Whispers in the Dark

Night had fallen over Norvayne, casting the city in a blanket of quiet, though the scars of the day's battle were still painfully fresh. Soldiers kept their vigil at the city's borders, watchful and alert, but an eerie calm had settled in.

Within the castle, the halls were hushed, the echoes of footsteps and quiet conversation feeling fragile in the aftermath of the battle.

Kael found himself pacing the length of his chamber, the soft glow of candlelight casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. He couldn't sleep.

Every time he closed his eyes, images of the battle returned to him—faces of the fallen, the piercing clash of weapons, the cries of the wounded. And yet, it wasn't just the memory of the fight that haunted him.

There was something deeper, something darker.The uneasy feeling he had spoken of with Eiran earlier gnawed at the back of his mind, a sense that danger was still lurking, hidden in the shadows of their victory.

Kael had always trusted his instincts, and right now, they screamed at him to remain vigilant.A soft knock came at the door, pulling Kael from his thoughts. He turned to see Eiran enter, his expression calm but serious.

He had changed out of his battle robes, though he still wore the dark cloak that identified him as one of the kingdom's mages. His eyes were tired but sharp, reflecting the same restlessness Kael felt.

"Can't sleep?" Eiran asked quietly, closing the door behind him.Kael shook his head, his lips forming a thin line. "No. There's something wrong, Eiran. I can feel it."Eiran's gaze softened, and he moved closer, resting a hand on Kael's arm. "I feel it too," he admitted.

"There's a… presence. Something that doesn't feel natural."Kael frowned, turning to face Eiran fully. "A presence? Do you think it's magic?"Eiran nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.

"It's possible. The Vorthal have powerful sorcerers in their ranks, but this feels different. It's more elusive, like it's deliberately hiding from us."Kael's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, a habit he couldn't shake even within the safety of the castle.

"What could they be planning? They've already retreated… or at least, that's what we thought."Eiran's eyes narrowed as he considered the question.

"Whatever it is, it's not over. I've been trying to sense any magical interference, but it's slippery, like it's shielding itself from detection. I can't pinpoint its origin."

Kael felt his pulse quicken. The Vorthal had used dark magic in the past, but if this was something new, something stronger, it could mean an even greater threat was looming over them.

"We need to know what we're dealing with," Kael said, his voice firm with resolve. "If they're using magic to hide something, we can't afford to be blindsided."

Eiran's brow furrowed as he thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up with an idea. "There might be a way," he said slowly. "It's risky, but I could try a scrying spell—something that can pierce through magical barriers."

Kael glanced at him, concern flickering in his eyes. "Isn't that dangerous? If you overextend yourself after the barrier spell from earlier, you could—""I'll be careful," Eiran interrupted gently, though his tone left no room for argument.

"But we have to take the risk. We can't ignore this, Kael."Kael clenched his fists, feeling the weight of Eiran's words. He didn't like the idea of Eiran pushing himself further, especially after everything he had already sacrificed in the battle.

But Eiran was right. They couldn't afford to wait for whatever threat was lurking in the darkness to strike first.After a moment, Kael sighed and nodded.

"Alright. But we do this together."Eiran smiled faintly, his gaze softening. "Together."

The Ritual

The scrying chamber deep within the castle was a place few had ever seen. Hidden away from prying eyes, it was reserved for powerful magic, a space where the kingdom's most skilled mages could perform delicate rituals without interference.

The walls were lined with ancient runes, and the air hummed with latent power.Eiran and Kael stood in the center of the chamber, the dim light from the candles casting long shadows over the floor.

Eiran had gathered several magical artifacts—a crystal orb, a set of enchanted stones, and a vial of sacred water—placing them carefully on the stone altar in front of him.Kael watched as Eiran began to chant softly under his breath, his hands moving in intricate patterns above the orb.

The air around them seemed to shift, growing heavier, as if the very atmosphere was responding to Eiran's magic.For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, the crystal orb began to glow with a faint blue light, the surface shimmering as if rippling with water.

Eiran's chanting grew louder, more urgent, and the light intensified, filling the room with a cold, ethereal glow.Kael held his breath, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

His heart pounded in his chest as he waited, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a blade.Suddenly, the light in the orb flared, and a dark shadow appeared within its depths.

Eiran's eyes widened in shock, and he faltered for a moment, the chanting breaking off as the shadow in the orb twisted and writhed, taking on a more distinct shape."What… is that?" Kael whispered, his voice barely audible over the hum of magic in the air.

Eiran's face had gone pale, his expression tight with concentration. "It's… something old," he murmured, his voice strained. "Something powerful. I've never felt magic like this before…"The shadow in the orb shifted again, and for a brief moment, Kael could make out the faint outline of a figure—a cloaked, hooded figure, its face obscured by darkness.

The presence radiating from the figure was cold, malevolent, and filled with an ancient, twisted power.And then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the image vanished, the light in the orb flickering out and leaving the chamber in darkness once more.

Eiran staggered back, his breath coming in short gasps as the strain of the spell took its toll. Kael was at his side in an instant, steadying him with a firm hand on his shoulder."Are you alright?" Kael asked, his voice filled with concern.

Eiran nodded, though his face was pale and drawn. "I'm fine," he said, though the tremble in his voice betrayed his exhaustion. "But that… whatever it was, it's not Vorthal magic. It's something far older. Far darker."Kael's grip on Eiran tightened, his mind racing as he tried to process what they had just seen.

"Do you think it's connected to the Vorthal?"Eiran hesitated, his brow furrowing. "I don't know. But I think… I think this might be what's been hiding in the shadows. I think it's been watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike."

Kael's stomach twisted with dread. They had just won a hard-fought victory against the Vorthal, but now it seemed that an even greater threat was looming on the horizon—one they hadn't seen coming.

"We need to find out what that thing is," Kael said, his voice grim. "Before it makes its move."Eiran nodded, his expression equally serious. "I'll keep researching. There has to be something in the archives—some mention of magic this old."

Kael's mind was already racing with plans and contingencies, but a part of him couldn't shake the cold fear that had settled deep in his chest. Whatever they were facing, it wasn't just another enemy army.

This was something ancient, something twisted and dark.And for the first time in a long while, Kael wasn't sure if they would be able to stop it.