"Not quite so," replied a tall man who was accompanying the old man, "we do not have arrows, but there is an ancient crypt near us. Another hunter was buried in it ten years ago."
I nodded. If he had any arrows left, we should look for them near him. Ten years ago, the Order gave almost every hunter his own crossbow. But things change, only the general law seems immutable. The Grave Moss Emperor's command is as categorical as a double-edged knife. "Whoever steals a hunter's property from him shall be executed, and if any hunter steals from others, let him do the same, let him be put to death."
The old-timer almost dragged out his earlier speech about the old days again, taking advantage of the pause.
"Is there any uneasiness in the village?" I tried to look into the old man's eyes. He blinked and stopped his shuffle, standing there flapping his eyes.
"What do you mean?" finally the old man looked at me questioningly.
"Have the hunters gone missing? Are all the children healthy?" I was beginning to feel a little sick, weak.
The other man, who had thrown the Elder off the wall with his partner, grinned. With his powerful neck and working shoulders, however, he shook his round belly.
"There is such a thing. Why shouldn't it be, it's commonplace. Hunters disappear every now and then, children get sick when they lick the gray earth, or when pestilence blows from the north, the same thing." It was a very eloquent mocking look. He didn't seem to like me, and because of some of his beliefs he despised me.
I looked down, and then glanced sideways, eye to eye with my laughing companion.
"What dashing thing ever happened? One that would make the whole village afraid and unable to do anything," I said firmly.
All around froze. It felt cold. Another big man shivered, and the Elder continued, "It was, it was! It happened…" He began to remember and worry. "Last week, I remember, it was yesterday. Three of our village hunters were brought to us, all pale, as if they had never seen the light of Jodkheim. They couldn't put the memorial relic in the crypt."
"I see," I nodded. "Anything else?"
"As my grandson said, there is an ancient crypt here." The village head pointed in the direction with his hand. "We used to bury everyone in it, but there's someone dangerous there now, growling and roaring, and I don't want to go inside and check who's there."