Chapter 118: Shadows Over Galdreth
As Cassian, Keren, and Morren left the village, the weight of the old woman’s words followed them like an unseen shadow. The sky had begun its slow descent into dusk, painting the horizon with streaks of orange and deepening purple.
The wind carried the scent of distant fires and the faint smoke as it rose from the countless small houses to cook food. It was serene, only if the city would not have been in upcoming danger.
Their pace was steady, but their faces were filled with unmasked urgency. They needed to talk. They needed to find answers.
It wasn’t long before they spotted Oronik and Alistair’s group waiting near the outskirts of the village. The two senior knights stood with the remaining trainees, their stances wary as if they had already sensed something was amiss.
Cassian met Oronik’s gaze first. "We need to go back. Now."
Oronik’s eyes flickered with doubt, but still, he decided to follow the order without asking much, and with a nod, he turned to lead the way. No questions. No hesitation.
As they traveled toward the City Lord’s home, the city of Galdreth stretched before them in eerie stillness. The streets were nearly empty, and the few remaining vendors quietly packed up for the night. Even the usual murmur of city life seemed subdued.
The streets were a far cry from the morning, as it looked like people were even afraid to linger after sunset. They could hardly see people leaving their houses. Most were walking back into their homes. Their houses were tightly shut, and even windows were not spared, as if a monster was chasing them.
By the time they arrived at the City Lord’s residence, the sun had dipped below the horizon, and darkness draped over the city like a thick veil.
The towering structure before them, which looked massive as a fortress and a ray of hope in the daylight, now looked like a haunted house in the night as it was surrounded in complete darkness. Only a few lamps ignited at the door.
Cassian wondered, was it always the same, or had his perspective changed today? Was he seeing everything in a new light? And how could he have ignored so much in past days? Had he become such a muddle-headed person?