Day 3

  Kalenor awoke to an insistent knocking at his door, the sound cutting through the pre-dawn quiet. The village was still cloaked in darkness, the sun yet to rise. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and quickly donned his cloak and sword before answering the door.

  A patrol guard stood before him, his face pale and his breath quick. “Scalesworn,” the man said, his voice trembling. “The Briarhouse. The husks… they’re causing a commotion, crashing around inside.”

  Kalenor grabbed his equipment without hesitation and followed the guard into the cool night air. The village was eerily still, save for the distant sound of their hurried footsteps. As they approached the Briarhouse, the sound stopped. A heavy, unnatural silence fell over the area, but this silence was different—thicker, more foreboding—than the one Kalenor had experienced before.

  Kalenor slowed his pace, signaling the guards to halt. “It’s too quiet,” he muttered, his amber eyes narrowing. “Something isn’t right.”

  The guards exchanged uneasy glances as Kalenor issued his next command. “Rip the boards off the doors. Open it.”

  The guards hesitated for a moment but obeyed, tearing the planks from the doorframe with practiced efficiency. The door creaked as they pushed it open, revealing the dimly lit interior of the Briarhouse. Kalenor’s suspicions were confirmed as soon as he stepped inside. The husks were gone.

  “They’ve escaped,” Kalenor said, his voice grim. He turned to the guards. “Search the building. We need to find out how they got out.”

  He grabbed a torch from one of the guards and led the patrol deeper into the Briarhouse. The air inside was stifling, the faint smell of decay lingering in the corners. Kalenor’s sharp eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail. The cabinet he had placed over the dent in the floor was shattered, the wood splintered and scattered across the ground.

  He knelt, holding the torch low to illuminate the area. A large hole gaped where the floorboards had been, leading into a dark, narrow tunnel that disappeared into the earth. “Underground,” he murmured, his voice filled with dread. “They’ve gone underground.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  The realization sent a chill down his spine. If the husks had escaped into the tunnels, they could resurface anywhere. The village was in grave danger.

  Kalenor stood, his expression hard. “Fill this hole. Board it up. We can’t risk them sneaking back in through here.”

  The guards hesitated. “And what if they try to come back while we’re filling it?” one of them asked.

  “Then burn the Briarhouse down,” Kalenor said bluntly. “We can’t afford to take chances.”

  The guards nodded and began gathering materials to seal the tunnel. Kalenor stepped back outside, his thoughts racing. The husks’ escape had escalated the threat to the village, and the presence of the Lady in Blue still weighed heavily on his mind. He issued orders to the patrols, ensuring that the Briarhouse and its surroundings were added to their routes. Once the immediate crisis was handled, Kalenor returned to the inn to rest.

  The next morning, Kalenor awoke to the light of a rising sun once again. The night had passed without incident, but the sense of unease lingered. He made his way to the elders’ hall, determined to discuss the growing threat.

  The elders were already gathered, their faces etched with worry. Kalenor wasted no time explaining what had happened. “The husks escaped through a tunnel beneath the Briarhouse,” he said. “We’ve sealed it, but there’s no telling where they’ve gone. This village is in grave danger.”

  The elders exchanged panicked whispers, their voices rising. One of them, the wiry elder who had spoken out before, slammed his hand on the table. “We need to leave. No one should stay here any longer. It’s not safe!”

  Kalenor raised a hand, his voice cutting through the noise. “Leaving isn’t an option anymore.”

  The room fell silent as all eyes turned to him. “What do you mean?” another elder asked, her voice trembling.

  Before Kalenor could respond, the door burst open, and a patrol guard rushed in, his face pale with fear. “Scalesworn,” the man said breathlessly, “she’s here. The figure—the one in the blue cloak. She’s back.”

  Kalenor’s chest tightened, but he forced his voice to remain steady. “Where?”

  “Near the tree line,” the guard replied. “She’s just… standing there, watching.”

  Kalenor turned back to the elders, his expression grim. “Now you see. There’s no escape. She won’t allow it.”

  The elders exchanged fearful glances. “Who is she?” one of them whispered. “What does she want?”

  Kalenor drew in a deep breath, his amber eyes hard. “The Lady in Blue. A noblewoman of Thalassai. Corrupted.”

  The revelation sent a ripple of shock through the room. Kalenor continued, his tone steady but grave. “She’s been watching us for days. She’s tied to this plague—her presence, her actions, they’re all connected. And now, with the husks gone, she has an army to blockade us.”

  The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. Kalenor stood tall, his voice resolute. “We must prepare for a fight. There is no running. We stand here, or we fall.”

  The elders nodded reluctantly, their fear giving way to grim determination. Kalenor turned to the guard who had delivered the news. “Gather the patrols. Double the watch at the gates and along the walls. And keep an eye on the Briarhouse.”

  “Yes, Scalesworn,” the guard replied, hurrying out the door.

  As the elders began discussing preparations, Kalenor stepped outside, his gaze fixed on the forest beyond the village. Somewhere out there, the Lady in Blue was watching, waiting. The fight for Hallowglen was no longer just about survival—it was about standing against the corruption that threatened to consume them all.