As Nissa floated in the water, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of despair wash over her. Despite all their efforts, it felt like they were fighting a losing battle. Was all of this even worth it? Did anyone outside of their small circle care about the dark ritual and the danger it posed to their kind?
She surfaced and gazed up at the twinkling stars, lost in thought. It was hard to shake the feeling of hopelessness that was starting to creep in.
Nissa swam back to shore, feeling a sense of determination building up inside her. She and Hattie needed to gather more information about Arden and his followers before they could make any progress toward stopping them. As they walked through the quiet town, they noticed a few people sitting outside of a local pub. They decided to go inside so Hattie could get something to eat.
Over a pint of ale, they struck up a conversation with some locals who were happy to share small talk. They learned that the mountains to the north were treacherous and heavily guarded by some cult, the locals thought, making it difficult for anyone to enter undetected. However, one local mentioned they had heard whispers of a hidden cave system that might provide a way in.
Nissa and Hattie thanked the locals for their help and rested for the night, planning to set out toward the mountains in the morning. As they settled into their room, Nissa couldn’t help but think maybe they weren’t alone in their pursuit of justice after all. They had allies, even if they were few.
As they settled into their accommodation for the night, Nissa couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. She knew they were getting closer to finding Arden, but they were putting themselves in danger. She didn’t want to lose Hattie, too, like they had lost Mistral.
She took a deep breath and reminded herself of their mission. They were doing this for Mistral and the rest of their community. They couldn’t afford to back down now. With renewed determination, Nissa got ready to rest before their next move.
When Hattie was laying in bed, she noticed the change in Nissa’s demeanor and sat up in bed. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, concern etched on her face.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Nissa shook her head. “I don’t know, it’s just...it feels like we’re not making any progress. Like no one else even cares about what we’re doing.”
Hattie put a comforting hand on Nissa’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard, but we can’t give up now. We’re making a difference, even if it’s just a small one. And who knows, maybe more people will start to care if we keep fighting.”
Nissa nodded, grateful for Hattie’s words of encouragement. She knew her friend was right, but it was hard to keep believing in their cause when it seemed like the odds were stacked against them.
As they walked towards a small inn they had spotted earlier, Hattie turned to Nissa. “We need to figure out our next move. Do you think we should head north towards the mountains or gather more information here in town?”
Nissa paused, considering the options. “I think we should gather more information here first. We don’t want to rush into anything without knowing exactly what we’re up against.
Hattie nodded in agreement, and they continued towards the inn. Once they had settled into their room, they brainstormed ways to gather information about Arden and his group of rogue vampires.
“I could try using my siren abilities to lure someone into telling us what we need to know,” Nissa suggested tentatively.
Hattie looked at her skeptically. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. What if you accidentally lure someone dangerous?”
Nissa considered this for a moment before shaking her head. “You’re right. We need to be careful. Maybe we could try talking to some locals and see if they’ve heard anything.”
Hattie nodded. “That’s a good idea. And we could also keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. Maybe we’ll stumble upon something useful.”
Over the next few days, Nissa and Hattie made their way around the small town, talking to anyone who seemed willing to share information. They learned about a group of travelers who had recently passed through the area, mentioning strange vampire activity in the mountains to the north. They also heard rumors of a dark witch who had been seen in the area, possibly working with Arden’s group.
As they gathered more information, Nissa couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of purpose. It seemed like they were getting closer to their goal of finding and stopping Arden and his group. But there was still a long way to go, and they would need to be careful and strategic in their next steps. As the sun began to set over Emsstable Bay, Nissa and Hattie sat down to plan their next move.