Fog lay on the ground, curling around the soldiers' boots as they moved. It carried a ghostly aspect to their march as they drove eastward with Lady Seraphine at their head, her mind given over to what she must do. Yet, though she tackled her task, she was still not at peace for that shadowy figure of the night before. Legend had it that such beings existed-spying agents of the Shadow King, creatures that could become one with the darkness, penetrate and disappear into it. She needed all her strength of purpose to quell the visions that crossed her mind as she moved onward.
The road to the eastern kingdoms was perilous and hardly traveled, twisted through dense forests, over rivers, and around tall cliffs. It was a land few ever dared to travel through, with rumors of bandits and darker presences there that had kept many travelers away. However, for Seraphine and her fighters, the journey was not to be avoided. Their goal lay across the border of Velandra, in the far-off kingdom of Eltoria-a land said to hold the last circle of magic-users trained in the old ways, steeped in forgotten spells and incantations. Only with their aid might Seraphine hope to counter the darkness that threatened to consume her homeland.
Hours had passed since their journey began, and the chime of Garin's gravelly voice brought silence to an end. "Lady Seraphine," he said, falling into step beside her, "you've never spoken much about the Shadow War before. The legends, I mean. Is it true what they say—that it nearly destroyed all the kingdoms?
She looked at him, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully. "Yes, though most of what people remember is pieced together from fragments of stories. The Shadow War was not like the wars we know. It was fought not just with armies, but with dark sorcery that twisted the very land itself, pulling power from beyond this world. Entire cities vanished into mist, forests became deadlands, and rivers ran black with poison.". It took everything the allied kingdoms had to force the Shadow King back, but even then, they couldn't kill him. They sealed him in the Abyss, a prison outside our realm.\"
"But if he was sealed, how can he be returning now?"" Garin asked.
And then her eyes drifted away, the voice dropping low. "The seals were to last as long as the ancient realms stood united. But over time, we became complacent. The old bonds frayed, the protectors of the seals grew old, and the magic that bound us together faltered. Now, should there even be a crack in his prison, he will find his way out. And this time, he may not come alone.".
The group fell silent, weighed down by the words. They continued to move throughout the forest in tense quietude, every warrior wrangling with thoughts of what lay before them.
With the sun climbing higher and higher in the sky, Elara, the healer, called out behind them. "Seraphine! Something's wrong." She was kneeling beside a twisted tree, her fingers grazing the earth. Seraphine approached, frowning as she examined the earth. It was blackened, the soil dry and crumbling as if burned, but there were no signs of fire.
"This is dark magic," Elara whispered, her voice thick with worry. "The land itself is corrupted."
Seraphine knelt beside her, touching the soil, feeling an unnatural cold leach from it. "He's already started to stretch his influence here. We're not far from the edge of his reach." She glanced at her warriors, her voice resolute. "We need to move fast.".
They kept moving forward, though the dark spots in the earth became more frequent, and the air grew heavy with the sickly, heavy odor. The land was ill, and each step toward Eltoria was like taking another step into a nightmare.
They camped near a little stream that night, and the warrior kept his weapon close by hand. The darkness was oppressive and unnatural, and the sounds of night were conspicuous by their absence. Seraphine took the first watch, her ears ringing with every whisper of the wind, with every rustling of the leaves. She could feel it in her bones-the darkness was watching them.
She saw the figure across the stream-it was nearly midnight-only its black form and silhouette clear against the dark, murky sky. She instinctively went for her sword, but hesitated, cautioning herself to hold off a little.
"Who goes there?" she bellowed, echoing the question back through the trees.
The figure moved forward, and she could see his face—waxy pale and drawn, with eyes like empty voids. His lips curled into a sneering smile.
"Milord," he said, his voice low and icy, dripping with drawl. "I have waited so long to meet you."
"Who are you?" she demanded, her grip on her sword tightening.
He cocked his head to one side, his eyes unblinkingly on her. "A messenger," he said. "Sent by one who knows you well. One who remembers your line, and the powers your ancestors wielded."
She narrowed her eyes. "The Shadow King.".
The figure's smile grew wider. "Ah, yes. He knows of you. He recalls you too. Your line has been a thorn in his side for generations. But he is merciful. He grants you the opportunity to surrender; your people may spare themselves further suffering."
"I never will surrender," she spat. "Velandra will stand against him, as it did before.".
Then the man's smile went away and he looked at her with a kind of cold disdain. "Then you will be punished. He'll let loose all his anger on your land, and nothing will remain of Velandra but ashes.".
Without another word, he dissolved into the darkness, gone just like he'd never been. Seraphine's heart was pounding in her chest, her mind full of questions and answers. She knew they were confronting more than anything she or hers had ever witnessed-a something that could walk unseen and wove magic beyond anything their understanding. Still, she knew she could not let herself stumble over her own mistakes. Her people were depending on her.
The next morning, she stood among her warriors, relates what she saw, nothing omitted.
"So he is already watching us," Garin mused, grinding his jaws. "If he sent that messenger, it means he thinks we're a threat."
Seraphine nodded. "We cannot let our guard down. His spies will be watching everything we do. We continue on our way to Eltoria, but at night, keeping close to where the woods will provide cover. We cannot be seen.
They traveled on, crossing dense forests with caution while remaining ever vigilant for the possibility of covert glances from the night. Days passed in a silence filled with tension; each fighter carried a little more of the weight of the mission on his shoulders.
Finally, after about a week, they reached the borders of Eltoria which their path had wound down into a mist-shrouded valley. Ruins lay strewn about, witnesses to old battles. The air was heavy with memories of old magic-a place haunted by the echoes of past wars.
In the distance, Eltoria's stone towers stood like sentinels, their walls lined with ancient fragments of spells, meant to ward away unwanted visitors to the kingdom. Even in this place, though, a terrible darkness was to be seen: blackened trees, sluggish rivers that ran dark. The Shadow King's reach was long and never slack: even this once sacred land was not immune.
He rode toward the gates, and as he reached them, a voice boomed out from above. "Who seeks entrance into Eltoria? "
"I am Lady Seraphine of Velandra, to seek audience with your council," she replied, holding up her hand in greeting.
The gates groaned open, and a tall figure emerged, wrapped in robes of midnight blue. The face of this figure was covered by a hood, but his eyes blazed with an intense, otherworldly light.
You are known to us, Lady Seraphine," he said in a deep, resonant voice. "We felt the shadow creeping onto your territory, as it has ours. But be warned: the council will not take kindly to you. The mages are suspicious of outsiders, especially now, with all the chaos going on."
Seraphine nodded. "I know. But our cause is just. We only wish to defend our people and to unite against the Shadow King.".
The man stepped aside, looking at her for a fleeting moment before repositioning himself. "Very well. Enter and may your resolve be stronger than your fears. The council awaits you.".
It followed him through the gate, into the heart of Eltoria. The city was something: ancient towers reaching toward the sky, walls engraved with glowing runes, narrow streets full of ivy-lined buildings winding between them. But beneath the beauty lay a deep tension and an unmistakable fear in the air. The people of Eltoria moved quickly, their eyes darting nervously at every shadow.
By the time they reached the entrance of the chambers, Seraphine felt a sense of purpose settle around her. She knew this was only the beginning: the first swing of a war that would finally test the very fabric of their world against its depths. History pressed down on her; the echoes of the first Shadow War swirled in her head, and she had been prepared to face it-no matter what price she paid.