Chapter 3 : Shadows in Ashvale

The day had taken a strange turn. After the tension-filled events earlier, Jake, Priya, and Lexi found themselves in the heart of Ashvale. The village, usually peaceful, felt different—like something dark was crawling beneath the surface.

They stopped at a small street restaurant, known for its crispy dosa. Lexi, trying to bring a bit of normalcy back, insisted they eat. and Dheeraj was exhausted so he straight went to home.

"We need to keep our strength up," Lexi said, forcing a smile as she bit into her dosa.

Jake, however, couldn't shake his unease. "Something's off. It's like we're waiting for something worse."

Priya, too, seemed distracted, pushing her dosa around without much appetite. "The Echo is getting stronger," she murmured. "But for now, we need to focus."

Even though they were trying to have a casual meal, the sense of something wrong hung heavily in the air.

At the edge of the village, Vrusha and Shubham were on alert. The forest felt different today—there was an unnatural chill, and both of them could sense it.

"There's something wrong," Vrusha whispered, her eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. "This isn't just the Echo."

Shubham stopped, his fists clenched. "No, this is something else. Someone's here."

And then, out of the dark, two figures emerged, cloaked in long, black coats, their faces hidden under their hoods. But the air around them was unmistakable—cold, dark, and full of danger. Vrusha recognized them immediately.

"They're from the Order of the Horizon," she muttered.

Shubham stepped forward, his voice tight with suspicion. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The first figure, a woman with a cruel smirk on her lips, lowered her hood. Maya Iris—a powerful wizard, with eyes sharp enough to cut through stone. Beside her stood a tall, muscular man, Atanu Velor, his massive sword gleaming on his back.

"We're just... wandering," Maya said, her voice dripping with mock innocence.

Shubham's eyes narrowed, and dark energy swirled around his hand. "Leave Ashvale. You don't belong here. We both knew that...."

Maya's smile widened, amused by Shubham's threat. "Is that a warning, magician?" She stepped forward, her voice growing colder. "You're not ready for what's coming."

Without warning, Shubham hurled a blast of dark magic toward Maya. It shot through the air like a spear of lightning—but with a lazy wave of her hand, Maya flicked it away like it was nothing more than a fly.

"Is that the best you can do?" Maya said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Let me show you the difference between a magician and a wizard."

Before Shubham could react, Maya raised her hand, and the air around her pulsed with raw power. A bolt of searing energy shot from her fingertips, hitting Shubham square in the chest. He was thrown back into the dirt, gasping for breath, his body twitching from the shock.

But Maya wasn't finished. She walked over to him slowly, her steps deliberate and mocking. As Shubham groaned, trying to pull himself up, Maya pressed her foot down on the back of his head, grinding his face into the dirt.

"You're pathetic," Maya sneered, looking down at him with disgust. "You dare challenge me? You can't even protect yourself."

Shubham's face burned with humiliation as he tried to push himself up, but Maya's foot held him down. The weight of her power was crushing, and the dirt beneath him felt colder than ever.

Vrusha, frozen in place by Maya's earlier spell, watched in horror, her heart pounding. She wanted to help, to fight—but she couldn't move. And worse, she couldn't stop the fear rising inside her.

Maya's eyes flicked to Vrusha, and she smiled cruelly. "Look at you," she taunted. "You're shaking. You're angry, but you can't do anything about it. Just like your friend here."

Vrusha's heart raced faster, her frustration and guilt swelling inside her. She had been so confident, so sure they could handle this. Now, watching Shubham humiliated and powerless, she felt utterly helpless.

"Maybe next time," Maya said coldly, "you'll remember this feeling before you decide to stand in my way."

With one last twist of her heel, Maya lifted her foot from Shubham's head, leaving him trembling in the dirt, his face red with shame.

Suddenly, Atlas appeared, his eyes burning with fury as he saw his friends lying on the ground. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, his fists clenched.

At that moment, Atanu Velor unsheathed his massive sword, ready to strike. "You want to join in?" Atanu growled, his muscles tensing.

But Maya raised her hand. "Not today, Atanu," she said, her voice firm. "We're not here to fight. Not yet."

Atanu hesitated, confused. "But—"

"I said not today," Maya repeated, her eyes still locked on Atlas. "You're lucky. This isn't your day."

Maya turned away, motioning for Atanu to follow. But just before they disappeared into the shadows, Maya leaned toward Atanu and whispered, "There's someone else in this village. Someone extraordinary."

Atanu frowned. "The Veiled King?"

Maya shook her head. "No. The Veiled King doesn't recognize his own power yet. But there's someone else here... and whoever they are, they're powerful. More powerful than even I expected. We shouldn't engage with that person. Not yet."

Atanu shuddered at Maya's words, his confidence faltering. If Maya—the mighty wizard—was wary of this unknown person, then they were dealing with something far beyond their understanding.

As soon as they were gone, Atlas rushed to Shubham and Vrusha. Shubham was barely conscious, his face pale, his body trembling from the effects of Maya's magic. Vrusha sat on the ground, her eyes wide with fear and guilt, unable to speak. She had never felt so powerless.

Atlas lifted Shubham, carrying him with ease. "Let's get you to the healer," he said, his voice tight with anger.

As they hurried back toward the village, Tirth Salsa suddenly appeared, stepping out from the shadows as if he had been watching all along.

"You're all fools," Tirth said calmly, his voice carrying a sharp edge.

Atlas growled, his frustration boiling over. "You knew they were here! Why didn't you help?"

Tirth's expression didn't change. "It would've been foolish to attack. They're too strong for you—and for me. If they realized I was here, they would've finished me off first."

Atlas's anger flared. "You're just going to let them do this?"

Tirth shrugged. "You're lucky Maya didn't finish the job. She could've ended all of you if she wanted to. Fighting them was a mistake. But I'll tell you whole story later."

With that, Tirth knelt beside Shubham, placing a hand on his chest. A soft, warm light flowed from Tirth's palm, and Shubham's breathing steadied, though he was still unconscious.

After moving Shubham and Vrusha to the healer's hut, Tirth disappeared again, reappearing instantly at the restaurant where Jake, Priya, and Lexi were finishing their meal.

"They're here," Tirth said, his voice urgent.

Jake shot to his feet. "Who?"

"Maya Iris and Atanu Velor. They attacked Shubham and Vrusha," Tirth explained quickly. "Shubham's hurt badly. You need to come."

Without hesitation, they followed Tirth to the healer's hut. Inside, Atlas sat grimly by Shubham's side, while Vrusha stared blankly at the floor, still too shaken to speak. The air was thick with fear and uncertainty. No one said a word, but the tension in the room was palpable.

Priya's face had gone pale, her hands trembling as she watched Shubham's shallow breathing and her sister's clueless face. Lexi stood frozen, her usual energy drained.

"We weren't ready for this," Jake whispered, feeling the weight of their failure sinking in.

The room was filled with a suffocating silence, until suddenly, the door creaked open. A figure stepped inside—a stranger none of them had seen before. He wore a simple brown cloak, his face hidden beneath a hood, but his presence was strangely calming.

"I've been watching," the man said softly, his voice calm but firm. "You can win."

The group stared at him, confused and on edge. "Who are you?" Atlas asked, his voice low.

The man smiled faintly, but his eyes were serious. "I'm here to help you prepare. The Order of the Horizon won't stop. But you have what it takes... if you're willing to learn."

Before anyone could speak, the man turned and left, leaving them with more questions than answers.