The forest gradually gave way to open fields as they walked, the dense trees thinning until they stood at the edge of a small rural village. Smoke curled from chimneys, and the scent of woodsmoke and baking bread filled the air.
"Looks like civilization," Ethan said, adjusting the strap of his old camera. The battery indicator read 92%—fully charged thanks to the morning sun and his trusty solar charger.
Seraphine nodded, her threshold-mark barely visible in the daylight. "A chance to restock supplies before the final leg to Malaca."
Nyx padded ahead, his tail held high like a furry antenna. The cat didn't speak—none of them expected him to—but his presence was a quiet comfort. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.
Ethan powered on the stream—battery at 90%. "Alright, chat. We've reached a rural village. Time to restock supplies and maybe get a decent meal."
[Chat]
VillageLife: this looks peaceful
CamSurvivor: will they be safe here??
GoblinFan99: the elders might know something useful
NyxSavior: the cat is leading them
Nyx led them to a small market square where villagers went about their daily routines—selling produce, mending nets, and chatting in a language Ethan didn't recognize. The villagers watched them with curious but not unfriendly eyes.
"Let's split up," Seraphine suggested. "I'll check the general store for supplies. You find somewhere to sit and rest your feet."
Ethan nodded. "I'll wait here." He gestured to a bench near a small fountain. "Nyx can keep watch."
Nyx sat regally beside the bench, his molten silver eyes scanning the square with the intensity of a seasoned scout.
---
The village was a welcome change from the wilderness. Ethan watched as villagers went about their daily routines—children playing tag between market stalls, elders sharing stories in the shade, and artisans crafting pottery and woven goods.
Seraphine returned with a basket full of supplies: dried meats, fresh bread, and medical supplies for her threshold-mark. "The villagers are friendly," she reported. "They've offered us a place to stay tonight."
Ethan checked the old camera—battery at 87%, powering on the stream. "Let's show chat what village life looks like."
[Chat]
VillagePeace: this is so calming
CamSurvivor: they actually look relaxed
GoblinFan99: check the elders' hut
As they walked through the village, Ethan noticed an elderly woman watching them from the porch of a small hut. She had sharp eyes that seemed to see right through him, and when she caught his gaze, she beckoned him over.
"Go," Seraphine urged. "She might have something for us."
Ethan approached the woman cautiously, Nyx at his side. The elder studied him for a long moment before speaking in accented but understandable Anglish (English).
"You carry the threshold-mark," she said, her voice surprisingly strong. "And the memory card."
Ethan blinked in surprise. "How did you—"
"The cat told me," she said, nodding at Nyx, who sat calmly beside Ethan. "He speaks the old language."
Ethan glanced at Nyx, who merely blinked back, as if to say, "Obviously."
The elder stood and disappeared inside her hut, returning with a small, wrapped bundle. "This is for you," she said, handing it to Ethan. "It has been waiting."
Ethan unwrapped the bundle to reveal a camera—an old, solid-looking device that seemed to be carved from a single piece of wood. It had no visible charging port, no buttons beyond the Power and shutter release, and a lens that seemed to shift colors in the sunlight.
[Chat]
ArtifactCamera: what is that??
CamSurvivor: it looks ancient
TechWitch: that's not a normal camera
NyxSavior: the cat approves
"It's self-charging," the elder explained. "Fireproof, shockproof, waterproof. It will never run out of power."
Ethan frowned. "How does it work?"
The elder smiled mysteriously. "It just does. Insert your memory card, and it will work."
Seraphine leaned closer to examine the camera. "This is incredible. Goblin-crafted, but older than anything I've seen."
Ethan remembered something. He pulled out the crossbow—the one they'd scavenged from the cave. "Here," he said to the elder. "This might be more useful to you than it is to us."
The elder accepted the crossbow with a nod. "Thank you. We have need of protection."
[Chat]
CrossbowGift: he gave it away??
CamSurvivor: that was thoughtful
GoblinFan99: the elder knows more than she lets on
---
That afternoon, Ethan sat by the village fountain, the new artifact camera in his hands. He carefully removed the 16MB memory card from his old camera and inserted it into the new one.
The artifact camera hummed to life, the lens glowing faintly with an inner light. Ethan raised it to his eye and snapped a picture of Nyx, who was watching a group of village children play.
The camera made no sound, but Ethan could feel the image being captured—a subtle vibration in his hands.
"Whoa," he breathed. "This is... different."
Seraphine sat beside him. "It's not just a camera. It's a vessel. It channels energy from the environment to power itself."
Ethan powered on the stream—battery at 95% (and not decreasing). "Alright, chat. Big news. We've got a new camera."
[Chat]
NewCamera: what is that??
CamSurvivor: the battery is stable??
TechWitch: that's not possible
GoblinFan99: it's the artifact camera
He narate the camera to the Live Streaming. "This village elder gave it to us. It's self-charging—no battery drain, no need for the solar panel."
[Chat]
BatteryFreedom: NO MORE BATTERY ANXIETY??
CamSurvivor: this is a game-changer
NyxSavior: the cat knew about it
Seraphine leaned into the frame. "It's goblin-crafted, but older than anything I've seen. It's designed to work with the 16MB memory card specifically."
Ethan grinned. "Which means... we can stream whenever we want."
[Chat]
StreamingFreedom: YES!!
CamSurvivor: no more 30-minute limits
GoblinFan99: the veil will be stable now
Ethan powered down the stream as the battery remained at 95%, said to himself "No need to power down occationaly", he tucking the camera away. "It's not draining."
---
That evening, they sat with the village elder, sharing a meal of roasted vegetables and fresh bread. The elder spoke of the valley, of the guardian anaconda, and of the threshold between worlds, as Ethan turn live on.
"You walk a delicate path," the elder said, her eyes on Seraphine's threshold-mark. "The city you left behind... it was not meant to be."
Seraphine nodded. "The Algorithm's Shadow has consumed it."
The elder shook her head. "No. The city consumed itself. The Algorithm's Shadow was merely a symptom."
Ethan frowned. "What do you mean?"
"The city forgot how to maintain the veil," the elder explained. "It became too focused on the digital, too disconnected from the natural world. The threshold collapsed because the city stopped believing in the space between."
Seraphine's threshold-mark pulsed gently. "And Malaca?"
The elder smiled. "Malaca remembers. The coastal city has always honored the veil. That is why it remains strong."
[Chat]
VeilWisdom: this is deep
CamSurvivor: the city brought this on itself??
GoblinFan99: Malaca is the key
---
The next morning, they prepared to leave the village. The elder gave them a small package of supplies and pointed them toward the main road.
"A bus will come in the afternoon," she said. "It will take you to Malaca."
Ethan thanked her again for the camera, but the elder merely smiled. "It was waiting for you. It knew you would come."
As they waited for the bus, they sat by the roadside, the artifact camera resting in Ethan's lap. Nyx curled up between them, his purring the only sound in the peaceful morning.
Seraphine examined her threshold-mark, which was now barely visible. "It's almost healed."
Ethan nodded. "The valley crossing was rough, but we made it."
Seraphine looked at him, her molten silver eyes reflecting the morning sun. "We make a good team."
Ethan felt his cheeks warm. "Yeah. We do."
Nyx, ever the observant one, looked between them.
---
The bus arrived mid-afternoon—a weathered vehicle that looked like it had seen better days but ran surprisingly well. Ethan and Seraphine climbed aboard, Nyx following with an air of feline dignity.
The bus was mostly empty, with only a few villagers heading to Malaca for supplies. Ethan powered on the stream—battery still at 95%.
"Alright, chat," he began. "We're on the bus to Malaca. Should be a few hours' ride."
[Chat]
BusRide: be safe
CamSurvivor: will they stream the whole ride??
GoblinFan99: enjoy the journey
Seraphine sat beside him, her shoulder brushing against his. "No more running," she said quietly.
Ethan nodded. "No more running."
As the bus pulled away from the village, Ethan looked back at the bus stop and the village disappearing in the distance. They had found rest there, healing, and an unexpected gift.
He adjusted the strap of the artifact camera across his shoulder. The card hummed faintly in its compartment.