'If I can just find some traces of a shadowbeast... they'll have to believe in my tracking skills.'
Finn thought, gripping the rope with glowmoss tightly in his hand as he ventured deeper into the dense woods.
As Suri's youngest apprentice, Finn had always dreamed of proving his worth. His excitement was mixed with nerves, but he was determined.
For days, he had practiced tracking and hunting, and now, with his eyes scanning the ground for any signs of movement, he hoped to find something that would make the village take him seriously.
A few days ago, while on watch at the village's tower, Finn had spotted a vague shadow on the outskirts. It had lingered just long enough to make him believe it could be a shadowbeast—a dangerous creature the village constantly warned about.
To track one down now, alone, would be his chance to prove himself.
According to the village's traditions, the more you showed your worth, the better your chances of being chosen by the Gods.
Becoming a "God Chosen" was the highest honor, and with it, came the possibility of gaining an extraordinary ability, just like the others who had been blessed in the past.
'I'm only 15... but in a few months, I'll be 16. If the Gods are kind, I could have the same power as the other God Chosens,' Finn thought, feeling the weight of his ambitions pushing him forward.
This was his chance. He wasn't going to let it slip away.
Finn took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. The woods around him were dense, the canopy high above blocking most of the light.
His only source of illumination came from the glowmoss tied to the end of the rope, casting a faint greenish glow that barely cut through the darkness.
Every step he took, his senses sharpened. The air smelled earthy, damp, and alive with the sound of distant rustling—branches shifting, leaves trembling, and the occasional distant call of an animal.
But Finn wasn't looking for anything ordinary. His eyes were focused on the ground, scanning for any signs of the elusive shadowbeast.
He crouched down, letting the moss swing gently in his hand, its light flickering like a heartbeat. His fingers brushed through the underbrush, sifting through leaves and broken twigs, trying to pick up any faint trace.
The silence around him felt oppressive, and the deeper he ventured, the more it seemed as if the forest itself was watching him.
'There has to be something,' Finn thought, the doubt creeping in despite his determination. He had read about shadowbeasts—how they moved in the dark, leaving barely any trace of their presence, how they could blend seamlessly into their surroundings.
But Finn was no stranger to challenge. If anyone could track such a creature, it would be him.
His thoughts kept drifting back to the village. The people there didn't expect much from him—he was still young, after all.
But in his heart, Finn knew he wasn't like the others. He had the heart of a hunter, and this was his chance to prove it.
Pushing through a thick tangle of bushes, Finn noticed a series of broken branches—deliberately snapped and pushed aside, almost like something large had moved through here recently. His heart picked up speed.
He dropped to a knee, examining the ground closely. There. Footprints—faint, but unmistakable. They were too large to be anything normal, and the depth of them suggested something heavy had passed through.
Shadowbeast tracks. Finn's breath caught in his throat as excitement surged through him.
'Got you,' he thought, a smile tugging at his lips.
He carefully followed the trail, moving quietly, using all his training to stay hidden and avoid making noise. Every now and then, he'd stop, listen, and scan the area.
The forest seemed alive with tension, but Finn wasn't afraid. He'd spent years learning how to move like a shadow, how to blend in with the environment.
As he ventured deeper into the woods, the sounds around him grew quieter. The usual chorus of birds and insects had fallen silent. It felt as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
Finn's pulse quickened. He knew he was getting closer.
Suddenly, a chill swept through the air, causing his hair to stand on end. Something was watching him.
The woods, which had been alive with sounds just moments ago, now felt suffocatingly still. A strange pressure weighed down on him, as if the very trees were watching, waiting.
Something was out there.
His breath caught in his throat, and his grip on the glowmoss tightened. His instincts screamed at him to run, to get back to the village, but his feet stayed rooted.
He had a mission. Prove himself. Protect Dusknest. He couldn't afford to turn back now.
And then, as if confirming his worst fears, a voice—soft and faint—whispered in his ear.
"Who are you?"
Finn's pulse quickened. His stomach dropped. The voice wasn't just a sound—it felt like it came from inside his mind, threading through his thoughts, pulling at the edges of his sanity, demanding an answer.
'A Shadowbeast that can talk? I've never heard of anything like this... No one's ever mentioned an intelligent Shadowbeast before…'
Finn thought, his heart hammering in his chest, panic rising in his throat.
"Answer me." The voice whispered again, low and insistent.
Finn's grip tightened around the glowmoss rope in his hand. He didn't flinch, though fear crawled under his skin. He couldn't let it control him—not now.
He forced his breathing to steady, narrowing his eyes as he tried to locate the source of the voice.
"Answer me first, beast. How are you able to talk?"
His words came out sharp, more confident than he felt, as he slowly reached into his pocket.
His fingers brushed against the small orb, a signal inducer. He had only seen it used by the village hunters during emergency situations, when a Shadowbeast had been spotted. Once activated, the orb would shoot a flare high into the sky, alerting Dusknest to the danger.
It was his only option, but it needed to be done right. One wrong move, and the creature could be on him in an instant.
The voice let out a dark, throaty laugh that sent a shiver down Finn's spine.
"Beast? I am no beast." The words were soft, almost amused, as if mocking him.
Finn's fingers hovered over the orb. His eyes scanned the trees, but there was nothing—no movement, no shape. Only the whispering voice, wrapping around him like a noose.
"What about you, child?" the voice continued, growing more menacing.
"Are you a beast?"