The Whispering Words
843 Words
Chapter 3: The Whispering Shadows
Mira’s head pounded as she slowly opened her eyes. The air around her was thick with the scent of damp stone and something faintly metallic. A distant echo bounced off the walls, and it took her a moment to register the faint, rhythmic dripping of water.
Where am I?
The last thing she remembered was the sudden burst of light—then falling. She tried to push herself up, but pain lanced through her shoulder, forcing her to hiss in discomfort. Blinking rapidly, she forced herself to sit upright, her gaze darting around the dimly lit cavern. The walls were lined with glowing runes, pulsating softly as if breathing in the darkness.
“You’re awake,” a voice said.
Mira’s heart lurched as she whipped around, finding Kai standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—relief, perhaps? No, it was too fleeting, gone before she could be sure.
“You should be more careful,” he continued. “That fall could’ve killed you.”
“Thanks for the concern,” Mira muttered, brushing dust from her cloak. “Where are we?”
Kai exhaled sharply. “An underground chamber. One of many.”
Mira frowned. “One of many? What is this place?”
Before he could answer, another voice interrupted them.
“More importantly, why did it bring you here?”
Mira stiffened. A woman stepped forward from the shadows, her violet eyes glinting like sharpened amethysts. Nyla. There was something unsettling about the way she moved—graceful yet predatory, like a panther stalking its prey.
“I didn’t ask to be dragged into a creepy cavern,” Mira shot back, pushing to her feet. Her legs trembled beneath her, but she ignored the weakness.
“No,” Nyla mused, tilting her head. “But the magic did.”
Mira’s breath hitched. “Magic?”
Kai nodded. “This place isn’t normal. It’s ancient. And it doesn’t reveal itself to just anyone.”
Mira stared at the glowing runes, the way they pulsed in rhythm with her own racing heartbeat. There was something familiar about them, something that sent a strange warmth crawling beneath her skin.
“I don’t understand,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
“You will,” Nyla said. “Eventually.”
Before Mira could ask what she meant, the ground trembled. The runes flared brightly, casting eerie shadows across the chamber walls. A deep, guttural growl resonated through the air.
Kai tensed. “We’re not alone.”
The temperature plummeted. Mira’s breath came out in a misty exhale, the cold biting at her exposed skin. A shadow detached itself from the far wall, shifting, twisting—forming.
A creature stepped into the dim light, its eyes burning like twin embers. Its body was elongated, skeletal, its claws dragging against the stone floor with a grating sound that made Mira’s stomach turn.
“What—what is that?” Mira whispered, her fingers curling into fists.
“A Wraith,” Nyla said. “A guardian of sorts. And it’s not happy we’re here.”
The Wraith let out a bone-chilling screech before launching forward.
Mira barely had time to react before Kai shoved her aside. She hit the ground hard, gasping as the creature’s claws slashed through the air where she had been standing. Sparks flew as its talons scraped against the stone.
Kai drew his blade in a fluid motion, the silver catching the runes’ glow. He moved with deadly precision, dodging and striking, but the Wraith was fast—unnaturally so.
Nyla didn’t move. She merely watched, arms folded, an amused glint in her eyes.
Mira’s heart pounded. She couldn’t just sit there.
Her eyes darted to the runes. There had to be a pattern, a way to use them. She reached out, fingers brushing the glowing symbols, and the warmth beneath her skin flared into something hotter, sharper.
The Wraith lunged for Kai. Without thinking, Mira slammed her palm against one of the runes.
A burst of light exploded from the walls, golden chains shooting out like serpents. They wrapped around the Wraith, dragging it back. The creature screeched, writhing violently, but the chains held firm, glowing brighter with each passing second.
Kai stared at her, eyes wide. “How did you—”
Mira panted, her body trembling. “I—I don’t know.”
The runes flickered before dimming, the chains vanishing along with them. The Wraith let out a final, agonized wail before dissipating into black mist, leaving behind only silence.
Mira swayed, her vision swimming. Kai caught her arm before she could collapse completely.
“Well,” Nyla murmured, a slow smile curling her lips. “It seems we found our answer.”
Mira swallowed hard. “Answer to what?”
Nyla’s violet eyes gleamed. “Why the magic chose you.”
Mira’s pulse thundered in her ears. She wasn’t sure she was ready for whatever that meant.
- Writer
