The forest opened up to reveal the familiar fields surrounding Brighthearth, but what Kaelron saw made his chest tighten. Smoke still lingered in the air, curling faintly above the scorched rooftops of several homes. Others stood intact but bore heavy claw marks, their walls splintered and blackened. The once-lively village square, where merchants sold goods and children played, was eerily quiet.
Kaelron urged his gryphon forward, the creature's golden eyes scanning the horizon. It was strange seeing such a majestic beast in the mundane setting of his home, but Kaelron barely had time to marvel.
Brighthearth was different now. Wounded.
"Lilia..." he muttered under his breath. His heart raced as he scanned the village for any sign of his sister or Rynne. He hadn't felt their bond clearly since the shadow beasts attacked, but he held onto the hope that they were safe.
The gryphon let out a soft growl, its keen senses picking up something Kaelron hadn't noticed. Figures moved near the tavern—armored, organized, and out of place. The Tamer's Guild.
---
Kaelron dismounted near the edge of the village, keeping to the shadows. The gryphon crouched low beside him, blending surprisingly well into the underbrush for a creature of its size.
"Stay here," Kaelron whispered, placing a hand on the gryphon's neck. The bond between them pulsed faintly, a reassuring connection that gave Kaelron the courage to move forward.
He approached the center of the village cautiously, his staff gripped tightly. Two armored figures stood by the tavern entrance, their heavy cloaks embroidered with the sigil of the Guild—a coiled serpent encircling a beast's eye. Their postures were stiff, their gazes sharp as they surveyed the wreckage.
Kaelron ducked behind a broken cart, his pulse quickening. He knew the Guild's reputation. While they were supposed to uphold the balance between humans and beasts, their methods were ruthless. Tamers who strayed too far from their rigid laws were branded as rogues—or worse.
He wasn't ready to face them yet. Not with merging magic burning like a secret ember inside him.
A familiar voice called out from further down the street. "Kaelron!"
His heart leapt. He turned to see Lilia, her auburn hair messy but unmistakable, running toward him. Her face was streaked with soot, and her movements were stiff, as though she had been injured, but the sight of her was enough to make Kaelron's knees nearly buckle with relief.
"Lilia!" he called back, stepping out from his hiding place.
She collided into him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I thought you were dead," she whispered, her voice trembling. "After the phoenix-dragon took you, I didn't know if you'd come back."
Kaelron returned the hug, feeling a rush of guilt. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't want to leave you."
Before Lilia could respond, a small, fiery blur darted from behind her and bounded toward Kaelron.
"Rynne!" he exclaimed, dropping to one knee as his ember fox leapt into his arms. Her fur was warm against his chest, her little body trembling with excitement. She yipped softly, the faint flicker of her flames lighting up Kaelron's face.
"You're okay," Kaelron murmured, scratching behind her ears. The bond between them flared back to life, stronger than ever.
"What happened to you?" Lilia asked, stepping back to look at him. "Where did the phoenix-dragon take you?"
Kaelron hesitated, unsure how to explain. "It's… a long story. I'll tell you everything, but first—what's the Guild doing here?"
Lilia's expression darkened. "They arrived two days ago. They've been interrogating everyone about the shadow beast attack. They're looking for you, Kaelron. They think you know something about what happened."
Kaelron's stomach sank. "What did you tell them?"
"Nothing," she said quickly. "But they're not leaving until they find answers. They've set up in the tavern, and their leader… she's different. Cold. Like she knows more than she's letting on."
Kaelron's chest tightened. The silver-haired woman.
---
Kaelron kept low as he moved closer to the tavern, Lilia and Rynne following closely. His gryphon stayed hidden on the outskirts of the village, its presence too conspicuous to risk bringing into town.
The tavern door was open, and voices drifted out into the street.
"…unusual reports of merging magic," a sharp, familiar voice said. "The boy was last seen during the attack. Find him, or this entire village will face consequences."
Kaelron clenched his jaw. It was the silver-haired woman, just as he had feared.
Lilia tugged at his sleeve. "Kaelron, we should leave," she whispered. "If they find you—"
"I can't just run," Kaelron said. "If they think I'm hiding something, they might hurt the others."
"But—"
The sound of approaching footsteps cut her off. Kaelron shoved her and Rynne behind a barrel, crouching down just as two Guild tamers emerged from the tavern.
One of them, a stocky man with a scar across his cheek, spoke in a gruff voice. "Do you really think this kid knows anything? The shadow beasts are showing up everywhere, not just here."
The other tamer, a younger woman with hawk-like features, shook her head. "Lady Nyx says he's important. You don't question Lady Nyx."
Kaelron's breath caught. So her name is Nyx, he thought grimly.
The tamers walked past without noticing him, their voices fading as they headed toward the forest. Kaelron waited until they were out of sight before turning to Lilia.
"I have to talk to her," he said.
Lilia's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? She'll capture you—or worse!"
"I don't have a choice," Kaelron said. "If I don't face her, they'll never leave Brighthearth alone."
Rynne let out a small whine, as though agreeing with Lilia. But Kaelron's mind was made up.
---
Kaelron entered the tavern, his staff gripped tightly in his hand. The interior was dimly lit, the air heavy with tension. Several Guild tamers sat at the tables, their eyes flickering toward him with suspicion.
At the far end of the room, Lady Nyx stood near the hearth, her silver hair catching the firelight. She turned slowly, her piercing eyes locking onto Kaelron the moment he stepped inside.
"So," she said, her voice smooth and cold. "You finally decided to show yourself."
Kaelron swallowed hard but forced himself to stand tall. "I don't know what you want from me, but leave my village out of this. The shadow beasts were here before I did anything."
Nyx tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Oh, I don't think you're to blame for the shadow beasts. But you, Kaelron Veil, are far more interesting than any of these poor villagers."
"What do you mean?" he demanded.
She stepped closer, her presence commanding. "I saw what you did during the attack. Merging magic… a power that should have been lost centuries ago. Tell me, where did you learn it?"
Kaelron gritted his teeth. "I didn't 'learn' it. It just happened."
Nyx's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "Fascinating. The Guild will want to study you. Perhaps we'll even find a way to replicate your abilities."
Kaelron tightened his grip on his staff. "I'm not your experiment."
"Then what are you?" she asked, her voice soft but dangerous. "A boy playing with forces he doesn't understand? Do you even know what merging magic truly is?"
Kaelron's mind flashed to the phoenix-dragon's warnings about the Primordial Bonds and the Eternal Maw. He didn't answer, but his silence seemed to tell Nyx everything she needed to know.
"Ah," she said, her eyes gleaming. "You do know something."
The air in the tavern grew tense. Kaelron could feel the other tamers watching him, their hands drifting toward their weapons.
"I'm not going with you," Kaelron said firmly.
Nyx raised an eyebrow. "Then I suggest you run. Because the Guild does not take kindly to those who defy us."
Before Kaelron could respond, the door behind him burst open. One of the tamers who had left earlier staggered in, his face pale.
"Lady Nyx!" he gasped. "Shadow beasts! Dozens of them—heading this way!"
Nyx's smile disappeared, replaced by a cold, calculating expression.
Kaelron turned to Lilia, who was peeking in through the doorway, and to Rynne, who was growling softly at his feet. "Get to safety," he told them.
"What about you?" Lilia asked, her voice trembling.
Kaelron stepped forward, his staff held tightly in one hand, while his other hand brushed over Rynne's fiery fur. His voice was steady, though his pulse thundered in his ears.
"I'll hold them off."
Lilia's eyes widened. "Kaelron, you can't—"
"I can," he interrupted, his gaze locked on her. "I have to. If I don't stop them here, they'll tear the village apart."
Nyx regarded him with interest, her silver hair gleaming in the firelight. "Bold of you. But I wonder, do you have the strength to back up your bravado?"
Kaelron shot her a glare. "I don't need your help or your approval."
Nyx's lips curved into a faint smirk, but her expression quickly turned serious as another Guild tamer ran into the tavern.
"They're closing in fast!" the man barked. "We don't have time to evacuate the villagers!"
Nyx's gaze flicked between Kaelron and the approaching chaos. She tilted her head, as if weighing her options. Finally, she nodded to the assembled tamers. "Form a defensive line at the southern edge of the village. Keep the beasts contained."
She turned back to Kaelron, her eyes sharp. "Prove you're more than just a reckless boy. Help us hold the line."
Kaelron didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward the village's southern edge, Rynne at his side and Lilia calling after him. The gryphon emerged from its hiding place as he approached, its golden eyes blazing with recognition.
"Ready, partner?" Kaelron asked, placing a hand on the gryphon's flank. The bond between them flared, filling him with strength and resolve.
The gryphon let out a low growl of agreement, spreading its wings and stepping into formation beside him.
---
At the southern edge of Brighthearth, the first shadow beasts emerged from the forest—a tide of writhing black smoke with burning violet eyes. There were at least a dozen of them, their forms shifting unnaturally as they prowled forward.
The Guild tamers stood in a rough line, their beasts summoned and ready for battle. A burly tamer commanded a pair of armored warhounds, their sharp barks cutting through the night. Another tamer rode a scaled drake, its claws digging into the earth as it snarled at the approaching enemy.
Kaelron took his place between two tamers, the gryphon at his side and Rynne perched on his shoulder. He could feel their tension, their wary glances toward him as if questioning his presence.
"Shadow beasts are nothing but smoke and malice," one of the tamers muttered. "Hit them hard, and don't let up."
The first shadow beast lunged, and the battle began.
Kaelron swung his staff, flames bursting from the end as he struck a wolf-shaped beast. The creature screeched and dissolved into ash, but two more took its place.
"Rynne, now!" Kaelron called.
The ember fox leapt from his shoulder, unleashing a spray of fiery sparks that forced the beasts back. The gryphon roared, its wings glowing with golden light as it slashed through another beast with razor-sharp talons.
Kaelron dodged a swipe from a bear-like shadow beast, retaliating with a flaming strike that seared its smoky form. The bond with his creatures pulsed through him, guiding his movements with an almost instinctive precision.
But for every beast they felled, more surged from the forest, their violet eyes glowing brighter with each wave.
"Too many," one of the tamers shouted. "We can't hold them all!"
Kaelron gritted his teeth. He could feel his strength waning, the merging magic within him burning like a candle in a storm. He reached out to the gryphon through their bond, drawing on its power.
"Let's try something new," he muttered.
The gryphon roared in response, and Kaelron felt their connection deepen. The air around him shimmered as golden light enveloped his body. His senses sharpened, his movements quickened, and his staff burned with a radiant glow.
He lunged forward, striking down three shadow beasts in quick succession. The gryphon leapt into the fray beside him, its talons slicing through the creatures with deadly precision. Together, they turned the tide, pushing the beasts back toward the treeline.
---
As the battle raged, Kaelron noticed something strange. The shadow beasts were not retreating as expected. Instead, they gathered at the edge of the forest, their violet eyes flickering in unison.
"What are they doing?" Kaelron asked, glancing at Nyx, who had joined the battle with her shadow panther.
Her expression darkened. "They're waiting."
"For what?"
The answer came in the form of a bone-chilling roar that shook the ground. The shadow beasts parted, and from the darkness emerged a creature unlike any Kaelron had seen—a massive, hulking figure with horns like jagged obsidian and eyes that burned with twin infernos.
Nyx's panther growled low, its fur bristling. "An alpha shadow beast," she muttered. "This changes everything."
Kaelron swallowed hard. The alpha's presence was suffocating, its raw power pressing against him like a tidal wave.
"What do we do?" he asked, gripping his staff tightly.
Nyx's gaze flicked toward him, her usual cold confidence replaced with something that almost looked like fear. "We fight. Together."
Kaelron nodded, his resolve hardening. He reached out through his bond with the gryphon, feeling its strength surge within him.
"Let's end this," he said.
The alpha shadow beast roared again, its massive claws tearing into the earth as it charged toward them. Kaelron and Nyx stood side by side, their creatures at the ready, as the battle for Brighthearth reached its climax.