Kael's POV
Ana held me tightly in her arm, rocking me back and forth, whispering the occasional reassurances as the house would tremble with every distant clash outside. Even though I couldn't see what was happening, the faint screams and the unnatural growls served to paint a vivid image in my mind. Ana was trying her best to put on a strong face. Her soft words were more for her than me as she held me close.
I could the tension in her every movement, the way how she would grip me tightly whenever the noises outside grew closer. I clenched my fist, frustrated but keeping calm. I was a grown man-well at least I was, and now I am useless. All I could do was watch as this village, a place that I can now call my home, was being destroyed.
There was an ominous energy covering the whole village. It was unbearable. It wasn't a physical attack, but it pressed against the walls in my consciousness as if there was a storm trying to break out. I tried to ignore it, it would just become stronger, pulling me towards something.
The Village
In the village, the battle rages on. Elias stood with his blade in hand, cutting through the shadow creature with what looked like years of experience. The creatures were relentless, as they would just reform after being cut down.
"Fall back to the square!" Elias barked, his voice seemingly reaching the edges of the battle.
The guards move back while defending themselves; their faces are exhausted and pale due to the horrors of battle. Mira, who was already in the square, held her staff tightly; it glowed brightly as she conjured barriers to protect the retreating villagers.
Serum appeared beside Elias, welding her daggers skillfully cutting down another shadow beast. Moving like a phantom, her strikes were precise and deadly. "This isn't working," she said, holding her daggers even tighter. "They just keep coming."
Elias gritted his teeth. "We need to hold on a little longer. Mira can you-"
"I'm doing all I can!" Mira snapped, as sweat was dripping from her face. The strain of conjuring numerous barriers and spells finally began to take a toll on her as she was using her staff to stand upright. "If you have any other ideas, I'm all ears."
Serin's darted towards the chapel in the distance. "Doesn't this village have a ward stone?"
Elias hesitated, his hand still holding his sword tightly. "It does but it hasn't worked in centuries. It's useless now."
"It's not entirely inert," Mira said in a soft voice, finally catching her breath. "I've studied it in my free time. There is still energy humming within it, staying dormant. But I don't know how to reactivate it,"
"Then no more wasting time," Serum said, slashing through another shadow beast. "We need to see if we can reactivate it somehow unless you have a miracle up your sleeve."
Elias glanced around, finally looking at the villagers hiding behind Mira's barriers, their eyes filled with terror and fear. "It's worth a shot," he said firmly. "Go see what you can do to activate it."
Kael's POV
Inside the house, Ana held me tightly as the door was shaking on its hinges. "Stay calm," she whispered, though you could hear the shaking in her voice. "We'll be okay."
I wasn't sure about that. The pulsing energy that I felt earlier is steadily growing stronger; it is almost unbearable at this point. It was a strange sensation if it was alive, pushing the edges of my mind and demanding my attention.
I closed my eyes trying to focus on this energy. The energy then merged to create images in my mind. Glowing runes, strange patterns, and a radiant stone embedded into the ground. It was calling to me as if guiding me to something important.
Ana finally noticed my stillness and began to shake me gently. "Kael? Are you okay?
Snapping out of my daze I blinked at her, unable to answer her question in any way. Something was happening and it wasn't normal.
The Chapel
Serin pushes the heavy wooden door of the chapel open, struggling to regain her breath. The air inside was thick and harsh, but she felt a faint hum of energy vibrating through the floor; she quickly moved to Wardstone, which was at the center of the room.
The stone was ancient, covered in numerous runes that had a faint glow to it in the dim light. Serin, still cautious, approached the stone; she brushed her fingers on the cold and rough surface of the stone. The moment she made contact, a surge of energy shot through her body, forcing her to pull back her hand.
"What the hell was that?" She said in shock. "How am I supposed to reactivate it?" She began to pace around the stone trying to find a way to activate it.
The hum grew louder, almost responding to her presence. It wasn't just a relic, it was alive, waiting for something or someone to awaken it.
Outside
Elias swung his sword in a wide arc, his movements slowly growing sluggish as his exhaustion began to set in. Mira's barriers flickered, their light dimming with each passing moment.
One shadow creature broke through the line, its red glowing eyes locked onto a fleeing villager. Elias lunged forward, swinging his blade down, cutting the creature into two. Just before it had reached its target.
"We can't hold much longer!" A guard shouted as panic was lanced in his voice.
Elias gritted his teeth, determination burning in his eyes. "We don't have a choice. Hold the line!"
Kael's POV
The energy inside me surged, pulling me deeper into the storm. I could have tried to fight it, but I didn't want to. It was calling me, showing me what needed to be done.
The images in my mind started to become clearer: the stone and the runes glowing brighter, And the pulse of light radiating outward, banishing the shadows. It was about power. It was about will; what I focused on was the pushing back of these shadow creatures casting an ominous shadow over the village.
I reached out in my mind, following the trace of energy connecting me to the stone.
The Chapel
In the chapel, Serin slowly stepped back as she watched the once dormant stone grow brighter; its once low hum rose to a deafening pitch. She shielded her eyes as a wave of light burst from the stone, flooding the dark room with light.
The light expanded outward, sweeping through the village. The creatures screeched, their forms unraveling as they were consumed by the light.
Elias staggered back, his sword dropping to his side, shocked by the sight that he was seeing. "What in the God's name...?"
Mira collapsed to her knees, her staff clattering to the ground. "The wardstone," she said in a low voice, shocked by the ray of light shining over the village. "It's awakened"
The light had stretched to the edge of the forest, driving the remaining creatures into the shadows.
The bright light slowly began to fade; the once chaotic village was now eerily silent.
The villagers slowly began to come out from hiding, with a mixture of confusion and relief on their faces.
Elias finally snapped out of his shock and looked over to Mira, helping her to her feet; his expression was grim. "We need to figure out what just happened."
Serin stepped out of the chapel, her face pale. "The ward stone didn't activate on its own. Someone... Or something triggered it."
Mira's gaze drifted to their house with Ana and I were. "I felt it," she said agreeing with Serin. "A presence was guiding the energy.
Inside, Ana cradled me, her eyes filled with concern. I felt drained, my body was heavy and unresponsive. Whatever I had done took everything I had. I slowly began to drift off to sleep.
Mira entered the house, looking at Ana holding me while I was sleeping. She didn't say anything but just stared at my sleeping figure.
Elias appears in the doorway, his armor dented, but his resolve is unshaken. "We survived. He said firmly. " But this isn't over. We need answers and soon."
As the village began to rebuild, I lay in the hand of Ana, unaware of the dangers still lurking within the shadows.