xlii
1018 Words
The sun had barely risen when the scream broke the silence.
It was a loud, painful sound that echoed through the camp. Everyone stopped what they were doing. Even the birds seemed to fall quiet. Celestia sat up in her bedroll, her heart suddenly pounding. The air felt colder than it should have been.
Kieran was already on his feet. He grabbed his sword and rushed to the door.
"Stay here," he said quickly, but Celestia was already following him.
They stepped out into the early morning light. It was supposed to be peaceful. Instead, the ground felt tense, like something awful had arrived.
People were gathered near the center of camp. Some were gasping. Others covered their mouths. A few started to cry.
Celestia pushed forward until she saw it.
A body.
A man lay on the ground, blood around him, soaking the dirt. His eyes were wide open, his mouth frozen in a silent scream.
Celestia stopped walking. Her hand flew to her chest.
"That’s... that’s the man I healed," she whispered. Her voice cracked.
Kieran stepped in front of her, blocking her view. His shoulders were stiff, his jaw clenched.
Another scream cut through the air.
Everyone turned.
More people ran toward the far side of camp. Celestia and Kieran followed quickly.
There—on the ground again—was another body. A woman this time. Her arms were twisted, her eyes empty. She looked like she had died in fear.
A woman nearby sobbed.
"My baby! No!"
Celestia felt her knees grow weak. Her breathing turned shallow. It was also the child she helped with her powers. What's happening?
Who could have done this?
Kieran reached out and held her by the arm. He gently pulled her close, keeping her steady.
"Stay with me," he said softly. "Don’t look anymore,” he added. Leon began telling the people to calm down. He had to do it because if he didn't, it would create mass panic.
But she had already seen enough.
Two deaths. Both sudden. Both brutal. One of them someone she had saved.
Why?
A murmur spread through the camp. Some said it was dark magic. Others said it was a curse and some agreed that there's a traitor among them, hiding in plain sight.
But there was one thing they all agreed on:
This was no accident.
Somewhere among them, a shadow had passed through the camp.
And it had killed with joy.
Leon arrived a few minutes later. He crouched near the bodies, checking for any signs of poison or spell damage.
Maraño was brought to the scene too, supported by his guards. He still looked pale, but he refused to stay in bed.
Celestia stood quietly, hugging herself. She didn’t want to cry. She felt like she had to stay strong.
But inside her chest, something was breaking.
"This was a message," Leon said, standing up. "Someone wanted us to know they can kill anytime they want," he added.
"It was meant to scare us," Adelaide added. She held a blade in one hand, magic already swirling in the other. Her barrier couldn't detect another bloodlust entering the range.
Maraño's eyes darkened.
"Then let them be scared in return," he said. "Strengthen the guards. No one walks alone, not even in the daylight," he added.
Kieran tightened his grip on his sword.
"They won't hurt her again."
Celestia slowly turned to Leon.
"Can I see the bodies again? I need to check something."
He looked hesitant but nodded.
She moved closer, and even though her stomach turned, she studied the wounds. They weren’t clean. Not from a blade. The marks were rough, almost like claws.
Kieran watched her closely. He didn’t want her anywhere near this, but he knew she needed to understand.
She stood back up and looked at him.
"This wasn’t just magic. It was something wild. Something that enjoyed killing," she said. "I thought, it was my powers that did this, but it's not," she added.
"Probably a wolf," Leon looked at Kieran. Leon looked around. "Someone inside this camp may have let it in," he added.
Celestia's heart skipped.
A traitor.
Kieran stepped closer to her and gently held her hand.
"We’ll find out who did this," he said.
She nodded, even though fear still lingered inside her.
Somewhere nearby, a shadow was hiding.
And it had tasted blood.
The day passed in silence. No laughter. No training. Just whispers and fear.
Celestia tried to help where she could. She visited the sick tents, comforted a crying child, and tried to give people a sense of hope. But deep inside, she felt like something dark had wrapped itself around her.
Adelaide stayed by her side, watching everyone closely. Esther joined the guards. Dan and Dwayne stood by the main entrance, eyes sharp.
Kieran barely left Celestia's side. When he did, Flint pulled him aside and handed him a small bottle.
"Mother drinks that when she uses too much power," Flint said. "It helps her recover faster," he added.
Kieran stared at the bottle for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"Thanks." Flint patted his shoulder.
"It’s nothing. Just take care of her."
He walked off to join Dwayne, leaving Kieran standing there with the potion.
That night, Celestia didn’t sleep well. Every noise outside made her sit up. She kept thinking about the dagger Maraño gave her. Could it stop the Nightmare Wolf? Could it stop whatever did this? And who's the traitor that was killing all of her patients?
It felt like a setup. Celestia couldn’t shake the thought that someone had planned this—waited for her to use her powers so they could strike.
Would the people blame her now? She was the one who healed them… and now, the ones she saved were the ones being killed.
She clutched the dagger tightly in her hand. The cold metal bit into her skin, grounding her as the wind whispered through the quiet, broken camp.
And far away, in the darkness, someone smiled.
Because fear had finally found a way into Celestia's heart.
- Writer
