Willowbrook, the small town Ashley grew uo in was the kind of southern town where magic wasn't just unwelcome—it was treated like a sickness that could spread if you even whispered about it.
Located in the southern part of Eirvale, a kingdom known for having one of the most powerful mage towers and elite—willowbrook was an anomaly, magic thrived everywhere else, being born with affinity to it was a privilege, here it was a curse.
A small town almost isolated from the rest of the kingdom, and probably forgotten. no royal guards were assigned to patrol the streets, the sole protectors were the veil keepers. the only group of people given permission to weild magic. But despite that the townspeople despised them.
Leora, one of the Veilkeepers, had lost count of how many times parents had used her as a warning to their children. "They're possessed. Stay away. You don't know what they're capable of," she had overheard more than once while casually strolling with an apple in hand.
She rolled her eyes, if it weren't for the pay and the fact that her best friend was still in the bloody town—she would have left for the capital a long time ago.
No one knew exactly why the town's people hated the use of magic, the reason was lost to time now only a belief no one dared to question. But the story that kept the belief alive and unquestioned was the story of the 'great massacre'. Centuries ago the northern part of the kingdom decided to do a magical experiment which backfired and hit the south specifically willowbrook tearing a veil, causing shadow creatures to pour in killing hundreds.
As time passed the rest of the kingdom had forgotten about it and moved on with their lives, but this scar never left Willowbrook for centuries and magic was labeled as a curse. Now it was only told as a tale to keep the hatred for magic alive.
Children born with affinity to magic are assigned to become veil keepers no matter how young they were, it was a less horrible way to say they were abandoned from infancy, and if it was found out that a family kept a 'cursed child' with them, they would either be banished, stoned and property burnt to ashes or used as an example for the rest of the town.
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The appearance of the portals in the underrealm caused a ripple in the veil separating the overworld from the underrealm, that was located directly under Willowbrook.
Which wasn't a good sign.
In the dead of night, inside what seemed like an abandoned church, a meeting was being held, at a round table in a hall with no source of light but dimly lit candles were everyone was dressed in black cloaks draped over their heads, covering their faces completely and their swords tucked at the side
The ominous air in the hall made it seem like a cult meeting, Leora sat quietly at the table listening to the leader of the veil keepers speak
The meeting was about the ripple from the veil, which had not happened for centuries everyone was tensed not knowing exactly what it meant for the town.
"We hope it's not what we're thinking but it most likely will be another massacre, so we urge all of you to stay alert, in case there's a call for action" the leader of the veil keepers, a middle aged man standing at the round table stayed
The room erupted with murmurs, for centuries there was never a situation like this, they never had to deal with shadow creatures no one had experience fighting one, though they were trained specifically for that purpose.
"Isn't this the job of the royal guards and mages?" A male voice in the crowd called out.
There was more murmuring, everyone seemed to agree with the question
The leader of the veil keepers waited silently for the noise to die down, noticing that everyone had gone quiet he said "do you see any of them here?"
The hall was silent, no one dared to speak. they all knew the answer to that question. The town was abandoned— forgotten
"Exactly...so if you think the king will send help to a town that has rejected magic and he hardly knows exist, think again" the leader continued
"We all hope that the ripple means nothing, but we are all going to prepare for the worst outcome for the sake of our families and loved ones that live in this town"
Whispers could be heard around the hall but no one dared to speak up.
Excitement bubbled in Leora, her eyes lit like burning flames, finally she was going to use everything she has been practicing all her life.