The ash hung thick in the air, blurring the horizon into a grim haze. Fires still crackled in the remnants of the village, their dull glow casting eerie shadows against the shattered walls. Kael and Elara moved carefully through the wreckage, their steps crunching on broken tiles and debris. The world had shifted in a matter of moments, but the weight of what had happened was only just beginning to sink in.
"Elara," Kael said, his voice raw from the smoke and yelling, "we need to find the others."
She nodded, though her face was pale. Her hands trembled as she tightened her grip on the small knife she had taken from her father's shop. "Do you think anyone…?"
"We'll know soon enough," Kael interrupted, his tone harsher than intended. He didn't mean to snap, but the sight of the destruction, the distant screams, and the memory of Eren's cold smile gnawed at his resolve.
They turned a corner, stepping into what had once been the village square. The fountain at its center was now cracked, water pooling around its base and mingling with streaks of soot. The statue of the goddess Lyrea, a symbol of protection, lay toppled, her stone face shattered.
"Elara," Kael said softly, pointing toward the far side of the square. A figure was slumped against a wall, motionless.
The two hurried over, their hearts pounding with equal parts hope and dread. As they approached, the figure stirred, coughing weakly.
"Kael…?" The voice was faint but familiar. It was Darin, the village blacksmith.
Kael dropped to his knees beside the man, his relief short-lived as he took in Darin's condition. His leg was bent at an unnatural angle, and blood seeped from a deep gash across his temple.
"Darin, can you hear me?" Kael asked, gripping the man's shoulder.
Darin nodded weakly, his eyes fluttering open. "You… you have to get out of here," he rasped. "They'll be back."
Kael frowned. "Who? Eren? What did you see?"
Darin coughed again, blood flecking his lips. "Not Eren. The shadows… they took the others. Dragged them into the woods." His voice broke, and he clutched at Kael's arm with surprising strength. "Don't follow them. You can't fight what they are."
Kael exchanged a glance with Elara. Her face was drawn, but her eyes burned with the same determination he felt. "We have to do something," she said quietly.
Kael nodded, gently easing Darin into a more comfortable position. "Stay here," he told the blacksmith. "We'll find the others and come back for you."
Darin shook his head. "You don't understand… it's not just shadows. There's something else out there. Something worse."
Kael didn't reply, but his grip on his sword tightened. He rose, pulling Elara to her feet. "We'll be back," he promised Darin, though the look in the man's eyes made him doubt his own words.
The forest loomed ahead, a wall of twisted trees and thick underbrush. Even in daylight, the woods had always been unsettling, but now, beneath the darkened sky, they seemed alive with malice. The air grew colder as they approached, the silence pressing down on them like a physical weight.
"Kael," Elara whispered, "are you sure about this?"
He glanced at her, noting the way she gripped her knife as though it were the only thing anchoring her. "I can't leave them," he said simply.
They stepped into the woods, the shadows swallowing them whole. The ground beneath their feet was soft and damp, muffling their steps. Kael's hand hovered over the hilt of his sword, every nerve on edge.
They hadn't gone far when the first sound reached them—a low, guttural growl that seemed to vibrate through the air. Elara froze, her eyes wide. "What was that?"
Kael motioned for her to stay close, his eyes scanning the darkness. The growl came again, closer this time. Then the shadows moved.
It wasn't a beast that emerged from the underbrush—it was a figure, hunched and misshapen, its limbs unnaturally long. Its eyes glowed faintly, like embers, and its body seemed to ripple with darkness.
"Stay behind me," Kael said, drawing his sword. The blade hummed faintly, the runes along its edge sparking to life. He didn't know what this thing was, but it reeked of the same energy he had felt when Eren had vanished.
The creature lunged, faster than he expected. Kael barely managed to bring his sword up in time, the blade meeting the thing's claws with a deafening clash. The force of the impact sent him stumbling back, but he held his ground.
"Elara, go!" he shouted, but she didn't move. Instead, she raised her knife and darted toward the creature, aiming for its side. The blade struck true, but the thing barely flinched.
"Elara!" Kael roared, slashing at the creature's exposed back. This time, the runes flared, and the beast let out a keening wail as the magic seared through it. It recoiled, its form flickering like a dying flame, before it collapsed into a heap of ash.
Kael rushed to Elara, who was clutching her arm where the creature had struck her. "Are you hurt?" he demanded.
"I'm fine," she insisted, though her voice wavered. "What the hell was that?"
"I don't know," Kael admitted, staring at the pile of ash. His sword's glow faded, leaving them in near darkness. "But it's not the last of them."
They pressed on, the shadows growing thicker with every step. Kael couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The air was heavy with an unnatural energy, and the forest seemed to pulse around them, alive with malevolence.
When they finally emerged into a clearing, Kael's breath caught in his throat. There, in the center of the clearing, was what remained of the villagers. Bound by tendrils of shadow, they hung suspended above the ground, their faces twisted in fear.
And standing at the edge of the clearing, watching them with cold indifference, was Eren.
Kael's heart sank. "Eren…"
His former friend turned, his expression unreadable. "You shouldn't have come, Kael," he said softly, his voice carrying an edge of regret. "You don't understand what's happening. Not yet."
"Then explain it," Kael snapped, stepping forward. "Explain why you've turned on everything we believed in."
Eren's eyes flicked to the sword in Kael's hand, and a faint smile played on his lips. "You still think you're the hero in this story, don't you?"
Kael tightened his grip on the blade, his anger boiling over. "Let them go."
Eren's smile faded, and for a moment, something like sadness crossed his face. "I can't."
Before Kael could respond, the shadows surged forward, and the clearing erupted into chaos.