The trail was narrow. Thick trees stood all around it. They moved a little in the night wind. A group of merchants and travelers walked along. Their feet crunched on the dirt. They held lanterns. The lanterns swung in their hands. The light made shadows jump on the path. A big man led them. He wore a wide hat. His name was Mr. Steven. He walked with sure steps.
After some time, the trail came to a small open spot by a shiny river. The moonlight hit the water. It made the place look calm and bright. Mr. Steven lifted his hand. He shouted, "We'll stop here till morning! Get the fire going and put up the tents!"
The group got busy. They forgot how tired they were for a bit. They set up tents. They opened their packs. Soon, a fire crackled in the clearing. The travelers sat around it. The fire's light glowed on their faces. They laughed and talked.
By the fire, a man with a messy beard cooked meat. He used a stick to hold it over the flames. The smell floated through the camp. It made everyone hungry. A merchant sat close by. He rubbed his full stomach. He said, "Thanks to Mr. Steven, we'll get to the capital in five days. The usual way takes two weeks!"
Another traveler spoke. He sounded careful. "But isn't the usual way safer?" The cook looked up from the meat. His face changed a little. He said, "You're right." He stirred a pot. "But I've heard odd stories about these mountains. Very odd ones."
A woman sat across from him. She leaned in. She wanted to know more. "What stories?" The cook paused. Then he spoke quietly. "They say this place belonged to the darkness long ago. It was a camp for the Ancient Reapers."
The group got quiet. The happy feeling faded when he said that name. A merchant fixed his cloak. It had fur on it. He spoke up. "The Ancient Reapers? Didn't the sorceress kill them all in the martial era?"
The cook shrugged. He turned the meat on the fire. "Maybe. Who knows what's true? It's just talk. Only the sorceress would know." The group stayed quiet. They didn't feel easy. Each one looked at the dark woods around them. The shadows moved and grew. The trees looked like tall shapes watching them.
They kept eating and talking softly. Far away, out of their sight, something moved. In the deep parts of the mountains, dark shapes came out. They were covered in darkness. They had no clear form. They floated like ghosts made of shadow. Their empty shapes flickered. They moved without sound. They got closer to the campfire's light.
The Ancient Reapers were awake.