3rd day, second moon.

The flying ship landed at the gates of Vessharn village. Nytherael alighted, eager to be greeted by chilled greenery and lush lands stretching further than eyes could see.

The scarse village settlement. Home to one hundred of the weak two-headed snakes was once one of the best places to disappear to run away from problems of the beast world.

Since its scary populated, far away from any cities or neighbouring villages and the villagers mind their own businesses, one gets privacy and peace.

It wasn’t his first time there, so he held plenty of expectations. But harsh reality hit hard when his foot stepped onto the dry ground.

He and the rest of his mates were stunned silent by the rusty, old, run-down gate that looked like it hadn’t been attended to for a long time. The posy of the watchers was empty. No one kept guard of the village that held the gateway to the abyss.

Panicked, Samhita checked the map again. Only after confirming that they were truly in Vessharn did she turn to Theren.

"What happened here?"

Everyone turned their attention to Theren, eager to learn what monstrosities went down in Vessharn and why the Beast Court nor palace parliament weren’t aware of it.

"I don’t know."

He quickly knelt to the ground and felt the earth. He listened to any and all vibrations, searching for any sign of a snake within a mile radius.

After a few minutes, he got up, dusted his clothes clean, and shook his head in disbelief. "There isn’t any snake in the village. It’s empty."

"How can Vessharn be empty," Tivnir asked. He’d been to the palace only days back, and they were reviewing general populations in every corner of the lume dynasty along with the emperor. And the report front Vessharn had reported a population of close to one hundred two-headed snakes and one hundred ordinary snakes.

With a flash of war light and his spiritual essence, a sharp whispered flew out of his palm and into the village. It made rounds in every rundown permanent or semi-permanent shelters around the village.

It searched the small river in the village’s backyard and worked its way into the holes in the ground before returning to Tivnir’s palm.

"Theren is right. There’s no life here."

"It appears there hasn’t been for a long time," Samahita spoke, taking the first lead past the threshold. "Vessharn is known for its chilled grasslands and forests since snakes like cold places. The land naturally produces chills from the ground full of essence and energy to sustain the inhabitants of Vessharn. Yet, I can sense any natural ice in the ground or the air," she reported.

Being an ice phoenix who’d never travelled the world but heard of it from tales, she had been looking forward to Vessharn and its energy that would have done well for her cultivation.

"How can that be?" Aenyra exclaimed in horror. "The beast court received the daily tax from Vessharn merely days ago. If the land had been inhabited for a long time, then who sent over the tax?"

They fell into deep silence. Contemplating what was going on with the village. As far as they were aware, Sseraphis’ poisons didn’t target snake and dragon territories and those that were affected at first when he had lost control, had been cleared to poison free like the poison just up and vanished.

It made no sense to find a village in serpent territory that was desolate and deserted.

"Sama," Sheana grabbed her sister’s hand and dragged her back.

"What is it, Shea?" Samahita seemed confused by her actions.

"The land is deserted. Let the war-tiger confirm that it’s safe first before we go in."

"Ah, right. My mistake."

Tivnir reached into his pocket and removed a compass. Instead of direction points, the compass had colour indication. White, which represented safe, red which showed that there were traces of poison but not too much that it could kill a beast instantly, and violent-black meant that it was extremely poisonous.

"Get ready to make the safe spots," Tivnir instructed Yiwa.

Like someone who had done it a thousand times before, Yiwa took a book from his bag. The book had a velvet hard cover and had silvery shimmering sparks at its corners.

The moment he opened the first page, the map of Vessharn appeared on the page. With a red pen in hand that generates ink, he got ready to mark the safe zones in Vessharn.

He released the compass. The compass flew into the village, and white light shot out from it in every direction.

Yiwa waited to see any red or violet marked spots to note down. However, even after a full sweep of the village, no such signs appeared.

"If the village isn’t poisoned, where did all the beastfolk go?" Nerezza asked, wrapping her arm on the crook of Rhysandor’s hand.

"Most importantly, why is there no essence here?" Theren quizzed, wary of the fate that befell his fellow serpents.

Nytherael watched from the back, neither commenting nor speaking his mind. He felt that something was amiss from the moment he touched down but couldn’t wrap his mind around it.

His senses were on high alert as he sensed danger, and even as he scanned his surroundings, he saw nothing. Yet the danger seemed to be getting closer and closer.

His eyes were as cold as frost. An imposing aura of his battle mode softly settled upon his frame. His fox ears became visible, tracking every approaching sound of their realm and any other in existence around Vessharn.

He went unnoticed for a while until Sheana noticed him and came over. She catwalked seductively towards him, playing with her hair.

"My nine-tailed fox is so quiet. Care to enlighten me on what you’re thinking?" She said, voice sweet like honey.

The others all looked over. Surprised at how easily they had overlooked the fox and realized that if Sheana hadn’t talked so loudly in a disturbing tone that sent the hairs on their skin standing straight, they would’ve remained oblivious to his presence.

Nytherael ignored her and the curious eyes on him. He couldn’t afford to be distracted when he kept feeling a dangerous intent in the air.

"So quiet..." she stopped inches away and leaned her hand on his shoulder, acting close. "What troubles you?"

"..."

Nytherael didn’t justify her question with an answer nor make any movement. In his stillness, he set apart every sound, trying to catch the only one that stood out, even with just a whisper.

Sheana pouted, looking aggrieved at being ignored. She tapped Nytherael’s forehead. "Hey, can you hear me. I am speaking to you!"

"Shea, don’t be rude," Samahita pulled her away from Nytherael. "It’s impolite to tap people on the head."

"It is also impolite to ignore people," Sheana cried out.

"Not when the one being ignored is you," Prince Aenyra said, taking a jab at Sheana.

Instead of getting angry, Sheana smiled. She instantly forgot about her grievance and hopped over to Aenyra’s side.

"It feels nice to hear your voice. Especially when you speak directly to me," she whispered, lighting up like a christmas tree.

Nytherael’s eyes widened. ’Lord Sseraphis said you’d come, and here you are. He left a surprise for you, are you ready?’ He heard a soft feminine voice whisper by his ear.

He pursed his lips slightly and raised his head in pure arrogance. "I am ready. Give it your best shot!"