Chapter 6: The First Path
Asuka woke to the faint chirping of birds, the light of dawn filtering through the canopy above. For a brief moment, she forgot where she was—until the memory of the Shadow Beast flooded back. Her entire body ached, a dull reminder of the grueling battle she had endured.
Sitting up, she found the silver-haired woman tending to a small fire, her movements calm and methodical. The woman's expression was neutral, but her presence radiated a quiet authority that made Asuka hesitate to interrupt her.
"Good, you're awake," the woman said without turning. She tossed a bundle of herbs into a boiling pot over the fire, releasing a sharp, earthy aroma. "Drink this. It'll help with the pain."
Asuka eyed the pot warily. "What is it?"
"Medicine," the woman replied curtly. "You'll need your strength if we're to continue."
Reluctantly, Asuka accepted the small wooden cup the woman handed her. The liquid was bitter, the taste making her grimace, but almost immediately, a soothing warmth spread through her body, easing the soreness in her muscles.
"Thank you," Asuka said, setting the cup down. She hesitated before asking, "Who are you? And why are you helping me?"
The woman finally met her gaze, her silver eyes sharp and assessing. "My name is Kaelith," she said. "As for why I'm helping you... let's just say our paths are intertwined now. You're not the only one fighting against the darkness, Asuka."
Asuka frowned. "The darkness… you mean the Shadow Beasts?"
Kaelith nodded. "They're only a fragment of the true threat. The Shadow Beasts are mindless predators, but they're drawn to the remnants of the corruption that once consumed this world. That corruption lingers, waiting for an opportunity to rise again."
Asuka's mind raced as she tried to piece everything together. "And my power… you called me the Drag King. What does that mean?"
Kaelith leaned back, her expression unreadable. "The Drag King is a title, a legacy passed down to those who can wield the light against the darkness. It's a rare gift, one that comes with a heavy burden. You've been chosen, whether you like it or not."
Asuka's stomach churned. She hadn't asked for this—hadn't asked to be thrown into a world of monsters and legends. But the memory of the Shadow Beast, the raw terror it had inspired, reminded her that she couldn't turn away.
"Where do we go from here?" Asuka asked, her voice steady despite the uncertainty she felt.
Kaelith smiled faintly, a hint of approval in her gaze. "There's a village not far from here. It's small, isolated, but it'll give us a chance to regroup and plan our next move. The path won't be easy, though. The corruption is stronger in this region, and we're likely to encounter more Shadow Beasts."
Asuka nodded, determination hardening her resolve. "Then let's get moving."
---
The forest was eerily quiet as they walked, the trees towering above them like silent sentinels. Asuka kept her senses sharp, every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig putting her on edge. Kaelith led the way, her movements swift and purposeful, as if she had traversed these woods countless times before.
"Stay close," Kaelith warned. "The corruption warps the land as well as its creatures. It's easy to lose your way if you're not careful."
Asuka didn't need to be told twice. The forest seemed to shift around them, the shadows deeper and darker than they should have been. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, though every time she glanced over her shoulder, she saw nothing but trees.
"Why are the Shadow Beasts drawn to me?" Asuka asked, breaking the tense silence.
"Your power," Kaelith replied without looking back. "The light within you is like a beacon to them. They crave it, seek to consume it. The stronger your power grows, the more they'll come for you."
Asuka's grip tightened on the makeshift weapon Kaelith had given her—a sturdy branch sharpened into a crude spear. She knew it wouldn't be enough against another Shadow Beast, but it was better than nothing.
"What about you?" Asuka asked. "You seem to know a lot about all this. Are you a Drag King too?"
Kaelith chuckled softly, a rare crack in her stoic demeanor. "No, I'm not. But I've spent my life studying the darkness and those who fight it. My role is to guide, to teach. The battles are yours to fight."
Asuka frowned. The idea of being thrust into this fight without a choice still didn't sit well with her, but she couldn't deny the spark of gratitude she felt toward Kaelith. Without her guidance, Asuka would have been lost—literally and figuratively.
---
The sun was beginning to set when they finally reached the edge of the forest. The sight of the open sky was a welcome relief, though the village Kaelith had mentioned was still nowhere in sight.
"We'll camp here for the night," Kaelith said, setting her pack down.
Asuka glanced around nervously. The clearing was exposed, the perfect place for an ambush. "Are you sure it's safe?"
Kaelith shrugged. "Nowhere is truly safe. But staying in the forest after dark is far more dangerous."
Asuka didn't argue. She helped gather wood for a fire, the rhythmic task grounding her amidst the chaos of her thoughts.
Once the fire was lit, the warmth and light it provided were a small comfort against the encroaching darkness. Kaelith handed Asuka a piece of dried meat, the simple meal filling her empty stomach.
"Why did you choose to help me?" Asuka asked after a long silence.
Kaelith stared into the flames, her expression distant. "Because I've seen what happens to those who face the darkness alone. They lose themselves, their light snuffed out before they can fulfill their purpose. I won't let that happen to you."
Asuka felt a pang of guilt. She had been so focused on her own fear and uncertainty that she hadn't considered the weight Kaelith must carry.
"Thank you," she said softly.
Kaelith didn't respond, but the faint smile that tugged at her lips spoke volumes.
---
Asuka's dreams that night were vivid and unsettling. She found herself in a desolate wasteland, the sky dark and choked with ash. The ground beneath her feet was cracked and lifeless, the air heavy with the stench of decay.
In the distance, she saw a figure—a man cloaked in shadows, his face obscured. He stood atop a jagged cliff, his presence radiating malice and power.
"You cannot escape your fate, Asuka," the figure said, his voice a low, menacing rumble. "The light within you is a curse as much as it is a gift. It will bring you nothing but pain."
Asuka clenched her fists, her anger drowning out her fear. "Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?"
The figure didn't answer. Instead, he raised a hand, and the shadows around him surged forward like a tidal wave.
Asuka woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. The fire had burned low, the embers casting faint shadows on the ground. Kaelith was sitting nearby, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
"You were dreaming," Kaelith said without looking at her.
Asuka nodded, her throat dry. "There was a man… he was surrounded by shadows. He said my power was a curse."
Kaelith's expression darkened. "The corruption has many forms, many voices. It preys on your fears and doubts, trying to weaken your resolve. Don't let it."
Asuka swallowed hard, the memory of the dream still vivid in her mind. She didn't respond, but Kaelith's words lingered, a fragile shield against the creeping darkness.
---
By the time dawn broke, Asuka was more than ready to leave the clearing behind. The open sky and the faint warmth of the rising sun did little to dispel the lingering unease from her dream, but she pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the path ahead.
The village came into view just before noon—a cluster of small, weathered houses surrounded by fields of overgrown grass. It was quiet, too quiet, the usual sounds of daily life conspicuously absent.
Kaelith's expression was grim as they approached. "Stay close. Something's not right."
Asuka didn't need to be told twice. The air felt heavy, oppressive, as if the village itself was holding its breath.
They reached the center of the village, where a large well stood surrounded by crumbling stone benches. It was there that they saw the first signs of trouble.
The ground was scorched, blackened in a wide circle around the well. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt wood and something else—something darker.
"They've been here," Kaelith said, her voice low.
"Who?" Asuka asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.
"Raiders," Kaelith replied. "Followers of the corruption. They sow chaos wherever they
go. They burn, they pillage, and they leave nothing but ruin in their wake."
Asuka's stomach twisted at the thought of the villagers being caught in such destruction. She glanced around the empty square, her eyes lingering on the charred buildings, the remnants of what had once been homes. It felt wrong to stand in the center of this place, as though the earth itself was mourning.
"How did they know we were coming?" Asuka asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though the question gnawed at her.
"They don't," Kaelith said, her expression unreadable. "But the corruption spreads fast, and it whispers in the wind. It doesn't need to know where we are—it just needs to know we're close enough."
The silence that followed was deafening. The village felt more like a ghost town than anything else, the absence of life more noticeable than any number of bodies strewn across the ground. Asuka fought the urge to shudder as the thought of the raiders' cruelty crossed her mind.
Kaelith moved forward, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of the blade strapped to her side. "We need to find any survivors. But we need to be careful."
Asuka nodded, her hand instinctively going to the crude spear Kaelith had given her. She wasn't a warrior, not really—but in a world like this, she didn't have much of a choice. She had to be something more.
The two women moved silently through the village, each step measured and cautious. They passed through empty houses, their doors hanging open or blasted off their hinges. It was clear that whoever had done this was ruthless, leaving nothing untouched.
"Over here," Kaelith suddenly called, motioning for Asuka to follow her.
They ducked into one of the houses at the far end of the square, its walls partially collapsed. Inside, the remnants of a hearth lay cold and empty, the air heavy with dust. But there, crouched by a broken window, was a man.
His face was pale, his eyes wide with terror, but his body was unscathed. Asuka could tell immediately that he was in shock. His hands trembled as they gripped a dagger, though the blade was pointed toward the floor.
"Are you alright?" Kaelith asked, her voice gentle but firm.
The man looked up at them, his breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. "They… they came out of nowhere," he stammered. "I didn't see them coming… they just… destroyed everything."
Kaelith approached cautiously, kneeling down to meet the man's eyes. "Did you see who they were? Where they went?"
The man shook his head, eyes wide with fear. "I… I didn't see anyone clearly. But they… they're still out there. Watching. I can feel them."
Asuka's heart pounded in her chest. The way he spoke—almost as if the very air around them was thick with malevolence—sent a chill down her spine.
Kaelith glanced at Asuka, her expression unreadable. Then, she turned back to the man. "Stay here. It's not safe to go out in the open. We'll deal with the raiders."
The man didn't protest, only nodded weakly as Kaelith and Asuka moved toward the door.
"I thought you said the raiders were part of the corruption," Asuka said, once they were outside again.
"They are," Kaelith replied, her voice tight. "But they're not the only ones who feed off the darkness. Some of them are more dangerous because they know how to hide in the shadows. And those shadows are closing in on us, even now."
Asuka's grip on her spear tightened. "So, what now?"
Kaelith scanned the village once more, her silver eyes sharp. "Now, we wait."
Asuka blinked in confusion. "Wait? For what?"
"For them to make their move."
The two of them retreated into one of the nearby buildings, its roof partially intact. Asuka leaned against the wall, her eyes scanning the street. She didn't like the idea of sitting and waiting, but Kaelith had a calmness to her, a quiet authority that made her reluctant to question her.
Time passed slowly. Asuka's thoughts kept drifting back to the dream she'd had last night—the man cloaked in shadows. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow tied to the corruption, to the darkness that was slowly creeping into her world. She couldn't understand why she had seen him, or what his warning meant. But something in her gut told her that he wasn't a mere figment of her imagination.
"Do you believe in fate?" Asuka asked, breaking the silence.
Kaelith raised an eyebrow but didn't look at her. "I don't believe in fate. I believe in choice."
Asuka nodded, though she didn't feel reassured. "But what if the choices you make don't matter? What if there's a path already laid out for you?"
Kaelith finally turned to her, her gaze steady. "Then you fight to change it."
Asuka swallowed, trying to process her words. The weight of the situation was starting to feel too heavy to carry on her own. But the thought of simply giving up—of letting the darkness consume everything—was something she couldn't allow. Not while there was still a chance to fight.
After what felt like an eternity, Kaelith stood and motioned for Asuka to follow. "It's time. The raiders are on the move."
Asuka's pulse quickened. She was ready. Or at least, she had to be.
Kaelith led her back into the village square, and there, at the far end of the street, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a man, tall and thin, his skin pale and sickly, his eyes glowing with an unnatural light. He moved with the fluidity of a predator, and the instant his gaze locked onto Asuka's, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
"Get ready," Kaelith murmured.
The man didn't speak, only raised his hand, and with it, the shadows around him seemed to writhe and pulse, as if they were alive. It was a sickening sight, a manifestation of the darkness that lurked in the world. The man took another step forward, and the shadows followed.
Asuka's heart raced, but she forced herself to stand firm, spear at the ready. She could feel the power inside her—she didn't know how to control it yet, but the Drag King within her had already begun to stir.
Kaelith unsheathed her sword, her movements fluid and precise. "Don't hold back," she said, her voice low and urgent. "If you want to survive, you'll need to strike first."
The man's lips curled into a smirk as he took another step closer, the shadows swirling around him. Asuka didn't hesitate.
With a swift motion, she lunged, aiming the spear directly for the man's chest. But as soon as she moved, the shadows surrounding him seemed to twist and block her attack, turning into a solid mass that absorbed the strike.
She stumbled back in shock, her heart pounding in her chest.
"You're too slow," the man said, his voice like a hiss, as his eyes glowed even brighter.
Kaelith, however, didn't hesitate. She moved in a blur, her blade slashing through the air, her strikes targeting the shadows that were blocking them. The darkness seemed to recoil from her blade, but the man remained unaffected.
"You can't fight this," he taunted. "You're nothing more than a flicker in the darkness, destined to be snuffed out."
But Kaelith's eyes narrowed, and she focused. "I don't intend to be snuffed out," she said. And with a swift motion, she swung her sword again, this time cutting through the shadows entirely.
For a brief moment, the figure faltered. Asuka saw her opportunity and charged forward again, this time aiming for the man's leg. The spear thrust true, sinking into his flesh.
The man howled, his form flickering like a dying flame as the shadows that clung to him seemed to implode. But before he could fall, his hand shot out, grabbing Asuka by the throat.
"You'll regret this," he whispered into her ear. "Your light will burn out... and when it does, you'll be just like me."
Asuka fought to break free, her mind screaming for her to do something—anything—to survive. And then, she felt it. The Drag King power surged within her, a wave of heat and force that exploded outward.
The man's grip loosened, and with a final cry, he was thrown backward, his body consumed by the very shadows he had used to control.
Kaelith stepped forward, her gaze sharp and calculating. "Well done."
Asuka, gasping for air, looked down at the spot where the man had fallen. The shadows had disappeared, leaving nothing but the faint echo of their presence.
"We're not done yet," Kaelith said, her voice grim. "The real fight has only just begun."