The Curse of Solenwood

The shimmering portal deposited Maya and Ash into a clearing bathed in pale blue light. The air here felt even denser, vibrating with an unseen energy that made Maya’s skin tingle. Around them, ancient ruins jutted from the ground—crumbling walls covered in ivy, archways leading nowhere, and statues worn smooth by time.

Maya glanced at Ash, who seemed unusually quiet. His eyes darted over the ruins, his jaw clenched tightly.

“You okay?” she asked, stepping closer.

He didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on a stone carving of a sunburst etched into one of the broken walls. Finally, he exhaled and ran a hand through his hair.

“I should’ve told you sooner,” he said, his voice low.

Maya frowned. “Told me what?”

Ash hesitated, the weight of his words visible in his tense posture. “The melody... it didn’t just bring me here. It’s haunted my family for generations.”

Maya blinked, caught off guard. “What are you talking about?”

Ash gestured to the surrounding ruins. “My great-grandfather, the one who wrote the journals? He wasn’t just a historian. He was trying to break a curse. The melody has followed my family since the settlers built the clock tower. Every few generations, it chooses someone—pulls them into this mess.”

Maya stared at him, her mind racing. “And you think... you’re the one it chose this time?”

He nodded grimly. “It’s why I’ve been searching for the melody my whole life. I thought if I could find the source, I could stop it. But now, seeing all of this... I’m not so sure anymore.”

Maya’s chest tightened as she processed his words. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I didn’t want to scare you,” he admitted. “And honestly, I didn’t think the melody would pick someone else. But then it found you.”

Maya swallowed hard, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and fear. “So what does this curse actually do?”

Ash sighed, leaning against one of the ruined walls. “It’s different every time. For some, it’s madness—hearing the melody until they lose their minds. For others, it’s worse. My great-grandfather... he disappeared while searching for the portal. My dad always said the melody took him.”

Maya felt a chill run down her spine. “Do you think... do you think the melody will take us too?”

Ash’s eyes met hers, filled with a mixture of determination and dread. “Not if we figure out how to end this first.”

The melody seemed to grow stronger as they explored the ruins, its haunting notes weaving through the air like a living thing. Maya couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched, though every time she turned around, the clearing was empty.

They stumbled upon a large stone altar at the center of the ruins. Its surface was covered in intricate carvings, depicting scenes of settlers bowing before a glowing portal.

Maya traced her fingers over the carvings, her brow furrowed. “It’s like they worshiped it,” she murmured. “But why would they worship something so dangerous?”

“Desperation,” Ash said, examining the altar. “Maybe they thought the creature would protect them if they kept it contained.”

As they studied the altar, a faint whispering filled the air. Maya froze, her heart pounding.

“Did you hear that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ash nodded, his eyes scanning the ruins. “It’s the melody... but different. Like it’s trying to say something.”

The whispering grew louder, the words still indistinct but undeniably present. Maya felt a tugging sensation in her chest, as if the melody was pulling her toward the altar.

“I think it wants me to do something,” she said, stepping closer.

Ash grabbed her arm, his grip firm. “Be careful. This place was built to protect the portal—and to keep people out.”

Maya hesitated, but the melody’s pull was too strong to ignore. She reached out and placed her hand on the altar.

The carvings beneath her fingers began to glow, and the whispering coalesced into a single, chilling phrase:

“The curse must be broken.”

Maya gasped as visions flooded her mind. She saw the settlers, desperate and afraid, as they sealed the creature within the portal. She saw Ash’s great-grandfather, standing before the same altar, his face twisted in anguish. And she saw herself, standing at the edge of the portal, the melody swirling around her like a living storm.

The vision ended as abruptly as it began, leaving Maya breathless and trembling.

“What did you see?” Ash asked, his voice urgent.

She turned to him, her eyes wide. “The melody... it’s not just a curse. It’s a key. And it’s been trying to find someone strong enough to use it.”

Ash’s face paled. “Use it for what?”

Maya hesitated, the weight of the truth settling over her. “To open the portal—and destroy whatever’s inside.”

The ruins seemed to pulse with energy as Maya and Ash pieced together what they had learned. The settlers had sealed the creature away, but the melody had never stopped calling out, searching for someone to finish what they had started.

“But if the melody is a key,” Ash said, pacing in front of the altar, “then why does it feel like it’s trying to kill us?”

“Because it’s a test,” Maya realized. “The melody wants to make sure we’re strong enough. If we can’t survive its pull, we won’t survive what’s on the other side of the portal.”

Ash stopped pacing, his expression grim. “So what happens if we fail?”

Maya didn’t answer. She didn’t need to.

The melody’s haunting notes filled the air, louder and more insistent than ever. Maya clenched her fists, her resolve hardening.

“We won’t fail,” she said, her voice steady. “We’re going to break the curse—and end this once and for all.”

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