Snik Snak sat perched on a rock at the edge of the well-worn path, his tail curling and uncurling as he rifled through his latest prized possession: a Bag of Holding. The enchanted sack defied all logic, which suited him just fine. His claws emerged triumphantly with a perfectly preserved meat pie, followed by a wedge of cheese and, inexplicably, a jar of pickled beets—all provided by Jophyr as a replacement for ruining his snack.

He grinned, admiring his treasure hoard. "Glory is overrated," he said, tucking a piece of jerky into his robe. "But a kobold with an infinite snack supply? Now that's legendary."

Behind him, Jophyr's towering form shimmered like a misplaced sunbeam, his golden aura casting a warm glow over the dusty road. The celestial stood with arms folded, a mixture of amusement and exasperation flickering across his radiant features.

"Small one," the celestial said, "must we stop every mile for you to…forage through that bag?"

Snik tossed a piece of dried fruit into his mouth and shrugged. "If I don't know what's in here, how can I be prepared for emergencies? What if I get hungry mid-glory? Besides, I'm working up an appetite."

Jophyr pinched the bridge of his nose—a surprisingly human gesture for an Empyrean. "We are nearing a village. Perhaps you could focus on something other than your culinary arsenal."

Snik hopped to his feet, the Bag of Holding bouncing at his side. "Fine, fine. I can eat on the way."

The sun dipped toward the horizon, painting the sky in hues of amber and crimson as Snik Snak and Jophyr trudged along the dusty path leading to the village. Shadows stretched long and thin over the parched land, exaggerating the desolation that surrounded them. The air carried a faint, sour tang of damp earth and despair, a blend that made Snik Snak's nose wrinkle in distaste.

On either side of the path, fields of withered crops sprawled in brittle defeat, their stalks bowing under the oppressive weight of the abandonment. The once-vibrant green of the fields had faded into a dismal brown, each plant a testament to neglect and decay. Occasionally, the flicker of movement caught Snik's sharp eyes—an anxious face peering out from behind shuttered windows, only to vanish as quickly as it had appeared.

The villagers' fear was palpable, amplified by Jophyr. His radiant form glowed with celestial brilliance, casting light into every shadow. Though his stride was confident and his expression calm, the golden aura surrounding him seemed only to deepen the unease of the hidden onlookers.

Snik Snak sighed, his tail flicking irritably. "Ever think about turning down the glow, big guy? You're scaring the crops, and I'm not even sure they're alive."

Jophyr turned his gaze down to the kobold, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "A light must shine, my friend, even in the darkest places. Perhaps especially there."

Snik Snak rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Yeah, well, you're about two glows short of a forest fire."

Jophyr strode forward, unfazed by Snik's muttering. "Fear not, little one," he proclaimed, his deep, resonant voice carrying an almost ethical flair. "My light does not merely shine—it illuminates the path for the weary and the downtrodden. It is my sacred duty to be this beacon of hope."

"Maybe dim it a bit. You're making me a target too, you know," Snik quipped, his tail swishing nervously as he scanned the silent village. "Why is no one coming out to meet us? Shouldn't there be, I dunno, a welcoming committee or something? Or did your glowing entrance remind them of some old bedtime horror story?"

He glanced up at Jophyr, whose radiant form stood unflinching. The Empyrean's light dimmed slightly, just enough to catch the faint wistfulness in his expression.

"Perhaps they are unfamiliar with hope," Jophyr murmured, almost to himself. "I spent centuries confined, forgotten by those I sought to protect. Fear has long replaced faith in hearts such as these."

As if on cue, an elderly man hobbled out from one of the houses, leaning heavily on a gnarled staff. His face, etched with years of hardship, reflected both apprehension and a flicker of desperate hope as his eyes darted between Snik Snak and Jophyr. Behind him, a small group of villagers hesitantly emerged, their faces a patchwork of fear and cautious curiosity, drawn by the radiant figure, who seemed both a savior and a mystery.

"You're here to help us?" the man asked, his voice trembling. "The curse…it's destroying everything. The crops are withering, the animals are vanishing…we're don't know how much longer we can survive."

Jophyr stepped forward, his glowing form towering over the villagers. With a sweeping gesture and a voice dripping with celestial confidence, he declared, "Have no fear, good people! I, Jophyr, celestial champion and bringer of justice, shall rid your village of this vile curse!"

For a moment, he paused, allowing his words to linger dramatically, as if expecting applause.

Snik Snak slapped a palm to his forehead, his tail flicking in exasperation. "Oh boy, here we go again with the glow stick theatrics," he muttered under his breath, barely hiding a smirk.

The villagers murmured among themselves, glancing nervously at one another. The elderly man's gaze lingered on Jophyr, awestruck and uncertain, before shifting to Snik Snak with a flicker of curiosity. "And…your companion?" he asked hesitantly, his tone suggesting he wasn't entirely sure what to make of the pint-sized kobold standing beside the celestial figure.

Snik's tail flicked as he nodded. "Snik Snak," he said simply, glancing up at Jophyr with a quick smirk. Under his breath, just loud enough for Jophyr to hear, he added, "The Magnificent. But you already knew that."

"And I am the light," Jophyr declared with a dramatic flourish, his glowing form seeming to intensify. "Together, we are unstoppable." Then, leaning slightly toward Snik with a conspiratorial smile, he added in a lower tone, "Or at least, I hope we are, my friend."

"Sure," Snik said with a shrug. "Unstoppable. Let's go with that. Next thing you know, we'll be glowing and tripping over ourselves with righteousness."

The elderly man gestured for them to follow, his grip on the staff tightening as if drawing strength from it. "Please, come to the square. We'll explain everything…as much as we can."

As they walked, Snik Snak looked up at Jophyr. "Reckless. You didn't even ask what the problem was before promising to fix it. What if this curse involves something way out of our league? Or worse…no snacks?" His voice lowered to a mutter. "I swear, you're going to get us into trouble we can't magic our way out of."

Jophyr's laughter rang out like a bell, out of place in the dour village. "You worry too much, little one. This village shall know peace before the day is through—and you shall know snacks. Plenty of them, I assure you."

Snik cast a skeptical glance at the withered fields, his claws idly drumming against his side. "Yeah, sure. Peace. And snacks. Let's see which one gets here first."

The village square, little more than a worn clearing framed by weathered cottages and a handful of struggling market stalls, had an air of uneasy anticipation. Villagers clustered in a hesitant circle, their faces a patchwork of cautious hope and lingering suspicion. At the center, the elderly man leaned heavily on his gnarled staff, his voice steady but tinged with apprehension as he addressed the gathered crowd.

"This is Jophyr," he said, his voice trembling slightly but loud enough to carry. "A celestial champion, who has graciously come to save us from the curse that plagues our home. He offers his aid without hesitation—a true light in our darkest hour."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, their eyes darting between Jophyr's radiant form and Snik Snak, who stood slightly off-center, doing his best to exude quiet confidence. The kobold offered a quick wave and a sharp-toothed grin, his attempt at reassurance landing somewhere between endearing and unsettling.

"The crops are dying," a middle-aged woman spoke up, her voice thick with worry. "The soil has turned against us. Nothing grows anymore, no matter what we try."

"Our animals are disappearing," another villager added, a wiry man clutching a ragged hat in hands that trembled slightly. "No tracks, no signs of struggle—just gone. It's like they vanish into thin air."

"And then there's the light," the elderly man said, his tone dropping to a fearful whisper. "At night, in the woods, we see a glowing figure. It doesn't move, it doesn't speak, it just watches. We dare not go near it, for fear of what might happen."

Jophyr's glowing eyes narrowed with determination. "Fear not, good people," he declared, his voice resonant and steady. "Though the signs are troubling, we shall uncover their truth and bring this curse to an end. You have my word."

Snik Snak crossed his arms, one claw tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Glowing figure, huh? Sounds oddly familiar," he muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he shot a sly sideways glance at Jophyr. "You sure you didn't take a moonlit stroll to, I dunno, inspire terror in the locals?"

Jophyr ignored the jab, turning to the villagers with a calm yet commanding presence. "Prepare yourselves, for tonight we shall uncover the truth behind this curse. Rest assured, you are under my protection, and no harm shall come to you while I stand here."

"And mine," Snik added with a quick nod, though his voice lacked the same conviction. "I mean, someone's got to be the brains of this unstoppable operation, right?"

The villagers exchanged uncertain glances before offering hesitant nods of agreement. The elderly man stepped forward once more, his expression heavy with the weight of hope and fear.

"We'll trust you," he said solemnly, his voice quivering. "But please…be careful. This village has suffered enough."