The glow of dying embers lingered in the air, casting long shadows across the shattered village. The survivors had retreated into silence, their faces etched with exhaustion and fear. Caius, Elara, and the stranger stood in the empty square where the fight had ended, their breaths heavy in the aftermath of the battle.
Caius knelt where the cloaked figure had vanished, his flames flickering faintly around his fingers as he traced the charred remnants of the summoning mark. The faint hum of the shard in his satchel grew louder as his hand hovered over the scorched ground.
"They've done this before," he murmured, his blue eyes narrowing. "The same energy… it's tied to the shards somehow."
Elara paced nearby, her sword still unsheathed. Her silver hair gleamed in the firelight, though her expression was as sharp as the blade in her hand. "What I don't understand is why they'd attack this village. What could they gain from this kind of destruction?"
The stranger smirked faintly, leaning against a crumbling wall. "Fear, princess. Fear is a powerful weapon. When people are scared, they're easier to control."
Elara shot them a glare. "That doesn't explain why they keep summoning these creatures. What do they want with the shards? What do they want with him?"
Her gaze flicked to Caius, who didn't respond.
As the silence stretched, Caius stood, brushing the ash from his hands. "It's not just about fear. They're trying to weaken the veil."
Elara blinked, frowning. "The veil? You mean the barrier between…?"
"Between worlds," Caius finished, his voice steady. "The shards don't just hold power—they're anchors. Without them, the balance between this world and the one beyond starts to break down. If they summon enough Shadowborn, the barrier weakens further, and worse things can come through."
The stranger raised an eyebrow, their silver eyes glinting. "And let me guess—the Demon King's return would finish the job."
Caius nodded, his jaw tightening. "If the shards come together, it won't just be his return. It'll be everything he held back."
Elara sheathed her sword, her expression darkening. "Then why didn't the Keeper tell us that outright? Why all the cryptic warnings?"
"Because the Keeper doesn't trust us," Caius said simply. "Not yet."
Before the conversation could continue, the sound of shuffling feet drew their attention. A young woman emerged from behind a broken cart, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. She clutched a bloodied rag to her arm, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
"Please," she said, her voice trembling. "I… I need your help."
Elara moved to her side, helping her sit on a nearby crate. "You're safe now. We've dealt with the Shadowborn. Are there others? Anyone else hiding?"
The woman shook her head frantically. "No… no one. They're gone. All of them. They… they took them."
Caius's chest tightened. "Took them? Who took them?"
The woman's hands trembled as she gripped Elara's arm. "The ones in masks. They came before the creatures. They… they said they were looking for someone. A man with flames."
Elara's gaze snapped to Caius, her expression hard. "They were hunting you."
The woman nodded, tears streaming down her face. "They took the others when they couldn't find him. Said… said they needed sacrifices for the next ritual."
Caius's flames burned hotter, his fists clenching. "Where did they go?"
The woman pointed shakily toward the distant mountains. "There's an old mine… a few miles from here. That's where they took them."
Elara straightened, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword. "We have to go after them. If they're planning another ritual—"
"We're walking into a trap," the stranger interrupted, their tone flat. "You realize that, right? They know we'll follow. That's why they left survivors to tell us where they went."
Elara's emerald eyes narrowed. "You're suggesting we just leave those people to die?"
"I'm suggesting we think this through," the stranger replied, their silver eyes sharp. "You don't rush headlong into the lion's den without a plan, princess. That's how you end up dead."
Caius's flames flickered as he turned to face them. "We don't have time to waste. If they're planning another ritual, we can't let it happen. If we stop them now, we might stop the next attack before it starts."
"And if it's a trap?" the stranger asked, raising an eyebrow.
Caius met their gaze, his blue eyes unwavering. "Then we spring it. Better we face them now than let them keep hurting people."
The group stood in tense silence, the crackle of distant flames the only sound. Finally, Elara stepped forward, her voice steady. "We don't have a choice. Those people need us."
The stranger sighed, running a hand through their hair. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you when things go sideways."
Caius nodded, his flames dimming as he turned toward the mountains. "We leave now. Every second we waste gives them more time to finish the ritual."
As they began to move, the woman's voice called out weakly. "Wait… please."
Caius turned back to her, his expression softening. "You're hurt. Stay here. Someone will find you."
She shook her head, her eyes wide with desperation. "The mine… it's cursed. No one who goes there comes back. Please… be careful."
Caius hesitated, her words hanging in the air like a warning. "We'll stop them. I promise."
The group set out toward the mountains, the forest closing in around them as the night deepened. The shard's hum grew stronger with each step, a constant reminder of the battle waiting for them.
Elara walked beside Caius, her voice quiet. "You made the right choice. Those people don't deserve to pay the price for what the masked figure is doing."
Caius glanced at her, his blue eyes shadowed. "I just hope we're not too late."
The stranger smirked faintly, their silver eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Late or not, this is going to get messy. I hope you're ready, boy. Because if the last ritual was bad, this one's going to be worse."
Caius's flames flickered to life, his jaw tightening. "Then we'll stop it—whatever it takes."