As they walked back to the fort, the midday sun offered little warmth. The air felt thick with tension, each step weighted by the ominous knowledge they had just uncovered. Garnetta and Raphael moved in silence, their thoughts heavy with the implications of what they had learned.
When they finally reached the edge of the forest, the fort loomed ahead, its walls stark against the backdrop of trees. It no longer felt like a refuge; instead, it seemed like a sentinel, standing guard over secrets too dark to be revealed.
Raphael paused before they entered, his eyes scanning the treeline as if expecting something—or someone—to emerge from the shadows. "Ma chérie, we need to be on our guard," he said quietly, his voice laced with concern. "Whatever we're dealing with, it's powerful and ancient. We can't afford to make any mistakes."
Garnetta nodded, her own unease mirroring Raphael's. "I know. But we're not running, not this time. We need to understand what this is, and how to stop it."
They entered the fort, the heavy gate closing behind them with a resounding thud. Inside, the air was cooler, the shadows deeper. Garnetta couldn't shake the feeling that the fort itself was somehow alive, its walls watching and waiting for something to happen.
As they moved through the courtyard, Garnetta noticed something out of place. The door to one of the smaller buildings—one they rarely used—was ajar, swaying slightly in the breeze. She frowned, glancing at Raphael, who had also noticed the anomaly.
"Did you leave that open?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
Raphael shook his head, his expression darkening. "No, and I don't think anyone else should have been in there."
They approached the building cautiously, Raphael leading the way with Garnetta close behind. The door creaked on its hinges as Raphael pushed it open, revealing the dim interior. Dust motes danced in the weak light that filtered through the small windows, and the room was filled with the scent of old wood and earth.
At first glance, the room appeared untouched—just as they had left it. But as Garnetta's eyes adjusted to the dim light, she noticed something on the floor near the far wall. A small, dark stain, barely visible against the worn wood.
Raphael moved toward it, crouching down to inspect the mark more closely. Garnetta followed, her heart pounding as she knelt beside him.
"It's blood," Raphael said, his voice barely a whisper. "And it's fresh."
Garnetta's breath caught in her throat. The implications of this discovery were chilling. Someone—or something—had been inside the fort, and they had left this mark as a sign. But what were they trying to communicate? Was it a warning? A threat?
Raphael stood, his gaze sweeping the room. "We need to find out how they got in, and why. This place should have been secure."
Garnetta nodded, her mind racing. "Do you think it's connected to the symbol? Could this be some kind of ritual?"
"It's possible," Raphael replied, his tone grim. "But we need more information before we can be sure."
They searched the room thoroughly, looking for any other signs of intrusion or clues that might explain what had happened. But there was nothing—no footprints, no signs of a struggle, nothing to indicate how the blood had gotten there or who had left it.
As they left the building, the sense of unease that had settled over Garnetta deepened. She could feel the presence of something lurking just out of sight, something that watched and waited for the right moment to strike.
Back in the main courtyard, Raphael turned to her, his expression resolute. "We need to strengthen the fort's defenses. If whatever left that mark is still out there, we need to be ready."
Garnetta agreed, and they set to work immediately, reinforcing the gates and checking every corner of the fort for weaknesses. The sun was sinking lower in the sky by the time they finished, casting long shadows across the courtyard.
As they stood together, surveying their work, Garnetta couldn't shake the feeling that they were preparing for a battle they didn't fully understand. The symbol, the lights, the blood—it was all connected, but the pieces of the puzzle refused to fit together.
"We should rest," Raphael said finally, his voice breaking the heavy silence. "We've done all we can for now."
Garnetta nodded, though she knew sleep would be elusive. Her mind was too full of questions, too occupied with the fear of what might come next. But she also knew that they needed to be at their best, and that meant resting, no matter how difficult it might be.
As they made their way to their quarters, Garnetta glanced back at the fort, its walls looming in the gathering darkness. The sense of foreboding that had plagued her all day was stronger than ever, a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.
Inside their quarters, Raphael lit a fire, its warm glow a stark contrast to the chill that seemed to cling to the fort. They sat together in silence, the crackling of the flames the only sound in the room.
Finally, Garnetta spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Raphael, what do you think this all means? The symbol, the blood... what are we up against?"
Raphael was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the fire. "I don't know, ma chérie," he said softly. "But whatever it is, it's something powerful, something ancient. And it's not something we can fight with strength alone."
Garnetta nodded, though the uncertainty gnawed at her. She had always trusted Raphael's judgment, but this time, the stakes felt higher than ever. They were facing something that defied explanation, something that had been waiting in the shadows for far longer than they could imagine.
"We'll figure it out," Raphael continued, his voice filled with quiet determination. "We've faced worse before, and we'll get through this too. But we need to be smart, and we need to be careful."
Garnetta leaned against him, drawing comfort from his presence. "I know we will. I just... I wish I knew what we were dealing with."
Raphael wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. "We'll find out, mon ange. And when we do, we'll face it together."
As the fire burned low and the room grew darker, Garnetta allowed herself to close her eyes, the warmth of Raphael's embrace lulling her into a restless sleep. But even as she drifted off, the sense of foreboding remained, a constant reminder that the shadows in the woods held secrets that were not yet ready to be revealed.