By the following morning, Dorian still had hope that he would see whoever had been whispering. His attention remained fixed on the room, as though he expected someone to suddenly appear.
Then, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
He flinched.
"Who's there?" he called, his voice tense. "Show yourself!"
"It's me, Leoric."
"Leoric?" Dorian paused, surprised. "What… what are you doing here?"
"I came to see you."
"At night?"
There was a brief silence on the other side of the door.
"What are you talking about, Dorian? It's morning."
Leoric opened the door and stopped when he saw his friend.
Dorian looked exhausted. His hair was unkempt, and dark circles had formed beneath his eyes. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days.
"Dorian, have you not been sleeping?" Leoric asked.
"I have."
"Then why do you look so tired and troubled?"
"I'm fine."
Leoric studied him for a moment, clearly unconvinced.
"You don't look fine."
"I'm just tired from work, that's all."
"I don't understand. It's morning, and you just woke up, didn't you? Aldric and Evander are waiting for us. Perhaps spending some time outside will help with whatever is wrong with you."
Dorian hesitated. He didn't particularly feel like going anywhere. His body felt heavy, and even the thought of spending time outside seemed exhausting. Still, he was tired of sitting alone in his room, listening to the strange whispers that had been disturbing him lately.
Besides, Leoric was already looking at him as though he wasn't ready to hear any excuses.
"Fine," Dorian muttered, reaching for his clothes. "Let me get ready."
"Good. And don't take long. You're not a princess."
"Oh, shut up."
"Why? Or are you actually a princess who's been hiding all along, waiting for Leoric to knock on her door so she can take her time? Is that why you want me to be quiet? Because I've discovered your secret?"
For the first time that morning, Dorian managed a little chuckle.
Leoric grinned.
"There. I'm very happy that I could at least get a laugh out of you."
Dorian shook his head, but he said nothing.
---
The Willow Rest had always been their favourite place to spend time together.
Situated beneath an enormous willow tree near the edge of the village, it offered shade from the afternoon sun and enough space for the four friends to sit comfortably, share food, and talk without being disturbed. Over the years, they had spent countless hours there, laughing about foolish things, arguing over meaningless matters, and making plans for a future none of them could predict.
By the time Dorian and Leoric arrived, the morning had given way to afternoon. Willow Rest was some distance from Dorian's home, and the journey on foot had taken them a while. Aldric and Evander were already waiting beneath the tree.
"There you are!" Aldric called. "We were beginning to think Leoric had gotten you both into trouble with his big mouth."
"My big mouth?" Leoric scoffed. "And it also depends on what kind of trouble you're referring to, because the only trouble this big mouth can handle is food."
Evander glanced at the food beside him.
"You'd better not be thinking about this."
Leoric stopped.
He looked at the food.
Then he looked at Evander.
"What if I told you I came all the way here just for this?"
"Should I be surprised? I've actually always felt it in my bones."
Aldric laughed, and Leoric immediately launched into a protest about how judgmental he was being.
Dorian sat beside them, listening.
Usually, he would have been the first to join in. He would have added some ridiculous remark, made Leoric even more annoyed, and laughed until his stomach hurt.
But today, he merely watched them.
His eyes felt heavy, and every now and then, he found himself struggling to follow their conversation. He shifted against the tree, trying to get comfortable, but the tiredness weighing on him refused to disappear.
Leoric eventually noticed.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked. "You've been unusually quiet."
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" Leoric repeated. "You mean to tell me you've heard everything Evander has said and you have nothing to say about it?"
Dorian shrugged.
"I'm listening."
Evander raised an eyebrow.
"Since when do you listen without interrupting?"
Aldric chuckled.
"Perhaps he's finally decided to act maturely."
"Impossible," Leoric declared. "If Dorian actually speaks of that, I'll shave my head."
Under different circumstances, Dorian would have laughed at that.
He didn't.
His gaze had shifted towards the trees beyond the clearing.
At first, he barely paid attention to what he was seeing. His eyes were heavy, and the afternoon light seemed to blur between the branches. He blinked several times, trying to shake off the tiredness.
Then he noticed someone standing between two distant trees.
A girl.
She was watching him.
Dorian stared at her, wondering whether his exhausted mind was playing tricks on him. Perhaps he was seeing things. He had barely slept in days, after all.
He rubbed his eyes and looked away for a moment.
When he looked back, she was still standing in the same position, her eyes fixed on him.
His brows drew together.
She looked no older than a young woman, with a pale face and an expression he couldn't quite understand. There was nothing particularly frightening about her appearance, yet something about the way she stood there made him feel strangely uneasy.
The branches above her swayed gently in the breeze, but she remained perfectly still. Her gaze never left him, as though she had come there for one reason alone.
Dorian glanced briefly towards his friends.
They were still talking, seemingly unaware of the girl.
He turned back towards her.
Then, slowly, she lifted one hand and beckoned to him.
A strange feeling settled over Dorian.
He couldn't explain it. He didn't know who she was or why she was calling him, but something about her gesture made him feel strangely drawn towards her.
He remained seated for a moment, staring at her.
"Dorian?"
Leoric's voice caught his attention.
Dorian turned towards him. Leoric was looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"What's wrong? You've been staring at those trees for a while now."
Dorian could see his friend's lips moving, but his words sounded distant, almost swallowed by the surrounding silence.
He blinked.
"What?" he muttered.
"Are you listening to me?" Leoric asked.
Dorian could barely make out what he was saying. He looked at Aldric and Evander, who had also turned towards him. Their faces carried the same puzzled expression.
He could see them speaking, but their voices seemed to be fading.
They had become faint, almost like whispers. Yet there was something strangely familiar about them.
They sounded just like the whispers that had been disturbing him at home.
He blinked again.
Then his gaze drifted back towards the trees.
The girl was still watching him.
She beckoned again, this time more urgently.
Dorian felt an inexplicable pull towards her.
"Dorian!" Aldric called.
Dorian briefly looked at him before finally turning back towards the girl. She beckoned once more, and he slowly pushed himself away from the tree and stood.
"Hey!" Leoric exclaimed.
Dorian barely noticed.
He took a few steps towards the trees.
"Dorian! Where are you going?"
Leoric's voice seemed to come from somewhere far behind him.
Dorian didn't answer.
Aldric and Evander exchanged worried glances before getting to their feet.
"Dorian, come back here!" Aldric called.
But Dorian continued walking.
His attention remained fixed on the girl. She had begun moving deeper between the trees, and he followed her without hesitation.
Leoric hurried after him.
"Dorian!"
There was no response.
After a short distance, the girl stopped.
She turned towards him and began walking in his direction.
Dorian slowed.
He watched as she approached, unable to understand why he wasn't frightened enough to turn around and return to his friends.
She eventually stopped in front of him.
For a moment, she simply looked at him.
Then she raised her hand and gently touched his face, her fingers brushing against his cheek.
Dorian went still.
Her touch was strangely cold.
Behind him, Leoric finally caught up.
"Dorian?"
He reached for his friend's shoulder.
But Dorian didn't move.
His eyes remained open, though his expression had become strangely blank.
"Dorian, can you hear me?"
Nothing.
Leoric shook him gently.
"Dorian?"
Aldric and Evander hurried over.
"What's happening?" Aldric asked.
"I don't know!" Leoric replied. "He was following that way, and now he's just standing here!"
They tried calling his name again, but Dorian remained motionless.
The girl slowly lowered her hand.
And Dorian was no longer aware of the friends standing around him.
He was somewhere else entirely.
---
The girl led him through the trees. Dorian followed without question.
The farther they went, the stranger the forest became. The trees grew thicker, their branches intertwining overhead until only narrow strips of light reached the ground. The air was unnaturally cold, and the damp earth beneath his feet seemed to grow softer with every step.
Eventually, the girl stopped.
Dorian looked past her.
A pool lay in the middle of a small clearing.
Its surface was perfectly still.
He stared at it, uncertain why she had brought him there.
"What is this place?" he asked.
The girl didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at the water.
Dorian followed her gaze.
Something moved beneath the surface.
At first, he thought it was a fish. Then a pale shape drifted into view, and he realised with a jolt that he was looking at a person.
A man.
He was submerged beneath the water. Then, with a sudden surge of energy, his body began to rise, lifting out of the pool until he was suspended in the air. His eyes were closed, and his body hung motionless.
Dorian stumbled backwards.
"What…?"
The surface trembled.
The man's eyes suddenly opened.
Dorian froze.
The man fell back into the pool, which now appeared wide and deep.
Slowly, his head broke through the surface, followed by his shoulders. Water streamed from his face as he lifted his head, gasping desperately for breath.
He tried to climb out.
His hands gripped the edge of the pool, and he dragged himself forward, coughing and struggling as though he had just escaped drowning.
Dorian stared, unable to look away.
The man fell onto the ground beside the water.
For several moments, he lay there, breathing heavily.
Then his body began to change.
Dorian's stomach tightened.
The man's skin shimmered beneath the water dripping from him. A strange, translucent film spread across his arms, catching the light like the surface of a pool. His fingers stiffened, and the spaces between them began to change, stretching into thin, webbed membranes.
The man tried to push himself up.
A low, broken sound escaped his throat.
Dorian recoiled.
The transformation continued.
His legs twisted beneath him, and his skin took on the slick, glistening appearance of something that had spent too long beneath the water. His clothes clung to his changing body, while water continued to pour from him despite the fact that he was no longer submerged.
He was no longer entirely human.
Dorian couldn't understand what he was seeing.
"What is happening to him?" he whispered.
The girl remained silent.
She showed no surprise at what was happening. Her attention stayed fixed on the man, as though she had been expecting it.
The man lifted his head.
His eyes found Dorian.
For one terrible moment, their gazes met.
The man's mouth opened.
"Help me."
Dorian's heart lurched.
He took a step towards him. But before he could reach the man, the water surged over the edges of the pool, spreading across the ground in a dark, unnatural wave.
The transformed man tried to crawl away.
Something beneath the surface seized him.
He screamed.
Dorian stumbled backwards as the water dragged the man towards the pool. His fingers clawed at the earth, desperately searching for something to hold on to, but the force pulling him was too strong.
"Help me!" the man cried again.
Dorian tried to move.
He couldn't.
He willed his legs to move, but they remained rooted to the spot. He tried to call out, to shout something, anything, but his voice wouldn't come.
The water swallowed the man's legs, then his waist, pulling him closer to the centre of the pool.
His terrified eyes remained fixed on Dorian.
"Don't let it take me!"
Dorian's breath caught in his throat.
He wanted to run forward. He wanted to pull the man away. He wanted to do something.
But his body refused to obey him.
The water rose around the man's chest.
Then his shoulders.
The man's fingers slipped from the edge.
And he disappeared beneath the surface.
The water became still.
Dorian stood frozen.
He waited for the man to rise again.
He waited for something to happen.
Nothing did.
Dorian backed away.
"No…"
He shook his head.
"No, no, no…"
He turned towards the girl.
"What was that? What did you show me?"
For the first time, she looked directly at him.
Dorian tried to speak again, but the words caught in his throat.
The trees seemed to lean towards him.
The ground shifted beneath his feet.
And then the girl's face began to blur.
---
"Dorian!"
Leoric's voice broke through the darkness.
"Dorian, wake up!"
Dorian remained unresponsive.
Leoric shook him again, his hands trembling with effort.
"Please, Dorian! Come on!"
Aldric moved closer and gripped Dorian's arm.
"Dorian! Can you hear us?"
Evander looked between his friends, his face pale with worry.
"Something is wrong. We need to get help!"
"Help from whom?" Leoric demanded. "We don't even know what's happening to him!"
He turned back to Dorian and shook him again.
"Dorian!"
For a moment, nothing changed.
Then Dorian's body jerked.
His mouth opened, and a sharp gasp tore from his throat.
His eyes widened as though he had just surfaced from deep water.
He stumbled backwards, almost falling, and Aldric caught him before he hit the ground.
Dorian stared at them.
His breathing came in short, uneven bursts. His hands shook, and his gaze darted from Leoric to Aldric, then to Evander.
"Dorian?" Leoric asked urgently. "What happened?"
Dorian opened his mouth.
No words came.
"What happened to you?" Aldric demanded. "We've been calling your name!"
Dorian swallowed hard.
"I… I saw…"
His voice faltered as terror overtook his expression.
Leoric leaned closer.
"Take your time. What did you see?"
Dorian shook his head.
"I saw a man. He was in the water."
The three friends exchanged confused glances but said nothing.
Dorian continued, his words coming out in uneven bursts.
"He came out of it, but… but something was wrong with him. His body started changing. His fingers…" He swallowed. "They weren't normal anymore. He wasn't human. Not anymore."
He paused, struggling to catch his breath.
"And then something dragged him back into the water. He was begging for help, but I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything."
His voice grew quieter.
"The water took him."
Leoric stared at him, trying to understand what he was saying.
Dorian suddenly looked towards the trees.
"And there was a girl," he continued. "She was standing between the trees. She beckoned to me, and I followed her. She led me through the forest to that pool. She showed me everything."
Aldric glanced towards Evander.
Neither of them seemed to know what to make of it.
"Did you know that girl?" Leoric asked cautiously.
Dorian shook his head.
"I've never seen her before. But I followed her anyway. I don't know why. It was as though I couldn't refuse."
He pressed a trembling hand against his forehead.
"I don't understand what happened. All I know is that it felt too real to ignore."
"Dorian, calm down, maybe you were seeing things" Evander said, trying to steady him. "But don't worry, you're here with us now."
Dorian looked at him, but the fear in his expression didn't disappear.
"I know what I saw."
He suddenly looked down at his trembling hands.
"I heard him," he whispered. "He kept begging me to help him. He was looking straight at me, and I couldn't do anything."
His voice broke slightly.
"He knew I was there. He knew I could see him."
For a moment, none of his friends spoke.
Dorian swallowed, but the memory remained.
"He was so scared."
Leoric's expression changed. He glanced at Aldric, then back at Dorian, seemingly unsure how to respond.
Aldric finally stepped closer.
"Let's take him home," he said quietly. "He needs to rest."
Dorian didn't argue.
He pressed both hands against his head, trying to gather his thoughts, but the memory kept breaking apart whenever he tried to hold on to it.
Everything seemed so real.
Yet when he looked around, he was beneath the willow tree, surrounded by his friends.
Leoric moved closer.
"Come on. You need to rest."
Dorian looked towards the edge of the clearing once more.
The trees stood quietly in the distance.
He remembered the girl who had beckoned him away, but her face was already becoming difficult to recall.
He couldn't explain how he had reached the pool, or why the man had changed, or what the strange shape beneath the water had been.
Dorian shuddered and finally stood up, ready to leave with his friends.
Aldric helped him to his feet while Leoric kept a firm hold on his arm. Evander picked up their food and walked alongside them, watching Dorian with quiet concern.
Leoric glanced once more towards the trees before tightening his hold on Dorian's arm and helping Aldric lead him away from the Willow Rest.