The road to Arclight was fraught with dangers, both seen and unseen. Kaelyn and Darian moved cautiously through the moonlit countryside, keeping to the shadows where the light of the twin moons couldn't reveal them. The hum of the pendant nestled in Kaelyn's pouch was a constant reminder of their perilous cargo, its subtle vibrations thrumming in her chest like a second heartbeat.
"Do you think they'll follow us this far?" Darian asked, breaking the silence. He walked beside her, his hand never far from the hilt of his sword.
Kaelyn glanced over her shoulder at the distant silhouette of Eldergate, its lights like faint stars against the horizon. "The Shadows don't give up easily. And those mages… they weren't just bounty hunters. I don't think they'll stop until they have the pendant."
Darian sighed. "Fantastic. So we've got rebel assassins and rogue mages on our tail. Anything else you'd like to add to this little adventure?"
Kaelyn ignored him, her eyes scanning the trees ahead. "Quiet," she hissed. "Something's moving."
The wind carried a faint rustling sound, and Kaelyn's hand instinctively went to her dagger. Darian drew his sword with a soft metallic hiss, his posture shifting into a defensive stance.
From the underbrush ahead, a pair of glowing green eyes appeared, low to the ground. A guttural growl followed, and Kaelyn's stomach twisted. She'd heard stories of the creatures that roamed the wilds—beasts corrupted by magic, their forms twisted and unnatural.
"Stay back," Darian whispered, stepping in front of her. The creature emerged from the shadows, revealing a sleek, feline body wreathed in black smoke. Its claws glinted like obsidian, and its teeth were bared in a snarl.
"A shadowstalker," Kaelyn breathed. "I thought they were just legends."
"Does this look like a legend to you?" Darian shot back. The shadowstalker crouched, muscles coiling as it prepared to pounce.
The pendant in Kaelyn's pouch flared to life, casting a faint golden glow through the fabric. The shadowstalker hissed, its smoky body writhing as if in pain. Kaelyn pulled the pendant free, holding it up like a talisman.
The creature recoiled, its glowing eyes narrowing. For a moment, it seemed torn between attacking and retreating. Then, with a final snarl, it turned and vanished into the darkness, leaving only the faint scent of ash behind.
Kaelyn let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she tucked the pendant away. "It… it's afraid of the pendant."
Darian sheathed his sword, his gaze lingering on the spot where the shadowstalker had disappeared. "Or it knows what it is and doesn't want to risk it."
Kaelyn frowned. "What is this thing?"
"That's what we're going to find out, isn't it?" Darian said. "Let's keep moving before it changes its mind."
The encounter with the shadowstalker left a heavy silence between them. The faint golden light of the pendant had dimmed once more, but Kaelyn could still feel its subtle warmth. She clutched it tightly, her mind racing. What kind of power could ward off a creature like that?
They pressed on, the woods around them growing denser. The path was little more than a ribbon of dirt winding through the trees, and the deeper they went, the darker it became. Even the moonlight struggled to penetrate the canopy above.
Darian glanced over at her. "You sure about this Arclight plan of yours? We're walking straight into more trouble, you know."
Kaelyn rolled her eyes. "And staying in Eldergate would've been a stroll through the garden?"
"Fair point," Darian admitted, smirking. "But just so we're clear—if this Master Eryndor of yours turns out to be some eccentric hermit who demands payment in goat milk or something, I'm blaming you."
Kaelyn huffed a laugh despite herself. "Eryndor's not a hermit. He's one of the most respected scholars in the realms—at least, he was the last time I heard about him."
"And how long ago was that?"
"...Ten years, maybe?"
Darian stopped walking. "Ten years?" he said, incredulous. "For all you know, he could be dead!"
Kaelyn kept walking. "Then we'll find someone else. Arclight's full of people who deal in ancient knowledge."
"Yeah, and most of them will rob you blind," Darian muttered, falling into step beside her again.
The path eventually opened into a small clearing, where a crumbling stone well stood in the center. Kaelyn paused, glancing around. The air here felt different—thicker, somehow. Her instincts prickled.
"This doesn't feel right," she murmured.
Darian unsheathed his sword again, his sharp eyes scanning the trees. "You're not wrong. We're not alone."
The pendant began to hum softly, and Kaelyn pulled it out just as a low chuckle echoed from the shadows. A figure stepped into the clearing, their face obscured by a dark hood. The glow of the pendant illuminated the emblem stitched into their cloak—a crescent moon bisected by a dagger.
"The Shadows," Kaelyn whispered, her pulse quickening.
The figure spoke, their voice smooth and mocking. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble, girl. Hand over the pendant, and I might let you live."
Kaelyn tightened her grip on the pendant, her knuckles white. "Not a chance."
The figure laughed. "Brave words for someone so outmatched. You don't even know what you're carrying, do you?"
Darian stepped forward, placing himself between Kaelyn and the hooded figure. "She may not know," he said, his tone calm but deadly, "but I've got a pretty good idea. And if you think you're taking it from us, you'll have to go through me first."
The hooded figure tilted their head. "As you wish."
With a flick of their wrist, the figure summoned a crackling orb of dark energy, hurling it toward them. Darian leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast as it struck the ground, leaving a scorched crater in its wake.
Kaelyn's heart pounded as the pendant flared with golden light, brighter than ever before. The air around her seemed to ripple, and for a moment, she felt an overwhelming surge of energy coursing through her veins.
Without thinking, she raised the pendant. A beam of golden light shot forth, striking the hooded figure square in the chest. They cried out, their body thrown backward as the light engulfed them.
When the glow faded, the figure lay motionless on the ground, their cloak smoldering. Kaelyn stared at the pendant in her hand, her breath catching in her throat.
"What… what just happened?" she whispered.
Darian approached cautiously, nudging the figure with the tip of his sword. "Well, whatever it was, remind me never to get on your bad side."
Kaelyn's legs felt weak, and she sank to the ground, the pendant still warm in her grip. "I didn't mean to… I didn't even know it could do that."
Darian crouched beside her, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "This thing is more dangerous than either of us thought. If the Shadows are this desperate to get their hands on it, we're in for a hell of a fight."
Kaelyn nodded, swallowing hard. "Then we can't stop. We have to reach Arclight."
Darian offered her a hand, helping her to her feet. "Let's hope your scholar friend has some answers. Because if he doesn't, we're going to need a lot more than luck to survive this."
The two of them set off again, leaving the clearing and its ominous stillness behind. The pendant's glow had dimmed, but Kaelyn could still feel its power pulsing faintly, like a heartbeat.
Whatever lay ahead in Arclight, she knew one thing for certain: this journey was only the beginning.
~To Be Continued~