Kael shivered as they stepped out of the temple, the mist closing in around them once more. The warmth of the shard in his hand was the only comfort against the oppressive chill. Tharion sheathed his blade, his expression grim as his eyes scanned their surroundings.
"Did anyone else feel that back there?" Kael asked, his voice uncertain.
"Feel what?" Tharion grunted.
Kael hesitated. "Like… we were being watched."
The knight didn't turn, his posture stiffening slightly. "You're not wrong. Something—or someone—is here."
Tharion groaned. "Great. Because fighting ancient stone guardians wasn't enough."
Kael clutched the shard tightly, its glow faint but steady. The sensation of being observed prickled at the back of his neck, growing stronger with each passing moment.
"We can't stay here," the knight said, his voice sharp. "The longer we linger, the more vulnerable we become. Move quickly and stay close."
Without waiting for a response, he strode into the mist.
---
The group moved in tense silence, the sounds of their footsteps muffled by the damp earth. Kael's mind raced, his thoughts returning to the glowing eyes he had seen in the distance as they left the temple. He had told himself it was a trick of the light, but now he wasn't so sure.
"Do you think it's following us?" Kael whispered.
Tharion shot him a glare. "If it is, do us all a favor and don't talk about it. Whatever's out there doesn't need an invitation."
Kael nodded, swallowing hard.
The knight led them through the vale with a confidence that Kael found unnerving. It was as if he knew the land intimately, despite the fact that no one should have been able to navigate the shifting terrain.
"Have you been here before?" Kael asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
The knight glanced back at him, his expression unreadable. "Once. A long time ago."
"What happened?"
The knight didn't answer, his gaze fixed ahead.
---
Hours passed, the mist growing denser and the air colder. Kael's exhaustion weighed heavily on him, but he pushed forward, driven by the shard's faint warmth. The relic seemed to guide him, pulling him in a direction that even the knight didn't seem to notice.
"We're close to something," Kael said, breaking the silence.
Tharion frowned. "Another relic?"
"No," Kael said, shaking his head. "Something… else."
The knight stopped abruptly, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Be ready. The vale doesn't offer gifts without a price."
As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the mist. Kael's heart raced, his grip tightening on his staff.
The growl grew louder, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps. A massive shape emerged from the mist—a hulking beast with a body of shadow and eyes that glowed like molten gold. Its form was indistinct, shifting and flickering like the mist itself, but its presence was overwhelming.
"What in the gods' names is that?" Tharion muttered, drawing his sword.
"A Watcher," the knight said, his voice low. "A guardian of the vale. It's here for the shard."
The Watcher let out a bone-rattling roar, its eyes locking onto Kael. Without warning, it charged, moving with terrifying speed.
---
Kael barely had time to react as the beast lunged. He raised his staff, a shield of light forming just in time to deflect its claws. The impact sent him sprawling, his head spinning.
"Kael, get up!" Tharion shouted, slashing at the beast. His blade passed through its shadowy body, doing little more than disrupting its form temporarily.
The knight moved with precision, his strikes aimed at the creature's glowing eyes. But the Watcher was fast, dodging his attacks with ease.
"Kael, use the shard!" the knight barked.
Kael scrambled to his feet, clutching the shard in his free hand. Its warmth surged through him, filling him with a power that felt both foreign and familiar.
Focusing his energy, Kael raised the shard and his staff together, channeling their combined power. A beam of light shot forth, striking the Watcher and forcing it to retreat with a pained roar.
"It's working!" Kael shouted, his confidence growing.
The Watcher circled them, its form flickering more erratically as it prepared to strike again.
Tharion moved to Kael's side, his sword ready. "Keep hitting it, kid. Don't let up!"
Kael nodded, focusing his energy once more. The shard's power resonated with his magic, amplifying it beyond anything he had ever experienced. Another beam of light struck the Watcher, and this time, the creature's form began to unravel.
The knight seized the opportunity, his blade flashing as he delivered a precise strike to the beast's glowing eyes. The Watcher let out a final, earsplitting roar before dissolving into the mist, its presence vanishing entirely.
---
The group stood in silence, the echoes of the battle fading into the stillness of the vale. Kael's hands trembled as he lowered his staff, the shard's light dimming once more.
"Is it gone?" Kael asked, his voice shaking.
"For now," the knight said, sheathing his sword. "But Watchers don't die. They wait. And they remember."
Kael swallowed hard, the weight of the knight's words sinking in.
Tharion clapped him on the back, his grin tired but genuine. "You're getting better at this, kid. Keep it up, and you might survive after all."
Kael managed a weak smile, though his mind was still reeling from the encounter. The shard's power had saved them, but it had also left him feeling hollow, as if it had taken something from him in return.
"We should move," the knight said. "The vale won't stay quiet for long."
---
As they continued their journey, the mist began to thin, and the oppressive atmosphere of the vale gave way to a more open landscape. The ground was firmer, the air less stifling.
Kael felt a flicker of hope. "Are we out of the vale?"
"Not yet," the knight said. "But we're close. Stay vigilant."
Kael nodded, though his exhaustion was beginning to take its toll. He glanced at the shard in his hand, its glow faint but steady. Whatever trials lay ahead, he knew the relic would play a crucial role in their survival.
And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that the Watcher's eyes were still on him, hidden somewhere in the shadows of the mist.