Morning arrived quietly over the village.
Samaya slowly opened his eyes.
Pain spread through his entire body. Every movement reminded him of the battle from the previous day.
He tried to sit up.
"Ah…" he whispered, holding his chest.
Nearby, Bloody and Three Horn were still sleeping peacefully beside the dying campfire.
Samaya looked around.
Something felt strange.
"Neel?" Samaya called softly.
No answer.
He frowned.
Neel had been sitting beside the fire last night.
Now he was gone.
Samaya slowly shook Bloody.
"Bloody… wake up."
Bloody opened one eye, then quickly stood when he saw Samaya struggling.
Three Horn lifted his head as well, sensing the tension.
"Neel is missing," Samaya said.
Bloody began sniffing the ground immediately.
Three Horn looked around the trees nervously.
The forest was too quiet.
Then—
A branch snapped.
All three froze.
A strange sound came from the trees nearby.
Bloody growled.
Three Horn lowered his head, ready to attack.
Samaya stepped forward despite the pain in his body.
"Who's there?" he shouted.
The forest went silent.
Then the leaves moved again.
Something was watching them.
Something was hiding in the trees.
Samaya clenched his fists.
"Show yourself!"
The bushes slowly rustled.
And a shadow began to step forward.
The jungle was quiet.
Too quiet.
Samaya was still standing near the trees when suddenly—
Neel woke up.
Not slowly.
He jumped to his feet instantly, eyes wide, as if he had sensed something wrong.
Bloody barked in surprise.
Three Horn stepped back, lowering his head defensively.
For a moment all four of them stared into the darkness.
"Neel…?" Samaya asked.
Neel looked around the camp quickly.
His eyes were sharp.
"I felt something strange," he said.
But the forest was empty.
No enemy.
No movement.
Only silence.
⸻
The Empty Village
They hurried toward the tiny village.
But when they arrived—
Samaya stopped.
The houses were open.
Food was still on the tables.
Tools lay on the ground.
But the villagers…
were gone.
"All of them…" Samaya whispered.
Bloody sniffed the ground nervously.
Three Horn walked toward a small piece of paper lying near one of the houses.
He sniffed it.
Then tried to eat it.
"Hey!" Neel shouted.
He quickly grabbed it from Three Horn's mouth.
"That's not food!"
Neel unfolded the strange letter.
The writing looked rushed.
He read it out loud.
⸻
"If you want to find the villagers…
Come to this place.
The Underground Arena.
If you want them to stay alive, come during the full moon at dead night.
— Unknown" **
⸻
Silence filled the village.
Samaya clenched his fists.
"So they were kidnapped…"
Neel's face turned serious.
"Yes."
Samaya looked at him.
"You know this place?"
Neel nodded slowly.
"It's a gambling arena," he said.
"A brutal one."
He looked toward the distant city.
"In the Underground Arena, people fight each other for money… or for entertainment."
Samaya's eyes darkened.
"You mean… a PvP arena?"
Neel nodded again.
"And everyone from the Lower City knows about it."
He folded the letter carefully.
"If we want the villagers to survive…"
He looked at Samaya.
"…we have to enter the arena."
Bloody growled.
Three Horn stomped the ground.
Samaya lifted his head.
"Then we'll fight."
The full moon was coming.
And the arena was waiting.
They returned to their small shelter near the jungle edge.
The air felt heavier now.
This was no longer a simple journey.
This was war.
Samaya opened his bag and began packing the few things he owned.
A small knife.
A rope.
A piece of cloth to wrap his injured arm.
Neel packed more carefully.
He took dried food, herbs for healing, and a small metal flask of water.
Bloody watched them both, tail low but eyes sharp.
Three Horn nudged a wooden basket, trying to fit it into Samaya's bag.
Samaya laughed slightly.
"That won't fit, buddy."
Three Horn snorted.
Neel tied his bag tightly and stood up.
"Once we enter the arena," he said, "there is no turning back."
Samaya nodded.
"Good."
Neel raised an eyebrow.
"You sound excited."
Samaya looked toward the dark forest path.
"I'm not excited," he said.
"I'm angry."
Bloody barked.
Three Horn lowered his head, the stone in his horn faintly glowing.
Neel adjusted his spear.
"Well then," he said.
"Let's go save a village."
The four of them stepped onto the path.
Above them, the full moon slowly climbed into the sky.
And somewhere beneath the city…
The Underground Arena was waiting.
Chapter End