The full moon was still in the sky, but something in the air had changed. It felt like the night had grown heavier.
Faiyra, still staring at their pathetic excuse for a trap, put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Well, that was a disaster. Now what?"
Alice still had a bad feeling and muttered under her breath, "Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd say we go home and sleep till morning. But clearly, you guys aren't normal people and would rather come up with another crazy plan."
Ethan threw his hands up. "Oh, come on, Alice! Have some excitement! The night's not over yet!"
But the one watching them had no intention of letting their night end peacefully.
From within the shadows, a pair of glowing yellow eyes shone through the trees. The mysterious figure, cloaked in a long robe, narrowed his eyes and whispered, "This group… they're stranger than I expected. But the king needs to know what they're after."
Silently, he stepped back into the darkness, as if he had become one with the night itself.
Meanwhile, Selena clapped her hands together. "Alright, guys, whatever's going on, we need to head back home for now. From now on, we have to be extra careful."
Everyone nodded and started making their way back to their small house in the middle of the forest.
The Forest Cabin – An Impossible Potion and a Dangerous Experiment
The silver moon shone brightly in the night sky, and the forest cabin was wrapped in relative silence. But inside, as always, there was no peace.
Alice sat in the corner, frowning as she warily glanced around. Her eyes kept darting toward every shadow in the room.
Ethan, casually munching on an apple, raised a brow at her. "Alice, you're being paranoid! This is the third time tonight you've said someone's watching us."
Alice locked eyes with him, her voice dead serious. "Because I feel it, Ethan. Someone's out there—I'm sure of it."
Selena, sitting on the table, murmured, "If Alice insists this much, then there's gotta be something."
Luna, standing by the fireplace, glanced outside. "Then we need to figure out a way to find out."
At that moment, Faiyra, who had been flipping through old books, suddenly jumped up and shouted excitedly, "Aha! I've got a genius idea!"
Ethan groaned, rolling his eyes. "Oh no, not again."
But Faiyra, unfazed by his reaction, smirked mischievously. "Why don't we make a potion that lets us see hidden people? Like X-ray vision, but magical!"
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
Selena's eyes gleamed with interest. "In theory, that's possible… but we don't actually know a potion like that."
Luna quickly asked, "Do we have the ingredients?"
Faiyra proudly nodded. "Yup! Got everything we need! The only problem is… we don't have a recipe."
Alice narrowed her eyes. "So… we're just gonna guess how to make it?"
Ethan chuckled. "Well, if anyone can create a new potion through pure guesswork, it's gotta be Faiyra!"
Faiyra puffed out her chest proudly. "Exactly! Now, let's get to work!"
And so, the madness began.
The table was covered with glass bottles, glowing powders, and strange herbs. Carefully, Faiyra added ingredients to a large cauldron, stirring them with a wooden spoon. The potion inside started changing colors—first blue, then green, then a shimmering purple.
Ethan watched with doubt. "Uhh… shouldn't it, like, stay one color?"
Selena sighed. "Faiyra's potions never go as expected."
Alice tensed. "Are we sure this isn't dangerous?"
Faiyra grinned. "Nah, just a little… unpredictable."
The moment of truth arrived.
Everyone stared at the potion. A strange smell rose from it, a mix of burnt wood and citrus.
Ethan frowned. "Sooo… who's testing it?"
All eyes turned to Faiyra.
Faiyra scowled. "Why are you all looking at me?!"
Luna laughed. "Because you came up with the idea!"
Feeling utterly betrayed, Faiyra grumbled before dipping a finger into the potion. She hesitated, then placed a single drop on her tongue.
Silence.
Nothing happened.
Ethan tilted his head. "Well? Anything?"
Faiyra opened her eyes. "Uhh… I don't feel any—"
Her gaze snapped toward the wall, and her eyes widened in shock.
"Oh. My. God."
Selena panicked. "What?! What is it?!"
Faiyra pointed at the wall, disbelief in her voice. "I… I can see through it!"
The group exchanged stunned glances.
Alice, still doubtful, asked, "Wait… so it actually worked?"
Faiyra, still in shock, nodded. "I think so!"
Ethan grinned. "Well then, all we need to do is make more of this for everyone and go see if someone's really spying on us!"
But outside, hidden in the darkness, a figure stood watching them. A faint smirk played on his lips as he whispered:
"Interesting… I need to inform the king."
And with that, he disappeared into the trees.
The King's Castle – A Dangerous Secret Unveiled
Far from the forest cabin, deep within the grand halls of the royal palace, the air was thick with the scent of burning incense and the hushed whispers of unseen voices. The dim glow of torches flickered against the massive stone walls, casting restless shadows that danced like spirits across the chamber.
At the center of it all, seated on a golden throne encrusted with emeralds and rubies, was King Aldros. A man with a cold, unreadable face, sharp eyes that never betrayed emotion, and a presence that commanded absolute authority. He wore a velvet cloak draped over his broad shoulders, his fingers lightly tapping against the armrest of his throne.
Silence filled the hall—until the heavy palace doors groaned open.
Hurried footsteps echoed through the chamber as a dark figure emerged from the shadows.
The hooded man, the same one who had been watching Ethan's group from the forest, now knelt before the king.
Without an ounce of emotion, but with a voice that carried absolute power, King Aldros spoke. "Report."
The man took a slow breath before lifting his head. The torchlight revealed his half-hidden face—pale skin, glowing yellow eyes that gleamed like a predator's, and a deep scar that ran from the side of his nose down to his jaw.
"Your Majesty… they succeeded."
The king's gaze narrowed. "Be more specific."
The man's expression was serious. "They made a potion. One that lets them see hidden people. One of the girls tested it—she saw me. If I had stayed any longer, I would have been caught."
A wave of murmurs spread among the advisors present.
One of them, a man draped in elaborate robes, stepped forward, concern etched on his face. "This is dangerous news, Your Majesty. If they manage to replicate this potion, no one will be able to hide from them. Our spies will be exposed."
For a moment, the king said nothing. Then, in a calm but firm tone, he spoke.
"Then we must stop them before this potion spreads across the kingdom."
The hooded man, now smirking slightly, bowed his head. "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
King Aldros laced his fingers together, lost in thought for a brief moment. Then, with a tone that left no room for argument, he declared:
"Send them a message. We'll be sending them an uninvited guest soon."
The hooded man's smirk deepened. "As you command, Your Majesty."
And just like that, he vanished into the darkness…