Chapter 2: Shadows Unleashed
The forest loomed before them, a wall of gnarled trees and tangled vines that seemed alive with whispers. Eryndor's legs burned, but he forced himself to keep moving, spurred on by the relentless roars of the shadowy creature behind them. Beside him, the armored woman led the way, her sword glinting faintly in the dim light that filtered through the trees.
"Over here!" she hissed, veering off the overgrown path and into a narrow ravine. They stumbled over rocks and roots, their breaths ragged, until the sounds of pursuit began to fade. Only then did she halt, pressing a hand to her side as she leaned against a boulder.
Eryndor collapsed beside her, clutching the fractured gemstone embedded in his chest. Each pulse of its light sent a sharp pain through his body, as if the stone itself was fighting to hold together.
"That… thing," he gasped. "What was it?"
"A Wraithlord," the woman replied, her voice grim. "One of the Abyss's generals. And now that the Nexus Stone is broken, it's not the only one we'll have to worry about."
Eryndor closed his eyes, his mind swirling with guilt and confusion. "I didn't mean for this to happen," he whispered. "I was trying to protect the city, not destroy it."
"Intentions don't matter," she snapped. "What matters is fixing this mess—if that's even possible."
He looked up at her, noticing for the first time the exhaustion etched into her face. "You haven't even told me your name."
She hesitated, then sighed. "Kaelin. Captain of the Valedrin Vanguard. Not that it means much anymore."
"Kaelin," Eryndor repeated, trying to ground himself. "Do you know how to fix the Nexus Stone?"
She shook her head. "No one does. It was created centuries ago by the Arcanists of the Old Order, and they're long gone. But if there's any chance of restoring it, we'll find answers in the Archives of Drakemire. Assuming we can get there before the Wraithlords tear the realm apart."
The name sparked a faint memory in Eryndor's fragmented mind—an ancient library hidden within the mountains, said to house knowledge from the world's earliest days. He nodded slowly. "Then we go to Drakemire."
Kaelin raised an eyebrow. "You're awfully quick to agree. Most people would be running in the opposite direction."
He managed a weak smile. "Most people don't have a broken Nexus Stone lodged in their chest."
Before Kaelin could respond, a chilling howl echoed through the forest. Both of them froze, their eyes darting to the tree line. The shadows seemed to thicken, coiling unnaturally as faint red eyes glimmered in the distance.
"Move," Kaelin ordered, her voice low but urgent. She grabbed Eryndor's arm and pulled him to his feet. "We're not safe here."
They plunged deeper into the forest, the underbrush tearing at their clothes. The oppressive presence of the Abyss seemed to cling to the air, suffocating and cold. Eryndor's heart pounded, not just from fear but from the growing realization that the stone within him was reacting to the darkness. Its fractured light grew brighter, cutting through the gloom.
The light caught the attention of their pursuers. Shadows shifted, converging toward them with alarming speed. Kaelin cursed under her breath, spinning to face the encroaching darkness.
"Get behind me!" she barked, raising her sword.
Eryndor hesitated. "I can help—"
"Not like this, you can't! Stay back!"
The shadows surged forward, forming into humanoid figures with glowing red eyes and clawed hands. Kaelin met them head-on, her blade flashing in precise, practiced arcs. Each swing of her sword cut through the creatures, their forms dissipating into mist, but more took their place, emerging from the trees like a relentless tide.
Eryndor's chest ached, the Nexus Stone's light growing almost blinding. He fell to his knees, clutching it as a voice echoed in his mind—ancient and powerful.
You are the key.
The words filled him with both dread and resolve. He didn't understand what the voice meant, but he knew he couldn't let Kaelin fight alone. Summoning every ounce of willpower, he reached out to the light within the stone.
It responded.
A surge of energy erupted from his chest, sending a wave of golden light cascading through the forest. The shadowy creatures recoiled, their forms dissolving as the light washed over them. Even Kaelin had to shield her eyes as the brilliance illuminated the entire ravine.
When the light faded, the forest was eerily silent. The shadows were gone.
Kaelin turned to him, her expression a mixture of awe and suspicion. "What… was that?"
Eryndor struggled to his feet, swaying slightly. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I think… I think the stone still has power. Maybe enough to fight back."
Kaelin's eyes narrowed. "Or enough to attract every Wraithlord in the Abyss straight to us."
Eryndor swallowed hard. He didn't have an answer. All he knew was that the path ahead was only growing darker—and he was the only one who could light the way.
"Then we'd better move fast," he said.
With one last glance at the now-quiet forest, they pressed on, the distant peaks of Drakemire looming on the horizon.