Chapter 41: Whispers in Oakhaven Market
Under the thick shroud of dawn fog clinging to the hillside slopes, the small group emerged from their temporary cave shelter and made their way toward the town of Oakhaven. Tian Heng, cloaked in a deep-hooded robe that concealed his small horns and cast shadows over his snow-white face and golden eyes, kept his crude camouflage device hidden beneath his cloak. Vaila moved beside him like a phantom, shadows dancing around her almost imperceptibly, blurring her sharp dark elven features and obsidian skin to anyone who dared look too closely. Lyra, who had also activated her own disguise—making her pointed ears less noticeable and her pale complexion dimmer—appeared as a wary and weary traveler. They parted at the outskirts of the town as planned, each heading off to carry out their individual tasks.
Oakhaven was exactly as Vaila had described from her initial scouting and from the whispers of the old woodsman: a humble town with muddy dirt roads still slick from the light rain the night before, and a mix of wooden and stone buildings showing signs of long neglect. The central market square was just beginning to stir with faint sunlight breaking through the clouds, where a few local vendors were setting up their meager stalls—root vegetables, some grains, crude wooden tools, and poorly tanned hides. A few lazy guards wandered about, their leather armor worn and swords rusted, seemingly more interested in levying fees on vendors than enforcing real security. Atop a small hill overlooking the town stood a small, aging stone keep—presumably the residence of Baron Vargas.
Lyra carefully blended into the sparse market crowd. Her task was simple: to purchase enough basic supplies for a few days (dried meat, flour, salt, root fruits) and to observe and listen for rumors. She moved quietly, avoiding unnecessary attention, handing over the few copper coins Tian Heng had given her—either salvaged from the disabled guard or found in the sealed chamber. She noticed the prices were high and quality low, and that people whispered about recent bandit raids on small caravans and the new taxes imposed by the baron.
Vaila, meanwhile, had completely vanished. She wasn't just a shadow—she was the shadow, part of the buildings, alleys, and dim corners. She moved with impossible silence and grace, eavesdropping on guards near the town gate, watching the flow of people in and out of the baron's keep, and listening to tavern-side gossip near the town's only inn (which had not yet opened in the early hour). She collected slivers of information like pieces of a dark puzzle.
Tian Heng walked through the town with an outward calm, though his senses were on full alert. His hood concealed most of his face, and he avoided direct eye contact. He noted the deteriorating infrastructure, the small number of guards and their obvious apathy, and the looks of despair or resignation on most faces. Using his enhanced aetherial senses, he gauged the energy levels around him—pathetically low in almost everyone, even the guards, who barely carried any trace of aetherial familiarity. He entered a small shop selling local maps and basic writing tools, inquiring in a soft voice about maps of the northeastern mountain regions. The old shopkeeper eyed him suspiciously and only had a rough sketch of the immediate area. There was no sign of smoked quartz crystals or any special minerals in the modest market.
As he was leaving the market, a scene caught his attention—something he normally wouldn't care about. A town guard, a large man with a scowling face and thick mustache, was harassing an old vegetable vendor, extorting him and then rudely kicking over the vendor's modest cart, scattering what little produce there was into the muddy street. The old man trembled, helpless, tears in his eyes, as the guard laughed crudely.
Tian Heng didn't care about the vendor's fate or the guard's cruelty. But something in the pointless chaos—this grotesque display of petty power—triggered a reflex deep within. Not pity, perhaps, but a cold disgust for incompetence and weakness. For a fleeting moment, without meaning to, a faint wave of cold aether imbued with "Stellar Frost" leaked out from around him. The temperature dropped noticeably in his immediate surroundings for just a second, and perhaps his golden eyes glinted with an icy shimmer beneath the hood as he assessed the guard's feeble strength.
The guard and most passersby noticed nothing. But the wronged vendor, staring hopelessly at his scattered vegetables, felt the sudden chill and looked up. His trembling eyes met Tian Heng's icy gaze for a moment, then widened in horror and awe at the inhuman gleam in those eyes beneath the shadows. Nearby, an old woman sitting on a doorstep stopped knitting and stared directly at Tian Heng, mouth slightly open as if she'd seen a ghost—or felt something deeply wrong. She began whispering quickly and gesturing toward him to her neighbor.
Tian Heng instantly knew he had drawn the wrong kind of attention. Not the guards' direct notice, but the superstitious fear of the townsfolk—perhaps even worse in the long run. Without a word, he turned quietly but swiftly, slipping away into the alleys and shadows before whispers turned to commotion or word reached the guards.
He regrouped with Vaila and then Lyra at their designated rendezvous points outside the town. Lyra handed over the supplies she had purchased and reported on the tense atmosphere in the market. Vaila provided a more detailed account of the baron's weak garrison, the spread of bandits in the region, and rumors of strange trade taking place at night near ancient ruins outside town. She also noted the beginning whispers about "the stranger with golden eyes and icy presence" seen in the market.
"You stirred up quite a bit of noise, human," she said with cold sarcasm.
Tian Heng listened to everything with focus. They had secured vital supplies and valuable information. But his unintentional slip had confirmed how hard it would be to remain hidden for long. He needed better control over his aura and newfound power.
"Let's return to base," he said finally. "We have enough for now—supplies and intel. Oakhaven is weaker than I expected, which might be an opportunity… or a trap. We need to analyze everything we've learned and stay on course for our primary goal: activating the vault."