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The forest was thick with shadows, the towering trees swallowing most of the sunlight that dared penetrate the canopy. Beneath them, two figures moved like wraiths, barely more than whispers in the gloom. They stood concealed in the shadows, their bodies blending into the darkness as if they were part of the forest itself. The smaller of the two shifted uneasily, his sharp eyes narrowing as he watched the scene by the lake unfold.
The siblings, oblivious to the danger lurking nearby, stood by the water’s edge. The girl was absorbing the energy from the stone, her magic began to hum faintly in the air. Her hands glowed softly, the energy coiling around her like a living thing, drawn to her naturally. Her concentration was unshakable, her brow furrowed as she gathered the core’s power into her small frame.
“Is she the one?” The smaller figure spoke, his voice cutting through the silence with a note of impatience. His hand twitched toward the handle of the wand at his side, as if he could barely restrain himself from rushing forward.
The taller figure, who radiated an air of command and patience, nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the girl. “Yes,” he replied, his voice low and certain. “She’s the one we’ve been searching for. That magic…”
The smaller figure shifted again, his unease growing as his gaze flicked around the forest, scanning the trees and shadows for signs of any other presence. “And the mother? Shouldn’t she be here by her side?” His tone held a note of caution, as if the mere mention of the woman sent a shiver down his spine.
“She’s in the village,” the taller one said, his tone dismissive, his eyes still locked on the girl. “We’ll deal with her in due time, when she’s weak.”
A tense silence stretched between them, thick with malice. The sound of the lake’s gentle ripples and the occasional rustle of wind through the leaves seemed distant, almost muted, as the girl’s power began to unfurl. The air around her crackled faintly with energy, the energy she absorbed slowly building within her.
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The smaller figure licked his lips, his hand hovering closer to his wand. His voice dropped to a whisper. “We could take her now. Quick and quiet. No one would know until it’s too late.”
The taller figure’s gaze flicked briefly towards the older sibling, who stood a few paces away from his sister, his eyes scanning the trees warily, hand still resting on the handle of his wand. “Not yet,” the taller man said, his voice cold and calculated. “The timing must be perfect. Let her awake her magic. That will be when she is most vulnerable.”
The smaller man sneered, casting a disdainful glance at the boy. “And him? Not even a core. Almost crippled.” His words dripped with contempt, his disdain for the older sibling obvious.
The taller man frowned slightly, his gaze sharpening as he watched the boy more closely. There was something about the boy that didn’t sit right with him. The way he had handled the sword against the goblins... there had been no trace of magic, no runes. Yet the precision, the speed—it was unnatural.
“There’s more to him than meets the eye,” the taller man murmured, more to himself than to his companion.
The smaller man paled, recalling the brutal efficiency with which that boy had dispatched the goblins only moments ago. His mouth twitched, his bravado faltering for a moment. “But... there were no runes. How did he—?”
“Luck,” the taller man interrupted, his voice dismissive but not entirely convinced. His eyes narrowed, still fixed on them. “We’ll watch him. For now.”
The smaller man hesitated, his hand still hovering near his dagger as if the temptation to act was almost too much to bear. But one glance at his companion’s cold expression, calculating look that brooked no argument, that was enough to keep him in check. Reluctantly, he let his hand fall away from the wand, his fingers twitching with frustration.
Without another word, the two figures began to fade back into the forest’s shadows, their presence dissolving like smoke in the wind. They moved silently, their footsteps leaving no trace on the damp earth, their movements practiced and deliberate.
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