The children ran, their footsteps crunching through the dense forest floor. Branches scraped their skin as they pushed through the undergrowth, the growls of the Fallen echoing behind them.
Alex led the way, his sword strapped to his back, while Pip clutched the glowing map, her hands trembling. The triplets stayed close, their breaths ragged but determined.
"Faster!" Alex shouted, glancing over his shoulder. "We are not far from the village!"
The forest seemed endless, a maze of twisted trees and shadows. The faint light of the moon filtered through the canopy, casting eerie patterns on the ground. Freya stumbled, and Antigone grabbed her arm, steadying her.
"Keep going!" Antigone urged. "We can't stop now!"
Finally, the trees thinned, and the village came into view. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, and warm light spilled from the windows of the small cottages. It was a stark contrast to the terror they had just escaped.
"This is where we split up," Alex said, his voice heavy with reluctance. "We need to go home and warn our families."
The triplets hesitated, glancing at one another. Tig spoke first, her voice wavering. "We will meet at the northern edge of the village. Don't be late."
Alex nodded, gripping Pip's shoulder. "Come on. Let's go."
The group separated, Alex and Pip heading toward their homes while the triplets turned down the cobblestone path to theirs.
The Triplets' Home
The triplets burst through the door of their small cottage, their breaths coming in gasps. Their mother, Charity, was sitting at the table, her head in her hands. She looked up as they entered, tears streaming down her face.
"You are here," she whispered, standing and rushing to embrace them. "Thank the stars, you're safe."
"Grandma—" Ophelia began, but their mother held up a hand, her expression somber.
"I know. I felt it," she said, her voice trembling. "Your grandmother... she's gone. And now it's up to you."
"What do you mean?" Freya asked, her eyes wide.
Charity took a deep breath, steadying herself "Grandma told you of the prophercy?" she asked. The sisters nodded
The triplets exchanged uneasy glances.
"You are the key," their mother continued. "But only together. It cannot be done apart. You must be as one."
Charity wiped her tears and began packing supplies—food, clothes, and small trinkets—into bags. "You have to leave. Now. The Fallen will never stop chasing you. The Harbinger will follow you, for it is the four of you who will awaken the Forgotten."
"The Forgotten? Grandma spoke of them, but not much was said." Ophelia asked, clutching the book their grandmother had given her.
Charity nodded grimly. "They are forgotten for a reason. No one knows the full truth, but what we do know is this: they loved the people and were always united until an act of betrayal created the Fallen.Now dark forces guide them. Your grandmother was right—you must head north to the ruins. The Harbinger will meet you there, as long as you stay ahead of the Fallen. But if they catch up to her.. you'll have to save the Harbinger as well."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling over them.
"There's a spell in that book," Charity said, pointing to the leather-bound tome in Ophelia's arms. "You need to decipher it. It's called Transcensio, but it is only a basic spell. To unlock the potential of the book seek the keepers."
"Transcensio?" Ophelia repeated, the unfamiliar word rolling off her tongue.
"It's not a word you'll find in common language," Charity said. "It's ancient, and it means something akin to transformation. But its true meaning... only the book will reveal that."
Charity paused, her hands trembling as she tied the bags shut. "No single Keeper of Memories has all the information about the Forgotten or how to awaken them. Each village has a Keeper, and each Keeper holds a piece of the puzzle. You must find them. But be warned—they are secretive, difficult to find, and even harder to convince. You'll have to prove who you are and that the prophecy is coming to pass."
The triplets nodded, their faces pale but resolute. So many questions and no time to ask them.
Charity placed the bags in their hands and kissed each of them on the forehead. "I told your father to run an errand," she said. "He doesn't know about any of this. Men are not allowed to know—only the Keepers and their daughters."
"Why this is so I know not, but beware men and boys for now. Do not take Alex with you.
The triplets looked at one another. Alex knows but they said nothing as the sadness of what their mother just said sank into their hearts.
Freya's lip quivered. "We'll never see Dad again, will we?"
Charity's expression crumbled for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "I'll find a way to explain your absence. But you need to go now. The Fallen are close."
She knelt in front of them, her voice soft but urgent. "There's one last thing I must teach you—a spell to erase your essence temporarily. It will hide you from the Fallen, but only for a short time. And be careful. The more you suppress your essence, the harder it will be to awaken your magic. Magic is a delicate balance. You'll have to walk a fine line."
She showed them the motions and whispered the incantation, her daughters repeating it until they could perform it flawlessly.
"Go," Charity said, pushing them toward the door. "And remember—always stay together. You must be as one."
The triplets hesitated, each of them looking back at their mother. Grandma said the same thing yet she also said they would be separated.
"Go!" Charity urged, tears streaming down her face. "I have to cleanse this place. If the Fallen find me, they'll kill us all."
The triplets swung the bags over their shoulders and stepped out into the night, the weight of their mother's words heavy on their hearts.
The Meeting Place
At the edge of the village, Alex and Pip were waiting, their faces lit by the faint glow of Pip's map. The triplets approached, their bags slung over their backs.
"We are all here," Alex said, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes.
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Antigone stepped forward. "Whatever happens, we stick together. No matter what."
The others nodded, murmuring their agreement.
As they turned to leave, Ophelia paused, looking back at the village. The place she had called home for twelve years seemed so small now, so fragile.
"This is it," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "There's no going back."
Her sisters stepped beside her, each of them placing a hand on hers.
"No," Antigone said softly, "but we have each other."
With one last look, the five of them turned and disappeared into the forest, the weight of their new destiny pressing down on them.
Their journey had begun.