Whispers Before the Full Moon
Eran moved like a silent flicker between the trees, his breath controlled, steps light, his senses sharpened. The Moonlit Forest was quieter tonight than before—too quiet. Even the beasts had withdrawn, leaving only a faint, unnatural hum in the air.
He followed faint traces of mana, the kind that clings to the air after dark rituals. Broken twigs… burned leaves… symbols scratched into the dirt. They formed a trail leading deeper and deeper toward the heart of the forest.
Eran stopped abruptly.
Voices.
Whispers.
He crouched behind a cluster of glowing shrubs, peering carefully through the leaves. Ahead, in a clearing bathed in cold moonlight, stood a circle of five robed mages. Their cloaks were black and stitched with the symbol of the twisted serpent—the mark of the Serpent Veil Cult.
They thought they were alone. They were wrong.
Eran listened, holding his breath.
A tall mage stepped forward, his hood pulled low.
“The orc tribe fell perfectly,” he said, voice filled with dark amusement.
“Krogar’s people screamed beautifully. It was fun watching them lose everything.”
The others laughed softly.
Eran’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t move.
Another mage raised a glowing crystal.
“Our plan worked even better when we framed Kaelmoor. The king still thinks it was a wild beast attack.”
The others nodded proudly.
“A whole kingdom fooled,” one said.
A younger mage crossed his arms.
“We did it just as the Royal Economic Minister ordered. He pays well for chaos.”
Eran’s eyes widened.
Royal authority? The kingdom’s own minister ordered the destruction of Krogar’s tribe?
Another mage leaned closer to the group.
“And now, we complete the next phase. On the full moon… we unleash the curse on the entire kingdom.”
Eran’s blood froze.
“How many citizens will it affect?” someone asked.
The leader chuckled darkly.
“All of them.”
Eran understood instantly:
Kaelmoor was about to be annihilated.
Before he could hear more, one of the mages’ ears twitched.
“Someone’s watching.”
Eran felt a surge of danger.
He didn’t hesitate.
He bolted into the trees like a shadow, his footsteps barely brushing the earth. A blast of black fire streaked past him, shaking the ground.
“Find him!” a mage yelled.
Eran sprinted faster, weaving between trees, dodging spell after spell. His heart hammered, but his focus remained perfect.
He had to get back.
He had to warn Voltaro.
He burst from the forest’s edge and didn’t stop running until he reached the outer city, slipping unnoticed through back alleys before making it to the inn.
He slammed the door open.
“Lord Voltaro!”
Voltaro and the team stood instantly, weapons half-drawn.
Eran dropped to one knee, panting.
“I have urgent news.”
Voltaro placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
“Speak.”
Eran forced his breath to slow.
“I found them. The cult. The mages who destroyed Krogar’s tribe.”
Voltaro’s eyes sharpened like blades.
“What did they say?”
Eran’s next words changed the entire direction of their mission.
“They admitted… they didn’t just kill Krogar’s people for fun. They framed Kaelmoor to cause chaos in the region.”
Raven growled in rage.
“Those bastards…”
Selena clenched her fists.
“So the kingdom wasn’t at fault.”
Eran nodded grimly.
“Worse. They said they received orders from the Royal Economic Minister. He is working with the cult.”
Voltaro’s expression darkened—it was cold, controlled anger.
“So corruption is inside the palace itself.”
Eran continued,
“And they plan to curse the entire kingdom on the full moon.”
The room fell silent.
A curse that could wipe out Kaelmoor… orchestrated by its own minister.
Raven slammed his fist onto the table.
“Damn them! We should kill them tonight!”
Voltaro lifted a hand.
“We will. But not recklessly.”
He turned to Eran again.
“Eran, you’ve done well. You risked your life to bring us this. Ashenveli is proud of you.”
A faint flush of pride touched the scout’s face.
Voltaro then looked at the entire team.
“Tonight, we move into the shadows.”
Selena nodded.
“To eliminate the cult mages?”
Voltaro’s eyes glowed.
“To hunt them. And to end their ritual before it begins.”
He paced slowly, his mind sharp as steel.
“We cannot alert the entire kingdom. If the minister realizes we know, he’ll flee and trigger the curse early.”
Raven stepped forward.
“So we do this silently?”
Voltaro nodded.
“Exactly. Tonight, we strike their Moonlit Forest base.”
Selena asked softly,
“What about King Toran?”
Voltaro stopped.
“Eran will send the king a private message—no details, only a warning. The king must be prepared, but not aware enough to panic.”
Eran nodded.
“I will deliver it discreetly.”
Voltaro looked at each of them.
“Tonight… Ashenveli brings judgment.”
Raven grinned.
“Finally.”
Selena tightened her grip on her staff.
“Let’s put an end to their curses.”
Voltaro spoke one final command.
“We enter the shadows in one hour. Prepare yourselves.”
While the team prepared their weapons, cloaks, and enchanted equipment, Eran slipped into the night. Moving through rooftops and alleyways, he reached a guard post near the palace.
He approached a trusted, low-ranking knight who had helped them before.
“Deliver this to the king alone,” Eran instructed.
The knight nodded.
“I will protect the message with my life.”
Eran returned to the inn silently.
The king would know danger was coming.
But he would not know from where.
Voltaro stood near the window, looking out toward the black silhouette of the Moonlit Forest.
The moon was nearing fullness.
The cult’s ritual could begin at any moment.
Raven strapped his blades.
“You ready, Voltaro?”
Voltaro’s eyes gleamed with a fierce calm.
“Tonight, we end the ones who hurt Krogar’s people.”
Selena stepped beside him.
“And save a kingdom that never deserved this fate.”
Voltaro nodded.
“ moves.”
They stepped into the night, shadows swirling around them.
The hunt had beginning
Too be continue...