Three days passed since Asher began playing with the children in Spring Village. But nothing out of the ordinary happened in those days. Every time he played with the children, they would always invite him to play again the next day, and he would always agree. He made sure not to skip any day, so that he could continue his investigation.
However, on the fourth day, something unexpected occurred. Asher was playing hide-and-seek with the children outside the village when a mysterious tune came from somewhere nearby. It sounded like someone playing the flute, but the melody was very different from anything he'd ever heard before. The melody was beautiful yet creepy, and it seemed to be calling out to him.
The moment he heard the tune, Asher became mesmerized and couldn't help but follow the source of the sound. It was as if he were being pulled towards the melody, like a moth being drawn to a flame. The other children also heard the melody and were attracted to it as well, and they began walking towards the source of the sound.
The wind blew gently through the trees, rustling their leaves. The smell of the forest filled his nostrils, the scent of grass and flowers mixing with the earthy aroma of damp soil. The warm sunlight shone through the gaps in the canopy, bathing everything in a golden glow.
It was a beautiful scene, and the music played by the flute made it even more beautiful. Asher could hear the birds chirping and the buzzing of insects as he walked through the forest, following the source of the sound. He couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and tranquility while listening to the melody.
But there was something strange about the music. The more he listened, the more he felt a sense of uneasiness growing inside of him. It was like he was walking through a dark forest at night. Everything seemed normal at first glance, but if you looked closely, you could see that there was something lurking in the shadows.
He continued to walk forward, unsure of where he was going. But then he heard the flute once more. Its melody reverberated throughout the cave, echoing off the walls and filling the air with its ethereal beauty. The music seemed to reach deep into his soul, resonating with his emotions and bringing forth a sense of melancholy and nostalgia.
It was as if the flute was speaking to him, telling him to come closer, to seek it out.
It felt like an eternity had passed since he entered the cave when he saw a dim light ahead of him. He quickened his steps, eager to reach it. He felt his heartbeat quicken, his body trembling slightly in anticipation. The music grew louder and louder as he approached the light, which grew brighter and brighter as he drew near.
After a while, he found himself standing before the source of the light. It was a small cave chamber, lit by torches placed along its walls. In the middle of the chamber, a beautiful woman sat upon a stone bed. She was dressed in black cheongsam, which contrasted against her pale skin and red hair, while her crimson eyes were filled with a sinister glow.
She held a black jade flute to her lips, her fingers dancing across its surface as she played a haunting melody. Her movements were graceful and elegant, as if she were performing a dance rather than playing an instrument. Her crimson eyes locked onto him as he entered the room, never once straying from his face as she continued to play.
Soon, more children started to appear from the dark corners of the cave, drawn towards the flute's eerie melody. They were all dressed in simple clothes, and none of them seemed to be older than ten years old. Their expressions were blank and empty, like puppets. They stood motionless and silent, as if waiting for further instruction.
Asher noticed that every single one of the children was the one with whom he was playing in the Spring Village. They looked at him with empty eyes, devoid of any emotion or feeling. He felt a chill run down his spine as he looked into their soulless eyes, unable to tear his gaze away. Their gazes seemed to pierce through his soul, piercing into his heart and freezing him in place.