𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Thirty: Death

Chapter Thirty

Matty was swarmed in black, unable to see anything for several moments. For a moment, she was internally freaking out, having no idea what was going on. So far, this had already been so much different from the other trials she had done.

Then suddenly all the black flashed away and everything was white. The world around her was white and the only other color that could see was black. The black looked like ashes falling around her and when she looked at her hands, it was almost like she had been sketched into whatever universe she was in.

"Where am I?" Matty said to herself, looking around.

She had never seen anything like this—and it confused her greatly. She started walking forward, hoping to find something that would stand as at least a small explanation of where she was.

"Professor Fitzgerald? Can you hear me?" Matty called out, looking around.

"I am here." Professor Fitzgerald replied. Something about hearing her voice was comforting. "In this place, you may call me Niamh. You shall be witness to a fable. Pay attention. Things are not always as they seem."

"You must move swiftly and cautiously. Use the tools you encounter to find me." Niamh further instructed. "In this place, as in life, Death takes many forms. Avoid each of them at all costs."

With Professor Fitzgerald's warnings, Matty continued on, a bit worried. Death takes many forms. What did she mean by that?

Suddenly, a village started forming around her. It was in the same sketch-like appearance Matty was right now and she continued to wonder where she was. And it also made her wonder what she was in for here.

The village seemed very grim; people hiding and letting out small cries of despair. Matty had no idea what was going on. Why were these people in so much distress?

Suddenly, from behind a house in the village, a large skeleton arose, its hands gripping the top of the houses before one reached down and clawed at the ground, forming smaller versions of itself. The man in front of the hand seemed terrified and even Matty reeled back a bit.

"Death comes in many forms..." Niamh's voice repeated in Matty's head.

"That's Death." Matty whispered under her breath, her jaw-dropping just a little bit. She froze, realizing that this trial had to do with Death itself. She started to regret everything. All of the people in the village were screaming and running away from Death but none made it out alive.

Death faded away, going to other places to wreak havoc but its shadows were still there. Matty cast the disillusionment charm over herself in hopes that it would prevent her from being seen.

"How am I even supposed to do this?" Matty whispered to herself.

She remembered Professor Fitzgerald mentioning that she had to find her—but she could be anywhere!

Matty had a lot of hesitance. Hiding from Death's shadows itself? That was basically telling Death to take you with a smile on your face.

But Matty needed to complete the trial. "Just get on with it." She whispered harshly to herself as she came out of her hiding place and started to creep by the shadows who were looking for their next victim to pray upon.

The streets were filled with the lifeless bodies of the lost and the village was silent except for the creeping sounds of Death and those wishing they had left before it was too late. Now, they were hiding, fearing for their lives.

"What could've possibly happened here?" Matty whispered to herself as she continued to sneak around the village.

She snuck under a bridge and planned to go to the next one, but suddenly, Death appeared again and her breath caught in her throat. She stumbled back a bit and clamped a hand over her mouth to stay quiet. Her heart was pounding.