The Moonlight Swordsman

The horse rushed towards a steep terrain; its hooves booming through the deep forest. A little village appeared across the hills in the distance, and the horse went on, closing in on the town.

As the village appeared on the horizon, Aizel pulled his hood back and gazed ahead with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

"So, this might be the closest village to the deep valley that Vespara described. I should stay here and try to hunt for more information about the place." He thought.

As the horse approached the village, Aizel paused to take in his surroundings.

He gazed at the rolling hills and the dense forest that surrounded the settlement, taking note of any potential threats that could be in lurking.

The horse's slow pace allowed him to carefully survey the area, his eyes scanning for any signs of danger.

The horse trotted closer to the village's gate, and as Aizel entered, he observed the absence of guards. The village appeared to be sparsely populated, with only a few individuals visible.

He noticed a small bar nearby. He dismounted and securely tied his horse to one of the wooden poles that supported the bar.

Aizel cautiously opened the door and entered the dimly lit tavern. Except for a few beefy men enjoying their drinks, the place was practically empty.

The scars and wounds on their bodies revealed their tough exterior, and they kept a close eye on Aizel as he arrived.

Aizel walked towards the counter and pulled out a wooden stool, settling in with a slight thud.

He studied the dimly lit area, seeing the rough-looking guests' cautious glances as they continued to drink.

A bald man with a patch over one eye, who appeared to be the bartender, approached him with a plain expression on his face.

He asked Aizel, "What do you want?"

"One Alesmith,"

"Hmm..."

Aizel sat quietly, tapping his thumbs together, waiting for his drink.

The creaking of the bar gate drew his attention, and he turned to watch someone step in. The stranger took out a stool and sat down next to him.

Aizel couldn't help but notice their pearl-white hands, despite the hood covering their faces.

The bartender brought Aizel's drink, placing it in front of him before turning to the newcomer and asking once more, "What do you want?"

"One Alesmith,"

"This person has a great choice like me," Aizel acknowledged in his head.

He savored the rich flavor of the beer as he took small sips. The bartender placed an Alesmith in front of the hooded figure next to him.

"Man, I am looking for information about a place. Would you care to help me?" He asked with a calm tone as he flicked a shiny gold coin between his fingers and caught the bartender's attention.

"What do you want to know?"

"About a Deep Valley," Everyone's attention was drawn to him after hearing that, even the hooded stranger, seated beside him.

"Hmm... about that, it's a valley near our village, deep behind the mountains. There is a deep abyss there, where many hunters and mages have been seen going down.

"There is a tale that speaks of a treasure inside the deep abyss."

"Interesting." Aizel paused for a second before tossing the gold coin to the bartender and rose to his feet, ready to depart the bar.

Suddenly, he noticed a shift in the atmosphere. The other bar guests rose from their seats and formed a circle around him, essentially barring his path.

The hooded person sitting next to him, however, remained seated and continued to drink their ale calmly.

"It seems you are new to this area, kid; let us guide you to the valley." A man from the circle of people spoke, revealing his yellowed teeth.

"Thank you, I really needed someone; you are really kind," Aizel replied as he scratched his head and smiled a little.

As they walked out of the bar, one of the men put his hand on Aizel's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, young man. We always help new people like you around the area."

"Wow, you are such a nice person, " Aizel replied.

"Let's ride there now, as there is still time for the sun to set."

Aizel quickly untied his horse, and the men all nodded in agreement as they rode out of the village and into the famed Deep Valley.

Meanwhile, inside the bar,

The hooded figure calmly finished their drink before rising from their stool and departing from the bar as well.

The person's gaze shifted to the distance, where a group of horses could be seen galloping away.

A sharp whistle pierced the air, and a black stallion, its coat glistening in the sunlight, came charging towards the bar without slowing down.

The person leaped onto the horse's back in one swift motion and, without looking back, urged the steed into a full gallop, disappearing from the village in the blink of an eye.

As the horses charged ahead, their powerful strides kicked up clouds of dust in their wake. Aizel's horse kept up with the other five, following "His Helpers" closely as they sped forward.

"So, how far away is that place?" Aizel asked.

"It will hardly take some time; we are close to reaching there," one of the men replied.

As Aizel galloped alongside the group of men he met at the bar, he couldn't help but wonder when they were planning to ambush him.

However, they continued to ride without any suspicious behavior.

The six riders rode on towards a hilly region, where a curving trail ran between the peaks. Aizel followed closely behind them as they moved forward in the direction of the route.

"After crossing this path, the deep valley will be visible to us."

"Yeah... we are close."

"What about those monsters? We haven't even faced a single one till now."

"They might have run away somewhere else."

Aizel listened to the conversation of the group as they rode side by side. He couldn't help but pay attention to the warnings about the terrifying monsters that might be in the vicinity.