Join a caravan.

There are a few carriages heading in the same direction. Though they aren't going to the same village specifically, they'll be passing by, so you gladly take advantage of that. They allow you to ride along for free as long as you agree to protect the caravan from any trouble, as most of them are simple merchants. They assure you that there aren't too many threats in this direction until you near Brumberg, which has supposedly been dealing with a mysterious evil lurking somewhere nearby.

You, Niki, Eva, Amara, and Alice lay back among various crates of supplies. Up ahead, a man drives the horses forwards. There are a few other carts as well.

"So what was that about Brumberg?" you ask.

The man tilts his head slightly--eye glancing in your direction as he watches the road ahead. "Like I said, I'd be careful if I were you. I heard some scary stories about that area. People going missing. Livestock mysteriously dying. Some kinda evil grows in Brumberg, friends. I'd steer clear if I were you."

That's gotta be Catherine. "Do you know where it's coming from?"

"Can't say that I do. I haven't been there in years. When we get close, you're on your own. We'll be heading south after that."

Night starts to fall. There's an unease among the party as the reality sets in. This is the first time you've truly gone after someone so powerful and famous. With Mistress Dajy, it was a coincidence, and you won by sheer accident. The Flame General came after you, and the only reason you got away was because he was distracted enough to be thrown off a cliff, but he's far from dead.

The caravan sets up camp. Your party and some of merchants sit around a fire and munch down some dinner before bed.

Of course, Niki is boasting of battles past. "And then we took the Queen of the Succubi, and Kyle over there sliced her horn clean off! Gave it to the queen, and that's why he's a knight now."

"I'm far too tired for fake stories," a woman says.

"This is real!"

You don't really care to chime in. If they aren't going to believe her, they aren't going to believe you, and it doesn't matter anyway. You wouldn't believe you either. It's been a wild time in this new world already, and anything could happen next.

For now, however, you unfold a bedroll and get ready to sleep. But then...

A man comes running towards the camp--one of the few other mercenaries brought along to protect the caravan.

"Damn it. Someone help! My girlfriend was kidnapped," he says through panting breaths.

One of the merchants stands. "Excuse me? Patricia is gone?"

"Yeah. We were over near the hills when dark figures from the sky swooped down and grabbed her. Hey, you." His eyes turn specifically in your direction. "We brought you along, and you said you'd protect the merchants, so help me get my girl back!"

You groan. It was finally time to lay down and sleep, but you reckon it's going to be another one of those nights. "Fine..." You pull yourself up.

"Just take us to where it happened!" Niki shouts.