The Phantom Called "Woke"
A tale of shadows conjured to frighten the village, while the true thief moved among them unseen.
He conjured a monster out of thin air and named it "Woke."
He said it stalked the countryside, just beyond the hills.
Every problem, every threat, was its doing.
His dark lord's minions were sent against the village.
No one knew what "Woke" really was.
They only heard of its evil, its ruin, and above all, that it preyed on the children.
His beast lay in libraries, classroom and halls, feasting on those who dared to seek the truth.
The villagers grew fearful, whispering of shadows where there were none.
And while they trembled at the phantom he invented, he plundered their stores, bound their teachers, and dimmed their lanterns in the square.
Soon the village stirred with tales of their own, as those who grew suspicious began to disappear.
At last, he declared its final defeat could only come if the people gave him their lives.
As the village crumbled and their numbers dwindled, the remaining few did not question, for to question was to feed the beast.
