The church had never been so quiet.

---

Even the candles burned without flickering.

---

Sean looked toward the altar.

---

The old priest stood there alone.

---

Holding a small wooden box.

---

Sean:
“So it’s true.”

---

The priest nodded once.

---

Priest:
“Yes.”

---

Sean:
“You’re going to kill him.”

---

A long silence.

---

Then—

---

Priest:
“I’m going to save you.”

---

Sean took another step.

---

Sean:
“That’s not the same thing.”

---

The old man looked at him.

---

His eyes were red.

---

Not from fear.

---

From grief.

---

Priest:
“No.”

---

“…it isn’t.”

---

The church suddenly trembled.

---

Dust drifted from the ceiling.

---

Eljara turned toward the doorway.

---

Eljara:
“Did you feel that?”

---

Nobody answered.

---

Outside—

every dog in the village began howling.

---

At once.

---

Sean looked back at the priest.

---

Sean:
“There has to be another way.”

---

The old man smiled.

---

It was the saddest smile Sean had ever seen.

---

Priest:
“My grandfather said those exact words.”

---

A pause.

---

Priest:
“So did his father.”

---

Another tremor rolled beneath the church.

---

A crack spread across the stone floor.

---

Eljara watched the stained-glass windows.

---

The sunlight passing through them had begun to fade.

---

Not because of clouds.

---

Because the light itself seemed weaker.

---

She swallowed.

---

Eljara:
“What’s happening?”

---

The priest closed the wooden box.

---

Very gently.

---

As though afraid of hurting it.

---

Priest:
“We’re running out of time.”

---

Sean shook his head.

---

Sean:
“No.”

---

“We’re running out of options.”

---

The priest looked at him.

---

Then quietly answered:

---

Priest:
“Those are the same thing.”

---

Silence.

---

Far beyond the church—

something impossibly large bent the distant forest.

---

No shape.

---

No creature.

---

Only trees falling in a direction no wind could explain.

---

Eljara stared toward the horizon.

---

For the first time—

she whispered instead of argued.

---

Eljara:
“…We’re already too late, aren’t we?”

---

The priest closed his eyes.

---

Before answering.

---

Priest:
“I’ve been afraid of that…”

---

“…since sunrise.”

---

🜍 THE OLD BARGAINS — Week 4

The priest never carried the knife with pride.

Only with the hope that he would never be too late.

---

If you remember what this felt like —
you already know what you’re missing.

Step back into it.
Or keep missing it.

👉 https://startplaying.games/gm/dunchan

Want to go deeper?

Then don’t stop at the surface.

The full stories. The dossiers. The things behind it —
they’re waiting. Or they’re not.

👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/mythveilchronicles_bydunchanhuntergames