The forest seemed endless, its gnarled trees stretching toward the darkening sky. The air was thick with tension, the weight of their recent battle pressing heavily on the group as they trudged forward.
Caius led the way, his flames flickering faintly around his hands, casting long shadows across the ground. The shard's pulsing energy was subdued now, but he could still feel its presence—an ever-present hum in the back of his mind.
Behind him, Elara and the stranger walked in silence, their expressions grim. The masked figure's parting words echoed in all their minds, a reminder that the fight for the shards was far from over.
As they climbed a narrow ridge, Elara quickened her pace, falling into step beside Caius. She glanced at him, her emerald eyes sharp with concern.
"You've been quiet," she said.
"I'm thinking," Caius replied, his voice low.
"About the masked figure?" Elara pressed.
"About everything," Caius admitted. He hesitated before glancing at her. "They said the shards would destroy me. That I can't control them."
Elara frowned, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword. "Do you believe them?"
Caius looked away, his jaw tightening. "I don't know. But I can feel the shard's power growing. Every time I use it, it feels like… like something inside me is waking up."
"Something from before?" Elara asked softly.
Caius nodded, his chest tightening. "The Keeper called it a memory. But it feels more like a shadow. I don't know if it's mine or the Demon King's."
Elara placed a hand on his arm, her touch grounding him. "Whatever it is, it doesn't define you. You decide who you are, Caius. Not the shards, not the past."
For a moment, Caius allowed himself to believe her.
The group reached a small plateau as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the forest into deep shadow. The stranger stopped suddenly, his silver eyes narrowing as they knelt near a patch of disturbed earth.
"Something was here," they said, their tone serious.
Caius and Elara stepped closer, their eyes scanning the ground. The earth was marked by faint impressions—bootprints, scattered debris, and something darker.
"Blood," Elara said, crouching to touch the stained soil.
The stranger nodded. "Looks fresh. Whoever was here didn't leave long ago."
Caius's flames flared brighter as he studied the marks. "The masked figure's group. They must have stopped here before the temple."
Elara frowned, her emerald eyes scanning the trees. "Do you think they're following us now?"
The stranger smirked faintly. "If they are, they're keeping their distance. They lost their constructs, and they won't risk another fight without reinforcements."
"But they'll be back," Caius said grimly.
The stranger stood, brushing off their hands. "No doubt. But the question is: why? What do they really want with the shards?"
Caius hesitated, his gaze distant. "It's not just the shards. It's me. The Keeper said the shards remember their master. If that's true, then the masked figure thinks I'm… connected to the Demon King."
Elara's eyes widened slightly. "They're after you because of your past."
"Or what they think my past is," Caius said.
The stranger crossed their arms, their expression thoughtful. "If that's the case, it's not just the shards they're after. They want you to either claim the power—or fail while trying."
Elara turned to the stranger, her brow furrowing. "Why would they want him to fail?"
The stranger smirked faintly. "Because failure doesn't just destroy him. It releases the power."
Caius stiffened, the weight of their words sinking in. "They're trying to force me to lose control."
Elara placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice firm. "Then we won't let that happen. We'll figure out their plans, and we'll stop them before they can get close to you again."
Caius nodded, though the flicker of doubt in his chest remained.
As they continued their journey, the shard's influence began to creep back into Caius's awareness. Its faint hum grew louder, more insistent, like a heartbeat out of sync with his own.
The forest seemed to shift around him, the trees warping and twisting in the corners of his vision. Shadows flickered at the edges of his sight, and faint whispers echoed in his mind.
"You cannot escape what you are."
Caius stumbled slightly, catching himself on a nearby tree. Elara was at his side in an instant, her expression worried.
"Caius? What's wrong?"
"I'm fine," Caius said quickly, though his voice was strained.
Elara didn't look convinced. "It's the shard, isn't it? It's doing something to you."
"It's… just a headache," Caius lied, forcing himself to stand straight.
The stranger watched him closely, their silver eyes narrowing. "You're a terrible liar, boy. Whatever's happening, you'd better get it under control before it controls you."
Caius clenched his fists, his flames flickering faintly around his hands. "I'm trying."
Elara placed a hand on his arm, her touch steadying him. "We'll figure it out, Caius. You don't have to face this alone."
As the group pressed on, they stumbled upon a small clearing where the remains of an old campfire lay. Among the ashes, a strange symbol had been drawn into the dirt—a circle surrounded by jagged lines, with a single eye at its center.
Elara knelt beside it, her brow furrowing. "What is this?"
The stranger's expression darkened. "It's a summoning mark. Whoever drew this was calling something—or someone."
Caius's chest tightened as he studied the symbol. The faint hum of the shard grew louder, resonating with the mark as if in recognition.
"They're not just following us," Caius said quietly. "They're preparing for something. Something bigger."
Elara stood, her emerald eyes narrowing. "Then we need to find out what—and stop them."
The stranger smirked faintly. "Easier said than done, princess. But I like your spirit."
Caius's jaw tightened as he looked at the mark. The masked figure's words echoed in his mind.
"You can't run from what you are."