NOVEL NEXT The Shadow of the Unknown
The sky above Velaris suddenly darkened, as if a pall of darkness had been cast over the city. In the palace, the air was heavy, filled with an uneasy anticipation that made the guards exchange nervous glances. Unbeknownst to them, something indescribable was approaching, drawn by the scent of magic emanating from the artifact, now stored in a hidden vault within the castle.
Amalthea, locked in her cold, damp cell, could hear the echoes of the palace's hustle and bustle. The shouts of the guards, the clang of armor clashing, and the growing tension made her restless. The artifact that had once brought her hope now seemed to be the source of all the commotion. Without knowing exactly what was happening, she only felt that something terrible was coming.
“Why am I here?” Amalthea asked herself, trying to understand her destiny. Her thoughts were fixed on the artifact, confiscated along with her few belongings. What was it really? What was its power? These questions echoed in her mind, while restlessness took over her being.
The artifact’s presence in her life was no mere coincidence; there was something deeper and more sinister about it. Unaware that a monstrous creature was approaching the palace, she focused on how to escape her cell and retrieve the object that had changed her life. If only she could use the magic she was beginning to master, perhaps she would have a chance.
With renewed focus, Amalthea stood up and decided to try to summon the magic she felt flowing within her. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and concentrated, allowing the energy of the artifact to pulse through her mind. A glow began to emerge from her little finger, a small beam of light that soon expanded.
“This… this might work!” she exclaimed, filled with determination. With a wave of her hand, she caused the light to shine brightly, illuminating the cell. However, the beam of magic did not go unnoticed. Outside, the guards began to hear the commotion, and the echoes of the fight against an unknown threat began to penetrate the cold walls.
A captain shouted orders to the others, his voice firm but filled with tension: “All hands on deck! Something is approaching!” The guards, aware that the palace’s safety was at risk, began to gather, their armor clanking in a frenzy of preparation.
Amalthea felt dread rise within her. What was happening? What could threaten the palace? A wave of despair hit her, but she refused to give up. The idea that the artifact could be the cause of it all motivated her even more.
If she couldn’t escape, she would never know the truth. What if the creature that had lured her was linked to the artifact? She had to act quickly. With one last movement, she threw all her magic at the cell door. A beam of light struck it, and the door creaked, but remained intact.
Outside, the situation was about to get worse. The roar of the creature, invisible and hungry, echoed through the palace corridors, making the walls tremble. The guards, now in panic, prepared for battle.
Amalthea, realizing that the situation was becoming more critical by the second, decided that she could wait no longer. If the creature wanted the artifact, she would have to find it before everything collapsed around her. With renewed courage, she began to search for a way out of the cell.
Deep within her, a new determination burned in her heart. Whatever was happening, her connection to the artifact ran deeper than she had imagined. The power she now felt pulsing through her veins could be the key to her freedom—or her ruin.
As the palace prepared for the coming storm, Amalthea was about to discover that the real challenge was just beginning.