It was a night like any other. The sky was covered with thick clouds, and the air carried that uncomfortable heaviness that comes before a storm—though it never actually rained.
We were at the ÓBroin family's main mansion. That night, the adults had gathered in the council room in the east wing: my father, Konor; my uncles Dmitri and Vladimir; and some trusted family members.
Daniel, Orla, Eleonor, and I were in one of the rooms we always used to play in and entertain ourselves while the adults held their meeting.
We whispered to each other, waiting to be sent to bed.
Eleonor was restless. She paced back and forth with her arms crossed, as if something was gnawing at her from within.
"Something's not right," she said suddenly.
"You always say that," Orla replied. But Eleonor didn't answer. She just stared at the door to the main hall, frowning. I felt that same tightness in my chest, though I couldn't explain it.
Suddenly, a servant shouted:
"The seal is glowing!"
Then chaos erupted.
The magical alarms blared, and the mansion's defenses activated. The ground shook beneath our feet, and an explosion ripped through one of the rooms where the family's treasures were kept.
Before we could react, an instructor appeared, yelling for us to run to our rooms.
But we couldn't get far.
Creatures shrouded in shadows poured into the hallway. They weren't just monsters—they were Claimoors.
They moved intelligently, striking quickly and targeting specific points in the walls. Daniel and Orla reacted immediately, rushing to protect me. Eleonor, without hesitation, stepped forward, summoning a barrier that shielded us for seconds that felt like an eternity.
I… I was paralyzed.
Then I saw my father. He appeared, covered in blood but still standing. His gaze met mine, and for a moment, I felt relief. I wanted to run to him, but I didn't have time.
One of the creatures pierced him with a tentacle before he could defend himself.
"Nooooo!" I screamed with all my strength. His body fell to the ground.
Almost at the same moment, an explosion shook the east wing of the mansion, and the attacking monsters began to vanish before our eyes.
Eleonor ran toward the east wing; we knew her parents must be there. I stayed behind, clutching my father's body, screaming for someone to help him. Daniel immediately ran after Eleonor, while Orla, in tears, shouted at the top of her lungs:
"Mom! Dad! Where are you?"