“So, they can probably do anything with their powers, right?” Katie asked.
“Yes.”
“Shouldn’t we do the same thing, then? So we can be just as strong?”
“No!” Cyrus said, perhaps louder than he had meant. With a softer voice, he said, “What she is doing destroys our world slowly and has been turning it into something evil. Our world was created pure, and she is draining that away. We cannot do the same thing she is.”
Katie sighed. “I understand.”
They sat there for a minute before Cyrus said, “We should get going. We don’t want to disturb him too late.”
Cyrus led Katie and Tyson through the town, passing many more stores and houses. Soon the streets opened into a round bazaar, with several small, shack-like shops and a few larger ones. The place was buzzing with excitement and talk. There was a noticeable difference in the way people acted here.
“What is this place?” Tyson asked.
“The town’s central shopping place, like an outdoor mall. This is where all the excitement comes if any comes at all.”
“Didn’t we pass by many stores back there?” Katie asked.
“Yes, we did. But these here have a wider variety of merchandise and have more exotic things, as this is where all the imported goods come to.”
Cyrus let Tyson and Katie take a quick detour to explore a bit. They saw all sorts of jewelry, most of it familiar and basic looking, except for a few that had strange stones with intriguing designs etched into them. There was one store that sold leaves. Katie wanted to ask Cyrus about it but figured she would learn another day if it was important. For a few more minutes they walked around the different shops. Cyrus led them further off into the town. Katie could make out the town’s gates as they approached them. This made Katie think they had walked almost to the other side of town.
Instead of walking the path that led to the gates, Cyrus pulled them off onto a narrower path that led to one house. The house looked old and stood some ways away from everything else.
Before they reached the door, Cyrus said, “Listen closely,” he spoke quietly. “You are about to meet Hammond.”
“Who is Hammond?” Tyson asked, but Cyrus told him to be quiet.
“Hammond is the father of a well-known channeler. A channeler is someone who can contact the spirits of the deceased. His daughter’s name was Serena. Be careful not to mention her or his family because he will throw us out. He knows things, and we need his answers.”
“What happened to them?” Katie whispered.
“Serena disappeared five years ago. She was only fourteen. She ventured out into the woods towards a shrine. Local legend says that the woods are only dangerous because of what is inside the shrine. Centuries ago there used to be a town there, but everyone in it disappeared. The only thing that remained was the shrine and soon the woods grew over the land.”
Cyrus stopped talking as they reached the house. He took a step towards the door, but it creaked open before he could knock. A middle-aged man was standing in the doorway, though his beard and hair were gray and looked older than his face.
“Cyrus,” he said in a deep, slow voice. “I heard what you were talking about.”
He didn’t seem angry but wearier than he had just a moment ago when he opened the door.
“I apologize,” Cyrus said. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I only wanted to warn them.”
Hammond didn’t seem to have heard him. He didn’t react at all except to jerk his head and ask, “Who are they?”
“Tyson Everties,” said Tyson before Cyrus could answer. He held out his hand, but Hammond didn’t take it.
He nodded once and looked at Katie. “And you?”
“I’m Katie Dimes,” she answered, strengthening her voice in contrast to how she felt.
“The daughter of John Dimes,” he said.
“Correct.”
Hammond stared at her for a second and then said to the three of them, “Come in.”
He walked inside, and Katie, Tyson, and Cyrus followed, closing the door behind them.
“Make yourselves comfortable,” Hammond said, sitting on a large, dusty cushion.
The house was small. There were a few rooms in the back, which they couldn’t see. They were in the living room. There were cushions on the floor, and they all looked cleaner than the one Hammond sat in.
After they had sat down, Hammond spoke. “I suppose I should finish telling you the story of my daughter. Or correct it.”
None of them answered. Katie briefly turned her head to look at Cyrus, but he was staring at Hammond.
“Those who built this town did so in the belief that one day, whatever lived in the shrine would come after them. This is why the walls were built. It is said that the spirits of the people of the old town would want revenge and that they would come after the citizens of Ilon. We have been safe so far, except for the three disappearances, since the town was built. We got a glimpse of what lies hidden in the woods, and what the shrine holds when seven spirits broke into the town.”
Tyson let out a breath.
Hammond ignored him. “Most of the buildings were destroyed, but everyone was otherwise unharmed except one person who went missing.”
“Was that your daughter?” Katie asked.
Tyson and Cyrus looked at each other like she was trying to commit suicide.
“No, the incident I speak of now happened a long time ago. That was the first person who went missing. The person who was taken was a young boy who lived with his mother.
