From the survivor to the vanisher

They followed the man to the outskirts of the village, where a small, abandoned house stood. It was once a lively place, but now it was surrounded by overgrown weeds and the remnants of an old fence. The air around it felt heavier than the rest of the village, suffocating in a way that made it hard to breathe.

As they stepped inside, the floor creaked underfoot, and dust filled the air. Aditya's eyes scanned the room, taking in the remnants of a life once lived—empty shelves, overturned furniture, and a faint scent of decay.

A symbol was drawn on the floor, half-covered with dust. It was strange, a combination of geometric shapes and markings that seemed to pulse with an energy of their own. Aditya stepped closer, but Druva held up a hand to stop him.

"Do not touch it," Druva said quietly. "This is a place of dark magic. A ritual was performed here, one that should never have been."

Aditya's pulse quickened. "A ritual? What kind?"

Druva knelt beside the symbol, his fingers tracing the air around it. "A pact," he muttered. "A deal with something that should never have been bargained with. This village is cursed because of the greed of one man."

"Who?" Aditya asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"The peddler," Druva said, his voice hardening. "He came to this village months ago, selling charms and trinkets. He promised to protect them from misfortune, but in reality, he sold them their doom."

Aditya frowned. "But why did they accept the charms?"

Druva stood, his expression grim. "People are easily swayed by promises of safety, especially in times of desperation. The peddler knew this and took advantage of their fear. By making a pact with a dark force, he bound the villagers to it. And now, they pay the price."

"So, the disappearances... the possessed villagers?" Aditya asked, his mind racing.

"Yes," Druva confirmed. "The peddler has disappeared, leaving behind only the curse. The villagers' souls are trapped, and the dark force is feeding on their fear."

Aditya clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger. "How do we stop it?"

Druva's eyes softened, but there was a coldness to his words. "The first step is to find the peddler. Only then can the pact be undone."