Adventure Fantasy Mystery

It was a particularly chilly day in late May. Bridget traveled with her companions Damien, Keevan, and Glenna. As the leader of the bandits of West Higren, she led the group to the nearby town of Valitar to sell some stolen goods they had acquired.

Now heading back home, the bandits stopped for the night in a wooden alcove. The air smelled of damp earth and pine. The cold bit Bridget’s skin as the evening wind blew through her red hair.

Keevan crouched near the firepit, striking flint against stone until embers sparked to life, while the others worked on setting up their tents.

“I propose a toast,” Bridget proclaimed, lifting a bottle of rum.

“To another successful sale. Here’s to Damien for being our ever-charming salesman.”

“To Damien!” the others echoed.

“To me!” Damien cried with a bashful giggle.

Damien was by far the most charismatic of the group, so Bridget left him in charge of the sales pitches. His attractive features and warm smile greatly helped in the marketplace. Bridget smiled at the irony that, despite his strong people skills, Damien preferred to spend his time with plants. Before joining Bridget’s crew, Damien worked as a trained botanist. Their paths crossed when Bridget heard Damien in the marketplace attempting to scam people with fake potions. She realized his intelligence and charm were exactly what she needed.

“Damien is indeed charming,” Keevan said with a wink.

Damien pushed against Keeven’s strong shoulder, a light blush covering his pale cheeks. Keevan and Damien had been in a relationship for almost ten years. They started dating around the time that Bridget met Damien. Keevan insisted on joining Bridget’s gang because he didn’t want to be separated from Damien.

The gang stayed awake for a while, sharing stories over the fire, laughter mixing with the crackling flames. Eventually, Keevan and Damien decided to retire, murmuring their goodnights as they ducked into their tent. Glenna and Bridget remained by the fire; their voices hushed as the world around them grew still.

Bridget often did her best thinking at night. There was something about the way the darkness sharpened her thoughts.

It was close to two in the morning when suddenly, Bridget heard a soft song curl through the air. The sound was thin and haunting.

Her ears perked up. “What is that?” she asked suspiciously.

Glenna’s hand instinctively went to her knife. “What do you hear?” She strained her ears but caught nothing beyond the whisper of the breeze through the trees.

“That song. Surely, you hear it.”

Glenna shook her head, concern flickering in her eyes. “Maybe you’ve had enough,” she said, gently prying the bottle of rum from Bridget’s grasp.

“No, Glenna. I hear something.”

The song got louder. A melody only Bridget could hear.

“I need to check it out.”

Glenna gave Bridget a look of alarm. She didn’t want Bridget to venture alone. “What the heck, Bridget? I guess I’ll go with you.”

Bridget nodded, rising to her feet. Her expression was distant, almost hypnotized.

They slipped out of camp, following a voice only Bridget could hear.

Up ahead, a cluster of glowing ruins emerged from the darkness, casting an eerie glow on the forest around them. The song swelled, pulsing through the night like a heartbeat. Bridget reached out, pressing her hand against the ancient stone. The stones were cool and smooth. They felt powerful. Bridget saw the glow of the stone shimmer beneath her hand.

Suddenly, the song stopped.

Behind her, dry leaves crunched underfoot. Bridget whirled around.

Damien and Keevan stood there, rubbing sleep from their eyes, their expressions confused.

“Girl, what are you doing?” Damien asked, his voice thick with sleep. “Why do you never sleep? How are you still awake?”

Bridget gave no explanation. “Hush,” she responded.

Damien exchanged a glance with Keevan. Keevan leaned in and muttered, “Is she crazy?”

Damien nodded. “It’s part of her appeal.”

Glenna started shifting uneasily. “Maybe we should go back.”

Bridget shook her head, entranced by the ruins. The weathered stone was etched with patterns, familiar shapes she couldn’t quite place. Then, realization struck. They were constellations.

She had spent years studying the skies, tracing celestial maps in her mind. Now, here they were, carved into ancient rock.

“We need to move these blocks,” she announced.

Keevan rubbed his temples. “She’s crazy,” he reaffirmed, but nonetheless, he followed her lead.

“I think we need to put the constellations in order,” Bridget instructed.

She guided the team as they rearranged the blocks, aligning the constellations in order from Aries to Pisces.

As the final piece clicked into place, a low rumble echoed through the ruins. One of the blocks shifted, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside lay a ring. Beside it, a folded note.

Bridget picked up the note and read aloud:

“Congratulations, traveler. We are the spirits of the restless. We come to those who thrive at night. Those who thrive in chaos. We grant blessings to the overlooked. Take this ring. It will give you the ability to see more clearly in the dark. Use it wisely. Use it for mischief. Use it for justice. Use it for revenge.”

Silence hung in the air. Bridget paused for a second. She believed in curses and knew sorcerers could attach curses to objects, like rings. Alas, Bridget could not contain her curiosity. She slipped the ring on her finger.

Immediately, the shadows sharpened. What was once lurking in the darkness was now brought to her attention. She noticed the trees, the ground, and the eyes of animals peeking out in the woods. The spirits had gifted her partial night vision.

“Thank you, spirits,” she whispered gratefully.

Glenna blinked at her friend, feeling weary. She was certainly skeptical of the whole spirit ordeal. She trusted Bridget, but she also knew gifts this precious rarely came without a cost.

Keevan stared, mouth agape. “Maybe she isn’t crazy after all.”

Damien snorted. “No, no, she most certainly is. But she found the fine line between crazy and genius.”

Posted May 24, 2025
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