Chapter 47: The Shrouded One's Ultimatum
When he got to the village, he found the girls sitting under a tree, chatting and laughing happily with their families — their two sets of parents, who were also seated nearby, enjoying the peaceful moment. The air around them was light, filled with love and warmth as the parents shared stories and exchanged smiles. But as the Shrouded One stood in the shadows, watching them, he felt an unexpected pang in his chest. His mind flashed with pieces of something, something familiar yet fragmented, like the scattered shards of a long-lost memory.
For a brief moment, he considered the fragments. But quickly, he brushed them aside. The past was irrelevant now. He had come for a reason. Without another thought, he made his move, disrupting the moment of peace. His presence cast an immediate shadow, and the atmosphere shifted to one of cold tension.
"Such a happy mood," he said, his voice as cold as the wind. "What's the occasion?" His smile stretched across his face, bone-chilling and unsettling.
The two families froze, their faces going pale as they turned to face him. The girls, too, stiffened, the sight of him instantly quelling their joy. Fear gripped their hearts, for they knew the Shrouded One all too well. Their powers were no more, and without them, they were powerless to defend the people they loved most. The families could see the change in their daughters — the fear, the sudden vulnerability that had taken over their once defiant expressions.
The Shrouded One's eyes glinted as he took in the scene before him. "What's this? No defiance? No sarcastic remarks?" He took a step forward, savoring their helplessness. "Did you really think I wouldn't find you here? Did you think you could hide from me?"
He let the words hang In the air like a threat, his smile turning more wicked with each passing second. He stepped closer, the silence between them stretching unnervingly. "What are you staring at me like that for?" His voice cut through the air. "Were you not the ones who suggested I change my entrance style? I thought about it and realized, I need a style too." His smile grew wider, and his red eyes gleamed with dark amusement.
Ariella's breath hitched in her throat as she thought about the time she had spent as a bird, how she had endured so much. She had never imagined the Shrouded One would show up at such a moment, especially with the families now here, vulnerable without their magical protection. He could destroy them all in an instant if he so wished.
"Oh, before I forget," the Shrouded One mocked, his voice playful but laced with danger, "happy belated birthday, bird-girl."
Ariella's face flushed with a mix of anger and disbelief. That day, her 13th birthday, would forever be scarred by the transformation into a bird. Hearing him mock it now, in front of her parents, only made her blood boil.
The Shrouded One's voice hardened as he declared, "Today, I've come to settle this matter once and for all. Those who agree to follow and obey me shall be spared. Refuse, and you die." His words echoed in the stillness, a chilling ultimatum hanging over the group.
The parents, though they had seen their daughters stand strong in the past, now felt the weight of the Shrouded One's power. They glanced at each other nervously, unsure of how to respond. No one dared to move, no one spoke, and the air grew heavy with tension. The girls could only stand there, unable to protect them.
The Shrouded One eyed them all, sensing something amiss. His gaze turned to the girls. "Cat got your tongue? Why are you not as defiant as usual?" he taunted. "Did you lose your powers?" His red eyes locked on them, waiting for a reaction.
Their silence was all the confirmation he needed.
He stepped back, clearly enjoying their discomfort. "How disappointing," he said, the mockery in his voice unmistakable. "I thought you would put up a better fight."
Ariella's heart raced, but she refused to let fear show. She wouldn't let him win, not like this. She and Elara exchanged a look — a silent promise between them. They may have lost their powers for now, but they weren't done. Not by a long shot.