The dawn light spilled across the sleepy harbour, casting long shadows that danced along the weathered dock. A haunting calm enveloped the area, broken only by the rhythmic lapping of the waves against the creaking pilings. For a moment, it seemed like any other day in the coastal town of Aldermere. Fishermen sat in their boats, repairing nets and recounting old tales of the sea while gulls cried overhead, indifferent to the looming dread that would soon hold them captive.