Crossed Spells

Chapter 25: The Hunt (Part 1)

The calm of the night in Ravenswood was suddenly broken by violent knocks on the Blackwoods' door. Lucas, deep in restless sleep, was startled awake. His heart was pounding as he listened, hearing his father's hurried footsteps in the hallway. The tension in the house was palpable, even through the walls of his room.

Unable to stay in bed, Lucas got up silently. He approached his door, opening it just enough to hear what was happening downstairs. The deep, authoritative voice that echoed in the entrance hall was unfamiliar to him, but his father's reaction left no doubt: it was someone important, and their presence was unwelcome.

"What are you doing here, father?" Damien's voice was tense, almost hostile. Lucas felt a shiver run down his spine. His grandfather? He had never heard of him, his father having always evaded questions on the subject.

"The Order called me back," replied the unknown voice. "It seems you haven't managed to handle the situation as you claimed."

Lucas felt his heart leap in his chest. The Order? The situation? What were they talking about? The secrets surrounding his family seemed to thicken day by day, and Lucas felt like he was caught in a spider's web whose extent he didn't know.

Unable to resist his curiosity, Lucas descended the stairs, deliberately making a step creak to signal his presence. The two men turned towards him, and for the first time, he saw his grandfather.

He was an imposing man, with steel-gray hair and piercing black eyes that seemed able to read your soul. Despite his apparent age, he stood straight, exuding an aura of authority and power that made Lucas shiver. He now understood where his father's strength of character came from.

"Ah, so this is young Lucas," said the old man, a slight smile on his lips. "You've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you." He straightened slightly, his piercing gaze fixed on Lucas. "I'm Remus Blackwood, your grandfather. It's time we finally get to know each other."

Lucas didn't remember ever meeting him, but he smiled politely. "Nice to meet you, grandfather," he said, glancing at his father who seemed about to explode.

"What do you want, father?" Damien asked again, his voice tense. "It's late, and we have normal lives to lead here."

Lucas's grandfather let out a joyless laugh. "Normal lives? Don't make me laugh, Damien. You know as well as I do that nothing is normal in Ravenswood, especially not right now." He turned to Lucas. "Your father has always been an idealist, my boy. He believes one can live a normal life while bearing the burden of our heritage. I should have executed my plan years ago, instead of listening to him."

Lucas's curiosity was piqued. "What plan?" he asked, ignoring his father's warning look.

The old man smiled, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "A plan to protect Ravenswood once and for all. To isolate the town from the rest of the world with a magical barrier. It would have prevented all the creatures from the portals from leaving the town, and given us time to solve the problem once and for all."

Lucas's eyes widened. A magical barrier around the entire town? The idea seemed both fascinating and terrifying. He thought of his friends, of Aria, of all the inhabitants of Ravenswood who were unaware of the existence of magic. How would they react if they suddenly found themselves trapped in a town cut off from the world?

"But... it would have also prevented people from leaving, right?" he asked, his voice betraying his concern.

"A necessary sacrifice," his grandfather replied in a tone that brooked no argument. "But your father didn't agree. He thought it was too radical, that there had to be another solution."