinity BonusWarning: Mission failure will result in permanent system debuff.
He exhaled sharply. "So it's true. The system knows too."
He sat quietly for a moment, staring at the firelight flickering against the wall. This wasn't just some village mystery. This was something darker. Strategic. Malicious.
Liora managed to sit up, eyes narrowed. "The dog."
Reynar turned toward her. "Yeah."
"That wasn't a pet. That was a setup."
Outside, the village was still in chaos. Mothers wept. Fathers shouted at each other. The mayor begged for calm, but hope was already fading from their eyes.
Liora pushed herself upright. "We need to find them. Now."
Reynar nodded. "We will. But first, I want to find that dog."
They exchanged a glance.
And in that silent moment, Reynar realized just how personal this had become.