The Hush of the World (ONC 2024)

Chapter 11

Out of the tree trunk, I took off towards the lake, the trees whispering warnings and directions in my ears. Their voices were a chilling chorus, but they were my only guide.

Behind me, the enraged shrieks of the witch echoed across the desolate landscape. "Foul human of the Wraith! You think you can escape me? I'll tear you apart when I find you!"

Terror fueled my steps. Reaching the lake's edge, I stared at the murky water churning ominously in the unnatural light. The reeds swayed gently in the unseen wind, their feathery tops obscuring the depths.

Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the cold, fetid water. The shock of it knocked the air from my lungs, but I kicked my legs, fighting my way deeper, following the faint, pulsing light emanating from the wishbone clutched in my hand.

My vision blurred, the darkness pressing in on me. Panic clawed at my throat.  Suddenly, the wishbone glowed brighter, illuminating a path through the reeds, leading towards a single, shimmering object nestled amongst the water weeds.

It was the smoky orb, pulsing with an eerie light, exactly as I had seen in the witch's dreamscape. But the vision had shown me more than just the location of the Umbra Hat. 

In a fleeting moment, I had glimpsed a memory – a young Morwen, her eyes filled with a naive hope, gazing up at a cloaked figure with an air of royalty. The figure, I realized with a jolt, was Haider, the Wraith King, but younger, his face still ethereal and handsome but innocent— unmarred by the years of cruelty and power. 

Their connection was undeniable, her eyes so intense it burned with an ethereal light. Then, the image shifted, twisting into a scene of utter despair. Morwen's youthful hope had morphed into a chilling rage, her eyes blazing with a hatred so profound it seemed to consume her.

The realization hit me like a physical blow. Morwen had loved Haider, perhaps even been in love with him. A love so strong that its rejection had twisted her very being.  And in a cruel twist of fate, she had sought revenge by stealing something precious from him – the Umbra Hat, a memento of the woman he truly loved, his deceased wife. 

The knowledge filled me with a sense of overwhelming sadness for the witch, a creature consumed by a love turned bitter. But it also fueled my determination. I had to get out of here, to use the Umbra Hat to save Rani and escape this desolate wasteland.

With a desperate lunge, I grabbed the orb. A jolt of electricity shot through me, making me wince. The wishbone, its final act complete, disintegrated in my hand, leaving only a wisp of blue smoke.

Clutching the orb tightly, I kicked my way back to the surface, gasping for air. The witch's enraged shrieks seemed closer now, filled with a murderous intent.

There was no time to waste. I knew escape wouldn't be easy, but with the Umbra Hat in hand, I had a fighting chance. With newfound purpose, I pushed myself towards the shore, the witch's fury echoing behind me, a chilling reminder of the nightmare I had to escape.

Scrambling out of the lake, my lungs burned, and my body ached. But the chilling whispers of the trees had fallen silent, replaced by an unnerving quiet. The air itself seemed to hold its breath, thick with anticipation. A bead of sweat trickled down my temple, a cold dread seeping into my bones.

I whirled around, searching for the source of the oppressive silence. The looming trees stood frozen, their gnarled branches reaching out like fingers, but no longer rustling in the unseen wind. In that moment, I knew. I wasn't alone anymore.

A guttural chuckle echoed through the desolate landscape, sending shivers down my spine. The ground trembled beneath my feet, and a monstrous shadow stretched across the blood-red sky. 

Then, Morwen appeared. But this wasn't the cloaked figure I'd encountered at the gate. This was the Devourer of Dreams in her true, terrifying form. A grotesque amalgamation of shadow and bone, her eyes burned with an unholy light. A monstrous grin stretched across her inhuman face, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Panic seized me. I stumbled back, gasping for air, the stolen Umbra Hat clutched desperately in my hand.  Before I could even scream, a massive, skeletal hand engulfed me, lifting me effortlessly into the air.

Morwen's laughter boomed around me, a horrific symphony that vibrated through my very bones. "So, you think you've outsmarted me, little human? You've dared to steal from the Devourer of Souls?"

Her voice dripped with venomous amusement, and I knew then that my pathetic pleas for mercy would fall on deaf ears. Tears streamed down my face as I choked on a strangled scream.

But amidst the terror, a flicker of my dream vision sparked in my memory. The vision of the Umbra Hat, fracturing against a rock. A desperate hope flared within me. 

Ignoring the agonizing grip around me, I mustered all my remaining strength and slammed the orb down onto a jagged rock protruding from the barren ground. 

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then, a hairline crack appeared on the surface of the orb, spiderwebbing outwards in a mesmerizing pattern. Relief flooded through me, so intense it almost masked the growing pain in my lungs.

Suddenly, a booming voice split the air, a voice that sent shivers down my spine despite the fear gnawing at me. "Finally!" it echoed, filled with a chilling amusement. 

With a blinding flash of light, the world dissolved into chaos. Morwen's monstrous form vanished, replaced by a swirling vortex of shadows. My body went limp, and the stolen Umbra Hat clattered to the ground, now just a harmless orb.

Then, a figure emerged from the darkness. It was Haider, the Wraith King, no longer cloaked in shadows but revealed in his full glory. A cruel smile played on his full lips as he gazed down at me, his eyes gleaming with a predatory gleam. 

"Sorry, old pet," he called out to the dissipating shadows. "Looks like it's time to return my human." 

With a wave of his hand, the desolate landscape vanished. When my vision cleared, I found myself standing in the middle of the amphitheatre, the roaring cheers of the faerie crowd washing over me. 

Rani, stood beside me, her eyes wide with surprise and relief.

'Rani! I screamed, and ran to engulf her in a hug. She smiled gently, her eyes darting around the dark fey in apprehension and annoyance.

But the celebration around us felt hollow, a cruel mockery of my ordeal. 

I had escaped the clutches of the witch, that much was true. But at what cost? 

Haider's cruel smile sent a fresh wave of terror through me. I had become a pawn in a game between two powerful beings, a game I didn't understand and one I had no hope of winning. 

As the cheers of the faeries reached a crescendo, I knew my fight was far from over. The price of Rani's freedom hung heavy in the air, a debt I had no idea how to repay.

Haider watched me intently, his brows furrowed, almost amazed.

"You're a dreamseer?"