Kae's determination burned brighter with every step as he followed Lyra down the winding path from Oracle's Peak. The secrets revealed by the Oracle's Heart still swirled in his mind, and he felt an insatiable hunger to uncover more. Lyra led him to a secluded glade, where a figure waited in the shadows.
"This is Arin," Lyra said, her voice low. "He will aid us on our quest."
Arin stepped forward, his features obscured by a hood. "I have been tracking a dark force," he said, his voice gravelly. "One that seeks to claim the keystone for its own purposes."
Kae's instincts prickled. "What kind of force?"
Arin hesitated before responding, "A being known only as the Shadowhand. Its true nature is shrouded in mystery, but its power is undeniable."
As Arin spoke, the air grew thick with an eerie energy. Kae sensed eyes upon him once more, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
Suddenly, a faint rustling echoed through the glade. Lyra's eyes snapped toward the sound, her hand on the dagger at her belt. "We are not alone," she whispered.
A figure emerged from the darkness, its presence seeming to draw the light out of the air. Kae felt a chill run down his spine as the figure stepped closer, its features slowly taking form.
"Ah, Kaidën Stormbringer," the figure said, its voice like a sigh on the wind. "I have been waiting for you. You possess something that belongs to me... something that will ensure my dominance over the moonlit realms."
Kae's hand instinctively went to his sword, but Lyra's warning glance stayed his motion. "Who are you?" Kae demanded, trying to keep his voice steady.
The figure smiled, its lips curling like a dark crescent moon. "I am but a servant of the Shadowhand. And you, Kaidën Stormbringer, are but a mere pawn in a game you do not yet understand."
With that, the figure vanished into the night, leaving Kae, Lyra, and Arin to ponder the ominous warning. The journey ahead seemed to grow more treacherous by the minute, but Kae's resolve remained unshaken. He would uncover the secrets of the moonlit realms, no matter the danger that lay in wait.