The forest gave way to a narrow valley, its rocky cliffs scarred with glowing veins of mana. The air here felt heavier, thicker, as though it carried the weight of countless untold stories. Isla hesitated, clutching her satchel tightly. There was something unnerving about the valley—the unnatural shimmer of the cliffs, the faint whispers that seemed to linger just at the edge of hearing.
Auren strode ahead, his pale features serene, the faint glow of his runes casting sharp shadows on the rocky path. He moved with the confidence of someone who believed the world itself should bend to his will, but Isla had already seen enough to doubt that confidence was the same as certainty.
"Do you even know where we're going?" Isla called, breaking the tense silence.
"Forward," Auren replied, not breaking stride.
"Forward isn't a destination," Isla muttered. "It's a direction."
Auren glanced back, his smirk sharp. "How observant of you."
"That's not an answer," Isla said, narrowing her eyes. "Do gods not have plans, or is it just you?"
"Plans," Auren said, turning to face her fully, "are for those bound by the rules of the world. I don't follow rules. I make them."
"Right," Isla said with a huff, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Well, let me know when you start making sense."
The air shifted as they moved deeper into the valley.
The mana-infused cliffs loomed higher, their glowing veins pulsing faintly like the rhythm of a heartbeat. Intricate carvings appeared along the rocky walls—spiraling patterns that seemed to ripple beneath the dim light.
"These carvings," Isla said, stopping to examine one, "look ancient. Older than anything I've seen before."
"They are," Auren said without turning. "This place remembers a time when the gods walked freely."
"You mean you?" Isla asked, glancing over her shoulder.
Auren's smirk widened. "Not just me. The others too."
Isla frowned, brushing her fingers over the grooves in the stone. "What happened to them?"
"They chose poorly," Auren replied, his tone growing colder. "And they paid for it."
Before Isla could press further, a faint whisper echoed through the valley, soft and fragmented. She froze, her hand tightening around her pendant. "Did you hear that?"
"Yes," Auren said, his expression darkening. "Echoes."
"Echoes?" Isla repeated, glancing around. "What does that mean?"
"Fragments of memory," Auren explained. "This place is tied to the gods, and it remembers. But memories don't linger without purpose."
The first attack came without warning.
The cliffside shimmered, and from its surface emerged a glowing figure. It was humanoid but indistinct, its form rippling like water. Mana crackled around it, and its eyes glowed with a cold, eerie light. Isla stumbled back, her heart racing.
"What is that?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"A construct," Auren said, his tone calm but edged with interest. "A guardian left behind to protect this place."
"Protect it from what?" Isla demanded.
"Us," Auren replied, his smirk sharp.
The construct lunged forward, moving with inhuman speed. Isla scrambled back, tripping over a loose rock as the glowing figure closed the distance. Auren stepped in front of her, his runes flaring as the air around them shimmered.
"Stay down," Auren said, his voice low.
Auren's illusion materialized.
The air rippled like heat waves, and suddenly, a massive serpent made of shimmering light coiled between them and the construct. Its scales reflected the faint glow of the cliffs, and its eyes burned with a predatory glint. The construct hesitated, its glowing form flickering as if uncertain.
"That's not real, is it?" Isla whispered, her voice trembling.
"To you, perhaps not," Auren replied, his smirk widening. "But to it, this is no illusion."
The serpent struck, its fangs sinking into the construct's shoulder. The impact sent the glowing figure stumbling, its form flickering violently as it tried to resist. Auren's runes flared brighter, and the serpent tightened its grip, coiling around the construct with crushing force.
"It's... real," Isla murmured, her eyes wide. "How?"
"Illusions are as real as their belief," Auren said. "And I am very convincing."
The construct fought back.
It surged with energy, its form stabilizing as it lashed out with a glowing blade that seemed to materialize from its hand. The serpent hissed, releasing its grip and darting back, its movements almost too fast to follow. The construct turned toward Auren, its glowing eyes locking onto him.
"Persistent," Auren muttered. "But predictable."
He raised a hand, and the serpent split into two identical copies, each one circling the construct with a lethal grace. The glowing figure faltered, its blade darting between the illusions, trying to find the real threat. But every strike passed through harmlessly, the illusions rippling but remaining intact.
"Your turn," Auren said, glancing at Isla.
"Me?" Isla squeaked, clutching her pendant. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Distract it," Auren said. "You're good at making noise."
"Gee, thanks," Isla muttered, but she darted to the side, waving her arms. "Hey, you glowing freak! Over here!"
The construct turned toward her, its attention shifting just enough for Auren to act. He stepped forward, his expression sharp as the air shimmered again. The ground beneath the construct seemed to open, revealing a chasm filled with jagged spikes. The glowing figure hesitated, its form flickering violently as it tried to process the reality of the illusion.
"Goodbye," Auren said coldly.
The construct stepped forward and fell, its form destabilizing as it plunged into the illusory chasm. The glowing figure dissolved into a burst of mana, its energy scattering like embers.
The valley grew quiet.
Isla sank to the ground, her chest heaving as she stared at the spot where the construct had vanished. "That was... terrifying."
"You handled it well enough," Auren said, brushing dust from his sleeves. "For a mortal."
"Thanks," Isla muttered, though her voice lacked its usual sarcasm. "I think."
Auren turned, his gaze sweeping over the cliffs. "There may be more. Stay close."
"Right," Isla said, pushing herself to her feet. "Because I totally want to wander off alone after that."
The whispers faded.
As they moved deeper into the valley, Isla glanced at Auren, her mind racing with questions. "So, your illusions... they're real? I mean, they can touch things? Hurt things?"
"They are as real as I need them to be," Auren said. "That is my domain."
"That's... incredible," Isla said, her voice tinged with awe. "No wonder the other gods—" She stopped, realizing too late what she was about to say.
Auren's smirk faded, replaced by a cold, guarded expression. "Yes. No wonder."
Isla hesitated, then softened her tone. "Why were you locked away?"
"That," Auren said sharply, "is a story for another time."
The valley opened into a new landscape.
The cliffs gave way to rolling plains, their grass glowing faintly with mana. In the distance, Isla could see the silhouette of a structure—a temple, its towering spires barely visible against the horizon.
"What's that?" Isla asked, pointing.
"A remnant," Auren said, his tone neutral. "And perhaps, a step closer to what I seek."
"And what is that, exactly?" Isla asked.
"Power," Auren said simply, his smirk returning. "And answers."
Isla sighed, adjusting her satchel. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come with more glowing guards."
Auren chuckled softly as they continued walking. "Where would the fun be in that?"