"So you went to the Wastes. What did you see?" Alwyn asked.
"I… I saw the Starfiend…" Mira whispered, her voice trembling as the memory resurfaced.
It had been her first time setting foot in the Wastes. The terrifying stories of monstrous Starfiends had haunted her since childhood, their grotesque shapes described by the adults meant to frighten children into obedience. But those tales had been more than just stories to Mira. Combined with the voices she sometimes heard, they had strengthened her resolve never to enter the Wastes. She knew the danger. She remembered what had happened to her mother.
Yet on that day, Mira chose to break her vow. She needed to uncover the truth.
She gathered what little courage she had and stepped into the cursed lands beyond the Fae's protection. The journey through the Wastes was grueling. She didn't dare summon her light, fearing it might draw the attention of something lurking in the dark. Instead, she moved slowly, guided only by instinct and shadow. The only thing shielding her was the lingering curse left behind by the Starfiend that had attacked her mother. That same mark now let her avoid other Starfiends in the Wastes, steering clear of them by listening to their whispers.
Fortunately, the area was quiet. The few Starfiends nearby were small and seemed to be asleep and dormant.
Mira found shelter in the ruins of what looked like a collapsed house. In the darkness, it was hard to make out the details. She settled into the broken remains and waited. With no sunlight and no natural beauty, time lost all meaning. Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes stretched into hours. She whispered to herself to stay focused. When that no longer worked, she nibbled on the dry cakes she had brought.
She didn't know how long the wait would be. Rumor had it that a group of travelers would pass near the village soon. But even if they did, there was no guarantee the Starfiend would appear. Still, she stayed and waited.
Just as the silence began to press down on her, Mira felt something shift.
She sat upright, startled, eyes narrowing on a glow in the distance. A group of travelers walked cautiously along the path, lanterns casting pale circles of light. Several wagons followed behind, loaded with goods. Mira stayed still, trying to hide deeper in the rubble. She knew the strange marks on her skin would only make others distrust her.
At the front of the group was a seasoned guide. Mira had seen him before in the village, though even then he had been a rare sight. As they drew closer, she wondered if she should move to another spot. But any movement risked making a sound that could give her away.
Before she could decide, the wind shifted.
There was a sudden rush, and a massive figure descended above them.
The Starfiend had arrived.
The towering avian beast loomed over the travelers, its glowing eyes locking onto them. The group froze. Some stared in horror. Others began to scream.
"I-it's a Starfiend!"
"Run!"
The guide stood frozen, torn between drawing his weapon and fleeing. The creature before him was the largest Starfiend he had ever seen in all his years traversing the Wastes. Its presence alone exuded a crushing pressure that locked his muscles in place. A primal part of him screamed to run, but his training told him he had a duty to protect the others.
Just as he reached for his spear, the Starfiend spoke.
"Be not afraid… for I do not wish to kill you all."
"What?" the guide muttered, eyes widening. It could speak fluently? That meant only one thing. An Elder. Damn it. The situation had just gone from bad to catastrophic. At this point, even surviving long enough to report back to Starvanguard Headquarters would be a miracle. He wasn't a member of the Starvanguard himself, but he understood the threat an Elder posed. This thing had to be dealt with, and fast.
Around him, the rest of the team and the merchants had fallen into stunned silence. All eyes were locked fearfully on the Starfiend.
"Rejoice, for you have been chosen," it declared. "I have deemed you worthy of mercy. Now, surrender your very selves and your loyalty to me."
A searing pain flared across the guide's hand. He looked down to see a glowing mark etching itself into his skin. Around him, the others cried out as matching symbols burned into their flesh, the unexpected agony drawing gasps from each of them.
"That is my gift. Those who follow me shall flourish. Those who betray me shall die."
The mark pulsed. The pain spread like electricity, coursing through his entire body. Some around him collapsed, screaming. Others staggered, barely able to stay upright. The guide clenched his teeth, struggling to remain on his feet.
"Now, for your first test," the Starfiend said, raising its massive form and locking eyes with the guide. "Kill that man."
Everyone turned to the guide, whose body had gone completely rigid. Kill him? It wanted to kill him specifically?
"I sense betrayal festering within him. Prove your loyalty and kill him," the Starfiend commanded. "Do this, and you shall be spared."
What the hell was this? A Starfiend using manipulation and mental tricks to turn people against each other? The guide's thoughts raced. Around him, several people were drawing weapons, their expressions conflicted and fearful. He could see it in their eyes. No one wanted to die, and this monster had just handed them a chance to live if they sacrificed him.
He clenched his jaw tighter, trying to think, trying to weigh his choices.
"Wait! Don't!" a voice cried out.
Mira stumbled out into the open.
All eyes snapped to the unexpected intruder. No one had anticipated a village girl stumbling out of the darkness in the Wastes. Many stared at her with heightened wariness, wondering if she was another monster or a trick of the Starfiend.
Sensing their gaze, Mira gulped, but for once, she wasn't overwhelmed by the attention. She stood her ground and shouted, "It's all lies! This isn't a Starfiend. It's a fake!"
A ripple of shock spread through the group.
Fake?
But how?
The beast before them could only be a Starfiend. From its grotesque appearance to the suffocating pressure it exuded, everyone was certain. And yet, despite the certainty around her, Mira stepped forward, her voice rising with conviction.
"That thing showed up at my village, Hollowrest. Then it somehow made its way out here. How could such a beast come and go as it pleased? There should've been a massive hole in the ward, but there isn't!"
Mira didn't know this for sure, but now wasn't the time for hesitation. She clenched her fists and pushed forward with her claim.
"And demanding humans show loyalty to it? What kind of nonsense is that? Since when have Starfiends cared about loyalty? All they've ever wanted is to kill and devour us! This has to be a ploy!"
The group began to glance at one another. Though fear still gripped them, the girl's words weren't without reason. It was strange, unnatural even, for an Elder Starfiend to appear so suddenly. Stranger still was its demand for loyalty. According to every tale they had ever heard or read, Starfiends existed only to kill and consume everything in their path.
Sensing the shift in their mood, the Starfiend glared down at the girl, its eyes burning with pure hatred.
"The audacity... you shall die, you accursed wench!"
It let out a deafening roar and hurled itself at her. Despite its massive size, it moved with terrifying speed, closing the distance in an instant.
Mira told herself it couldn't be a real Starfiend, but everything felt real. The razor-sharp talons, the gleaming beak, the pure hatred burning in its eyes. The fear of death clutched her soul.
"Stay away!" she screamed.
It wasn't just a cry of fear. Her voice carried a flicker of aether, released unconsciously. The sound echoed through the barren Wastes, reverberating like a signal, and something deep within the shadows stirred.
Glowing eyes snapped open.
Grrrrrrk!
The ground shook violently. Mira was thrown aside by the force of the wind and tremor. Then, from the depths of the earth, a massive Starfiend burst forth.
Its body resembled a colossal worm, but countless human limbs jutted from its sides, clawing at the ground like frantic legs. Its face was a grotesque fusion of distorted human features, twisted together in eternal agony. From its gaping maw, rows of jagged teeth gleamed as it lunged at the avian Starfiend.
With a single, devastating strike, it tore through the false creature, shredding it into black mist and drifting fragments.
As the illusion unraveled, a man collapsed to the ground. Clutching his bleeding arm, his face was pale and twisted in pain.
"It's a human!"
"She wasn't lying!"
"B-but there's a real Starfiend now!"
"R-run!"
The guide finally moved. He had recognized the danger and shifted his focus to the true threat. Even if it wasn't an Elder Starfiend, the creature was powerful. The instant it sensed him, it locked eyes and charged.
"I... I don't know what happened after that," Mira said softly. "I ran away in fear."
"So who was the guy pretending to be a Starfiend?" Erika asked. She couldn't believe anyone would have the audacity or the stupidity to pull off a stunt like that. She had dealt with plenty of liars and scammers in her short life, but this definitely took the cake.
"I... it was dark, but I'm pretty sure it was Evan," Mira replied.
"Evan? The village head's son?" Alwyn asked, frowning.
Mira nodded. "Yes. He left a few years ago to join Starvanguard. From what I heard, he actually made it in. But earlier this year, he came back and locked himself away. No one knew why. Some say he was kicked out."
"What, so he gets kicked out and decides to start a cult by pretending to be an Elder Starfiend?" Erika said, disbelief written all over her face.
"It might have been for money too," Alwyn muttered. "The villagers were bringing him offerings. As ridiculous as it sounds, his plan worked. At least until now."
If it hadn't been for Mira and her rare ability to hear the whispers of the Starfiends, no one would have realized the so-called Elder was a fake. If his plan had continued unchecked, he might have gathered a decent following within a decade.
Of course, that would only happen if everything went according to plan.
Which it clearly wasn't.
"So... are we just going to confront him now?" Han asked. His tone showed he still didn't completely trust Mira's story.
"Well, at the very least, we need to hear Evan's side of the story," Alwyn said, turning to Mira. "You'll have to come back with us. It's not safe for you to stay here any longer. And we can't exactly let an important witness wander around freely. We'll need your cooperation to solve this case."
"O-okay…" Mira replied. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she even wanted to go back to the village. Everyone there had always disliked her, and now, returning with accusations against the village head's son, she doubted anyone would believe her. But maybe… with the Starvanguards at her side, people might actually start to listen.
And so, the group left the Wastes and made their way back to the village. Mira's presence drew plenty of attention from the townsfolk. Some looked at her with unease, others with open disgust.
When they arrived at the village head's home, they found that Auren wasn't lounging around as expected. Instead, he was casually chatting with Gareth. Both men looked up as the group entered: three teenagers and one nervous young woman.
Gareth's eyes widened in shock. "M-Mira?! You're alive…" Then his expression shifted to suspicion. "Where have you been all this time?"
"I-I…" Mira stammered, unable to meet his sharp, accusing gaze. She had learned early on never to speak up, never to raise her head. She was the cursed child, the one no one wanted near. It was already a miracle she had survived this long, and she knew better than to test anyone's patience.
She thought that after her journey through the Wastes, she had gathered enough courage to at least lift her head. But even that small spark of bravery crumbled like wet paper under Gareth's glare.
"She went to the Wastes," Erika interjected, locking eyes with Gareth. "Apparently, she's the only one in this village who still has a shred of sense, considering the rest of you have been lying to us."
"L-lying?" Gareth repeated, his face draining of color.
"We know about the supposed appearance of an Elder Fiend several months ago," Alwyn said coldly. "We know there have been more cases of missing travelers and merchants than you reported. That Warden Alric died long ago, not just last week. You've been hiding a lot, village head."
Gareth's mouth opened in stunned silence. Auren, still lounging in his seat, sipped his tea with an air of indifference, making no move to stop the confrontation.
"Where's Evan?" Han asked. "We need to talk to him."
"I… why? Why would you seek my grandson?" Gareth asked, confused. Why were these Starvanguards searching for his grandson? They couldn't possibly imply that he had something to do with this incident, could they? "He doesn't have anything to do with this, yes? We hid things, but it's because of that Starfiend… it… it threatened us. We couldn't tell you, or the curse—!"
"It's all bullshit anyway!" Erika shouted. "You're already blabbing to us, and you're fine. Either get your grandson down here, or we'll drag him out ourselves!"
"Please cooperate willingly," Alwyn said, pressing further. "You're already in enough trouble as it is. Hiding a warden's death and failing to report an Elder-ranked Starfiend… The other villagers might escape consequences, but as the village head, you bear responsibility for this."
Gareth gulped at the unspoken threat. Under their intense gazes, he finally relented. "F-follow me, please…"
With that, Gareth led them to the second floor, where Evan's room was located. He knocked several times, calling, "Evan? Evan, please come out."
Yet there was no reply.
Annoyed, Erika slammed the door open with a kick.
BAM!!
"Get out here already! Or are you going to keep acting like a coward?"
But when they stepped inside, the room was completely empty. It was in disarray, with books and loose pages scattered across the floor. The bed was a tangled mess, the sheets twisted from someone tossing and turning.
Most damning of all, however, was the fact that the window was wide open.
"Oh dear," Auren muttered, amused.