The bell tower loomed ahead, crooked and blackened with age, leaning over the cobblestone square like a sentinel watching the dead. The fog clung heavier here, swirling in thick ribbons that seemed almost tangible, pressing against their legs and bodies with an unsettling weight.
Liam tightened his grip on the lantern, its faint pulse now syncing with the rhythm of his racing heart. "I hate this," he muttered. "I really hate this."
Jordan, gripping a rusted iron pipe they had scavenged from a toppled cart, gave a weak, forced smile. "Oh, come on. You're enjoying it. Admit it. Adrenaline, shadows, creepy villagers… classic horror night!"
Alex ignored him, moving toward the tower. Tara followed closely, clutching the Veil-touched villager from the previous night. The air grew colder the closer they got, and the fog pressed even tighter, muffling sounds until all that remained was their breathing—and the faint, deliberate creak of the bell suspended above.
At the foot of the tower, the door hung open, its hinges groaning under the strain of decades. The interior smelled of rot and wet wood. Shadows pooled along the staircase that spiraled upward.
"Stay together," Alex whispered. "We don't know what's inside… or what's waiting for us."
A soft shuffle came from the darkness above. The Veil-touched villager's eyes widened in terror. "H-he… he's here… watching… waiting…"
Before Alex could ask, the shadows shifted, coalescing into a horrifying shape on the steps above.
It was a turned villager—a man, perhaps in his forties, now twisted and warped by the Veil. Limbs bent in impossible ways, bones grinding audibly with every movement. His skin was pallid, stretched tight over his ribs, and his eyes glowed faint green, eerily phosphorescent in the dim light.
He let out a guttural wail and surged downward, fast—faster than humanly possible. The lantern pulsed violently, warning them, but they were almost frozen in place by the sheer horror of it.
"Move!" Alex shouted, dropping into a low stance as shadows thickened beneath his feet, coiling protectively around him and Tara.
The turned villager lunged, clawed hands slashing at Alex. He barely twisted aside, feeling the air split against him. The Veil pulsed again, almost as if warning him: He feeds on fear. He becomes stronger with your hesitation.
Tara moved to flank, extending her hands. Shadows rose like serpents, wrapping around the creature's legs. It snarled, pulling free with unnatural strength, spinning violently and tearing one shadow-thickened tendril from Tara's influence.
Jordan swung the iron pipe at the creature, but it ducked and slammed an impossibly long arm into his chest. Jordan was thrown backward, crashing into the side of the tower with a wet crack, groaning as the wind whooshed from his lungs.
Liam screamed, holding the lantern high, its glow spreading into a protective dome. The creature hesitated for a fraction of a second, claws scratching the cobblestones. The Veil's pulse surged through the group again, syncing their movements.
Alex felt the energy roar inside him. He could push, pull, bend it—but fear lingered at the edge of his control. With a sharp inhale, he shoved the Veil outward, forming a wall of dense, writhing shadows that slammed into the creature. It stumbled, shrieking, but righted itself with terrifying speed.
The Veil-touched villager in Tara's arms moaned weakly, eyes rolling in terror. Tara clutched her ward tighter, chanting under her breath, feeling the Veil's energy coiling around her hands. She pushed again, this time weaving the energy into a focused strike at the creature's chest. It recoiled, a low, wet cracking sound echoing as ribs shifted unnaturally.
The turned villager shrieked in fury, reaching a long, gnarled hand toward Tara. She dodged, but the next strike caught Liam in the shoulder as he attempted to advance. A sickening crunch accompanied a scream as his arm bent backward at an impossible angle, and he collapsed onto one knee, blood streaking down his side.
"Liam!" Alex shouted, rushing to him while keeping one eye on the creature. The Veil energy surged from him instinctively, a protective shield coiling around Liam as he struggled to rise.
Jordan staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his nose. "I… I can hit it from here! Maybe! Hopefully!" He swung again, connecting this time. The creature screeched, jerking violently, limbs twitching like marionettes strung on invisible threads.
Alex glanced at Tara. "Together. Now."
They both extended their hands, combining their Veil energy. The shadows surged outward, striking the turned villager. Its form began to flicker, the unnatural glow in its eyes dimming slightly. Limbs snapped back into less horrific positions, though its bones still creaked with stress.
The creature's wail became a horrifying chorus of pain and confusion. It lunged one last time, claws grazing Alex's arm. A deep cut opened, blood spilling, but he barely noticed, focused entirely on channeling the Veil.
The combined energy hit the creature squarely, enveloping it. With a final, jerking convulsion, it collapsed to the ground. Its limbs folded unnaturally, twisting one last time before going utterly still. Silence fell over the bell tower.
Alex dropped to his knees, panting, one arm bleeding. "Liam… you okay?"
Liam gritted his teeth, clenching his good arm around his injured shoulder. "I… I think so. Just… really broken. That thing… it… it wasn't even human."
Tara swallowed hard, still clutching the rescued villager. "The Veil… it's growing stronger. But it's feeding off them, feeding off fear and pain."
Jordan muttered, voice trembling, "Yeah, tell me about it. That… that was horrible. I saw bones bend in ways that—ugh, I don't even want to think about it."
Alex wiped blood from his arm, his jaw set. "It's not over. That was a test. If the Veil can turn villagers this fast… imagine what Lord Drakov can do."
The Veil in their veins pulsed again, stronger now. Shadows clung to the walls, thickening and watching, responding to their collective fear and determination. The lantern flared brightly, illuminating the aftermath of the brutal battle: the twisted corpse of the turned villager, the trembling survivors, and the horrifying reminder that Direford would not be forgiving.
Alex helped Liam to his feet. "We can't linger. We need to move up the tower—see if there's anything left alive up there. And we need to keep our focus. This… power we're gaining… it can save us. But it can also kill us if we hesitate."
Tara nodded, wiping sweat and blood from her brow. "Every step, every fight—it's a lesson. But it's brutal."
Jordan groaned, wiping his hands on his pants. "I officially hate Direford. I officially hate everything."
Alex's eyes hardened as they ascended the bell tower steps, each creaking plank echoing through the mist outside. "Then hate it, survive it, and learn from it. The Veil is awake in us now. And if we can master it… we might just stand a chance against Drakov."
But even as they climbed, shadows pressed close, whispering and writhing, watching their every movement. The Veil was not done with them.
And Direford's hunger had only grown stronger.