The night was eerily quiet. The usual symphony of forest sounds—chirping crickets, rustling leaves, the occasional hoot of an owl—was conspicuously absent. Kael stirred in his sleep, unaware of the unnatural stillness creeping over the camp.
Sienna, however, was wide awake. Her sharp instincts, honed by years of survival, prickled at the back of her neck. Something was wrong. She crouched by the fire, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her dagger, her eyes scanning the darkened woods.
Then she heard it—a faint rustling, barely audible over the crackling fire. It came from the shadows beyond the trees, growing steadily louder.
"Swords," Sienna hissed, kicking Kael awake.
Kael groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What's—"
"Get your sword!" she snapped, cutting him off. "We're not alone."
Kael's heart leapt into his throat as he scrambled for the Heartstone blade. The weapon flared to life the moment his hand touched the hilt, its green light illuminating the clearing.
The rustling stopped. For a moment, there was only silence. Then the shadows shifted, and a dozen figures stepped into the firelight.
They were humanoid but grotesque, their features twisted and inhuman. Their eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, and their skin was as dark and mottled as the bark of the trees. Each one carried a crude weapon—gnarled clubs, rusted blades, and jagged spears.
"Shadewalkers," Sienna muttered, her voice low but tense.
Kael tightened his grip on the sword. "What are they?"
"Creatures of the void," Sienna said. "Servants of Ghorak. They hunt anything that threatens their master's plans."
The largest of the Shadewalkers stepped forward, its guttural voice echoing through the clearing. "The blade… belongs… to us."
Kael's blood ran cold. They were after the Heartstone.
"Over my dead body," Sienna growled, drawing her dagger.
The Shadewalker leader let out a guttural laugh. "As you wish."
---
The battle erupted in an instant. The Shadewalkers surged forward, their movements unnaturally fast. Sienna met them head-on, her dagger flashing like silver lightning.
Kael hesitated for a heartbeat, panic gripping him as the creatures closed in. Then the Heartstone blade pulsed in his hand, its energy coursing through him like a bolt of lightning.
"Focus, Kael!" Sienna shouted as she slashed through a Shadewalker, its body disintegrating into black smoke. "Use the blade!"
Kael raised the sword just as a Shadewalker lunged at him, its clawed hand reaching for his throat. The blade's glow intensified, and a burst of green energy erupted from its edge, throwing the creature backward.
Kael stared at the sword in awe. The energy felt wild and untamed, but it had obeyed him.
Another Shadewalker charged, its jagged spear aimed at Kael's chest. This time, Kael didn't hesitate. He swung the blade, and a crescent of green light arced through the air, slicing cleanly through the creature.
---
Sienna fought like a whirlwind, her movements precise and deadly. She dodged and parried with practiced ease, her dagger finding its mark again and again. But for every Shadewalker she felled, two more seemed to take its place.
"They're endless!" Kael shouted, panting as he dispatched another foe.
"They're not!" Sienna retorted, ducking under a swing and driving her blade into a Shadewalker's chest. "Take out the leader. They'll fall apart without it!"
Kael turned his gaze to the Shadewalker leader, who stood at the edge of the clearing, watching the battle with eerie calm. Its yellow eyes locked onto Kael, and it raised a clawed hand, beckoning him forward.
"You want the blade?" Kael growled, his fear giving way to anger. "Come and take it!"
The leader's mouth twisted into a hideous grin. It charged, moving with terrifying speed.
Kael braced himself, the Heartstone blade humming with energy. When the leader reached him, their weapons clashed in a shower of sparks.
The force of the impact sent Kael stumbling back, but he recovered quickly, parrying the leader's next strike. The creature's strength was overwhelming, and Kael could feel his arms trembling under the strain.
"Kael, focus!" Sienna shouted, fighting off the remaining Shadewalkers.
Kael gritted his teeth and closed his eyes briefly, reaching for the energy of the Heartstone. He felt it respond, its power flowing through him like a tidal wave.
When the leader swung again, Kael sidestepped the blow and slashed upward. The blade connected, slicing through the creature's chest. The Shadewalker let out an unearthly scream, its body disintegrating into smoke.
---
As the leader fell, the remaining Shadewalkers froze, their glowing eyes flickering. Then, one by one, they crumbled into ash, carried away by the wind.
Kael lowered the blade, his chest heaving. The clearing was silent once more, save for the crackling of the fire.
Sienna approached him, her dagger still in hand. She studied him for a moment before nodding. "Not bad, farm boy."
Kael managed a weak smile. "Thanks, I think."
Sienna sheathed her dagger and glanced at the smoldering remains of the Shadewalkers. "They'll send more. Ghorak won't stop until he gets that blade."
Kael's stomach churned at the thought. "Then what do we do?"
Sienna met his gaze, her expression grim. "We keep moving. And we get stronger. Because if this was just a taste of what's coming, we're in for a long fight."
Kael nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. The Heartstone blade still pulsed faintly in his hand, a constant reminder of the battle they had just survived—and the battles yet to come.