contemporary romance
When the old woman teleported herself, Michael was taken aback in surprise. He had never anticipated a frail and seemingly weak old woman to execute teleportation so effortlessly. What caught him off guard even more were her parting words.
"What could she have meant by 'this place is not what it appears'?" Michael mumbled under his breath, his curiosity piqued.
"What a freaky bitch. That old lady must know what happened to Carmella," the blonde brother remarked.
"Who is she?" Michael inquired. Just a few moments earlier, he had little interest in the ongoing dispute. However, the old woman's cryptic words and the undeniable fact that he was not standing in a swamp had compelled him to take an active role in the situation.
"Someone not to be trusted, that's for sure," replied the bald-headed brother.
Then, the blonde-haired man scrutinized Michael closely. It became evident that they had never seen him in the vicinity before.
"You're new around here. Where are you from?" the blonde young man queried.
"I come from a distant land," Michael responded truthfully.
"Don't tell me you've come seeking her 'healing,' just like all those other outlanders," the bald-headed one snickered, providing Michael with an opening to engage further in the conversation without resorting to falsehood. Thus, Michael played along, feigning interest in seeking healing.
"You're absolutely right," agreed Michael.
"In that case, you've just sealed your fate. That old woman is touted as the miraculous healer, and everyone's hanging on to her every word," the bald-headed young man added with a hint of sarcasm. It was evident that both brothers were deeply skeptical of the old woman's supposed healing prowess and held a strong aversion towards her.
"Well, it's been an interesting encounter. Thanks for not siding with her back there, even though she'll likely complain about it when you visit her 'healing' abode. If you need a place to rest, our village is located directly to the north from here," the blonde young man offered, gesturing in the direction of the north.
"We need to find our cousin. I preferred this place when it was just an ugly damn swamp," the bald-headed man grumbled, turning away and taking a few steps.
Michael was taken aback upon hearing his words.
"Wait," Michael called out, hastening his steps to catch up with the two brothers. They turned around as he approached.
"Did you say this place was a swamp?" Michael inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, it used to be the Misty Swamps. Now look at it, turned into this vibrant valley by that damn old woman," the bald-headed young man replied with a trace of bitterness.
"She must have employed some seriously powerful magic to transform a swamp like that," Ayag whispered, her words barely audible.
"By any chance, do you know of any nearby temples?" Michael inquired. He refrained from mentioning the Temple of the God of Darkness, unsure of how the young men might react or whether they were even aware of such a temple's existence.
To Michael's astonishment, the brothers were indeed familiar with the temple.
"There was one. A temple dedicated to the God of Darkness. But that old woman razed it to the ground and built her dwelling in its place," the blond young man explained.
His brother chimed in with a snicker, "She branded the God of Darkness as 'evil,' claiming it kept this place a swamp and attracted monsters. Yet, in my opinion, people weren't vanishing when that so-called 'evil' temple stood there," he muttered the word 'evil' in a hushed tone, punctuated by a derisive chuckle.
"But ever since she took over and transformed this place, everything has gone horribly awry. Sadly, no one believes us. The entire village stands by her," the bald-headed one grumbled.
The blond-haired brother sighed softly in response.
"You can't really blame them. She did convert this place into a vibrant valley. Merchants flock to our village now, filling our coffers with gold," the blond-haired one reasoned.
"Is there any chance that the disappearances of the villagers and your cousin aren't linked to the old woman?" Michael inquired.
"I don't know. We just want our cousin back..." the blonde young man replied with a heavy sigh, his voice wavering as his eyes welled up.
The bald-headed man comforted his brother and then turned to address Michael.
"Whatever you're dealing with, we hope you find the help you need. We understand the feeling of helplessness all too well," the bald-headed man added, his voice tinged with empathy.
[The quest "Mystery of the Misty Swamp" has commenced... Find the mystery behind the disappearances in the Misty Swamp...]
[Upon completing the quest, the host will receive one million badass points.]
Unexpectedly, Michael heard the system's voice resonating in his head. To his surprise, the system had initiated another quest, a new functionality of the system.
"Let me give you a hand in your search. Three heads are better than two," Michael offered, extending his assistance to the brothers.
Michael had several reasons to offer his help to the brothers. First and foremost, he had decoded a morse code message instructing him to go to the God of Darkness temple in the Misty Swamps. He was determined to uncover the identity of the individual who had left that coded message. Second, his curiosity about the ongoing disappearances motivated him. Thirdly, the promise of one million badass points was undeniably appealing. Lastly, the brothers themselves appeared to be genuine and kind-hearted souls, and assisting them in achieving their goal aligned well with his intentions.
The two brothers seemed surprised by his offer but wore skeptical expressions.
"Why would you want to help us? Assisting us could jeopardize any chance you have of receiving healing from that old woman. We were driven out of our village for opposing her," the young blonde one voiced his concerns.
"We were exiled, and if you help us, you might face the same fate of being banned from our village," added the bald one.
"That's not an issue. I have a knack for finding people, and you'll need my help. Besides, I don't give a damn if your village exiled me. I'm an outsider," Michael replied nonchalantly.
After sharing a glance, the two brothers let out resigned sighs, realizing that their desperation to locate their cousin overrode their concerns, and they reluctantly accepted Michael's offer of help.
Vedora remained perched silently on Michael's shoulder, observing as he followed the brothers through the rugged path.
"I'm Veer, and this is my brother, Hal," introduced the blonde young man.
"Nice to meet you both. I'm John," Michael responded, using a fabricated name. Revealing his true identity as the God of Darkness to the brothers would undoubtedly leave them crap their pants.
"What about the three-headed snake on your shoulder? We've never seen its kind in this part of our land," Hal inquired as he guided Michael along the dirt path.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but are you by any chance a worshipper of the God of Darkness? I mean, you're dressed all in black and you asked us about a temple nearby," Veera, the blonde-haired young man, inquired of Michael.
"Yeah, he does give off that vibe, like one of the God of Darkness's followers. He even has a three-headed pet on his shoulder, just like the statue in that temple," Hal chimed in, catching Michael off guard.
"You've seen the temple?" Michael asked.
"Yeah, when we were kids. Carmella, some of our friends, and I used to sneak into the temple. There was a statue of the God of Darkness and his pet hydra inside," Veer recalled with a nostalgic smile.
"It's rare to come across worshippers of the God of Darkness. Are you one, John?" Hal inquired.
"Not really. I just like to wear black clothes," Michael responded casually, deciding there was no need to reveal his true identity as the God of Darkness himself.
As their conversation continued, Michael led the way to a small stream, crossing it over a quaint bridge. Once they were on the other side, a picturesque garden and a cozy cabin with a creaking windmill came into view.
"That's where the old woman lives," Michael pointed out, indicating the cabin.
As they approached the cabin, a sudden commotion caught their attention. A small figure with vibrant red hair and a rather prominent nose came bounding towards them. The halfling's expression was a mix of annoyance and concern as he addressed the two brothers with a shrill voice.
"You two! What are you doing here again?" the halfling yelled, his voice high-pitched and agitated. "Lady Griffy explicitly said she doesn't want to see you both, and she's extremely upset with your constant presence!"
Michael observed the scene with intrigue, both surprised and amused to encounter a halfling in this land. He watched as the halfling continued to admonish the brothers, his gestures animated and his demeanor remarkably authoritative for someone of his stature. Despite the halfling's tirade, Michael remained composed, his expression neutral as he silently assessed the situation.
The halfling's tirade continued unabated, his words flowing with a mixture of frustration and anger. The two brothers, however, seemed determined to get their point across, and their voices rose in protest.
"We need to speak with Griffy! It's important," the bald-headed brother demanded, his face etched with a mixture of concern and desperation.
His blonde-haired counterpart chimed in, "We're not leaving until we talk to her. Carmella's life might be in danger."
Just as the tension was escalating, chaos erupted in an unexpected fashion. Vedora suddenly lunged forward, her serpentine form striking with remarkable speed. Her three heads darted towards the halfling, and Ayag's sharp teeth found purchase on the halfling's neck. A shriek of pain echoed through the air as the halfling's screams reverberated, mixing with his frantic curses.
Michael, the two brothers, and even the old woman's cabin seemed frozen in shock. The scene unfolded so abruptly that they could hardly believe their eyes.
"What in the—?" the blonde brother began, his voice a mixture of astonishment and confusion.
The halfling's face turned an alarming shade of red as Ayag's bite took its toll. His arm flailed, swatting at Vedora in a desperate attempt to free himself from her grip. In the midst of the chaos, his hand rose menacingly, poised to strike Vedora across her scaled head.
But before the halfling's hand could make contact, Michael moved. A swift kick landed solidly on the halfling's side, and the impact sent the small figure flying. He crashed into a nearby tree, the force of the blow leaving him momentarily stunned.
"Enough," Michael's voice cut through the air, firm and commanding. His dark eyes bore into the halfling, his expression unwavering.
The halfling groaned, writhing on the ground in pain, his anger momentarily overtaken by shock at the unexpected turn of events.
"We're leaving," Michael stated firmly, his tone conveying a mix of authority and urgency. He quickly assessed the situation, realizing there was more to Vedora's actions than met the eye.
Turning his attention to the two brothers, Michael's voice was composed yet compelling. "Come with me," he instructed, his words carrying an air of leadership. The brothers, still taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, hesitated only for a moment before falling in line behind Michael.
As they hurried away from the scene, the halfling's fury erupted anew. Shouts and rocks were hurled their way, some of the rocks finding their mark and striking Michael in the back.
As they moved away from the scene, the halfling's shouts faded into the background like distant echoes.
As they distanced themselves from the cabin, Hal's emotions swung between astonishment and anger, his frustration finally boiling over.
"What the fuck was that John?" he bellowed, his voice dripping with rage.
Michael's composure remained unshaken, even in the face of Hal's outburst. The two brothers watched in surprise as the three-headed snake on Michael's shoulder nuzzled against his ear, a peculiar interaction that almost seemed like a form of communication.
Amid the intensity of the moment, Michael's voice cut through the air, his words carrying an unexpected revelation that left the brothers stunned.
"That halfling we encountered back there… he might not be a halfling at all," Michael's statement hung in the air, hanging heavy with implications that neither of the brothers could have foreseen.
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