Later that evening, the village was silent, save for the occasional howl of the wind. Cedric, Lira, and Maeve stood guard at the edge of the village, the houses dark and the streets empty. The weight of responsibility pressed on Cedric's shoulders. He had promised to protect these people, but how could he defend against an invisible enemy?
"You think your magic can stop them?" Lira asked quietly as she stood beside him, her eyes scanning the shadows.
Cedric nodded, though uncertainty gnawed at him. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Lira was silent for a moment, then said, "Just don't lose control."
Cedric turned to her, sensing the layers behind her words. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."
Lira's eyes didn't leave the horizon. "I've seen what happens when someone loses control on the battlefield. It never ends well."
He hesitated. "That's why you're so careful."
Lira's expression hardened. "I had a unit once. I gave them orders that got them killed. Because I wasn't careful. Because I took risks."
Cedric felt a pang of sympathy. "It wasn't your fault."
Lira's voice dropped to a whisper. "It was my command."
Before Cedric could respond, a cold gust of wind swept through the village, and a strange sound reached their ears. A soft, ethereal hum, like the distant ringing of a bell. Cedric's heart raced as he strained to listen, his magic stirring at the edges of his awareness.
Maeve appeared beside them, her eyes wide. "You hear that?"
The ethereal hum grew louder, echoing through the village like a distant, haunting melody. Cedric could feel the hair on the back of his neck rise as the magic inside him stirred uneasily. The wind picked up, swirling dust through the empty streets, and the shadows seemed to grow darker, deeper.
Lira tightened her grip on her sword, her body tensing as she scanned the surroundings. "Stay sharp," she murmured.
Maeve's usual playfulness was nowhere to be seen. She crouched low, pulling a vial from her pouch, her fingers poised to throw it at a moment's notice. "That sound… it's not natural," she whispered.
Cedric nodded, his senses on high alert. The humming was coming from deeper within the village, toward the far end where the remaining children lived. Without another word, they moved as one, following the sound, the air growing colder with each step.
As they approached the small, dimly lit house at the edge of the village, Cedric felt the ground beneath his feet shift slightly. He stopped in his tracks, holding up a hand to signal the others to halt. There was something here—something beneath them.
"Wait," he whispered, kneeling to press his hand to the earth. His magic responded, a soft pulse rippling through the ground, sensing the presence of something hidden.
Maeve moved to his side, her curiosity piqued. "What is it?"
"There's something under the village," Cedric replied, focusing his power. "A tunnel, maybe… or a chamber."
Lira's eyes narrowed. "That would explain how they're taking the children without anyone seeing."
Cedric stood, his resolve hardening. "We need to find the entrance."
The hum was growing louder now, almost unbearable, like the ringing of a distant bell that wouldn't stop. Cedric took a deep breath, summoning his magic. With a sharp motion of his hand, the earth trembled and cracked, revealing a hidden opening near the house. A cold draft of air rushed up from below, carrying with it the faintest scent of something ancient—something wrong.
Maeve wrinkled her nose. "That's not a good smell."
Cedric peered into the darkness below. "We go together."
Lira stepped forward, her expression grim. "I'll go first."
Without waiting for a reply, Lira descended into the tunnel, her sword drawn and her movements silent. Cedric followed closely behind, the air growing colder as they went deeper. Maeve brought up the rear, her vials clinking softly as she muttered a low chant under her breath, preparing herself for whatever lay ahead.
The tunnel was narrow, the walls made of rough stone, and the further they went, the more the humming seemed to fill the air around them. It was almost as if the sound itself was alive, crawling over their skin, sinking into their bones.
At last, they reached the bottom, emerging into a vast underground chamber. The ceiling was high, disappearing into shadow, and the floor was lined with strange, glowing symbols—symbols Cedric had never seen before. In the center of the room stood a figure, cloaked in darkness, its face hidden beneath a hood.
And behind the figure, trapped in a shimmering cage of light, were the two missing children.
Cedric's heart raced, but before he could move, the figure spoke, its voice cold and echoing through the chamber. "You shouldn't have come."