chapter 9:The Gathering Storm
Chapter 9 : The Gathering Storm
The afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as the children ran around, playing tag and laughing amidst the tall trees and wildflowers. Raven watched from the sidelines, his usual quiet self, occasionally joining in but always careful to stay on guard. Hours passed, and soon Lady Emma called the children back for lunch.
The group gathered around the large oak tree where the picnic was set up, sitting on blankets and sharing bread, fruits, and fresh water. It was a rare, peaceful moment, with the soft breeze flowing gently through the clearing. Raven sat beside Elara, nibbling on his food while keeping an eye on the forest's edge.
For a moment, he allowed himself to relax. I need to enjoy this while it lasts... but I can't let my guard down, he reminded himself. His mind constantly drifted between the fun of the picnic and the subtle tension that always accompanied him when he was outside the orphanage.
As they finished eating, one of the younger boys, Tomas, stood up and pointed toward the horizon. "Look! A storm is coming!" he exclaimed, his small voice filled with concern.
Everyone turned their heads in the direction Tomas was pointing. Far beyond the clearing, dark clouds loomed over the treetops, thick and ominous. The air felt suddenly heavy, and a low rumble of thunder rolled in the distance.
Lady Emma's face turned serious, her usual calm expression replaced by something much more urgent. She exchanged a quick glance with the two helpers, and all three of them stood up, their movements sharp and hurried. The sky seemed to darken unnaturally fast, and there was something about the storm that felt… wrong.
"Everyone, gather around me!" Lady Emma called out, her voice commanding and filled with an edge of concern. "We need to leave. Now."
The children, sensing the shift in tone, quickly obeyed, their smiles replaced with worried glances. Raven's heart raced as he stood up, glancing toward the storm. He could feel it in the air—the wind had shifted, but it wasn't natural. There was something else, something... dangerous.
As the children clustered around Lady Emma and her helpers, the two adults hurriedly packed up what they could from the picnic. Meanwhile, Lady Emma began ushering the group back toward the carriage. But when they reached the edge of the clearing, a new problem arose.
The horses, which had been standing calmly at the tree line, began to stamp their hooves, snorting and tossing their heads in agitation. Their wide eyes darted toward the direction of the storm, and they reared slightly, their bodies trembling.
One of the helpers, the tall man, moved toward the horses, trying to calm them down, but the animals jerked back, clearly spooked. "What's wrong with them?" the other helper muttered, her voice tight with frustration as she too tried to help.
Raven watched the scene unfold, a knot forming in his stomach. The storm wasn't just any ordinary weather. He could feel it in the air—the mana around them was reacting, swirling in an erratic, chaotic way. He clenched his fists, instinctively readying himself to use his wind manipulation if necessary.
"We need to get to the carriage quickly!" Lady Emma's voice broke through his thoughts. She grabbed the reins, trying to calm the horses, but they were growing more frantic by the second, their eyes rolling in fear as the storm continued to approach. The children huddled close, some of them holding onto each other, their earlier excitement replaced with fear.
Elara tugged on Raven's sleeve, her usual bright expression now clouded with worry. "Raven... what's going on? Why are the horses so scared?"
Raven didn't answer immediately. He was too focused on the swirling mana in the air, the unnatural way it seemed to thicken around them. He had trained long enough to recognize when something wasn't right, but he couldn't afford to reveal what he knew—not yet.
I have to be careful... but something is definitely wrong.
The sky above them darkened further, and the rumbling thunder grew louder, closer. Lady Emma's face was set in a determined frown as she tried to control the situation, but even she seemed uneasy.
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around them, and Raven felt it brush against his skin, reminding him of his power. He knew he couldn't afford to act recklessly, but if things continued to escalate, he might have no choice.
The horses suddenly reared back, pulling against the reins. The tall helper cursed under his breath as he struggled to hold them in place, but the animals were panicking, their instincts sensing something far more dangerous than just a storm.
"Everyone, stay close to me!" Lady Emma commanded. "We're going to get through this, but we need to move quickly!"
Raven's eyes darted between the horses, the approaching storm, and the anxious faces of the children around him. He could feel the tension building, not just in the air, but deep within himself.
Whatever this storm is, it's not natural... He could feel a lot of energy....mana but not like mana of humans but wild ferocious uncontrolled mana and a lot of it in the direction of the storm.I need to be ready for anything.l will survive. He then looked towards elara