From the survivor to the vanisher

Aditya and Druva spent the next few days searching for any trace of the peddler. They questioned the villagers, but no one seemed to know where he had gone. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air, vanishing without a trace.

Meanwhile, the village's condition worsened. More villagers disappeared, and those who remained became increasingly paranoid. The strange, ghostly figures that had returned to the village began to gather in the dead of night, muttering in their strange tongues. The air grew thick with tension, and a sense of impending doom hung over the place like a dark cloud.

One evening, as the sun began to set, Druva called Aditya to the edge of the forest. The sky was a deep crimson, casting long shadows across the land.

"It's time," Druva said, his voice low and serious. "We need to perform the ritual to break the pact."

Aditya stared at him, confused. "A ritual? You mean... we can break the curse?"

"Yes," Druva replied, his gaze steady. "But it will not be easy. The dark force that holds this village is ancient and powerful. It will not let go without a fight."

Druva handed Aditya a small vial of dark liquid. "This potion will protect you from the curse's influence, but you must drink it only when necessary."

Aditya nodded, accepting the vial. They made their way deeper into the forest, where a hidden grove stood. At the center of the grove was a large stone altar, worn and cracked with age.

Druva began chanting in a language Aditya had never heard before. The words seemed to vibrate in the air, filling the space with an eerie energy. As Druva's voice grew louder, the ground beneath them began to tremble. The air grew colder, and a strange fog began to roll in from the surrounding trees.

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared before them. It was the peddler, or what remained of him. His eyes were hollow, and his skin was pale and stretched tight over his bones. He was no longer human, but something far darker—something twisted by the pact he had made.

"You should not have come," the peddler hissed, his voice distorted. "You cannot undo what has been done."

"We will see about that," Druva said, his voice filled with determination.

He raised his hands, and the dark energy in the air intensified. Aditya felt a surge of power course through him as the potion began to take effect, and he suddenly fell asleep.

The ground shook violently as the peddler reached out, his fingers twisted and grotesque.

"Tell the people behind you," Druva continued, "the pact is still valid. Do not try any funny business in these small villages just because no one is here to see you."

"Forget about it! You small fries don't know anything,".

Druva With a swift motion, he slammed his fist into the ground, sending a shockwave of energy through the forest. The peddler screamed in agony as the dark force that had bound him began to unravel.

The figure of the peddler dissolved into smoke, and the energy that had gripped the village began to fade. Slowly, the fog lifted, and the village returned to a semblance of peace.