The evening air was heavy, laden with a quiet unease that seemed to settle over the newly rebuilt Thalewood Village. Calen stood on the hill overlooking the bustling camp, where villagers and Yaloran survivors worked tirelessly to complete the defensive walls. The hum and flicker from the previous night refused to leave his mind. The crystal in his pouch pulsed faintly, its light barely perceptible, yet insistent. Each pulse sent a faint twinge through his chest, as though calling out to something—or someone.
Finn approached silently, his expression grim. "Tracks," he said simply. "Not human. Near the forest's edge."
Calen frowned. "Could it be an animal?"
Finn shook his head. "No animal I've seen leaves marks like this. Clawed, deep, deliberate." He hesitated, his voice lowering. "Whatever made them is watching us."
The news only deepened the sense of foreboding. "Alert the scouts," Calen ordered. "Double the perimeter patrols. Let no one wander alone."
As Finn disappeared into the shadows, Kira approached with Mallen in tow, their arms laden with makeshift traps. "These should slow anything trying to get too close," Kira said, her tone light despite the tension. "If they're as smart as they are ugly, they'll learn to stay away."
Calen managed a small smile of gratitude but couldn't shake the unease. "Good work. But keep your weapons close. I have a feeling this is just the beginning."
The next morning, the village awoke to a disturbance. A lone figure stumbled into the gates, his clothes torn and bloodied, his face pale as death. "Shadows…" he gasped, collapsing into the dirt. "Whispers… they're coming."
Elena rushed to his side, her healer's instincts taking over as she beckoned for help. The man's wounds were deep but not from any weapon she recognized. Jagged tears crisscrossed his body, and his skin was icy to the touch. "He's been running for days," she murmured, "but from what?"
The man regained consciousness long enough to grab Calen's arm with surprising strength. His eyes, wide with fear, locked onto Calen's. "The light… the ridge… it's waking them. Stop it, or we're all doomed."
Before Calen could question him, the man slipped back into unconsciousness. His cryptic warning left the council in turmoil. Kaelira, ever pragmatic, suggested fortifying the village further and preparing for the worst. Seris, however, was more intrigued. "The light he mentioned—it must be connected to the crystal," she said. "If we ignore this, we may lose our only chance to understand what's happening."
As night fell, the hum returned, louder this time. The crystal began to glow of its own accord, its light spilling through the fabric of Calen's pouch. He climbed to the ridge with Seris, Ronan, and Finn, determined to find the source of the disturbance. The forest was eerily quiet, as though holding its breath.
When they reached the ridge, Calen froze. A faint glow emanated from a cluster of ancient stones, their surfaces etched with symbols that seemed to shift under his gaze. The crystal pulsed in his hand, and a low hum resonated through the air.
"What is this place?" Finn whispered, his voice barely audible.
Seris knelt by the stones, her fingers tracing the carvings. "These symbols… they're older than anything I've ever seen. And they match the markings on the crystal."
Before anyone could respond, an otherworldly shriek pierced the night, freezing them in place. From the shadows, glowing eyes appeared—many eyes, unblinking and malevolent. Humanoid shapes emerged, but their movements were wrong, jerky and unnatural.
"Shadows," Ronan muttered, drawing his sword.
Calen's heart pounded as he felt the crystal's power surge. Whatever these creatures were, they weren't human—and they weren't here to talk.
"Fall back!" he ordered. The group retreated down the ridge, the shadowy beings pursuing them with terrifying speed. As they reached the village, the creatures stopped abruptly, retreating into the forest with unnatural precision.
"They're testing us," Seris said grimly. "And they'll be back."
As the village prepared for what felt like an inevitable attack, Calen stood alone on the hill, staring at the ridge. The crystal in his hand glowed steadily now, its warmth a strange comfort despite the chaos. Whatever this power was, it had chosen him—but for what purpose? And what price would it demand?
The hum in the air seemed to whisper an answer, one Calen wasn't ready to hear.