Compared to the thriving, bustling York Town he'd just left, Mountain Spring Village was a sorry sight.
It was remote, dilapidated, run-down, and desolate. Even the distant farmland was barren, with weeds growing almost waist-high.
The sight sent an indescribable chill through Lloyd.
It should have been a bright, sunny afternoon, yet the light itself seemed to bend and shy away, draping the entire village in a gloomy haze and creating a uniquely eerie atmosphere.
There wasn't another soul in sight. The other passengers on the long-distance bus that brought Lloyd here had all gotten off at earlier stops, leaving him as the sole remaining rider. The moment the bus arrived, the driver made a U-turn and sped away, leaving Lloyd completely alone.
'This... doesn't feel right. Judging by the village's size and the number of houses, there should be several hundred people living here. How can it be this quiet?'
'Could it be...'
'...that they all went to some kind of gathering?'
