The journey out of the Riftwood was no less harder than their entry. Though the starweave had stabilized the watch, the forest still twisted and shifted around them, as if reluctant to let them go. Tia stayed close to Kian, her eyes scanning every shadow, every movement in the trees.
"So, what happens now?" she asked, breaking the tense silence.
Kian glanced at her, his eyes sharp, unreadable. "Now we figure out who else is after that watch. Malric won't be the only one."
Tia sighed, pulling her coat tighter around her. "Can't wait."
The air grew lighter as they neared the forest's edge. The suffocating weight that had pressed on them since they entered the Riftwood lifted, and Tia let out a relieved breath. Sunlight filtered through the trees, a sight that almost felt too bright after the darkness of the forest.
"Never thought I'd be so happy to see the sun," she said with a weak laugh.
Kian's smile was faint, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Don't get too comfortable. Things are only going to get harder from here."
Just as they stepped onto the dirt path leading back to town, Tia's hand tightened on the watch. Something didn't feel right. Her instincts were screaming at her to stay alert. She wasn't wrong.
A figure emerged from the shadows ahead. Tall, cloaked in darkness, its presence immediately sending a cold chill down her spine.
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath.
It was Malric, his glowing eyes fixed on them like twin orbs of molten fire. His smile was sharp, like a predator eyeing its prey.
"I see you've been busy, Keeper," Malric said, his voice as cold and cutting as ever.
Kian stepped protectively in front of Tia, his posture rigid. "What do you want, Malric?"
"Oh, just a little chat," Malric drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. "You've been meddling with forces you can't possibly understand. That watch belongs to powers far greater than you could ever imagine."
"Funny," Tia said, her tone sharp. "It doesn't seem to like you much."
Malric's smile faltered, his eyes flicking to the watch in her hand. The air around them crackled, the tension thick enough to slice with a knife.
"You don't know what you're dealing with, girl," Malric warned, his voice low, dangerous.
"Then maybe you should enlighten me," Tia shot back, unflinching, her heart pounding in her chest.
Malric's eyes narrowed, the glow intensifying, his mouth curling into a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "Careful, little one. You're playing a game with forces beyond your control. And soon, you'll regret it."
Kian's blade was in his hand in an instant, its glow casting eerie shadows on the surrounding trees. "You've said your piece. Now leave."
Malric chuckled, stepping back into the shadows, his form blending with the night as if he was never there at all. "Enjoy your fleeting victory while it lasts. It won't be long before everything unravels."
As he vanished, Tia let out a shaky breath, her hand gripping the watch tighter. "Well, that's not ominous at all."
Kian sheathed his blade, but his face remained grim. "We need to move. He'll be back, and next time, he won't be alone."
Tia nodded, her jaw set, determination hardening in her chest. Whatever lay ahead, she wasn't going to back down. The watch pulsed faintly in her hand, a reminder of the power and danger it held. The reality of their situation was sinking in. Malric wasn't their biggest threat, just a shadow of something far more dangerous.
They turned, their footsteps quickening as they made their way down the path. But the further they walked, the more Tia's unease grew. Something was wrong. The air felt heavier again, the silence deeper.
Suddenly, the watch in her hand grew hot, pulsating like a heartbeat. Tia's eyes widened. "Kian—something's happening!"
Kian turned sharply, but before he could react, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. A deep, rumbling growl echoed from the forest behind them.
"Tia, look out!" Kian shouted, pulling her behind him.
She spun around just in time to see the shadows shift. Emerging from the darkness was a massive, twisted figure—a creature unlike any she'd ever seen. Its body was a huge combo of human and beast, its limbs stretching impossibly long, eyes glowing with the same golden hue as Malric's. It was no Riftbeast.
"What the hell is that?" Tia gasped.
Kian's face paled. "It's a Wraithborn."
"A what?" Tia's voice trembled, but she didn't flinch.
"A being that should not exist. A shadow of someone who died, twisted by dark magic. It's the force Malric serves."
The Wraithborn snarled, its voice a deep hiss that sent chills down Tia's spine. With a swipe of its clawed hand, it slashed the air.
Tia scrambled backward, clutching the watch. Her mind raced. What does it want? What's its connection to Malric?
Before she could act, a sudden, sharp crack split the air. The Wraithborn froze, its eyes darting toward the forest.
"What's happening?" Tia whispered.
"I don't know," Kian muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. "But it's not good."
The Wraithborn shrieked, its form distorting, as if something inside it was breaking free. Suddenly, its body collapsed into a pile of dark shadows, vanishing into the forest. The tremors stopped. The silence was deafening.
"What in the world just happened?" Tia breathed, still clutching the watch, her mind struggling to process the chaos.
Kian looked at her, his expression hardening. "That wasn't the end of it. Whatever Malric has unleashed, it's only the beginning."
As they stood there, the watch in Tia's hand began to hum again, louder this time, as if reacting to something unseen. The golden light flickered in Tia's eyes, blinding her for a second.
Then, everything changed.
The watch's face split open like a flower blooming. In the center, something shifted—an image, a map, a destination. A place she didn't recognize. A name burned into her mind: The Hollow Gate.
Before she could ask Kian what it meant, a voice echoed in her mind, cold and cruel.
"You're not safe. Not even there."
The last thing Tia saw before the world went black was the shadow of something massive and unseen, looming just beyond the treeline.