They weren’t afraid. That was the first thing I noticed when two deer stepped out of the woods as I tossed hay. The smaller one looked straight into my eyes — like it knew me. Moments later, it approached the fence and dropped a small, fabric-wrapped bundle at my feet. Inside was a silver locket engraved with strange, ancient symbols that made my skin prickle.

Curiosity overpowered fear. When the deer retreated into the forest, I followed. The woods grew eerily silent until I reached a clearing with a massive, blackened oak. Beneath it, freshly disturbed soil revealed a stone tablet covered in the same symbols — and a parchment that read:

“For the one who is chosen: The truth is not safe. The truth is not gentle.”

That night, I couldn’t sleep. My research led to an old local legend — a secret order known as The Veil, guardians of something powerful and forbidden.

The deer were their messengers. The locket — a key.

And somehow, I’d been chosen.

Not everything in the woods is random. Some secrets find you.