The signs before the storm

Yesterday was a very tiring day and alot had happened the scenarios were vivid in zakry's head,the outburst, lectures his mother's voice,but that was a thing of the past what he wanted to do now was sleep and forget his worries.

A knock came,his mother called out telling his sleeping beauty son solster had arrived.

He opened one eye, looked at the scenarios and hoped that no one had come and that it was all an imagination

“Zakry are you planning to wake in this century or what”

He opened one eye.

"Tell him I'm sleeping."

"I think he already knows that."

Zakry sighed and pushed himself upright.

He touched the area beneath his collar.

The emergency Binder was still there, its small metal frame resting against his skin.

He dressed and went downstairs.

Solster was waiting in the main room with Zakry's father. A small case rested on the table, its contents arranged neatly beside it.

"Good morning," Zakry said.

Solster looked up. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy."

“That's normal for you,Besides that."

"A little tired."

Solster gestured towards the chair opposite him. "Sit down."

His father stood nearby, arms folded. There were several fresh scratches along his forearm, and one sleeve had been torn near the elbow. Zakry looked at them for a moment before lowering his eyes.

"Father..."

"It's nothing," his father said.

It wasn't something zakry could ignore.He had seen how hard the wind had been blowing. He remembered how his father struggled against it, refusing to turn back even when the force nearly pushed him off his feet.

Solster opened the case.

"Your father filled me in on what had happened, I'm here to examine the Binder first, then the seals beneath it."

Zakry looked at the metal frame under his collar. "Is this one different from the others?"

"Yes. It was designed for emergencies to suppress a sudden manifestation long enough for someone trained in containment to take over."

"Wait it wasn't permanent”

"No. It was never meant to be."

Solster carefully examined the Binder. A faint light travelled across its surface when he brought his fingers near it. He touched one of its outer markings, and the light flickered.

"What's wrong?" Zakry asked.

"The Binder absorbed much more energy than I expected it to. The manifestation was stronger than this emergency seal was designed to contain, but luckily it broke there or else it could have been trouble.

Solster took a small instrument from his case and held it close to Zakry's chest. The clear stone inside gradually filled with pale light. Several thin lines appeared across its surface before settling.

"The permanent seals are still holding," Solster said.

Zakry relaxed slightly.

"Don't relax yet it's still unstable because of yesterday's incident”.

"The Darkness Hollow pushed against them before the emergency Binder was applied. They have recovered, but not completely."

Solster repeated the examination. But This time something was amiss a dark speck formed at the centre of the clear stone before vanishing.

Zakry leaned forward. "Has that happened before?"

"Not in this manner."

Solster put the instrument away.

"Did you feel a certain change to your body after the incident? Unexplained warmth, pressure beneath your skin, changes in your surroundings?"

Zakry thought for a moment.

"I had a strange feeling when I woke up. Like something was pulling at me, but it disappeared."

"When?"

"Just before you arrived."

Solster's expression tightened, but he said nothing.

Sharon approached from the kitchen with a worried face.

"Is he going to be all right?"

"His seals are holding. That's what matters for now. But I want to keep him under surveillance.

She nodded, though she still had a worried look.

Zakry looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

Victor approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't need to apologise for something you couldn't control."

"But I still—"

"I know what happened," victor interrupted gently. "And I know it wasn't your intention.

Zakry fell quiet.

Solster removed a folded sheet of parchment from his case. Several markings had been drawn across it, accompanied by short notes in his handwriting.

"The protective wards around the village have begun behaving irregularly. The eastern ward was the first to show signs of interference. I've received several other reports in different settlements

"Other villages too?" Zakry asked.

"Yes."

"Whats causing this, don't tell me it's my fault.

No it isn't,Solster's finger rested on one of the markings.

"The Darkness Tyrant."

The name changed the atmosphere in the room.

Zakry had heard of it before. Everyone had. It was the reason villages reinforced their protective formations once a year and why experienced mages were advised against unnecessary use of advanced magic during the affected period.

"How soon?" his father asked.

"Three days."Solster continued. "The disturbances have appeared earlier than expected. Some wards are weakening, while others are reacting to forces they should not be detecting."

"Could the Binder Seals be affected?" Zakry asked.

"Yes. Every binding formation becomes less reliable during the Darkness Tyrant. Yours are no exception."

Zakry touched the metal beneath his collar."Then what happens if they weaken?"

Solster looked directly at him."We make certain they don't weaken enough to let the Hollow escape."

Later that morning, Solster left to inspect the eastern boundary again. Zakry's parents remained close to the house, and his mother was that he eats his breakfast before it gets cold again.

The village continued with its usual activities, but the atmosphere had changed. A few residents had gathered near the central road, speaking in low voices. Two wardens passed carrying equipment, heading towards the northern fields.

Zakry watched them through the window."Are they preparing for the Darkness Tyrant?" he asked.

His father nodded. "They'll be checking the boundary formations."

"Does this happen annual”

"Yes”

"Then why does everyone look so worried if it's something that occurs yearly”

His father paused."Because it's a matter of survival and surviving it once doesn't mean it will always be the same, tomorrow ain't a guarantee when it comes”

A moment later, a bell rang somewhere beyond the houses.it was a single deep sound.

Victor turned towards the window. The eastern watchtower stood motionless in the distance.

Then a second sound came.Not from the tower.

It came from somewhere beneath the ground, so faint that Zakry almost mistook it for the rumble of a passing cart.

His father looked down.

Suddenly Zakry's collar binder grew warm.