Chapter 1
Into the Darkness.

There was a sound, an all-encompassing sound. It wasn't really a sound, the vibration was something different, something more profound and strange, but sound was the thing it was most like. The world and everything on it shook from it. Every speck of dirt, every molecule of air, and every living thing vibrated in sympathy with the sound that rang through everything so loudly that even though ears couldn't really hear it, it was deafening all the same.

Aidan came awake with a start. He thought for a moment that the sound was something from a dream, but he could hear the fading vibrations of it still echoing and re-echoing all around him. The earth itself seemed to be ringing like a bell, and Aidan felt like he was somehow ringing too, the sound was in his very bones. He looked over to where his wife, Flame Song, lay beside him. She too was awake, her eyes wide.

"What was that?" she said once the sound had faded completely.

He shook his head. "I have no idea. It felt like we were inside a church bell, or something. I don't see anything different though."

Aidan looked around. There was no sign of cracked plaster or crumbling ceiling to indicate that the walls had been ringing only seconds ago. Perhaps the sound had been a dream after all? But no, Flame had heard it too. They got up and checked the rest of their house, but the central room, spare bedroom, kitchen and even cellar seemed completely unchanged. A quick check outside showed that it was still dark, so they went back to bed, resuming their disturbed sleep.