And so they began to walk, counting aloud. "One, two, three, four..." The tension built with every step. Margo's voice rang out with the count, and Sarah's heart raced as they approached the fiftieth step.
At the forty-eighth step, Margo stopped briefly, looking around. "There's still no village, Elias."
Sarah's eyes gleamed with victory. "Two more steps," she whispered under her breath, excitement bubbling up inside her. She could already picture her sword back in her hands, and the newfound mastery of her mana swirling within her.
Elias remained composed, his face unreadable. "Just two more," he urged, taking the forty-ninth step.
"Fifty!" Margo called out as they all took the final step in unison.
In that instant, the world around them seemed to shift. The sky darkened briefly, the silver light of the forest dimming before brightening again in a flash. When they blinked, they found themselves standing at the entrance of a small, bustling village. The air was filled with the sounds of life—laughter, the chatter of merchants, and the clattering of hooves.
Sarah's jaw dropped. "What the—?"
Margo groaned loudly, palming her face again. "I knew it. Elias was up to something."
Elias smiled innocently, his eyes gleaming with triumph. "Welcome to the village," he said, gesturing towards the busy streets.
Sarah was speechless, unable to comprehend how they had arrived in a place that hadn't been on the map.
Sarah's mind raced as she stared at the bustling village before her, struggling to comprehend how they had arrived in a place that, by all accounts, shouldn't exist. Just moments ago, they were in the heart of Silverwood, surrounded by its shimmering silver trees, with no sign of civilization in sight. Now, they stood at the entrance of a village that wasn't even marked on the map.
Her heart pounded in her chest as suspicion gnawed at her. She took a step back, expecting to return to the familiar, eerie glow of Silverwood's trees. But instead, she was still in front of the village, as though some invisible barrier had sealed them in.
"How...?" she murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion. She took the map from Margo, who handed it over without a word, clearly sharing in her bewilderment. Sarah unfolded the map, scanning it again with growing frustration. It still showed them in the middle of Silverwood, nowhere near a village—certainly not one this lively and well-established.
"This doesn't make sense," Sarah said, her voice tinged with disbelief. She ran her fingers over the map, checking for any illusions or enchantments, but it seemed perfectly ordinary.
Margo sighed loudly. "Great. Just what I wanted to hear." She looked around warily
Sarah's unease only grew as they walked deeper into the village. Every now and then, a villager would glance at them, their gaze lingering just a second too long before returning to their work. There was something about their expressions—too polite, too...calm.
"Elias," Sarah said in a low voice as they passed a group of women chatting by a well, "what's really going on here? This village doesn't feel right."
Elias didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked toward what appeared to be the village inn, a modest two-story building with a sign that read 'The Hearth'. The innkeeper, a stout man with a graying beard, smiled warmly as they approached, wiping his hands on his apron.
"Welcome, travelers," the innkeeper said. "You look like you've been on the road for a while. We've got plenty of rooms available, and the baths are ready if you'd like to freshen up."
Elias smiled back at the man. "Thank you. We'll take three rooms and—yes, definitely the baths."
Sarah watched Elias interact with the innkeeper, trying to read his body language for any sign of deception. He seemed perfectly at ease, but then again, Elias was a master at hiding his true intentions.
Once they were inside, Elias turned to Sarah and Margo. "Get some rest. I'll explain everything after we've had a chance to settle in. You can teach me your swordsmanship after that, Sarah. A deal's a deal."
Sarah crossed her arms, still not entirely convinced.
Elias's smile softened, and for a moment, there was something almost genuine in his eyes. "I always keep my word, Sarah. You'll have your answers soon."
Without another word, Elias headed towards the baths, leaving Sarah and Margo in the common area of the inn.
Margo slumped into a nearby chair, rubbing her eyes. "I hate him sometimes, you know that?"
Sarah sighed and sat beside her. "Yeah, I know."
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping deeper into something far more dangerous than Elias was letting on.