Wings of the Radiance

III

In the dead of night, chaos draped its ominous veil over Mia's once-proud Silverkin House as its residents quickly succumbed to the relentless pursuit of Erebos.

Their doom arrived in a matter of heartbeats. Their lifeless forms had been discovered with throats cruelly slit as they lay in peaceful slumber. The footprints of their malevolent assailant remained as elusive as the very night itself.

The onslaught against the paramount house in Tenebrillum reverberated like seismic tremors, creating a conundrum that boggled the minds of all. It was an unforeseen and perplexing situation—a lone man, accompanied by his extremist faction of Caligans, defying the odds by overpowering a house as indomitable as the Silverkins.

Mia, accompanied by Mercy, stood witness to the frenetic movements that had seized control of the once-peaceful hallway. She watched her estate plunge into disarray as her remaining family members—ranging from aunts and uncles to cousins—geared up for an impending, colossal clash. The corridor, once bathed in radiant light, now bore witness to the swift interplay of shadows as her frantic family members moved with urgency.

During this frenzied scene, Meredith swept Mia into her embrace, her arms a shield against the turmoil. Before Mia could see anything else that might scar her young heart, her mother carried her through the chaos-ridden house and into the sanctuary of her bedroom.

In a moment fraught with bittersweet tenderness, Meredith held her cherished daughter close. With infinite care, she lowered Mia onto the soft, billowing expanse of her bed, where the serene embrace of the room offered a brief respite from the disorder outside. Mercy, ever loyal, nestled beside Mia, his furry presence a source of comfort.

Her mother's fingers trembled, betraying the inner turmoil she desperately sought to contain. She brushed aside the fine strands of Mia's chestnut hair that veiled her peaceful face.

A forced smile played on Meredith's lips, a facade Mia recognised was an attempt to mask the fear that her mother fought valiantly to keep hidden.

"Mia, my darling," her mother's voice quavered. She pressed her lips together and gazed into her daughter's eyes. "Promise me that you won't stray beyond these walls until my return. Never forget, you possess an inner strength. Be confident in yourself. My love will always be with you." Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she planted a tender kiss upon Mia's small forehead.

She extended her hand to pat the faithful canine. "Please, Mercy, stay by my precious daughter's side and guard her." She slowly rose to her feet and headed towards the door.

Mia observed her mother's fists tightening, as though she was waging an internal battle. Gripping the doorknob, Meredith's hand hesitated for a moment, and with one final, poignant sigh, she turned it and stepped out into the corridor.

As the door closed with a hushed finality behind her departing mother, Mia was left alone in her softly illuminated bedroom. The faint glow of the moon filtered through a slender gap in the curtains, casting a delicate light upon her surroundings.

In the hushed serenity of the night, the young girl found herself haunted by the enigma of her mother's tearful eyes. The shadows enveloping her seemed to harbour a thousand unspoken questions and an air of uncertainty, their presence swirling like whispers in the nocturnal stillness.

Fatigue, however, gradually asserted its dominion over Mia, and her contemplations ebbed away as she succumbed to a deep slumber.

As dawn's gentle fingers reached through the slightly parted curtains, a single ray of sunlight caressed Mia's face. She stirred, her brown eyes gradually unveiling themselves to the tranquillity of her bedroom. All seemed calm and peaceful until, unexpectedly, a discordant symphony of ponderous footsteps resonated beyond her door.