Heavensent

Heavensent

By

K. R. King

Part 1: A Gift from the Sky

Marta’s fingers brushed against the leather of her father’s old journal. She hadn’t seen it in years—since he disappeared without a trace. The journal had been the only thing left behind, a cryptic record of his last days. It was in this journal that she had found a description of a strange bracelet, mentioned in passing but with an unmistakable sense of urgency. The bracelet was described as an ancient artifact, linked to powers that went beyond understanding. Her father had searched for it for years, and now, Marta was holding it in her hands.

She sat down at the small table in the cabin, the fire crackling softly in the background. Irene, her only companion in this wild pursuit, was already examining the strange relic they had found in the mountain caves. It was old—older than anything Marta had ever seen. The intricate markings on its surface seemed almost alive, shifting and changing as though the bracelet itself was aware of their presence.

“What is this?” Irene whispered, turning it over in her hands.

Marta didn’t have an answer. She hadn’t told Irene everything, not about the visions she had been having, or the strange compulsion that had begun to rise within her. The bracelet felt like it was calling her, like it had a purpose she couldn’t quite grasp. But she knew one thing for certain: she was on the edge of something monumental, something that might explain her father’s disappearance.

“We need to keep moving,” Marta said after a long silence.

Irene shot her a questioning look. “Moving? Where?”

“There’s more. There has to be more.” Marta’s voice was thick with determination. “I know it’s dangerous, but we can’t stop now.”

Irene was quiet for a moment, staring at the bracelet in her hand. “Dangerous? You think this—this thing—is safe? After everything we’ve seen?” Her voice trembled slightly.

Marta swallowed hard. She wanted to reassure Irene, to tell her that they were going to be alright. But she couldn’t lie. The path they were walking was growing darker by the hour. The bracelet was calling to her, and she had no idea why. But she couldn’t stop now. Not when she was so close to finding the answers she’d been seeking for so long.

“I’m not turning back,” Marta said firmly. “And neither are you.”

Irene hesitated, then nodded. She understood the pull—the relentless need for answers, for closure. “Alright,” she said quietly. “But we do this carefully. We stick together, no matter what.”

Marta barely heard her. Her mind was already on the next step, the next leg of their journey. She was certain now: the bracelet was only the beginning. They had to keep going.

Part 2: Shifting Frequencies

The journey was harder than they expected. The terrain grew rougher as they made their way deeper into the mountains, the path narrowing and steepening with every step. Irene had grown more quiet with each passing day, her unease palpable. Marta, however, felt a growing sense of anticipation. She couldn’t explain it, but every time she touched the bracelet, she felt a strange energy pulse through her, as though it were alive.

At night, as they sat by the fire, Marta couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them. It wasn’t just the usual sounds of the wilderness, the rustling of animals in the underbrush or the wind whistling through the trees. No, this was different. There was a presence out there, something ancient and watchful. And every time Marta closed her eyes, she saw the same thing—a shadow, moving just out of sight, always on the edge of her vision.

It wasn’t until the third night, as they huddled close to the warmth of the fire, that they heard it. A strange noise, a low, guttural growl, echoed through the darkness. It was distant at first, but it grew louder, closer, until it reverberated through the air, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Irene jumped to her feet, her hand instinctively reaching for her knife.

“What the hell was that?” Irene’s voice was sharp, her eyes wide with fear.

Marta didn’t respond immediately. She had heard it too. The sound was unlike anything she had ever heard before—a mix between an animal’s growl and something more… inhuman. Her heart raced in her chest, the pulse of the bracelet growing stronger. It was as though the object itself was resonating with the noise.

“We’re not alone,” Marta whispered, her voice barely audible.

The growling continued, but it was no longer a distant sound. It was closer. Closer than either of them had realized.

“We need to get out of here,” Irene said, her voice trembling as she grabbed Marta’s arm. “Now.”

But Marta didn’t move. She couldn’t. There was a pull—an overwhelming force that kept her rooted to the spot, staring into the darkness. The bracelet was alive in her hand now, buzzing with energy, almost vibrating. The growl grew louder still, now joined by a screech, a high-pitched wail that sent a chill down Marta’s spine. It was as though something was trying to break free from the earth itself.

“I—Marta—please!” Irene’s voice broke through her thoughts. She was pulling on Marta’s arm now, desperate. “We can’t stay here!”

With great effort, Marta tore her gaze away from the shadows. “We can’t leave yet,” she said, almost in a trance. “We have to find out what this is. We can’t just run.”

Irene looked at her in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind? We’re not prepared for this. Whatever’s out there—”

But Marta had already turned, her steps slow and deliberate as she made her way toward the source of the noise. Irene hesitated, fear flashing in her eyes, but then she followed.

Part 3: The Forgotten Gods

The air was different that morning. Heavier. A quiet anticipation seemed to hang in the breeze, as if the land itself were holding its breath. Marta woke with a start, her hand instinctively reaching for the bracelet. Her fingers brushed the surface of the bag where it rested, its presence almost tangible. There was a pull to it, a magnetic force she couldn’t explain. She felt it in the marrow of her bones, a low hum beneath her skin. It was as if the bracelet was alive—waiting.

Irene was already up, her face a mask of determination and concern. She stood near the fire, poking at the embers with a long branch, her movements jerky. Her eyes flicked over to Marta, but she said nothing. The tension between them was palpable, unspoken but real. Neither of them had slept well. Every rustle in the night, every snap of a twig, had kept them both on edge. But what had really unnerved them wasn’t the sounds of wildlife or the cold wind that howled through the valley. It was the screeching sound, like the wail of something inhuman, that had echoed through the air in the dead of night. Neither of them had dared to speak of it, but the silence between them was heavy with it.

Marta stood up slowly, still clutching the strap of her bag where the bracelet lay. She hadn’t told Irene the full truth. Not yet. She didn’t know if she could. How could she explain the sensation that had taken hold of her? The feeling that something was waking inside her, that the bracelet was more than just a relic? Every time her mind tried to wrap around the thought, it slipped further away, like trying to hold water in her hands. It was maddening. And it was pulling her forward.

“Are we really going to keep going?” Irene’s voice broke through the quiet like a cold splash of water. She was staring at Marta now, her eyes shadowed with doubt. “After everything that happened last night? After that scream? We can’t be sure we’re safe out here.”

Marta looked at her, the words catching in her throat. What could she say? That she felt drawn to the bracelet? That it had whispered to her in the dark? That she was willing to risk everything, including their safety, to follow its pull? How could she explain it when she didn’t fully understand it herself?

“Irene, I can’t stop,” Marta said quietly. Her voice was steady, though inside her heart was racing. “I need to know what this is. What it means. It’s like a piece of me is missing, and I’m not whole without it.”

Irene’s gaze softened, but there was still wariness in her eyes. “This isn’t just about the bracelet, is it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “This is about your father. You’re doing this because of him, aren’t you? You think you’ll find something he left behind. Some clue that makes it all… make sense.”

Marta hesitated.

She had never been able to explain to Irene the depth of her need to find answers about her father. After he had disappeared all those years ago, Marta had always been left with more questions than answers. Her mother had been no help, closing off every avenue Marta tried to explore. She had turned to the bracelet in her father’s old journal, hoping it would give her the key she needed, but now it felt like the bracelet itself had become the puzzle, and Marta was desperately trying to fit the pieces together.

“I don’t know what it means,” Marta confessed. “But I can’t stop now.”

The silence that followed felt like a weight settling over them, pressing down on their shoulders. Irene studied her, her eyes narrowing slightly as though she was trying to decipher Marta’s thoughts.

Finally, Irene nodded. “Then let’s get moving.”

As the two women packed up their belongings and prepared to continue their journey, Marta couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The air around them felt different, heavier, like a storm was brewing. The shadows seemed to stretch longer, more ominous. Something was coming. Something they hadn’t yet prepared for.

But Marta was no longer afraid. The bracelet was in her hands, and it had become her guide—her beacon. Whatever lay ahead, she was ready. She would find her father’s truth. And she would find the answers that had eluded her for so long.

They walked on, the unknown calling them forward.

The forest grew darker as they moved deeper into the trees, the growling and screeching sounds still echoing around them. Marta’s mind raced as the bracelet pulsed with energy in her hand. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she felt an undeniable sense of urgency. It was as though the bracelet itself was guiding her, urging her to follow the noise, to find the source of the disturbance.

Irene’s footsteps were hesitant behind her, the sound of her boots crunching on the snow and leaves a stark contrast to the eerie silence of the forest. “Marta, stop. We can’t go any further. We don’t know what’s out there.”

But Marta didn’t stop. She couldn’t. Every step she took seemed to draw her closer to something, something she couldn’t explain but knew she had to find. The energy around her was thickening, pressing in from all sides, as if the forest itself were alive, aware of their presence. And then, ahead of them, the trees parted, revealing a clearing bathed in pale moonlight.

In the center of the clearing, there was a figure—a tall, gaunt shape, its back turned to them. The growl was gone now, replaced by an eerie silence. As they stepped into the clearing, the figure turned, its eyes gleaming in the moonlight. It was a woman, but not quite. Her features were sharp, her skin pale and stretched taut over her bones. The air around her seemed to ripple, like the very fabric of reality was warping.

“I knew you would come,” the woman said, her voice a soft, lilting whisper.

Marta took a step back, her grip tightening on the bracelet. “Who are you?” she demanded, her voice trembling.

The woman smiled, but it wasn’t a comforting smile. It was knowing, like she had seen everything Marta had ever done. “I am the one you seek,” she said softly. “And the bracelet… it belongs to me.”

Marta’s heart stopped.

She felt a surge of energy from the bracelet, as if it were reacting to the woman’s words. Something in the air shifted, and Marta realized with a cold clarity that this was no ordinary encounter. This was a turning point, and she was standing at the edge of a precipice she couldn’t yet see.

The woman’s smile widened as the shadows around them grew deeper, more consuming.

Marta’s breath caught in her throat as the woman’s eyes glowed brighter in the moonlight, their irises swirling with unnatural energy. The air felt heavy, charged with something Marta couldn’t understand—something ancient and dangerous. Every instinct in her screamed to run, but her feet were frozen to the ground, her hands gripping the bracelet with a strength that surprised her.

The woman’s smile widened, her voice carrying a strange resonance. “You don’t yet understand, do you?” she asked, her words flowing like a song in a language Marta didn’t recognize. “The bracelet is not just a key—it is a conduit. A bridge to something far older, far more powerful than you can fathom.”

Marta’s heart raced as she took a cautious step backward. Her mind was spinning, trying to make sense of everything. The bracelet… a key? It had always felt like more than a simple trinket, but to hear it spoken aloud made the reality of it even more terrifying. This wasn’t just about finding her father anymore. It was about something far larger, something that could shape the very fabric of reality itself.

“I know what you want,” the woman continued, her voice slipping into a whisper that seemed to echo in the trees. “You want to know the truth about your father. You want answers. But what if the truth you seek is not something you are ready to hear? What if it changes everything you believe?”

Marta shook her head, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and desperation. “I need to know. My father—he vanished. He went searching for something, and this bracelet is all that’s left. He must have known something. He had to.”

The woman’s expression softened for a moment, almost as if she were pitying Marta. “Your father was not lost. He was chosen. And now you, too, are chosen.” She stepped closer, the ground beneath her feet seeming to pulse with every step, as if the earth itself were acknowledging her presence. “The bracelet binds you to something far older than humanity. It binds you to a purpose that cannot be undone.”

The words echoed in Marta’s mind, the weight of them pressing against her skull. Her fingers trembled around the bracelet, its surface now warm, almost alive. It had been a mystery for so long, something her father had sought for reasons unknown. But now, Marta realized that she was no longer just a seeker—she was a participant in something far beyond her understanding. The truth her father had sought wasn’t just a simple answer. It was something that could tear apart the very world she knew.

Irene’s voice broke through her thoughts, a sharp edge of panic in it. “Marta, we need to go. This isn’t safe.”

But Marta barely heard her. The pull of the bracelet was too strong, and the woman’s presence seemed to expand, filling the clearing, twisting the air around them. It was as if the boundaries between reality and something else entirely were beginning to blur.

The woman raised a hand, and the wind shifted, swirling around them, carrying with it whispers that sounded like voices from another time. “The bracelet was not meant for mortals,” she said, her voice growing louder, more insistent. “It was made for those who would dare to see beyond the veil, to understand what lies at the heart of existence. You were never meant to be its keeper, but you have taken up the mantle. And now you must face the consequences.”

Marta stumbled backward, the bracelet slipping from her hand. It clattered to the ground, its power pulsing through the earth like a heartbeat. The woman’s eyes flickered with a dark satisfaction as she stepped toward the fallen relic.

“I will not allow you to take what does not belong to you,” Marta said, her voice shaking but resolute. She felt a surge of adrenaline, a new wave of determination rising within her. This wasn’t just about her father anymore. This was about something far greater, and if she was going to survive, she had to fight back.

But before she could move, the ground beneath her feet shifted, and the air around her seemed to crackle with a terrible energy. The woman raised her arms, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light, and for a moment, the world itself seemed to collapse in on Marta. The clearing swirled with darkness, and the trees began to bend and twist, their shapes warping like liquid in a storm. The woman’s form blurred, her features dissolving into shadows, until she was no longer a person at all, but a swirling mass of energy, a living nightmare that seemed to consume everything in its path.

“No!” Marta cried, struggling to move, but the air around her had turned to molasses, thick and suffocating. She could feel the weight of the world pressing in, the pressure growing unbearable. The bracelet, now lying in the dirt, pulsed with an almost frantic energy, as though it were calling to her, begging her to take it back.

In that moment, the world seemed to shudder, and the air exploded with a deafening roar. Marta’s vision blurred, and her limbs felt heavy, as though she were sinking into the earth itself. The woman’s voice echoed in her mind, cold and cruel.

“You cannot escape what you have awakened. The bracelet calls to you. It binds you to this place… to this fate. There is no going back.”

Just as Marta thought she might collapse under the weight of it all, the bracelet emitted a bright, blinding light, cutting through the darkness that surrounded her. It was a pure, blinding brilliance, almost painful in its intensity. Marta’s hand shot out, and as her fingers closed around it, a surge of power coursed through her, and the world around her began to shift. The darkness evaporated, replaced by the sharp, clear light of reality.

The woman’s form disintegrated before her, vanishing into nothingness, leaving only the sound of the wind in the trees. The oppressive weight lifted from Marta’s shoulders, but the sensation of the bracelet’s power lingered. The pulse was gone, but the connection remained, a tether she could not escape.

Marta stood in the clearing, panting, her heart racing. Irene was at her side, her face pale with fear, but Marta barely registered her presence. The world had changed. What had just happened? What had the woman meant by all of it? And most importantly—what had the bracelet revealed to her?

As the last traces of the dark energy faded, Marta looked down at the bracelet in her hand. It was silent now, still and cold, but it no longer felt like just an object. It felt like a part of her—an extension of her being. And she knew, with a cold certainty, that the journey was far from over.

With the woman’s warning still echoing in her mind, Marta looked toward the horizon. She had come this far, and now there was no turning back. The truth, whatever it was, awaited her. And she would find it—no matter the cost.

…to be continued!