The campsite was quiet except for the soft murmur of the river nearby and the occasional crackle of the small fire Kael had started. Shadows danced on the rocks around them as the flames flickered, casting the group in a muted glow.
Caden sat apart from the others, his sword resting against his leg. The shard pulsed faintly in his pocket, its steady rhythm blending with the rushing water. He stared at the blade, his fingers brushing its hilt absentmindedly. The weight of the journey, of everything they'd faced, settled heavily on his shoulders.
Kael sat cross-legged near the fire, her dagger glinting as she idly turned it over in her hands. "You're sulking," she said without looking up.
"I'm thinking," Caden replied curtly.
"About?"
"Everything."
"Care to elaborate, or should I start guessing?"
Caden hesitated, then sighed. "The Reclaimers, the shard, the fragments… it's like no matter what we do, they're always a step ahead. And every time I try to push forward, it feels like I'm dragging something with me. Something heavy."
Kael finally looked up, her expression unreadable. "Welcome to life, kid. It's heavy for everyone."
"Not like this," Caden said, his voice sharper. He gestured toward the shard. "This thing… it's changing me. I can feel it. Every time I use it, it's like it takes a little more of me. And the fragments—it's like they're trying to pull me into something I don't understand."
Kael studied him for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe they are. But you're still here, aren't you? Whatever it's doing to you, you're still standing. That's gotta count for something."
"It doesn't feel like enough," Caden muttered.
"Then make it enough," Kael said simply, turning her attention back to her dagger.
Garrick approached from the edge of the camp, his staff glowing faintly as he returned from a short scouting loop. "No sign of the Reclaimers for now," he said. "But we shouldn't let our guard down. They'll be moving faster after what happened at the ruins."
Caden looked up at him, frowning. "Why do you think they're so focused on us? It's not just the fragment, is it?"
Garrick sighed, lowering himself to sit on a nearby rock. "It's the shard," he said plainly. "You've used it enough that they can sense its power. And they're not just after the fragments—they're after anyone who can wield them."
"But why?" Caden pressed. "What do they want with the shards? What do they think they'll get by hunting me down?"
"Control," Garrick said, his voice grim. "The Reclaimers believe the System can be restored—not as it was, but as something they can shape. They see shard bearers as either threats to their vision or tools they can exploit."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "So, they either want to kill him or turn him into one of them. Lovely."
Caden swallowed hard, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "I won't let them take me."
"They'll keep trying," Garrick said. "The leader we faced at the ruins—he was testing you. Now, the higher-ups in their ranks will know about you. And they'll send someone stronger next time."
Caden's stomach churned at the thought. He had barely managed to fend off the Echo beast and the Reclaimers at the ruins. The idea of facing someone even more powerful was almost too much to bear.
"So, what do we do?" he asked quietly.
Garrick's expression hardened. "We prepare. There's a town a few days' journey from here—one with strong defenses and people who might be able to help. We'll gather resources, gather information, and figure out our next move."
"And after that?"
"We keep fighting," Garrick said simply.
The night passed uneventfully, but Caden's sleep was restless. His dreams were fragmented, filled with fleeting images of the Reclaimer leader, the Echo beast, and the shards themselves, glowing and pulsing in the darkness. Whispers echoed faintly in the background, their words unclear but heavy with meaning.
When he woke, the fire was little more than embers, and the first light of dawn was filtering through the trees. Kael was already up, packing her gear with quick, efficient movements. Garrick stood near the river, his staff resting against a rock as he stared out at the water.
Caden sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The weight of the shard in his pocket felt heavier today, its presence more pronounced.
"Ready to move?" Kael asked, her tone neutral but her gaze sharp.
"Yeah," Caden said, though his voice lacked conviction.
"Good," Kael said, slinging her pack over her shoulder. "The sooner we're out of this forest, the better."
The group moved quickly, the dense forest gradually giving way to open fields as the day wore on. The shard pulsed steadily in Caden's pocket, its energy subdued but constant.
As they walked, Garrick fell into step beside Caden. "You're quiet today," he said.
"I'm always quiet," Caden replied.
"Not like this," Garrick said. He glanced at Caden, his expression thoughtful. "The shard is weighing on you more than usual, isn't it?"
Caden hesitated, then nodded. "It's not just the shard. It's everything. The Reclaimers, the fragments, even Kael. It's like every step we take brings more questions than answers. And I don't know if I can keep up."
"You can," Garrick said firmly. "You've already come this far, and you've faced challenges that would have broken most people. The fact that you're still standing says a lot about your strength."
Caden looked at him, doubt flickering in his eyes. "But for how long? How long before the shard takes over, or the Reclaimers catch up, or—"
"Stop," Garrick interrupted, his voice steady. "Focus on what's in front of you. The shard, the Reclaimers—they're problems, yes. But they're problems you can face, one at a time. You're not alone in this."
Caden nodded slowly, though the weight in his chest didn't lift.
By midday, the group reached the edge of the forest. Ahead, the faint outline of a town appeared on the horizon, its stone walls a welcome sight after days of uncertainty.
"Arkwell," Garrick said, gesturing toward the town. "We'll be safe there. For a while, at least."
Kael smirked. "Safe enough to get into more trouble, you mean."
"Let's hope not," Garrick said, though his tone lacked conviction.
Caden stared at the town as they approached, the shard pulsing faintly in his pocket. The road ahead was still unclear, but for now, they had a destination.
And that was enough.