Ellie's boot slammed into the Chancellor's chest, sending him sprawling across the stone floor. Her guitar rang out like a war cry, each note cutting through the air as she pressed forward, relentless. The Chancellor coughed, his body broken, his arrogance stripped away. She raised her guitar high, ready to end him once and for all.
But then—
A tune rose from the shadows. It was faint at first, a single string plucked, but it grew into a haunting melody that froze the air. Everyone felt it—the pressure, the weight, the unnatural silence. Brittany's voice trembled as she asked, "What… what is that tune?"
The Chancellor's face twisted, not with pride but with fear. He sighed, his voice hollow. "Kill me. Please. Kill me before she arrives."
Ellie narrowed her eyes. "Who?"
The answer came not in words but in wind. A sudden swirl tore through the chamber, slicing the Chancellor's hand clean off. He screamed, clutching the stump, as the atmosphere thickened. The pressure was unbearable, pinning them down as though the air itself had become iron.
From the fog, a woman emerged. Cloaked in black, her face hidden, her presence suffocating. Hodgins' lips curled into a smile as she stepped forward, taking Anne by the arm. Without a word, they vanished into the fog together.
The room held its breath. Everyone was alert, every nerve screaming. Leo was gone—Ellie was the only one left to protect Brittany.
The woman stood tall, her cloak shifting like smoke. Though her body looked old, her voice rang out young, sharp, and chilling. In her hands was a sitar, its strings glowing faintly. The melody that had frozen them came from it.
She gripped the instrument, her fingers hovering over the strings. Slowly, deliberately, she raised her hand, placing it against the sitar. Ellie's heart pounded—she knew the truth. The moment the woman struck that tune, they were dead. She had only one second to act.
The hand touched the strings. Microseconds stretched into eternity.
Ellie lunged, grabbing Brittany and hurling her out of the line of fire. Brittany's eyes widened in shock, her mind unable to comprehend what was happening.
And then—
Boom.
The tune exploded, shaking the mansion to its foundations.
To be continued…