Lucas wiped the sweat from his brow, his hand trembling as he stepped closer to the obelisk. The new glyph shone faintly, its shape intricate and alien, but it stirred something in him—a memory or feeling he couldn't quite place.
The faint hum from the obelisk seemed almost alive, resonating in his chest. He hesitated before pressing his hand against the stone again, half-expecting another surge of light or a voice in his mind. Instead, the glyphs rearranged themselves, forming a coherent pattern that extended across the surface.
Lucas traced the lines with his finger, each touch sparking a faint warmth. "This isn't just a marker," he muttered to himself. "It's… guiding me somewhere."
The realization sent a chill down his spine. He had stumbled into something far larger than he'd anticipated.
The forest felt different on his way out of the clearing. The oppressive silence had lifted, replaced by a strange melody that seemed to echo from deep within the trees. The air was cooler now, carrying a faint floral scent that was almost calming.
Lucas found his way back to the trail marked on his map, the parchment glowing faintly in his hand. He moved cautiously, scanning his surroundings for any sign of the monstrous creature—or anything else lurking in the shadows.
It didn't take long before he heard the faint crunch of footsteps behind him.
"Who's there?" Lucas called, his voice steady despite the tension coiling in his chest.
The steps paused, then resumed, deliberate and unhurried. He turned, gripping his dagger tightly. Out of the mist, a figure emerged—a familiar one.
"Aria?" Lucas exhaled, his relief tempered by confusion. "What are you doing here?"
She smirked, lowering the hood of her cloak. "Saving your sorry ass again, apparently."
Lucas frowned. "How did you even find me?"
Aria raised an eyebrow, tapping a small, circular pendant hanging from her neck. It glowed faintly with the same energy as the glyphs on the obelisk. "You're not the only one who can follow a trail. The forest leaves its mark on those it deems… interesting."
"Interesting?" Lucas asked, his irritation evident. "Is that a nice way of saying 'trouble magnet'?"
"More or less," Aria said with a shrug. Her expression turned serious. "What happened in the clearing? I felt the disturbance from miles away."
Lucas hesitated, replaying the encounter in his mind. "There was… something. A creature, massive and unnatural. I fought it, but the obelisk—it destroyed it. And then…" He looked down at his hand, still tingling from the energy burst. "Something happened to me. I used some kind of power, but I don't know how."
Aria studied him, her sharp green eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't be able to do that. Not yet."
"Not yet?" Lucas echoed, frustration bubbling in his voice. "What does that mean?"
She sighed, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on. This isn't the place to discuss it."
They found a small clearing to rest, the faint glow of Aria's pendant providing light. She sat cross-legged on a fallen log, her bow resting within arm's reach. Lucas leaned against a tree, arms crossed as he waited for an explanation.
"You're not from here," Aria began, her tone matter-of-fact. "That much is obvious. But this world has rules—rules that don't take kindly to outsiders."
Lucas tilted his head. "You're talking about the magic. The creatures. The obelisks."
"Exactly." She met his gaze. "Those obelisks are ancient. They were created to keep balance, to protect this world from… things that don't belong. The fact that you can interact with one, let alone use its power, means you've been marked by something far older than either of us."
Lucas frowned. "Marked? By what?"
Aria shook her head. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. But if the obelisk responded to you, it means you're tied to this place now. Whether you like it or not."
Her words hung heavy in the air. Lucas stared at the ground, his mind racing. He had wanted answers, but the ones he was getting only raised more questions.
"What about the creature?" he asked finally. "Why was it after me?"
Aria's expression darkened. "Shades like that are drawn to disturbances in the balance. If you activated the obelisk, it probably saw you as a threat—or a prize."
Lucas shuddered at the thought. "Great. So I'm basically a walking target."
"Pretty much," Aria said with a faint smirk. "But that's why I'm here. I've dealt with things like this before. I can help you survive long enough to figure out what's going on."
Lucas hesitated. He barely knew her, but something about her confidence was reassuring. And if what she said was true, he couldn't afford to face this world alone.
"Fine," he said. "But if you're helping me, I need to know one thing."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
"Why are you really here?" Lucas asked, his tone firm. "You didn't just stumble across me by accident."
Aria's smirk faded, replaced by a guarded expression. She stood, slinging her bow over her shoulder. "That's a story for another time. Right now, we need to move. The Shades aren't the only danger out here."
She started walking, leaving Lucas with no choice but to follow.
The chapter ends with the two of them disappearing into the forest, their silhouettes framed by the faint glow of the pendant. The forest seemed to close in around them, the trees whispering secrets they couldn't yet understand.
And somewhere, deep in the shadows, something watched.