A Piece of the Whole

Outside the Cabin

Alex paced just beyond the cabin's threshold, kicking at loose pebbles to keep himself occupied. The dim light of the setting sun cast long shadows across the forest floor, and the air felt thick with unease. His friends were inside with the Keeper of Memories, but he was not allowed to join them. The thought made his blood simmer.

Why does it matter that I'm here? What's her problem with me?

He tried to distract himself, staring at the swaying trees and listening to the forest sounds: the chirp of crickets, the rustle of leaves in the wind, and... something else.

A faint, melodic whisper drifted through the air, so soft it was almost imperceptible.

"Alex..."

He spun around, his heart leaping into his throat. No one was there.

"Who's there?" he called out, his voice unsteady.

The whisper came again, a lilting, almost song-like cadence. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, wrapping around him like a siren's call.

"Alex... come closer..."

He took a step forward without meaning to, his feet moving on their own. The forest seemed darker now, the trees pressing in around him.

"Closer... you know me..."

The voice was feminine, alluring, and strangely familiar. It pulled at something deep inside him, a feeling he couldn't quite place.

"Stop it!" he shouted, shaking his head as if to clear it. But the whispers only grew stronger, swirling around him in an intoxicating rhythm.

Inside the Cabin

The girls sat awkwardly around the hearth, the Keeper of Memories scrutinizing them with piercing eyes. The firelight flickered across the room, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

The Keeper gestured toward a tray of wooden mugs filled with steaming liquid. "Drink," she said simply.

Antigone shook her head. "No, thank you."

Freya and Ophelia also declined, but Pip reached out and grabbed a mug without hesitation.

"What?" Pip said defensively when the others shot her a look. "I'm thirsty." She took a long sip, then smacked her lips. "It's good."

The Keeper's lips twitched in a faint smile before she grew serious again. "You are here for answers," she said. "And answers I can provide, though they will only lead to more questions."

Freya leaned forward. "Tell us what you know about the Harbinger."

The Keeper's eyes flicked briefly toward Ember, who sat quietly by the fire, staring into the flames. "The Harbinger is no ordinary being. She is a creature of magic, tied to the essence of the queens."

"Queens?" Ophelia interrupted, her brow furrowing.

The Keeper nodded. "Two queens. Sisters. They ruled the Forgotten together in a time before time. When the Forgotten were cast into the in-between, one queen fell into an eternal sleep. The other..." She paused, her expression darkening. "The other vanished."

"Vanished?" Freya echoed.

"No one knows where she went or what became of her," the Keeper said. "To fulfill the prophecy, you must awaken the sleeping queen and find the one who is lost. Without both, the balance cannot be restored."

Pip frowned. "Why hasn't anyone told us about the two queens before?"

"As you may have guessed, each Keeper of Memories holds only a fragment of the prophecy," the Keeper explained. "It is a safeguard, a way to ensure that no one person has too much power or knowledge. My piece is but a shard of the whole."

Antigone glanced at Ember, who looked as though she was trying to shrink into the shadows. "And what about the Harbinger's magic?"

The Keeper's gaze sharpened. "The magic inside the Harbinger is the same that resides in the triplets. It is ancient and powerful, a thread that binds you not only to her but to the Forgotten—and to the Fallen."

Ophelia's stomach churned. "The Fallen?"

"They, too, were once part of this magic," the Keeper said. "Before they were corrupted. Now they answer to the shadows." The Keeper paused

"You carry the same potential for light or darkness. The choice will be yours to make."

The room fell silent, the weight of the Keeper's words settling over them like a heavy blanket.

Outside: Alex's Dream

The whispers intensified, wrapping around Alex like an invisible web. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, his limbs sluggish. He stumbled to the ground, leaning against a tree as sleep claimed him.

The forest dissolved, replaced by a void of swirling shadows. In the center stood a figure, tall and cloaked in darkness. The air around him pulsed with malice, though his face remained obscured.

"Stupid Keepers," the figure said, his voice a low, mocking growl. "They fill your heads with lies, spinning tales of salvation while ignoring the truth."

Alex tried to speak, but his throat felt constricted, his voice swallowed by the void.

The figure continued, his back still turned. "The queen will be the end of all if awoken in her state. She deserves to stay in the in-between. And once my pets find the Harbinger, it will be over. You should be thanking me."

Alex's fists clenched, anger rising in his chest. Who is this? What does he mean?

The figure laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "Ah, but you're leading me to what I want, aren't you? Keep going north. Find the Harbinger for me. She cannot fight them forever, and I know she was injured in her last little scuffle."

A chill ran down Alex's spine as the figure turned slightly, still obscured by shadow. "And boy... if I can't find the Harbinger, one of the chosen ones will do instead."

Alex felt a surge of panic as the void seemed to close in around him. The shadows grew thicker, pressing against his skin, until—

Back in the Forest

Alex jerked awake, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The whispers were gone, replaced by the normal sounds of the forest. He looked around, his heart pounding, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

The cabin door creaked open, and the girls stepped out, their expressions grim.

"Alex?" Freya asked, noticing the sweat on his brow. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he lied, pushing himself to his feet. "What did you find out?"

Antigone glanced at the others, then back at Alex. "A lot," she said quietly. "But we'll explain on the way. We need to keep moving."

Alex nodded, falling into step beside them, but his mind was elsewhere. The words of the shadowy figure echoed in his ears, chilling him to the bone.

Who was he? And what does he mean by one of the chosen ones?

As they walked away from the cabin, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that the whispers were not done with him