The fortress loomed over Kaelin like a predator waiting for its prey. Its jagged towers pierced the crimson sky, their surfaces weathered and broken by time. Thick vines crept along its walls, intertwining with crumbled stones and fractured battlements. The structure exuded an air of ancient malice, its presence oppressive even from a distance.
Kaelin tightened his grip on his sword, the shard's hum steady but insistent in his chest. The closer he came to the keep, the stronger the pull, as though the shard within it were calling to him. The air around him grew colder, the faint scent of decay lingering in the breeze. There was no turning back now—not with the Forge's light leading him here.
He stepped onto the overgrown path that wound its way up the hill, his boots crunching softly against the cracked stone. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the occasional creak of shifting vines or the distant cry of a bird. Kaelin's senses were sharp, his eyes scanning the shadows for any signs of movement.
The keep's main gate was massive, its rusted iron doors standing slightly ajar. Deep gouges marred their surface, as though something had clawed at them with unnatural strength. Kaelin paused at the threshold, his gaze narrowing as he took in the darkness beyond. The shard's pull was stronger here, its hum reverberating through his bones.
"Just a cursed fortress," he muttered, his voice low. "Nothing new."
He stepped inside.
The air within the keep was stagnant, thick with dust and the faint scent of rot. The corridor stretched before him, its walls lined with cracked stone and faded tapestries that hinted at a forgotten grandeur. Kaelin's footsteps echoed faintly, the sound swallowed by the oppressive silence.
His sword pulsed faintly at his side, its glow illuminating the darkness. The shard's pull was unmistakable now, guiding him deeper into the fortress. Kaelin moved cautiously, his senses alert, his grip on the hilt of his sword firm.
The first sign of trouble came in the form of a whisper.
Soft and indistinct, it drifted through the air like a ghost's sigh. Kaelin froze, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows. The whisper grew louder, overlapping and echoing until it became a cacophony of voices, each one layered with despair, anger, and fear.
Kaelin's grip tightened on his sword. "I don't have time for games."
The voices fell silent.
The stillness that followed was more unsettling than the whispers. Kaelin's jaw tightened as he stepped forward, his blade cutting through the thick air. The corridor widened into a vast hall, its ceiling lost in shadow. Massive pillars lined the walls, their surfaces carved with intricate patterns that seemed to writhe in the dim light.
At the center of the hall stood a figure.
It was humanoid in shape but wrong—its limbs too long, its movements unnaturally fluid. Its skin was pale and translucent, its veins glowing faintly with an eerie blue light. It turned to face Kaelin, its head tilting unnaturally as its hollow eyes fixed on him.
"You carry the shard," it said, its voice a distorted echo.
Kaelin raised his sword, his stance steady. "And you're in my way."
The creature's lips twisted into a grotesque smile. "The Forge's light does not belong to you."
It lunged.
Kaelin reacted instinctively, his sword flashing upward to intercept the attack. The blade met the creature's claws with a deafening clang, sparks of blue and gold energy erupting from the impact. The force of the blow sent Kaelin skidding back, his boots digging into the stone.
The creature was fast—faster than anything Kaelin had faced before. It darted forward, its claws slashing through the air with deadly precision. Kaelin dodged to the side, his sword arcing in a counterattack that grazed the creature's arm. It hissed, its movements growing more erratic as it circled him.
Kaelin's mind raced as he studied the creature's patterns. Its attacks were relentless but predictable, its speed its greatest advantage. He feinted to the left, drawing its claws wide, then pivoted sharply and drove his blade into its chest.
The creature let out a piercing screech as golden light erupted from the wound, consuming its form. Kaelin staggered back, his chest heaving as the hall fell silent once more.
But the shard's pull hadn't faded.
Kaelin turned, his eyes narrowing as he spotted another corridor leading deeper into the keep. The shard's energy resonated from within, its hum insistent, almost desperate. He tightened his grip on his sword and pressed on, his steps echoing through the empty halls.
The corridor opened into a circular chamber, its walls lined with ancient murals that depicted scenes of creation and destruction. At the center of the room stood an ornate pedestal, its surface cracked and worn. On the pedestal rested a shard of the Forge, its light pulsing softly in the darkness.
Kaelin approached slowly, his gaze fixed on the shard. The hum in his chest grew stronger with each step, the shard's energy resonating with his own. He stopped a few paces from the pedestal, his hand hovering near the hilt of his sword.
The air in the chamber shifted.
Kaelin tensed as a presence filled the room, heavy and suffocating. A low, guttural growl echoed through the chamber, and Kaelin turned sharply, his blade flashing as he raised it defensively.
A massive figure emerged from the shadows, its form towering and grotesque. It was vaguely humanoid, but its body was twisted and deformed, its skin a mass of writhing tendrils that glowed with a sickly green light. Its eyes burned with an unnatural fire, and its voice was a deep, rumbling growl.
"You are not worthy of the Forge's light," it said, its tone dripping with contempt.
Kaelin's grip on his sword tightened. "Funny. I don't remember asking for your approval."
The creature roared, the sound shaking the very walls of the chamber. It lunged toward Kaelin with incredible speed, its massive claws slashing through the air. Kaelin dodged to the side, his sword flashing in a counterattack that glanced off the creature's thick hide.
The battle was fierce and unrelenting, the creature's strength and speed pushing Kaelin to his limits. But Kaelin was no stranger to impossible odds. He moved with precision, his blade striking true as he exploited the creature's weaknesses.
Finally, with a powerful thrust, Kaelin drove his sword into the creature's core. Golden light erupted from the wound, consuming the creature in a blinding explosion. Kaelin staggered back, his breath ragged as the chamber fell silent once more.
The shard's light pulsed softly on the pedestal, its energy radiating through the chamber. Kaelin approached slowly, his hand reaching out to claim the fragment of the Forge.
As his fingers brushed the shard's surface, a surge of energy shot through him, filling his mind with visions of worlds fractured and whole, of light and shadow locked in eternal conflict. The shard's power settled into his chest, its hum resonating with the other fragments he carried.
Kaelin exhaled sharply, his grip on his sword steady as he turned to leave the chamber. The road ahead was uncertain, but the Forge's call was clear.
And Kaelin would answer.