As Ivy and Malcolm returned to the office, a sense of accomplishment washed over them, but the air was thick with tension, as if the very walls of their realm were closing in. The earlier exhilaration from saving Sarah began to fade, replaced by an unsettling feeling that they were being watched.
Ivy took a deep breath as they entered the dimly lit office. The familiar artifacts lined the shelves, but today they seemed to cast longer shadows, their dark shapes looming ominously in the corners. Malcolm settled into his chair, flipping through the latest batch of paperwork with a furrowed brow.
"Everything okay?" Ivy asked, noticing the slight tension in his shoulders.
"Yeah," he replied, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of worry. "Just dealing with some… complications."
"Complications?" Ivy pressed, crossing her arms. "Is it about Viktor?"
Malcolm hesitated, the weight of his silence heavy in the air. "It's not just Viktor. There's a growing tension among the reapers. More are trying to stake their claim on the souls we're collecting, and not everyone plays fair."
"Great," Ivy muttered, feeling a chill run down her spine. "So we've made ourselves targets."
"Pretty much," he admitted, leaning back in his chair. "But we can't stop collecting souls. It's our job—and we can't let fear dictate our actions."
Just then, a loud crash echoed through the office, causing Ivy to jump. She and Malcolm exchanged startled glances before they both sprang to their feet.
"What was that?" Ivy asked, heart pounding.
"Stay behind me," Malcolm instructed, moving cautiously toward the source of the sound. He opened the door to the hallway, and they both stepped into the dim corridor, the flickering torches casting eerie shadows along the walls.
As they approached the sound, they discovered the remains of a shattered glass orb—a soul collection orb—lying scattered across the floor. Malcolm's expression darkened.
"Someone's been here," he muttered, kneeling to examine the fragments. "And it wasn't an accident."
"Do you think it was Viktor?" Ivy asked, peering over his shoulder.
"Could be," he replied, his tone grave. "Or another reaper trying to send a message."
Ivy's mind raced with possibilities. "What does this mean for us?"
"It means we need to be on high alert," Malcolm said, standing up. "We can't afford to let our guard down. There are those who want to undermine our efforts, and they're not going to stop."
Suddenly, the air in the corridor shifted, and Ivy felt an icy draft sweep through, causing her to shiver. She glanced around, her senses heightened.
"What's happening?" she whispered, her pulse quickening.
"I don't know, but we should get back to the office," Malcolm urged, moving swiftly toward the door. "We need to regroup and come up with a plan."
As they hurried back, Ivy felt a strange sensation wash over her, as if eyes were watching them from the shadows. She turned, catching a glimpse of a figure flitting through the darkness. Her heart raced.
"Did you see that?" Ivy gasped, pointing into the dim hallway.
Malcolm narrowed his eyes, straining to see. "What did you see?"
"There was someone—something—just there!" she insisted, her breath quickening.
"Stay close," he said, moving cautiously, but the figure had already vanished into the depths of the shadows.
They reached the office door, and Malcolm swung it open, ushering Ivy inside. He closed the door firmly behind them, locking it with a satisfying click.
"Okay, what's the plan?" Ivy asked, trying to steady her breathing.
"We need to figure out our next move," Malcolm replied, his voice steady. "We can't collect another soul until we know we're safe. I'll set wards on the office to keep us protected."
As he began to draw protective sigils in the air, Ivy couldn't shake the feeling of unease. "What if they try to break in?"
"They'll have a hard time if I set these wards right," he assured her, focusing intently on the task. "But we can't let our guard down. If Viktor or anyone else has set their sights on us, they won't hesitate to strike."
Ivy nodded, watching him work with a mixture of awe and apprehension. His confidence was reassuring, but the dread creeping in her gut wouldn't dissipate.
After a few moments, Malcolm completed the sigils, and a soft glow enveloped the room. "There," he said, stepping back. "We should be safe for now."
"What do we do in the meantime?" Ivy asked, her curiosity returning.
"Now we wait," Malcolm replied, his expression turning serious. "And we gather information. If there are other reapers targeting us, we need to find out why."
Just then, a loud banging echoed from the door, startling them both. Ivy's heart raced as she exchanged a terrified glance with Malcolm.
"Are they trying to get in?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Maybe. Just stay quiet," he instructed, moving toward the door to listen.
The banging intensified, a series of heavy thuds that shook the wood. Ivy pressed her back against the wall, fear coursing through her veins.
"Malcolm, what if it's Viktor?" she breathed.
"Then we need to be prepared," he replied, his eyes narrowing. "We're not going down without a fight."
With that, the door burst open, and a dark figure stumbled into the office. Ivy gasped, her eyes widening as she recognized the newcomer—a fellow reaper, one she had never met before, with a tangle of dark hair and piercing green eyes that glinted with desperation.
"Help me!" the reaper gasped, panting heavily.
"What?" Malcolm exclaimed, taking a step forward. "Who are you?"
"I'm Lila," she said, looking back toward the hallway with a frantic expression. "They're coming for me!"
"Who's coming?" Ivy asked, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her.
"The other reapers—Viktor's allies! They want me to tell them what I know about you two!" Lila explained, her voice trembling. "You have to help me! I can't go back!"
Ivy exchanged a glance with Malcolm, uncertainty flooding her mind.
"What do you mean?" he pressed, his expression serious. "What do they want from us?"
"They think you're a threat to their power. They believe if they take you out, they can control the flow of souls again," Lila explained, fear evident in her voice. "But they're wrong. You're not the threat—they are!"
Ivy's heart raced as she processed Lila's words. "So what do we do now?"
"We have to stick together," Lila urged, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "If we can escape the office and find a safe place, we might be able to regroup and figure out a plan."
Malcolm glanced at Ivy, a contemplative look crossing his face. "We can't stay here. If Viktor's allies are searching for us, we need to move before they catch up."
"Right," Ivy agreed, her pulse quickening. "Where do we go?"
Lila's expression turned grave. "There's a hidden passageway behind the bookshelf. It leads to the Undercroft—a place where reapers gather away from prying eyes. If we can reach it, we might find safety."
"Let's do it," Malcolm said, determination in his voice.
As they moved quickly toward the bookshelf, Ivy felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her. They were no longer just collecting souls; they were now tangled in a web of danger and intrigue, with powerful enemies closing in.
With Malcolm and Lila pushing the bookshelf aside, Ivy's heart raced at the thought of what lay ahead. The shadows were gathering, and they had to navigate the darkness together, or risk being consumed by it.