The forest lay silent in the wake of the battle, with only the faint rustle of leaves carried on the wind. Ahn's mind was still buzzing, replaying the moment the sword in his hand had come alive with light. The rush of power had been intoxicating, but terrifying too—like a force barely under his control.
"We need to keep moving," Kael said, breaking the silence. He wiped his sword clean and strapped it to his back. "Those shadowbeasts won't be the last creatures we face, and the longer we stay in one place, the more danger we invite."
Ahn nodded, though his legs felt like they were made of lead. His mind was still reeling from the encounter, and the weight of his role as the last Guardian pressed down even harder now.
Mira touched his arm, her voice soft but firm. "You did well back there, Ahn. You're learning, faster than I expected."
Ahn wasn't so sure. "I didn't even know what I was doing. The sword—it just… lit up."
Mira smiled knowingly. "That's because the power of the Guardians isn't something you need to summon—it's always there, waiting for you. It's part of who you are. The more you trust it, the stronger you'll become."
Ahn looked down at the sword, its surface dull and unremarkable now that the light had faded. He couldn't deny the truth in her words. When the energy surged through him, it had felt as if something deep inside had finally awakened, something ancient and powerful. But it also felt dangerous, like a fire that could consume him if he wasn't careful.
"Will it always feel like this?" Ahn asked quietly. "Like it's too much?"
Mira shook her head. "In time, you'll learn to control it. The Guardians were trained in the old ways, and though that knowledge has been lost to many, you'll rediscover it. We'll teach you as best we can."
Ahn took a deep breath, trying to push the doubt from his mind. He had no choice but to trust them. Kael and Mira were his only guides, the only ones who knew anything about this ancient power coursing through his veins.
"Come on," Kael called, already moving ahead. "The path gets steeper from here. We need to reach the cliffs before nightfall."
The trio pressed on, leaving the site of the battle behind as they ascended further into the mountains. The terrain grew harsher, the air thinner. Jagged rocks jutted out from the ground, and the trees grew sparse, their twisted trunks like gnarled sentinels watching their every move.
As they walked, Mira fell into step beside Ahn. Her sharp eyes scanned the horizon, ever watchful, but she spoke in a quieter tone, as if sensing his unease.
"There's a story I haven't told you yet," she began, her voice steady. "One that might help you understand the power you hold."
Ahn glanced at her. "A story?"
Mira nodded. "It's the story of the first Guardian. His name was Zahir. Like you, he was young and afraid when he first awakened to his power. He was a farmer, living a simple life with no knowledge of the realm's ancient secrets. But when the darkness came, it sought to destroy everything he loved."
Ahn's attention was fully on her now.
Mira continued, her eyes distant as if recalling something long buried. "Zahir didn't know how to fight. He didn't want to. But when the darkness threatened his village, he was forced to confront it. In the midst of battle, his powers awakened, just like yours did. But unlike you, there was no one to guide him. He nearly destroyed himself."
Ahn frowned, trying to imagine the scene she described. "What happened?"
"Zahir fought blindly, fueled by anger and fear. His power surged uncontrollably, devastating the land around him. The darkness retreated, but so did everything else—the fields turned to ash, the rivers dried up. His own people feared him after that, even though he saved them."
Ahn felt a chill run through him. "So he lost everything?"
Mira shook her head. "No, not everything. He found his purpose. With time and patience, Zahir learned to harness his power, to control it instead of letting it control him. He became the first Guardian and the protector of the realm. But his journey was not easy. It was a path filled with loss, hardship, and sacrifice."
The weight of her words settled over Ahn. "And now that path falls to me."
"It does," Mira agreed. "But you don't have to walk it alone. Zahir had no one, but you have us. Kael and I will do everything we can to help you, to teach you. And you'll find strength in those who believe in you."
They climbed in silence for a while after that, the rocky path steep and treacherous. Ahn's thoughts churned, the story of Zahir lingering in his mind. He didn't want to lose control the way the first Guardian had. The idea of his power harming the people he cared about terrified him more than the darkness itself.
As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, they reached a high ridge overlooking a vast expanse of jagged mountains. The air was cold and thin here, and the wind howled around them, carrying with it a sense of foreboding.
"There," Kael said, pointing toward a distant peak that rose higher than the rest. "That's the entrance to the Ruins of Selvas. We'll reach it by tomorrow, if we make good time."
Ahn squinted into the distance, his eyes tracing the narrow, treacherous path that wound its way up the mountain. The ruins loomed like a dark shadow against the fading light, ancient and foreboding.
"The Heart of Vethor is somewhere inside," Kael continued. "Once we retrieve it, you'll have the power you need to face what's coming."
"Assuming we find it," Mira added, her voice carrying a note of caution. "The ruins have been lost for centuries. No one knows what we'll encounter there."
Ahn nodded, but his resolve was firming. Whatever lay ahead, he knew he had to face it. The power within him stirred, faint but steady, like a pulse guiding him forward.
As they set up camp for the night, the weight of the journey ahead pressed heavily on Ahn's mind. He sat by the fire, staring into the flickering flames as the cold night settled in around them.
Mira and Kael were discussing the route in hushed tones, but Ahn's thoughts were elsewhere. The story of Zahir echoed in his mind—the Guardian who had lost control, who had nearly destroyed everything in his struggle against the darkness. Could that happen to him? Would his power, once fully awakened, become something he couldn't control?
He clenched his fists, the memory of the glowing sword still fresh in his mind. The light had felt so… raw. Dangerous. But it had also felt like a part of him, something he needed to embrace, not fear.
"I won't lose control," he whispered to himself, a vow. "I'll learn to use this power. I'll protect this realm."
As he sat there, the fire casting long shadows over the rocky ground, a strange sensation washed over him. It was subtle at first, like a tug at the edge of his consciousness. Then it grew stronger—a presence, watching from the darkness beyond the fire's glow.
Ahn stood up abruptly, scanning the surrounding cliffs. "Do you feel that?"
Kael and Mira immediately fell silent, their eyes narrowing as they sensed it too. Kael rose, hand on the hilt of his sword. "We're not alone."
The wind picked up, swirling around them with a cold intensity, and from the shadows beyond the fire, a figure emerged. Cloaked in darkness, its form was indistinct, shifting as if it were made from the night itself.
Ahn's heart raced as the figure stepped closer, its glowing eyes fixed on him. This was no shadowbeast—it was something far more dangerous.
Mira raised her staff, and Kael drew his sword, but the figure did not attack. Instead, it spoke, its voice like the whisper of a thousand voices, blending together in a chilling harmony.
"Guardian," it said, the word laced with malice. "You cannot stop what is coming."
Ahn's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, but he didn't draw it. The figure remained motionless, its presence oppressive and overwhelming.
"You will fail, just as the others did," the figure continued, its voice seeming to echo through the mountains. "The darkness will consume everything. And you, last of the Guardians, will fall."
Ahn's pulse pounded in his ears, but he stood his ground. "I won't let that happen."
The figure tilted its head, as if amused. "You are young. Naive. You do not understand the power you wield, nor the force that opposes you. You will learn, soon enough."
With that, the figure began to dissolve into the shadows, its form melting into the night. But before it vanished completely, it whispered one final word—a name.
"Zahir."
Ahn's breath caught in his throat. The figure disappeared, leaving nothing but the crackling of the fire and the howling wind behind.
Kael sheathed his sword, his expression grim. "That was no ordinary servant of the darkness. It knew about you… and the Guardians."
Mira's face was pale, her grip on her staff tight. "It mentioned Zahir."
Ahn's mind reeled. The story of the first Guardian had seemed like a distant memory, something that had no bearing on his present. But now… now it felt as though the past was coming for him, and the darkness wasn't just a looming threat—it was personal.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. Whatever this darkness was, whatever it knew about Zahir and the Guardians, it didn't matter. His path was clear.
"We keep going," Ahn said, his voice firm. "To the ruins. We find the Heart of Vethor, and we stop this."
Mira and Kael exchanged a glance, then nodded. There was no turning back now.