Steps in the Darkness

---Episode 3

The last torch in the distance began to fade as the villagers returned to the village one by one. The night wind carried the scent of damp earth and wet leaves, wrapping the riverbank in silence. The gentle sound of flowing water grew clearer, as if affirming that the night was growing late.

Muyeon remained standing in place, his eyes still fixed on the dark silhouette of the Nameless Forest towering before him. There was no hesitation left. He had made his decision.

Beside him, Baekgu stood still. But Muyeon knew—his companion sensed something. His tail was raised slightly higher than usual, his posture firm, and his gaze locked straight into the forest. Baekgu was not a dog that got restless easily, yet Muyeon could feel something in the way he stood. It wasn’t fear, nor was it mere caution. It was acknowledgment—that something was there.

Without wasting time, Muyeon turned and entered his small hut. His steps were steady, as if his entire being already knew what needed to be done.

In the corner of the room, among a few simple belongings, leaned an old sword in a worn leather scabbard.

His hand reached for it without hesitation. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, it felt as if the sword had always been waiting for him—like a part of himself finally awakening.

This sword was not something passed down or gifted to him. He had found it years ago, wedged between the rocks by the riverbank. Back then, its blade had been covered in mud and was beginning to rust. Yet even in its poor condition, there was something about it that made it impossible to ignore. He had kept it, cared for it little by little—replacing its hilt, sharpening its blade—until now, the sword was fully his.

Without hesitation, he secured it onto his back in a single, practiced motion.

Baekgu wagged his tail slightly, then stepped forward toward the hut’s entrance, as if waiting for a command.

Muyeon took a deep breath, then walked outside. He did not look back.

Without hesitation, he stepped into the darkness of the Nameless Forest. The veiled moonlight bore witness—that tonight, something would change.

Muyeon and Baekgu’s footsteps were silent on the damp earth. The air inside the forest felt different—colder, heavier. Towering trees stretched high, their branches intertwining, forming a canopy that swallowed the moonlight. In this darkness, only the faint glimmers on the leaves occasionally shone as the wind brushed past.

The entrance to the forest still bore traces of many footprints, but no voices or torchlight remained. The villagers’ search had ended some time ago. Tonight, only Muyeon and Baekgu pressed forward.

In the past, he could have chosen to turn back before venturing too deep. But tonight, he had already decided to press on.

The wind whispered through the leaves, creating soft murmurs. Occasionally, sounds emerged from the trees—perhaps from a bird or something else. Yet most of them chose to remain silent.

Baekgu walked beside Muyeon, his steps steady, but there was something different in his movements. He wasn’t merely following—he was truly leading the way. His ears twitched, his head occasionally tilting slightly toward a direction, as if hearing something from the darkness between the trees.

Muyeon glanced at him. Baekgu rarely reacted without reason. If he moved like this, it meant something was nearby.

Muyeon slowed his pace, observing the ground around him. Faint footprints were visible in some spots, but it was difficult to tell whether they belonged to a human or an animal.

Suddenly, Baekgu stopped. His head lowered slightly, nose sniffing the ground. A moment later, he shifted toward the nearby bushes, his tail tensed.

Muyeon followed.

On the ground, among the fallen leaves, something caught his attention—a single dried leaf with a faint stain on it.

Muyeon crouched, his fingers brushing against the earth nearby. The mark was already fading, but it was still there.

Blood.

Not in large amounts, but enough to make him certain.

Baekgu remained in place, his gaze still locked onto the bushes.

Muyeon’s mind began piecing things together. If this was blood, and it had dried like this, then it had likely been here for a few days.

And if it belonged to Park Jungsoo…

Muyeon stood, looking deeper into the darkness of the forest.

Something had happened here.

And he had just found the first trace.