Elena moved cautiously through the village, her steps slow and measured as she observed the uneasy silence hanging in the air. The place felt wrong. It didn't feel like a village that had simply been attacked.
It felt like something had been taken from it.
The streets were not empty, but they were tense. People walked quickly, glancing over their shoulders. Mothers held their children tightly, gripping their wrists as if they were afraid they might vanish if they let go.
A man shouted at a little boy who had wandered only a few steps ahead.
"Stay where I can see you!"
The child muttered something under his breath, clearly not understanding why everyone was so afraid. He wasn't the only one.
Even the children could feel it. The lingering fear, the heaviness that refused to leave.
Elena tightened her grip on her bag and kept moving.
Every person she tried to approach either turned away or gave her a cold, suspicious stare. Some even stepped aside as if her presence alone was dangerous.
It was exhausting.
She quietly leaned closer to the air and whispered, "Lena… stay hidden. Please."
A faint voice, barely louder than the wind brushing through the trees, answered, "Okay."
Elena didn't want the villagers to see something she herself didn't fully understand.
"What am I going to do now…?" she murmured to herself as she wandered deeper into the settlement.
It was almost evening. Stalls were closing. Doors were shutting. Windows were being locked.
And she had nowhere to sleep.
A dull ache formed in her chest.
Could Amber really have caused this much fear?
What could she have possibly done here?
Elena sat down on an abandoned wooden carriage, letting out a slow breath. Dust clung to her skirt. The village felt heavy… tense… suffocating.
"Lena…" she called quietly.
"Yes," came the whisper, right beside her ear.
Elena flinched slightly. No matter how many times Lena appeared, she still wasn't used to it.
"What do I do? No one wants to talk to me."
There was a short silence.
Then Lena spoke again, softer this time. "I sense a lot of magic straight ahead. Maybe someone there might be willing to help."
Elena nodded to herself. "Okay…"
Just as she stood up, a voice called out from behind her.
"Hey, gorgeous. What are you doing out here all by yourself? I've never seen you around here before."
Elena turned.
A young man stood there, bulky and broad-shouldered, carrying a heavy sack over one shoulder. His smile was wide, but something about his eyes felt calculating.
Finally.
Someone willing to talk.
"Sir—"
"Don't call me sir," he said quickly with a chuckle. "I'm way too young for that."
Elena forced a smile, though she felt irritation crawl under her skin.
"You see… I'm new to this village," she began, carefully. "I was wondering if you could show me who's in charge around here?"
The man hesitated.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What do you want with him?"
"Nothing really. I'm just looking for some information about—"
A faint brown dust began to float in the air.
She stopped mid-sentence.
She watched as the man casually stuffed a small pouch back into his clothing.
A strange smell reached her nose.
Her head spun.
"Why do I feel… dizzy all of a sudden…?"
The man's smile deepened.
"Have a nice rest, princess."
The world tilted.
Darkness swallowed her whole.
---
Elena woke slowly, her head throbbing.
Her vision was blurry at first. The air felt thick. Warm light flickered against wooden walls.
A door....A wooden chair.
Thick brown ropes wrapped around her arm causing her to flinch.
Her heart skipped.
"What in the…?"
She tried to move.
Her arms and legs were tightly bound to the chair.
Panic rose in her chest.
The room was small, lit by two lanterns hanging on opposite sides. Smoke trailed upward in thin, lazy lines.
"Lena!" Elena called.
A pale figure shimmered into existence beside her.
"What is going on here?" Elena asked, her voice low but steady.
"Oh, Elena… I'm so sorry," Lena said, her voice trembling. "I couldn't help you…"
"Calm down," Elena replied, forcing herself to think. "It's not your fault. Just tell me what happened."
"It seems you were hit with some kind of sleep powder. I tried to untie you when they brought you here, but my hands kept passing through the ropes…"
Elena let out a slow breath.
"It's alright. We just need to think calmly. There has to be a way out."
Lena began to move around frantically, her form drifting faster and faster.
Fog started to gather.
The temperature dropped.
"Lena… calm down," Elena whispered. "You're making it cold…"
She stopped.
Footsteps.
"Quick, hide. Someone's coming."
Lena disappeared.
The door swung open.
The same man stepped inside.
"Oh hey," he said casually. "The little princess is awake."
He rubbed his arms, shivering slightly.
"Why is this place so cold…?"
Elena stared at him.
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked sharply.
He blinked. "I made you fall asleep and tied you up. Isn't that obvious?"
Elena felt the urge to scream.
"I know I'm tied up, genius," she snapped. "My question is why?"
He shrugged.
"Well… you're suspicious. And potentially dangerous."
"I didn't do anything wrong! I was just asking for directions. You kidnapped me!"
"That's a strong word," he replied calmly. "I didn't kidnap you. I captured a potential threat. There's a difference."
Elena clenched her jaw.
"Okay… what makes you think I'm a threat? I came here alone."
His expression darkened.
"That's exactly how the girl who attacked this village came. She appeared helpless. My brother took her in… and she left him almost dead."
Elena's eyes widened.
"Wait… the village leader is your brother?"
The man went still.
"Take me to him," Elena said quickly. "I need to speak with him."
"Do you think I'm going to make the same mistake he did?"
"I'm not a threat," she said urgently. "If I was cursed, would I let you tie me up like this? I would've broken free already!"
He hesitated.
The air grew colder.
Much colder.
He rubbed his hands together.
"What is going on in here…?" he muttered, breathing into his palms.
Elena's heart sank.
Lena…
The cold intensified.
The man looked up sharply.
"That's your magic, isn't it?" he accused. "Frost magic!"
"I don't have magic!" Elena snapped. "I haven't even manifested anything yet!"
"Liar," he said, pulling out a small knife. "I was right. You are a threat."
He stepped closer.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else in this village."
He raised the knife.
"Time to meet your end, witch!"
Fear shot through Elena's chest.
Not fear of dying but the fear of not saving Amber.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Something deep inside her twisted.
Her chest tightened and the air around her grew heavy.
Thick.
Oppressive.
The lantern flames flickered wildly.
The ropes around her wrists strained.
The man stepped forward charging angrily and suddenly—
A violent pressure burst outward from Elena.
The air slammed into him like a wall.
He was thrown backward, crashing through the doorway and hitting the ground outside with a loud thud.
Elena gasped.
Her body trembled.
She didn't understand what had just happened.
The ropes loosened slightly as the pressure continued to pulse around her.
And for a brief moment, the cold in the room vanished.
As if something unseen had been pushed away.
Even Lena, hidden nearby, felt it.
And for the first time…
She smiled.