William was in the midst of chaos when he noticed something that chilled his blood: a dense mist was beginning to spread throughout the village. It crept like a silent wave, wrapping everything in a cold white shroud. The temperature dropped drastically, and the air became humid and heavy. It was an oppressive feeling, as if the village was slowly being swallowed by a dark and relentless force.
He stopped, breathing with difficulty. The distant screams mixed with the unsettling silence that the mist brought with it. William couldn't help but recall Dinis's words and behavior the previous night. He felt a surge of adrenaline and fear dominate his chest. He always put his family's safety above all else, and now, every lost second seemed like a risk to his wife's and son's lives.
"Elisha!" he called as he ran back home, passing through the fleeting shadows of villagers also seeking refuge.
Upon arriving home, he found Elisha at the door, her eyes wide and worried.
"William, what's happening?" she asked, holding his hand, her voice trembling.
"We need to leave, now! Pack whatever you can," he said urgently, as he rushed to Dinis's room to get him. "We're leaving the village as quickly as possible."
But when he entered his son's room, William stopped in shock. The bed was perfectly made, the covers untouched. Dinis's room was empty.
"Dinis?" he called, but there was no response. An even colder chill took over his body. "Dinis!" he called again, now in a more desperate tone.
Elisha entered the room, her face pale with worry.
"Where is he?" she asked, fear visible in her expression.
"I... don't know," William replied, his voice faltering. "He's not here."
Distraught, he ran down the hallway to his study, where he remembered seeing Dinis observing the old sword the previous night. But upon entering the study, his heart nearly stopped. Entir's black sword, which had hung on the wall for years, was now also missing.
"No..." William murmured, feeling a mix of despair and disbelief. "Dinis, what have you done?"
Elisha placed a hand over her mouth, her gaze fixed on the empty wall where the sword had once hung.
"He... he took the sword? But... why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
William closed his eyes, trying to control the torrent of thoughts. He knew that Dinis had been seized by an inexplicable urgency, but he never imagined that his son would actually set out to face whatever it was with a weapon in his hands.
While the parents desperately searched for their son, Dinis was already far away. Moving through the shadows, he advanced between the village walls and fences, his steps light and cautious but determined. His eyes, sharp and penetrating, observed everything around him. In his hands, he held the long black blade with a firmness that seemed to defy his young age. That ancient sword, with its blade dark as night, resembled a katana from old times, though it was heavier and more threatening.
As he advanced through the mist-covered grounds, Dinis began to hear the sounds of battle more clearly. Screams of despair mingled with the clashing of metal, creating a melody of horror that seemed to reverberate in the icy air. He peered through the bushes and saw, in the distance, figures of people being dragged, tied to trees, and in some cases, dismembered. The brutal scene ignited something within him—a sense of urgency, a hunger for action he had never felt before.
He took a deep breath, trying to control his racing pulse.
"I need to find my parents... get them out of here," he murmured to himself, almost like a promise. He knew his priority was his family's safety. Those under attack were important, but nothing compared to the love and responsibility he felt for his parents.
With the sword firm in his hands, he moved with impressive speed, as if the blade weighed nothing. In twenty minutes, he managed to approach the house again, always careful to avoid the eyes of the invaders spreading chaos through the village.
As he drew near, Dinis saw something that made him apprehensive. The front door was broken down, and the main window shattered. His heart raced, and he took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Circling the house, he peered through one of the side windows in an attempt to assess what was happening inside.