Aurora instinctively backed away, her back against the aged wooden wall. The two Watchers advanced with erratic but frighteningly precise movements, their tiny eyes fixed on her like predators who knew their prey was cornered.
She reached into her bag, her fingers flicking through the vials until she found a smaller one, marked with a rune she didn't recognize. The liquid inside glowed an intense amber, like a captured shard of light.
"Do you have a plan or are you just going to let yourself be crushed?" Thaddeus questioned from the top of the iron plate, where he was still comfortably warmed by the fire.
"This is no time for sarcasm!" Aurora shouted, throwing the vial at one of the Watchers.
The glass shattered against the creature's chest, and the amber liquid burst into flames upon contact with the air. The Watcher let out a piercing scream, staggering back as his thin, gray body writhed, engulfed in fire.
Before Aurora could breathe, the other Watcher dashed forward, his sharp claws slicing through the air. She stumbled toward a fallen table, her eyes quickly spotting something shining amid the wreckage. A dagger.
With a quick movement, she grabbed it and twisted her body, driving the blade deep into the second Watcher's abdomen. The monster stopped, emitting a guttural sound before falling heavily to the ground, its gray skin already beginning to disintegrate into a fine powder.
The first watchman, still engulfed in flames, launched one last desperate attack, its claws tearing through the air towards Aurora. She tried to dodge, but felt the cold cut pass through her right arm. A scream escaped her lips as she plunged the dagger into the creature's neck, finally defeating it.
Panting, Aurora fell to her knees, pressing her left hand against the wound on her right arm. Hot blood stained the fabric of his cloak, but the pain was overshadowed by the relief of having survived.
"Well, that was...chaotic," commented Thaddeus, jumping from the iron plate to the ground with unexpected elegance. He approached her, tilting his head.
"Are you okay, girl? It feels like a storm passed through you."
Aurora gave him an exhausted look.
"A storm with claws."
Thaddeus gave a short laugh, but his tone became more serious as he approached her.
"You handled it well. But now you see what I meant, don't you? These Watchers weren't here by chance. They sense the presence of something powerful. Something you carry."
Aurora took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain in her arm.
"The map. They were after the map."
Thaddeus nodded slowly, his bright eyes fixed on her.
"Exactly. And you need to understand that this is just the beginning. Isolde... she knew what she was doing when she handed you that map. But she didn't do it lightly. She knew the price."
Aurora clenched her teeth, feeling the weight of his words.
"Who was she, Thaddeus? What do you know about Isolde?"
The frog tilted its head, as if considering whether or not to respond.
"Isolde was a force of nature. A guardian, a scholar... but most of all, a rebel. She defied ancient orders, navigated paths no one dared tread. And paid the price for it."
Aurora felt her heart tighten.
"She never talked about it. She just left the map. Like it was... a goodbye."
Thaddeus sighed, looking sorry for the first time.
"The map is not just a path. It is a legacy. A responsibility. And, as you have already realized, it is also a curse. Wherever it leads, it will attract danger."
Aurora looked at the bag where the map was stored, feeling the symbolic and literal weight of the object.
"Why did she choose me?"
Thaddeus made a short jump, climbing back onto a piece of the table.
"Maybe because her saw something in you that you haven't seen yourself yet. Or maybe because he knew that no one else would have the courage to continue."
Silence fell over them, broken only by the sound of the wind outside.
"But be careful," Thaddeus continued, his voice low and dark. "Whatever you find at the end of this map may not be what you expect. And the price may be higher than you're willing to pay."
Aurora didn't respond, just looked at the fire that was slowly starting to die. Thaddeus's words echoed in his mind, and a sense of doubt began to creep into his heart.
Aurora took the map from her bag. She unrolled it, taking in again the detailed features and runes that seemed to glow faintly in the light.
Suddenly, something changed. The map began to pulse gently, as if it were alive. The runes rearranged themselves, forming a new route that wasn't there before.
"What...?" Aurora muttered, feeling a chill.
Thaddeus looked at her with wide eyes, suddenly on alert.
"Ah, that's not good. When the map changes, it means something has been awakened. Something old."
Aurora felt her heart race as the map glowed brightly, lighting up the room like a miniature aurora borealis.
"What was awakened, Thaddeus?"
The frog hesitated before responding, his voice low and heavy with gravity.
"Something that perhaps not even Isolde could face."