The next two days of Riku's solo investigation into the woods yielded little more than mounting frustration and a growing collection of crimson-stained animal corpses. He pushed deeper than before, using his heightened senses and tracking skills, but the source of the "Apparent Curse" remained elusive.
There were no cursed artifacts, no unusually tainted water sources he could find, no specific area where the affliction seemed more concentrated. It was as though nothing felt off on the surface, yet there was a deadly crimson signature manifestation on the wildlife.
The forest itself felt subtly wrong, unnaturally quiet in patches, the usual chorus of insects and birds muted.
He returned to Elowen late on the second evening, weary and disheartened. Though he had tried every way possible, he was unable to find anything that could explain the source of this strange affliction.
