Chapter 49 Shadows and Secrets

Weeks turned into months, the memory of the harbinger battle a constant weight on the minds of the Guardians. The city, however, hummed with renewed life, oblivious to the darkness they had averted. Friesland patrolled the streets with a newfound vigilance, his gaze scanning the shadows for any sign of the creature's return. One rainy afternoon, as the cobblestone streets slicked with water reflected the dreary sky, Friesland found himself drawn back to the abandoned Blackwood Manor. The place held an unsettling allure, a constant reminder of the battle and the entity that slumbered beneath. He stood outside the creaking gates, a cold wind whipping at his rain-soaked coat. Hesitantly, he pushed the gate open, its rusty hinges groaning in protest. The overgrown grounds were a desolate landscape, the skeletal remains of once-grand trees reaching out towards the leaden sky. A sense of foreboding washed over him. He wasn't there on patrol, not officially. He was drawn by an intangible p