"Quiet! Don't yell! Hide! Quick! Don't move!"The words flashed through the air, pulsing with the weight of something immense.
"Don't mo—"Dawn didn't even finish before silence fell.
The sky turned black, as if even light was afraid to impose on the silence.The trees froze, caught mid-sway.The wind stopped cold, trembling.The river ceased its flow.Even the ringing in Dawn's ears vanished—afraid to be heard by what silence held.
Then, a sound pierced the silence—a scream.Not human.Another.Then another.Then dozens followed.Some human.
The faces around Dawn remained frozen, unmoving—but their eyes screamed.No one could react. No one could move. Not during the Silence.
Silence had taken revenge upon the souls breaking it for years upon end.
Ten seconds passed.The longest ten seconds of Dawn's life.
Something came at the end...
A warning. It was mental. Everybody knew yelling was no longer allowed.
"Move!" Dawn whispered, urgency lacing his voice.
They obeyed at once—quick, silent, thoughtless.
They quickly opened the castle doors and entered. It was strange—the castle doors seemed designed to be silent.
As Dawn entered, he closed the doors behind him. Silent.
He stepped into a small but elegant courtyard, quiet and alive with color.
It was full of vibrant green grass, beautiful trees and bushes, and a sprouting fountain in the middle.
Dawn thought many things, but none he could dwell on—not after what just happened. Not after… that.
He quickly followed behind the group and approached a big blue door.
They opened it. It was silent once more.
So Dawn followed again.
They entered a small corridor. The walls were made of rock and strangely had no windows.
They continued past the corridor into the great hall.
It was bright red with high walls and gold plastered all along the roof.
Frames lined the walls, detailing landscapes and people of high stature.
A long golden table stood in the center of the hall.
"Safe…" The word echoed in Dawn's head.Safe. How is it safe now? This voice… what is it?Well, I can't get mad—it has probably saved me already.
As Dawn finally entered, he broke the silence.
"That was… terrifying."Dawn's voice shattered the quiet like a crack of thunder.
The others turned, their faces pale.Vyra's hands trembled.Nareth's eyes darted toward the door they'd come through.Azthrakel's eyes grew wide.
"It's alright now," Dawn added, softer. "We can speak."
A couple of sighs escaped. It was clear the tension had dropped.
"What the hell was that!" Numa's voice nearly cracked.
Vyra nodded, wrapping her arms around herself."That was… strange. I appreciate it, but it just wasn't normal."
Dawn sighed and looked down."I have no clue what that thing was. Sometimes…"He paused, trying to find the right words but failing."I sometimes know things that I shouldn't—like a premonition. The words appeared in the air… quiet… don't yell… hide… quick… don't move. I felt compelled to obey those words…"
Dawn paused before continuing."When we arrived in this room, the word 'Safe' was whispered into my head."
"Well then, I'll trust you to guide us, then?" Azthrakel said, leaning back on a pillar.
Nareth sighed, put his hand over his face, then balled up his fists."Ah yes, because we're supposed to believe this idiot psychopath with a voice in his head guiding him!"
"Of course I'll be your guide. Perhaps Nareth will learn to trust me a little more after seeing what I'm capable of." Dawn said.
Nareth was silent. Perhaps he didn't care to speak with Dawn right now.Perhaps he was afraid.
Dawn walked to one of the chairs and sat down."I suggest we stay here and either explore this safe area or wait here and do nothing," Dawn said.
Vyra started to walk over next to where Dawn was sitting and said,"Agreed. Anything could be out there. What happened just now could be an everyday thing in this hell. We also need food."
Food... I never needed it before.The gnawing in his stomach unsettled him more than he expected.Was it because of the ruins? Maybe it's just this world?No—they wouldn't need food either then.
The rest of the group took a seat—except for Nareth.He stood in front of a painting, perhaps admiring it.
What should I say… I've never spoken to people before. Jokes? Compliments? Silence?But does any of that really matter—after that? Dawn thought.
He looked around the big hall and decided to point out the paintings."These paintings are vivid—strangely lifelike, even," Dawn said.
"Well, not really. I think they're pretty standard for a small castle. If it so happens we ever leave this place, I can take you to the Royal Palace. The paintings there were made by the most wonderful painters!" Azthrakel said.
"You seem to be involved in the arts?" Numa questioned.
"Well, not to brag, but I'm quite a talented artist," Azthrakel responded.
"Well, maybe you can take me there one day, if we get out alive," Dawn said.
Numa looked away.Vyra shifted.Even Azthrakel, ever-smiling, was quiet.
Dawn sank a little into his chair. Wrong thing to say. Again.
Dawn sighed heavily and took a deep breath.One more time...
"Anyways, let's explore a little. We are only at the beginning of the hall, right?"
"Sure!" Vyra said, as if she'd been waiting for someone to suggest it.
At the far end of the hall, Vyra—leading now—reached for the wooden door and pushed it open.
It was a pantry, full of drinks.
The pantry had bread shelves full of containers, empty meat racks, and near the end—barrels.
"Well, at least there's water?" Numa said.
"Well, let's spread out and explore what else is here," Dawn said.
They continued to walk through, and Dawn felt the voice again.
His face tensed."Food," he heard in the echoing voice.
The closer he got to the end, the louder the voice became."Food!" the voice almost yelled.
At the end were barrels. It felt familiar… he needed to open them.
Dawn hesitated. He felt uneasy.This wasn't the first time rash actions caused trouble.
He grabbed the lid and slowly started to pull it off.Slowly… slowly…
Light started to pour out, revealing a fruit.Spherical. Glowing. Familiar.
He was still fearful, but Dawn's voice had never failed him.
And so he took a bite.
Sweet!
As Dawn bit into it, a kaleidoscope of colors exploded—flashing the room.
These fruits held something beyond just taste… they held power.
The bite was oddly filling for something fitting in the palm of a hand.
Then—Dawn felt something.
It was bizarre, yet good.
Like he became fulfilled from eating this.
Like he was getting stronger.
Dawn finished the fruit quickly. It felt sort of addicting. Yet he felt full from a single fruit.
"Come check this out!" Dawn said.
He waited for the entire group to come over before explaining.
"These seem to be fruit! Just a single one filled me up completely. It's not just that—I felt like I was getting stronger by eating it! It's slight, but I definitely felt it."
"Stronger? This world only gets stranger…" Vyra said as she fearlessly grabbed one and ate it.
"You were right. I feel stronger. I feel full. It's weird—it doesn't even feel like I chewed it, almost as if I inhaled it. But these three barrels won't last long. We still need other solutions," Vyra said.
"Well, I propose that for now, we each eat two per day," Azthrakel said.
After eating, the group traveled back through the great hall.
As they approached the long table, a chill snaked up Dawn's spine.
The voice returned—closer, louder. Not a whisper this time.
"Silence!"