Becoming The Villainess’ Acolyte

The village felt deceptively peaceful, but as I continued exploring, something about it nagged at me. The way the villagers looked at me as I passed wary, suspicious, yet polite. They seemed accustomed to strangers, but not welcoming of them.

Their gazes lingered a little too long, as if assessing whether I was a threat or just another passerby. I tried to smile at a group of children playing near a small well, but they quickly darted away, disappearing down the winding streets like shadows.

The air itself seemed to hum with an undercurrent of unease. It was a quiet place, sure, but too quiet. Like a blanket of silence had settled over it, smothering the normal sounds of village life. Even the birds seemed subdued, their chirps softer, hesitant.

As I walked past the market stalls, I overheard snippets of conversation whispers, really about people going missing, strange disappearances that no one could explain. Each time the topic came up, the villagers would lower their voices, glancing around nervously before changing the subject. 

A heavy weight began to settle in my chest. Something wasn't right here, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had walked into more than just a peaceful village nestled between the hills.

It was as if the entire place was holding its breath, waiting for something something dark to happen.

I approached one of the stalls, an older woman selling bundles of herbs. Her hands were wrinkled, her eyes sharp beneath her hood.

As I examined the herbs, I asked, as casually as I could manage, "I've heard people talking. About the disappearances. Do you know anything about it?"

Her eyes flicked up to meet mine, her expression guarded. She didn't answer right away, just continued tying up the bundles with deft fingers.

After a long pause, she muttered, "You should mind your own business, girl. Some things are better left alone."

The bluntness of her words caught me off guard, but before I could press further, she turned her back to me, clearly done with the conversation.

I took a step back, frowning. It wasn't just the missing people, though. I had noticed something else too something that made my skin prickle.

There was an odd feeling of protection around the village, like an invisible barrier that kept something at bay. But from what? And who or what was responsible for it?

No one spoke openly about it, but I could sense it, lingering just beneath the surface of the village's facade.

My curiosity was piqued. If there was one thing I couldn't resist, it was a mystery. And this village was full of them.

As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets, I found myself wandering towards the edge of the village.

There, a figure stood, leaning against a tall oak tree. Cloaked in dark, tattered robes, the person's face was obscured by a wide hood, but their presence was unmistakably strange.

For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if I should approach. But something about the figure drew me in, as if they were a piece of the puzzle I was trying to put together. 

"Who are you?" I called out, taking a cautious step forward.

The figure didn't move at first, their form almost blending with the shadows. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, they pulled back their hood. Beneath it was a man, his face lined with age but his eyes sharp and unsettlingly bright. 

"Names aren't important," he said, his voice low and gravelly. "You won't find the answers you seek by asking the villagers. They know nothing."

His words sent a chill down my spine. "What do you mean?" I pressed, stepping closer. "What's happening here? Why are people disappearing?"

He regarded me for a long moment, as if deciding whether or not I was worth answering. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"There are forces at play in this village dark forces. But they go beyond this place. Much beyond. You would do well to leave before you get involved in something you don't understand."

I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up inside me. "I'm not leaving. I need to know what's going on. If something is happening here, I want to help."

He tilted his head slightly, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Help? There's no guild here, girl. No one here is looking for heroes."

I blinked, surprised by his words. No guild? I had assumed there would be one, even in a small village like this. But it made sense now why the villagers were so wary, why they seemed resigned to whatever darkness loomed over them. Without a guild to protect them, they were vulnerable. 

"Then where do I need to go?" I asked, my voice firmer now.

The man's eyes gleamed in the fading light. "You'll find your answers, eventually. But not here." He turned, starting to walk away, his figure slowly melting into the shadows. "Leave this place. It's safer that way."

I stood there, watching him disappear into the distance, frustration gnawing at me. The village, for all its quiet beauty, was a dead end.

But it had opened my eyes to a larger, more dangerous world. There was something out there, something dark and powerful, and I had barely scratched the surface of it.

I glanced back towards the village, the sun dipping below the horizon, casting everything in a muted glow. This wasn't my home, and it never would be. But it had served its purpose.