The dimly lit workshop seemed smaller in the quiet of the night. Darian sat staring at the mysterious stone in his palm, its faint runes glowing intermittently like the pulse of a heartbeat. He couldn't ignore the questions swirling in his mind anymore. If this stone held answers about his strange strength, there was only one person who might know—the merchant who had given it to him.
The next morning, Darian decided to seek out the old trader. Green Hollow was bustling with its usual morning activity. The blacksmith hammered away at a glowing horseshoe, and the baker's warm loaves filled the air with an irresistible aroma. But Darian's focus remained on the small caravan camp near the village outskirts, where the merchant had last been seen.
Thad and Mira caught sight of him near the village square. "Darian, what's the rush?" Mira called, jogging to catch up.
"Yeah, you look like you've seen a ghost," Thad added, grinning.
"I just… need to ask the merchant something," Darian replied vaguely, hoping they wouldn't press further. But Mira's sharp eyes narrowed, sensing something unusual.
When Darian reached the camp, the merchant was busy packing his wares into an ornate chest carved with symbols that looked suspiciously like those on the stone. "Ah, the curious young man," the merchant greeted, his smile sly. "I wondered when you'd come."
Darian hesitated, clutching the stone tighter. "What is this? And why did you give it to me?"
The merchant's expression turned serious. He gestured for Darian to sit by the fire. "That, my boy, is a fragment of Umbraketh—a shard from a realm long forgotten by most of this world."
"Umbraketh?" Darian echoed, unfamiliar with the name.
The merchant explained in hushed tones about the ancient realms, each tied to specific elements of power—fire, shadow, light, and more. "Umbraketh was the realm of shadows, a place of both great power and great danger. Only those with a connection to it can wield its fragments."
Darian's heart raced. "Why me?"
The merchant studied him carefully. "Because your blood is not entirely of this world. Your strength at the barn wasn't mere adrenaline—it was your heritage awakening. But be warned, boy, power comes with a cost. The stone will guide you, but it may also attract the wrong kind of attention."
Before Darian could ask more, the merchant stood abruptly, signaling the conversation was over. "Be careful, Darian. Shadows can be both a shield and a blade."