Dawn of light - Reincarnated as a villain

Chapter 25: Ravenmoon village

Two weeks had passed since Zephyx returned to Valtheris. After teleporting many times and travelling to the west of the continent he finally reached his destination.

Small remote village, in the middle of the forest.

The village looked serene, nearly idyllic, with small houses and winding dirt paths lined by ancient trees. But Zephyx's senses were screaming that all was not right. The atmosphere was thick, and he could sense unseen eyes piercing him from the darkness as he walked further into the village.

Stopping in front of a large house that towered over the rest of the humble residences, Zephyx commented on its grandeur and unusual architecture. While not particularly luxurious, it was the biggest building in the village. Standing guard at the entrance was a man with his grotesque grin and beady black eyes immediately making Zephyx uncomfortable. His paunchy belly bulged against the seams of his jacket, and his energy reeked of insincere hospitality.

"Ah, an adventurer! What has brought someone like you to our humble little village Ravenmoon?" the man asked, his tone dripping with insincerity. "I am Maruck Rikcit, the mayor of this lovely place."

"Ohh Mayor, sorry for distributing you. It is like that I got a quest to hunt some beast in this area but you know I was searching for a place to stay and guess what? I found this humble, peaceloving place. What luck" Zephyx lied with a straight face without hesitation.

Maruck's smile grew unreal, and he burst out a deep, synthetic laugh. "Hahaha~ You're right, you're right! This place is really serene and modest."

"Humble, my shit. I feel bloodlust in the people over here, as if they'd love to consume me alive" he thought mentally but maintained an outward calm guise.

Maruck moved in closer, his voice conspiratorial. "If you'd like, you can stay at my mansion. It's the most comfortable place in the village. You'll get proper rest and sleep."

Zephyx declined graciously. "No, no, Mayor, I wouldn't want to intrude. Besides, I'd like to meet the villagers and know more about this place. It's always good to bond with the locals."

Maruck's gaze narrowed a little, but his smile never wavered. "Oh, certainly. If you ever require something, do not hesitate to come to me."

And with that, Zephyx said goodbye to the mayor and started roaming around the village. He searched extensively, noticing the unnatural quietness of the streets and the unsettling manner in which the villagers moved, their eyes sharp and predatory. At last, he arrived at the location which he was looking for and also came here for that, in this accursed village.

Run-down small mud hut. The house was in ruins, its walls fissured and its roof in danger of caving in, faced him.

He knocked but got no response. However, he can feel life presence within the house through his ability 'Shrouded Insight'.

As he was about to knock for the third time, the door slowly creaked open.

Zephyx stepped inside, the house and surveyed his surroundings and it was....Empty...Empty of furniture, of decorations, or even the most minimal comforts.

And then he saw her.

A girl, about ithis age, stood against the corner of the room. Her dirty light pink hair was draped over her face, half-concealing her features. Her clothes were tattered and torn, leaving pale skin visible. Her skinny body shivered under his stare, and her voice shook when she asked, "W-who are you? What do you want?"

Looking at her like that, Zephyx felt pity for her but didn't reveal it outward.

"I won't waste your time with pleasantries," he said, stepping closer. Leaning in slightly, he whispered, "I'll help you get your revenge."

The girl's eyes widened, flashing with hope and distrust. She examined his face closely, looking for some sign of falsity. But the gravity of his words resonated deep inside her, and a spark of light glimmered in her otherwise empty stare.

"But first," Zephyx said, "I want you to tell me your story."

Although he already knew it from the game, he wanted to hear it from her. She hesitated for a few moments before she found her footing and started to talk, her voice trembling.

"Me and my mother... we came to this village after escaping from people who were trying to kill us." Her voice cracked as she continued. "At first, the villagers and the mayor treated us kindly. They gave us food and a place to stay. We thought we'd finally found somewhere safe."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she recounted the horror. "But two weeks later, during dinner... something was wrong. Our bodies stopped moving, and I passed out. When I woke up..." She choked on her words, her body trembling.

"When I woke up... I couldn't move. And in front of me... my mother... 'sob'... they chained her up. One of the villagers... he started cutting her, and they were eating her!" Her voice broke, her sobs wracking her fragile frame.

"They ignored her screams, her pleas for mercy... and when they were done, the mayor 'sob' the mayor took her head... and ate it."

"And then..." she continued, her voice barely a whisper. "They told me they'd fatten me up before it was my turn. They force me to eat, and they don't let me leave the house."

Zephyx's expression darkened. "Those bastards..." he muttered. He knew from the game that this village's inhabitants are cannibalistic abominations.

"Idiots because they let her live for a few weeks and in that time, she awakened her bloodline and killed all of the people here." Zephyx thought to himself.

"As i said, I will help you with your revenge. So you only have to rest and watch and listen to their screams, helplessness and begging for mercy. Hehehe~"

His words sent a shiver down her spine, but not from fear. For the first time, she felt a spark of hope. The devilish grin that spread across Zephyx's face should have been terrifying, but to her, it was a promise of salvation.

Zephyx straightened and cracked his knuckles, his expression cold and determined. "It's time to clean up this cursed village."