*As you come up the road to the next village, something seems very off. There is no sound; not the usual song of the birds, the rush of the wind, the chirp of the bugs that have been a constant companion. Instead, a putrid aroma finds your nose soon after, and where houses would normally rise from the landscape, smoldering ruins appear in their stead. The first thing you come across is a villager face down in the mud, slain from behind as he tried to escape to safety. His hand is outstretched towards you, as though seeking your deliverance.

There is nothing here but death and decay; your enemy has arrived and left well before you. For these villagers, you are much too late.*

~Press any key to continue.~