Chapter Four: Whispers Beyond the Veil

Chapter Four: Whispers Beyond the Veil

The morning mist clung to the hills, curling through the trees like restless spirits. Aira’s boots pressed into the damp earth as she and her companions, Kael and Liora, made their way toward the ancient ruins at the edge of the forest. Kael led, his sharp eyes darting from shadow to shadow, while Liora followed close behind, her steps light as a whisper.

For days, Aira had felt the pull of something foreign, something that resonated with the gift she barely understood. It was as if a thread connected her to the Veil, tugging her forward, daring her to venture into the unknown.

Kael paused abruptly, holding up a hand. "We’re being watched."

Aira tensed, her fingers instinctively wrapping around the hilt of the small dagger she had inherited from her mother. It wasn’t a warrior’s weapon, but it gave her a sense of security. Around them, the silence deepened, the only sound a faint rustling in the leaves.

“There,” Liora whispered, pointing ahead. “See that shimmer?”

Through the trees, a faint glow wavered, almost like a mirage. It hovered just beyond the ruins, a thin curtain of light that pulsed faintly, as if alive. Aira’s heart raced. This was the Veil, as she had never seen it before—no longer invisible but shifting, tangible. It looked fragile, threads of silver and gold weaving through it, but the gaps were unmistakable.

A chill swept over Aira as she realized the Veil was fraying, leaving cracks where shadowed figures seemed to loom.

“We should be cautious,” Kael said, his voice low. “Anything could slip through one of those gaps.”

As they approached, Aira felt a prickling at the edge of her senses. A voice, barely more than a whisper, seemed to reach for her, calling her name from beyond the Veil. She stopped, transfixed, and the world seemed to fall away, leaving only the faint, haunting melody echoing in her mind.

“Aira…”

Kael grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “Stay with us,” he said, his voice filled with urgency. “Whatever’s beyond the Veil wants to lure you in.”

Aira tore her gaze away from the shimmer, nodding. But the whisper didn’t leave her. It lingered in her mind, brushing against the corners of her thoughts, planting seeds of curiosity—and fear.

Liora, watching them both, looked uneasy. “We have to figure out why the Veil is weakening before more creatures slip through. And if the voices can reach us now…they might have ways to get to you that we don't understand.”

They ventured closer to the ruins, careful to avoid the glowing seams. Each gap seemed like a window into a storm—a chaotic swirl of dark shadows and vibrant lights, both beautiful and dangerous. One gap in particular drew Aira’s attention; through it, she glimpsed a vast, dark forest bathed in a silver light unlike anything she had seen before.

“What is that?” she murmured, more to herself than her companions.

“The Otherworld,” Liora answered, her voice barely above a whisper. “A mirror of our realm, and yet…not.”

The three of them stared into the gap, mesmerized. But suddenly, a dark shape moved within the forest, something with glowing red eyes that fixed on Aira. She felt its gaze like a jolt of lightning, cold and fierce, as if it could see right through her.

“Back away,” Kael ordered. “

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***