The clearing seemed unnaturally still, though Kael could feel the power thrumming beneath the surface, as if the air itself held its breath. The villagers suspended above the ground twisted weakly against the tendrils of shadow, their faint groans of pain barely audible over the eerie silence.
"Elara," Kael murmured, scanning the clearing, "find cover."
She hesitated, her wide eyes locked on the villagers, before nodding and retreating to the edge of the forest. Kael drew a slow breath and stepped forward, Veyrune in hand. The blade's soft hum steadied him, its faint light cutting through the gloom.
"You shouldn't have come." Eren's voice broke the silence, calm but laden with weariness. He emerged from the far side of the clearing, his figure silhouetted by the writhing shadows. His eyes—once bright with curiosity and mischief—were dark now, void of the warmth Kael remembered.
Kael tightened his grip on the sword. "I didn't come for you. Let them go."
Eren tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "You think this is still about them? About saving a few lives from a broken world?"
Kael took another step forward. "They're not just 'lives,' Eren. They're our people."
Eren's lips pressed into a thin line, and for a moment, Kael thought he saw a flicker of regret. "Our people?" he echoed softly. "The same people who would have cast us aside the moment they saw the truth of what we are?"
"What are you talking about?" Kael demanded, though dread coiled in his stomach. "These people trusted us. We protected them."
Eren let out a bitter laugh. "Did we? Or did we protect a lie? The Order, the magic, even the gods we swore to—it's all a lie, Kael. And the truth? It's right here." He gestured to the shadows swirling around him. "This is the price of holding on to the old ways. The Rupture wasn't a catastrophe—it was a revelation."
Kael's jaw tightened. "And what? You think sacrificing innocent lives is worth proving some twisted point?"
Eren's expression hardened. "Sacrifices have to be made. You don't understand it now, but you will. The world we knew is gone, Kael. And clinging to its remnants will only destroy you."
"I'll take that chance," Kael growled, raising Veyrune. The blade flared in response, its light slicing through the dark haze. "Let them go, or I'll end this now."
Eren sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Always the soldier," he murmured. "Always so eager to fight for a world that never cared for you."
Before Kael could respond, Eren raised a hand, and the shadows surged forward like a tidal wave. Kael moved instinctively, the runes on Veyrune sparking to life as he swung the blade in a wide arc. The magic-infused steel cut through the darkness, scattering it into wisps, but more tendrils followed, relentless and unyielding.
"Elara, stay back!" Kael shouted, dodging as a tendril lashed out, tearing into the ground where he had stood.
Elara's voice rang out from the trees. "I'm not leaving you!"
"Damn it," Kael muttered, his focus split between the encroaching shadows and Eren, who stood unmoving, his expression disturbingly calm. The tendrils coiled tighter around the villagers, their cries of pain growing louder.
Kael charged forward, slashing at the shadows with a precision born of years of training. Veyrune pulsed with each strike, its light burning through the darkness, but every swing took its toll. He could feel the blade pulling at him, draining his strength with every movement.
"Elara!" he called, risking a glance toward the edge of the clearing. "Cut them loose! I'll hold him off!"
She didn't hesitate. Darting from the treeline, she sprinted toward the nearest villager, her knife flashing as she began sawing at the tendrils binding them. The shadows writhed in response, but Kael moved to intercept, cutting them down before they could reach her.
Eren's voice cut through the chaos, low and almost pitying. "You're wasting your time, Kael. Even if you save them, they're already lost."
Kael snarled, slashing through another wave of shadows. "I've heard enough of your lies!"
Eren raised his other hand, and the ground beneath Kael trembled. A fissure opened, spewing dark energy that knocked him off his feet. He landed hard, Veyrune skidding out of reach. Pain shot through his ribs, but he forced himself to move, crawling toward the sword as the shadows closed in.
"Elara!" he shouted, his voice strained.
She had freed one villager and was working on another, her face pale with effort. "I'm fine!" she yelled back, though her voice trembled.
Kael's fingers brushed the hilt of Veyrune just as the tendrils lunged for him. He grabbed the sword and swung upward in a desperate arc. The blade flared brilliantly, the burst of light searing through the darkness and driving it back.
Eren stepped forward, his expression cold. "You think that sword will save you? It's a relic of a dying world, Kael. Just like you."
Kael rose to his feet, gripping Veyrune tightly despite the exhaustion creeping through him. "Maybe," he said, his voice low. "But it's enough to stop you."
For the first time, Eren's composure cracked, a flicker of something—fear, perhaps—crossing his face. But he quickly masked it, raising a hand to summon another wave of shadows.
Before the attack could land, Elara shouted, "Kael, now!"
Kael moved instinctively, channeling what little strength he had left into Veyrune. The blade flared with raw energy as he brought it down in a sweeping arc, the light exploding outward in a shockwave that shattered the remaining tendrils and forced Eren to retreat.
The clearing fell silent, the oppressive shadows dissipating like smoke. The villagers lay scattered on the ground, unconscious but alive. Kael staggered, barely catching himself as Veyrune dimmed in his grip.
Eren stood at the edge of the clearing, his expression unreadable. "This isn't over," he said softly, his voice almost regretful. "You'll see the truth, Kael. And when you do… you'll understand."
Before Kael could respond, the shadows enveloped Eren, and he disappeared into the forest, leaving only the faint echo of his words behind.
Kael lowered the sword, his breaths ragged. Elara was at his side a moment later, her face pale but determined. "They're alive," she said quietly, gesturing to the villagers.
Kael nodded, his gaze fixed on the spot where Eren had stood. "For now."
"What now?" Elara asked.
Kael sheathed Veyrune, his hand trembling. "We get them to safety. Then… we find out what the hell just happened."
Elara hesitated, then nodded. Together, they began gathering the survivors, but Kael's thoughts were elsewhere. Eren's words echoed in his mind, and for the first time, doubt crept into his resolve.
The world was changing, and Kael wasn't sure if he could stop it—or if he should.