Chapter 13: "A Sudden Interruption
741 Words
The four of them sat in Lyra's living room, deep in discussion. They were trying to come up with reasons why the Valtorians needed the Mind Stone, what it was, and where it could be.
"I think it's a powerful artifact," Astrid said, her eyes shining with excitement. "Maybe it's the key to unlocking their magic."
"But why do they need it so badly?" Lyra asked, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Just as they were getting into the discussion, a knock at the door interrupted them. They all gasped in shock, their heads turning towards the door.
Kael stood up, his movements fluid and silent. He opened the door, revealing Thane standing on the porch.
Thane smiled, his eyes locking onto Lyra's. "Hey, Lyra. Hey, Astrid."
Lyra smiled back, her expression warm. "Thane, how are you? What brings you here?"
Thane shrugged, his smile faltering for a moment. "I just thought I'd come greet you. See if you had any plans for tonight."
Lyra's expression turned apologetic. "Sorry, Thane. We're kind of busy tonight."
Thane's face fell, his eyes flashing with offense. He looked at Kael and Cormac, a weird smile spreading across his face. "Oh, okay. Well, I'll just leave you to it, then."
With that, he turned and left, disappearing into the night.
As soon as the door closed, Kael turned to Lyra, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, Blackwood, you shouldn't let a guy down that hard."
Lyra looked at him, confusion written across her face. "What do you mean?"
Kael chuckled. "Thane likes you a lot. And you just shut him out."
Lyra rolled her eyes. "What? Thane? He sees me as his sister."
Cormac snorted, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Sister? He wants to smash."
Kael and Cormac burst out laughing, high-fiving each other.
Astrid sighed, her eyes rolling in exasperation. "Can we please focus?"
As they continued to discuss the Valtorians' motives, the atmosphere in Lyra's house remained tense. It had been about an hour since Thane left, and they were still trying to piece together the puzzle.
Suddenly, the screams of people from Ashwood began to pierce the air. At first, they thought it was just a distant commotion, but as the screams grew louder and more urgent, they realized that something was horribly wrong.
Kael's head jerked up, his eyes locking onto Lyra's. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice low and deadly.
Lyra's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. "I don't know," she whispered.
And then, they saw it. Blood splashed onto the windows of Lyra's house, like crimson raindrops. The screams grew louder, more desperate, and they knew that they were running out of time.
Astrid's eyes were fixed on the window, her face frozen in horror. "Oh God," she whispered.
Cormac's face was grim, his eyes blazing with determination. "We have to get out of here," he growled.
Kael sprang into action, his face set in a determined expression. "We have to leave here, now!" he shouted, grabbing the map and books.
They quickly followed him, their hearts pounding in their chests. As they ran through the streets of Ashwood, they were met with a scene of utter c*****e. Bodies lay scattered everywhere, their limbs torn and twisted at unnatural angles. Blood pooled on the ground, forming a sickening crimson lake.
The screams of the innocent still echoed through the air, and the sound of clashing steel and snapping bones filled their ears. The Valtorians were merciless, cutting down anyone who stood in their way.
Cormac took the lead, his knowledge of the town's hidden passages guiding them through the chaos. "I know a safe place to hide," he shouted above the din of the m******e.
They followed him, their lungs burning from the exertion. Finally, they reached a hidden entrance, and Cormac pushed them inside. They collapsed on the floor, panting and trembling with fear.
Astrid's voice was shaking as she asked, "The Valtorians... how did they enter?"
Lyra's eyes were wide with shock and terror. "How did they break through the protective spell?"
They spent the rest of the night huddled together in silence, their minds reeling with the events that had just transpired. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and they fell into a fitful sleep.
But the horror of the night's events lingered, and they knew that they would have to face the consequences of the Valtorians' attack when they woke up.
- Writer
