The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows on the forest floor. Kael awoke with a start, his dreams of shadows and runes still vivid in his mind. Lira was already awake, crouched by the fire, sharpening an arrowhead.
"Finally," she said without looking up. "Thought I'd have to leave you here to catch up later."
Kael rubbed his eyes and sat up, his muscles stiff from the cold ground. "Good morning to you too."
She tossed him a piece of dried meat. "Eat. We've got a long climb ahead."
Kael glanced at the compass, its needle still glowing faintly as it pointed west. The memory of the stranger's warning lingered in his mind, but he pushed it aside. He wasn't about to let fear stop him.
The trail grew steeper as they ascended, the air thinning with every step. The dense forest gave way to rocky terrain, and the temperature dropped. By midday, they reached a narrow pass flanked by towering cliffs.
"This looks... inviting," Lira said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Kael frowned. "Do you think it's safe?"
Lira snorted. "Safe? No. Necessary? Probably."
They stepped cautiously into the pass, their footsteps echoing against the stone walls. The air was eerily still, and the only sound was the crunch of gravel beneath their boots.
Halfway through, a low growl rumbled through the air. Kael froze, his hand going to his knife.
"What was that?" he whispered.
Lira had already drawn her bow, her eyes scanning the cliffs. "We're not alone."
A shadow shifted on the rocks above, and then it leapt—a massive creature with fur as black as night and glowing red eyes. It landed with a thud, blocking their path.
The beast growled, its fangs bared. It was unlike anything Kael had ever seen, a cross between a wolf and a panther, its movements fluid and predatory.
"Great," Lira muttered. "First trial, I assume?"
The compass in Kael's hand pulsed, its glow intensifying. The needle spun wildly before pointing directly at the creature. Kael's heart pounded.
"It's guarding the way," he said.
"Figured as much," Lira replied, her arrow trained on the beast.
The creature lunged, its claws swiping at Kael. He barely dodged, stumbling back and drawing his knife. Lira loosed an arrow, but the beast moved with unnatural speed, the projectile grazing its flank.
"We can't outrun it!" Kael shouted.
"Then we take it down," Lira snapped, notching another arrow.
Kael's mind raced. The beast was too fast, too strong. But as it circled them, he noticed something—a faint mark glowing on its chest, the same color as the compass's light.
"The chest!" Kael yelled. "Aim for the mark on its chest!"
Lira nodded, her eyes narrowing. She waited for the beast to lunge again, then released her arrow. It struck true, embedding itself in the glowing mark.
The beast howled, its body convulsing as the light from the mark spread, engulfing it. With a final roar, it collapsed, its form disintegrating into a swirl of glowing particles.
Kael and Lira stood in stunned silence as the particles floated upward, dissipating into the sky.
"What... was that?" Kael asked, his voice shaking.
Lira lowered her bow. "A guardian, maybe? Whatever it was, it didn't want us passing through here."
The compass pulsed again, its needle steady once more. Kael felt a strange warmth in his chest, as if the compass was acknowledging their victory.
"Let's keep moving," Lira said, her tone uneasy. "I don't want to find out if it has friends."
Kael nodded, but as they continued through the pass, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.
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