The room was plunged into an almost tangible darkness. I stood in the middle, breathless, eyes wide open. Everything was silent. Too silent. Not a sound reached my ears, not even the familiar hum of the wind against the windows or the creak of the wooden floorboards under the slightest movement. I reached toward the door, but no sound emerged from my throat. I tried to shout, to call Elkior, but my voice refused to come. My hands trembled slightly, and the air felt thick, as if each breath had to be forced, laborious.
I rushed toward the bed where my brother usually slept. His features were relaxed, as if he were in a deep slumber, yet I felt something was wrong. I shook his shoulder, first gently, then more firmly. "Elkior! Wake up!" But nothing. No cry, no groan. His body remained motionless, and I felt my chest tighten with worry. He stirred slightly, and for a moment, I thought he would respond, but he immediately fell back into a state of calm, almost unreal. Panic surged within me. How could he remain like that when everything around us seemed… dead?
I crouched beside him, searching for signs of life, a breath, a heartbeat. Elkior barely opened his eyes, pupils fixed on me with total disbelief. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. His lips moved awkwardly, and I realized he was trying to warn me, to react to the situation, but was powerless. I tried to keep calm, but cold sweat ran down my back. Even the most confident person, the one who always smiles and speaks without pause, seemed unable to comprehend. Elkior, usually so fearless, was lost. And the silence… this silence was oppressive.
I decided to get out of bed and gently tug him by the arm. We had to go downstairs, see if our parents, our sister, were there. I tried to signal with precise gestures, pointing toward the stairs, then miming the descent. He looked at me, hesitated, then slightly nodded. His breathing was quick and choppy. I felt his agitation, his nervousness slowly turning into anger. He was frustrated, and I understood perfectly. I myself couldn't make sense of what was happening.
We moved toward the door, each step measured. The floorboards creaked slightly under our feet, and I held my breath at every sound. The hallway seemed longer than it really was. Shadows of furniture stretched across the walls, moving slightly as if alive. I reached out toward Elkior to guide him, and we advanced step by step, silent but hyper-aware. The air was thick, charged with a tension that almost suffocated me.
Finally, we reached the stairs, and my heart nearly stopped. Three hooded figures stood there, motionless, yet their mere presence imposed a chilling silence. Their hoods shadowed their faces, but I could make out the strength in their broad shoulders, the stance of a giant in one, a slim and agile build in another, and the last, medium-height but incredibly square and imposing. Every detail of their posture radiated a silent threat, as if the air itself carried their malevolence.
I reached out toward Elkior, fingers tense, and signaled him to back up slowly. His eyes were wide, fear evident in every blink. He nodded, hands extended to keep his balance, barely breathing, as if the slightest exhale could betray our position. We moved backward, each step silent, the floorboards still refusing to give us away. The anxiety was palpable, our muscles taut, ready to react to the slightest hint of danger.
Suddenly, the silence shattered. Elkior's first step on the floorboard sounded like a thunderclap. A sharp crack pierced the still air. My heart skipped a beat. Elkior looked at his feet, horrified, feeling the critical moment: each second stretched into an eternity, each movement could be our last. His chest rose quickly, heart pounding, and I felt my own pulse explode in my chest.
The man in the middle, the largest of the three, lifted his head slightly, and our eyes met. His dark eyes pierced through the shadow of his hood, and I felt time slow. The air around us seemed to contract. The threat he emanated was tangible, like an invisible weight on our shoulders. My breath caught, but instinct screamed at me to remain still.
We tried to retreat, but my fingers slipped slightly on the wooden railing. Fear mingled with tension, muscles stiffening. Elkior staggered slightly behind me, but I caught him by the arm. Silence returned for a few moments, oppressive, before…
The tallest man moved. Not a single measurable step, not a motion I could follow. He seemed to teleport, his speed defying all logic. In a fraction of a second, he was in front of me. My body was caught off guard. He struck the back of my neck with a brutal, precise blow, and everything went white. My consciousness faded, carried away, while the aura of danger and power from these men lingered in my floating vision before everything went dark.