Chapter 5:
The trek from the Crimson Sentinels' stronghold was silent. Arlen walked ahead, his steps steady but his expression unreadable. Kael trailed behind, watching him with growing concern. The loss of his memory had left an invisible wound, one that seemed to deepen with every passing hour.
They were heading toward the second seal, located in the desolate plains of Ashenhold, where whispers of another temple had reached the Sentinels. The journey was long, and the weight of what lay ahead pressed heavily on both of them.
The Price of Power
One night, as they camped beneath the stars, Kael finally spoke. "Arlen, what memory did you give up?"
He didn't answer immediately, poking at the small fire between them. "Something that doesn't matter anymore," he said finally, though his voice was hollow.
"It does matter," Kael insisted. "You're not the same since the ritual. I can see it. If we keep doing this—if you keep losing pieces of yourself—what will be left?"
Arlen stared into the flames. "If it stops the Dark Sovereign, then it doesn't matter what's left of me."
Kael stood abruptly, her frustration bubbling over. "How can you say that? You're not just some tool to be used and discarded! You're—"
"Enough," Arlen interrupted, his tone sharp. He looked up at her, his glowing eyes dim. "This isn't about me. It's about everyone else. If losing myself is the price, then so be it."
Kael's shoulders sagged, and she sat back down, wrapping her arms around her knees. "You're not alone in this, you know," she said quietly.
Arlen didn't respond, but her words lingered in the silence.
The Forgotten Temple
After days of travel, they reached Ashenhold. The plains were barren, the ground cracked and dry beneath their feet. The air was thick with ash, and the sky was a dull, oppressive gray.
"It's supposed to be here," Kael said, consulting the map Lysara had given them.
Arlen scanned the horizon, his Eyes faintly glowing. "There," he said, pointing to a cluster of jagged rocks in the distance.
As they approached, they saw the remnants of a temple buried beneath the earth, its once-grand entrance partially collapsed. The faint glow of ancient runes could still be seen on the exposed stone.
"This place feels... wrong," Kael said, shivering.
Arlen nodded. The air was heavy with malevolence, and the whispers he had heard in the first temple were louder here, like a chorus of voices just out of reach.
"Stay close," he said, drawing his sword as they entered the ruins.
The Guardian of the Seal
The interior of the temple was dark, the walls lined with faded carvings depicting a great battle. At the center of the chamber, a massive stone pedestal held another shard of the seal, its surface fractured and glowing faintly.
Kael moved to examine the carvings while Arlen approached the shard. As he reached out, a low growl echoed through the chamber, stopping him in his tracks.
From the shadows emerged a monstrous figure, its form shifting and unstable. It was a Wraithbound, but far larger and more intelligent than any Arlen had encountered before. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him as it spoke in a guttural voice.
"You dare to touch the Sovereign's bond?"
Arlen raised his sword, his Eyes flaring. "If you stand in my way, you'll regret it."
The creature laughed, a sound like grinding stone. "You cannot fight what you do not understand, Blood Soul. This seal is already lost, and soon, you will be too."
With a roar, the Wraithbound lunged at Arlen, its claws cutting through the air. Arlen met its attack head-on, their clash shaking the chamber. Sparks flew as his blade struck the creature's twisted form, but it was unlike anything he had faced before.
Kael watched from the shadows, her heart pounding. She wanted to help, but she knew she couldn't fight something like this. Instead, her eyes fell on the carvings around her.
"Arlen!" she shouted. "The carvings—they show a ritual! You have to use the shard against it!"
Arlen glanced at her, his focus split as the Wraithbound pressed its attack. "What do you mean?"
Kael pointed to an image of a warrior holding a glowing shard aloft, its light banishing a shadowy figure. "The shard can purify it, but you have to channel its energy!"
Arlen gritted his teeth, parrying another blow. "I hope you're right."
He broke away from the creature and reached for the shard. As his hand touched it, a surge of energy coursed through him, his Eyes blazing brighter than ever. The shard pulsed in his hand, and he turned to face the Wraithbound.
The creature hesitated, its form flickering. "What are you doing?" it snarled.
"Ending this," Arlen said, his voice resonating with power.
He thrust the shard forward, its light erupting in a blinding wave. The Wraithbound howled as the light consumed it, its form dissolving into nothingness.
When the light faded, the chamber was silent. Arlen collapsed to one knee, the shard still glowing faintly in his hand.
Kael ran to his side, helping him up. "You did it," she said, relief in her voice.
Arlen nodded weakly. "One step closer."
But as he looked at the shard, he felt the weight of what was to come. Each victory came at a cost, and he knew the greatest price was yet to be paid.
--------------------