The air carried an unnatural stillness, the kind that settled before a storm. It was nearing dusk, and the villagers were quieter than usual, their movements subdued as they prepared for the night. Every swing of a hammer and sharpened blade spoke of a shared fear: the watchers in the forest.
I stood on the edge of the village, gazing into the thick line of trees. They seemed darker than before, the shadows within them deeper and shifting unnaturally, as though alive. The memory of the hooded man lingered, his cryptic words circling in my mind like vultures over a battlefield. The forces that stirred tonight are only the beginning.
Krael approached, his armor strapped tightly, the sword at his side gleaming faintly in the fading light. His presence, as always, was steady, but there was an edge to his tone when he spoke. "The scouts saw movement again. Closer this time. It won't be long before they make their move."
"They're testing us," Lyra said as she joined us, her hand resting lightly on her sword's hilt. Her calm demeanor was at odds with the tension in her posture. "They're not here to attack outright. Not yet. They want to see how we'll react."
I nodded, the weight of my sword at my side feeling heavier than ever. "Then we don't give them the satisfaction of hesitation."
Krael's brow furrowed, and he glanced at me. "It's not hesitation I'm worried about. It's overconfidence. Whatever they are, they aren't like the creatures we fought before. These are human—or close enough—and they'll fight smarter."
Lyra stepped closer, her eyes meeting mine. "You're the one they're watching, Aric. If they come, it'll be to test you."
I gritted my teeth, the pendant at my chest warming as if responding to her words. "Then let them test me. I'll show them what they came for."
Krael's lips pressed into a thin line, but he gave a sharp nod. "We've fortified the northern perimeter. If they make their move, that's where it'll start."
The attack came as the first stars began to appear in the sky.
It started with a faint rustle, like the whisper of leaves caught in an unnatural breeze. Then came the movement—shadows slipping through the trees, too quick and fluid to track. The northern perimeter, as Krael predicted, was where the first clash erupted.
A villager's shout tore through the stillness, followed by the metallic ring of blades meeting. Krael surged forward, his sword already drawn, moving with a precision that belied his size. The blade glinted faintly in the firelight as he cut down a cloaked figure in a single, decisive strike.
"Stay in formation!" he barked to the defenders, his voice carrying over the chaos. His movements were a blur of calculated strikes and precise parries, each one driving the attackers back step by step.
Lyra and I were right behind him, our weapons ready.
The scene was chaos. Figures cloaked in black darted between the trees, their movements precise and coordinated. They fought with twin daggers, their strikes aimed to disarm and disable rather than kill. It was clear—they weren't here for slaughter. They were here to probe.
Krael moved through the fray like a force of nature, his sword flashing as he intercepted two attackers at once. He parried one blade with a powerful swing, forcing the cloaked figure to stumble back, and followed up with a strike that disarmed the second attacker.
"Focus on their movements!" he called out, his voice steady despite the battle raging around him. "They're coordinated, but they can be outmaneuvered!"
I raised my sword, the runes along its blade faintly flickering as I stepped into the fray. A cloaked figure lunged at me, and I deflected their strike with a fluid motion that felt instinctive, almost automatic. My counterstrike came faster than I expected, my blade catching the figure's shoulder and sending them stumbling back.
The runes on my sword flared brighter for a brief moment, and the figure hesitated, their eyes narrowing beneath the shadow of their hood. They muttered something I couldn't make out before retreating into the trees.
"They're watching him," Lyra shouted as she deflected a blow from another attacker. Her sword crackled with magic, and a burst of flame sent her opponent scrambling back. "They're testing you, Aric. They want to see how far you've come."
Another figure rushed me, their daggers flashing in the dim light. This one moved faster, their strikes more precise. I barely managed to block the first two blows, the force of them jarring my arms. The third strike came dangerously close, but I sidestepped, the motion feeling like second nature. I swung my blade in a wide arc, and the runes along its length burned brighter than before.
The figure froze, their eyes wide as the light of the runes illuminated their face for a brief moment. Then, without warning, they turned and retreated, disappearing into the forest with the same unnatural grace as the others.
The remaining attackers fell back as well, their movements synchronized as they melted into the shadows. The battle was over almost as quickly as it had begun, leaving the defenders standing in stunned silence.
Krael lowered his spear, his eyes scanning the tree line with suspicion. "That wasn't a fight," he said, his voice heavy. "It was a message."
Lyra sheathed her sword, her expression grim. "And a warning. They weren't here to win. They wanted to see us fight, to gauge our strength."
I exhaled, my grip on my sword tightening as I stared into the darkness. The glow of the runes had faded, but the memory of their light lingered, along with the unease it brought. "They're not done with us," I said, the certainty in my voice surprising even me. "They'll come back."
Lyra stepped closer, her gaze steady. "And when they do, we'll be ready. But Aric, we need to figure out what's happening to you—and fast. Whatever those runes are, they're tied to your past. And the more they know about your power, the more dangerous this becomes."
Krael nodded, his expression hardening. "She's right. Tonight was just the beginning. If we're going to protect the village, we need to know what we're dealing with—and what they want with you."
I looked down at the sword in my hand, the weight of it heavier than ever. The pendant at my chest pulsed faintly, a reminder of the man who had called me Vanguard and the power I barely understood. The watchers had tested us tonight, but the true challenge was still to come.
As the villagers regrouped and the fires along the perimeter were stoked to ward off the darkness, I made a silent vow. Whatever answers lay ahead, I would find them. And when the watchers returned, I would be ready.