Sophie looked around again, her gaze landed on a small metallic box half-buried under the papers.
She picked it up—it was cool to the touch, drawn with the same symbol that glowed faintly on Amelia's wrist.
"Do you think you can open it ?" she asked.
Amelia hesitated, then touched the box. The lines on its surface glowed blue for a second—and went dark again.
She frowned "it's sealed with magic"
Suddenly they heard some crash !!
Silence for moment
And then sound of doorbell outside the house.
"Did you hear that!!"
Before Amelia could answer the light started to flicker in the room.
Sophie whispered clutching her arm.
"Something is surely wrong "
Amelia 's heart beat became fast.
The doorbell rang again — louder this time
Sophie's eyes widened. "Who's at the door at this hour, it's only 8 am?"
Amelia swallowed hard. "I don't know "she took a deep breath while trying to calm herself.
"Let's leave here for now I think some one is outside"
Amelia said
"Okay leave the box as it was.. for now "
They tried to place the things at their place and tried to leave the room through the window .
Some time before...
Outside Amelia 's house....
Alaric was driving his car in the direction of his house as he came near the short lane towards the house.
He frowned.
The air here felt… wrong.
Too cold.
Too still.
He stopped the car and stepped out, shoes tapping lightly on the ground. The wind flew through the trees — but he felt something wrong, he could hear something else.
Something breathing.
His eyes darkened, and he extended his hand slightly, whispering a word . A faint glow of blue light pulsed around his palm — a detection charm.
The light flickered once, then burst outward in the direction of the house.
Shapes appeared at the edge of his vision — dark, creature like things crawling through the mist, circling the house.
"So," Alaric eyes darkened as he murmured, his voice low, "you've found her."
The nearest shadow hissed. Its eyes, if present they were glowing with a dark green light .
Then, in a single movement, it leapt toward him.
Alaric raised his hand — a white light came from his palm, striking the creature mid-air. It screamed, dissolving into a cloud of black smoke.
But more came. From the trees, from the earth, from the mist itself — whispering voices and coming towards him.
Alaric moved fast, every gesture precise.
Light came from his fingertips, slicing through the fog. The runes pattern glowed into the ground shimmering as his magic touched them — remains of his old wards around the property flickered to life again, faint but protective.
Still, there were too many.
The shadows pressed closer, their whispers growing louder, circling around him like wolves.
He heard a voice
"You cannot protect her forever Alaric"
He clenched his jaw. "Try me."
With a sharp motion, he drew the silver light from his hands .
It glowed fiercely — a burning blue flame surrounded him, driving the shadows back. But they didn't vanish entirely. Some melted into the earth, watching, waiting.
Alaric's breath came slow and steady. "Cowards, ....did you really think you could defeat me!"
He turned toward the house. . His heart clenched — he knew she was inside.
He whispered a spell under his breath, forming another protective circle around the property.
But before he could complete it, one last shadow came from behind, faster than the rest.
Alaric spun back , meeting it mid-strike. His magic collided with its darkness — light and shadow erupted together, shaking the ground with a thunderous crash.
For a moment, his vision went white.
Then silence.
Smoke came in the air, faint and grey.
The last of the shadows melted away into the mist.
Alaric lowered his hand, his face pale but steady. He could feel the remains of dark magic still present in the air — they would return soon.
He walked quickly toward the front door, urgency burning in his chest.
He reached the gate, looked once more toward the dark trees, and whispered, "Not this time."
Then he rang the bell.