"Where am I?" Olivia whispered to herself, the words barely escaping her lips. The echoes of her voice faded into the void, swallowed by the darkness around her.
Suddenly, the blackness trembled as though awakening from a long slumber. The air crackled with energy, and Olivia felt a surge of emotions—a mixture of longing, sorrow, and something she couldn't quite place. The shadows thickened, swirling like a tempest, and the whispers grew louder, a cacophony of voices merging into an incomprehensible chorus.
"Help us… find us… remember…" they pleaded, intertwining with the heavy silence of the void.
Panic surged through her. "What do you want from me?" she cried, her voice rising as fear took hold.
A figure emerged from the darkness—a shadowy silhouette that loomed larger with each heartbeat. Olivia's heart raced, a primal fear flooding her veins. The figure was indistinct, its features obscured, but Olivia felt an overwhelming pull toward it, as though it were calling her name.
"Olivia…" The voice was soft yet chilling, wrapping around her like a cold wind. It beckoned her closer. Despite her instinct to flee, her feet felt rooted to the ground. She trembled as the figure drew nearer.
The shadows pressed closer, enveloping her in darkness. Olivia could finally make out its features—pale skin, hollow eyes that seemed to swallow her whole, and a sad smile that both comforted and terrified her.
As the figure's hand reached out, almost touching her, a bright light suddenly enveloped Olivia, warm and comforting. The darkness retreated, as the terror and cold feeling melted away.
"Wake up, Olivia! Please!" The distant voice of Mia pierced through the warmth.
The shadowy figure's hollow eyes remained locked on Olivia, its mouth moving as though struggling to speak. "Olivia... remember… my… n.a.me."
The light engulfed the figure, and with a jolt, Olivia awoke, her heart pounding in her chest.
She found herself lying in Mia's arms. Mia's tear-streaked face lit up with relief as she saw Olivia awake.
"You're alive!" Mia whispered, her voice trembling. "I thought I lost you."
Olivia blinked, her memories returning in fragmented pieces. "I... I felt like I was dying, Mia. How did you...?"
Mia fidgeted nervously, clutching the cross around her neck. "Well, you might not believe this, but this cross saved you."
Olivia, still groggy from her strange encounter, raised an eyebrow. After fighting banshees and nearly being crushed by a mysterious roar, she couldn't discount anything. "How?"
Mia hesitated before blurting out, "It sounds crazy, but the cross... it spoke to me. Not like with words, but I understood it. It said it could help me save you, and all I had to do was guide its energy toward you."
Olivia stared at her friend, skeptical yet unable to deny what she had just experienced—the warmth, the light. "Maybe it's not as far-fetched as it sounds," she muttered, rubbing her temples as the echoes of the nightmare reverberated in her mind. Who was that figure? What did it mean to remember his name?
Shaking off the lingering dread, Olivia stood, her thoughts racing. "We need to leave, Mia. Whoever—or whatever—roared like that… we can't fight it."
Mia nodded, visibly shaken as well. "It felt like it was tearing us apart from the inside…"
They scanned the ground for Olivia's phone, which she had dropped in the chaos. Mia spotted it first, picking it up and handing it to Olivia. The screen was cracked, but the phone still worked—barely.
Olivia saw a dozen missed calls from Evelyn and immediately called her back. The line picked up on the first ring.
"What happened, dear?" Evelyn's voice was laced with concern. "I heard that roar from miles away. Are you two alright?"
Olivia swallowed hard, her voice shaky. "We don't know what happened. We heard the roar and… it was like it was attacking our souls. I almost died, but Mia saved me with a magical cross."
Evelyn fell silent for a moment, clearly processing what Olivia had said. "A roar… It sounds like one of the 'monsters' sealed within that cemetery. If it's escaped, this is far worse than I feared."
Panic flared in Olivia's chest. "Miss Price, we need to leave. Now."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, dear," Evelyn replied, her tone grave. "Whoever planned this attack likely set traps or sealed the exits. I'm truly sorry for putting you in this situation, but we're facing monsters on our end as well. I need you to hold on a little longer."
Olivia's desperation broke through. "How? We're trapped here, and that thing nearly killed us! How do we survive this?"
Mia's eyes filled with tears again, her hands trembling as she clung to Olivia.
Evelyn's voice softened, filled with guilt. "There is a way, but it's dangerous. The cemetery has a safety mechanism—designed to repel intruders—but it's been deactivated. You need to turn it back on manually."
Olivia frowned. "How do we do that?"
Evelyn sighed, her voice steady as she launched into the explanation. "In the old days, a secret system was built into the cemetery grounds to keep the supernatural entities in check. There are hidden gems scattered across the grounds, and each one is tied to a tombstone. When properly placed into the slots on the corresponding stones, the gems will reactivate the system."
Mia's brows furrowed. "How do we find the gems? They could be anywhere."
Evelyn continued, "There's a map that can help. In my study, there's a black bible on the top left shelf. Inside it, you'll find a detailed map of the cemetery and the location of the gems."
She paused for a moment, then added, "The tricky part is that the map is hidden. The pages in that bible are blank at first glance, but don't worry. The map was drawn using special ink that glows in the dark. You'll need to hold the pages up to a light source or get into a dimly lit area to reveal it. Once you do, you'll be able to see not only where the gems are hidden, but also which tombstones they belong to."
Olivia's mind raced as she tried to process this. "So the map is invisible unless we use the light?"
"Exactly," Evelyn confirmed. "It's an old trick we use to keep our knowledge hidden from intruders. The ink only reveals itself when the surrounding area is dark. The locations of the gems are marked, as well as the tombstones they correspond to."
Mia's confusion deepened. "What if we match the gems wrong to the tombstones?"
Evelyn's voice remained steady. "Each gem is different in shape, size, and color. The tombstones that need gems will have distinct markings or symbols. Once you slot the correct gem into place, the tombstone will light up, confirming that you've activated that part of the barrier. You'll know it's working because the inscriptions on the stones will glow after you place the right gem."
Mia, calmer now, asked, "What happens after that? Will the monsters stop?"
Before Evelyn could answer, the ground trembled violently beneath their feet. Olivia and Mia struggled to stay upright, clutching the walls for support.
"What's happening?" Mia shouted, her voice tight with fear.
Evelyn's voice crackled through the phone. "You need to hurry! I don't know if Cain can hold back the monster much longer."
Olivia blinked in confusion. "Cain's protecting us?"
"Yes, dear. Cain's role is far more complicated than you realize. Now, after you slot all the gems, you'll need to recite an incantation to activate the mechanism. It goes, 'Di Amos Prisiga—'"
The phone abruptly died, and Olivia looked down to see the screen go dark. The battery had finally given out.
Mia's face went pale. "Oh my god. We didn't hear the whole incantation! How are we supposed to activate the mechanism now?"
Olivia placed a reassuring hand on Mia's shoulder, though uncertainty churned in her gut. "It's okay. Miss Price must have notes somewhere. Maybe they'll have the full incantation."
Mia nodded, though the fear hadn't left her eyes. Together, they moved toward the study, determined to find the bible and unlock the cemetery's secrets before it was too late.