Night had fully descended by the time Ryn and the Spirit Fox reached the end of the trail. The moon hung low in the sky, its pale light filtering through the forest canopy and casting eerie shadows on the ground. Ryn's breath fogged in the cool air, his footsteps slow and cautious as he approached what appeared to be the remnants of a small outpost.
The structure was barely standing—a cluster of crumbling walls and a half-collapsed watchtower surrounded by overgrown foliage. The once-sturdy wooden gates now hung limply from rusted hinges, and the faint stench of decay lingered in the air.
"An outpost," Ryn muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "But it's in worse shape than I thought."
The Spirit Fox sniffed at the ground, its glowing tail swaying cautiously. It let out a soft chirp, nudging Ryn's leg before padding ahead to investigate.
Ryn gripped his knife tightly, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The outpost felt wrong, its silence oppressive and unnatural.
"Stay close," he said to the fox, his voice tight with unease.
The Spirit Fox chirped again, darting ahead to sniff at the base of the watchtower. Its glow illuminated faint scratches on the stone—claw marks etched deeply into the surface.
Ryn knelt to inspect them, his brow furrowing. "These aren't from an animal," he muttered. "Whatever made these... it wasn't natural."
The fox growled softly, its ears flattening as it turned its gaze toward the outpost's interior.
"Yeah," Ryn said, standing slowly. "I don't like this either."
They stepped through the broken gates, the crunch of debris underfoot echoing unnaturally in the quiet. The outpost's courtyard was littered with signs of a struggle—splintered wood, torn cloth, and dark stains that could only be blood.
Ryn's stomach twisted as he spotted a shattered Codex stone embedded in the ground near the center of the courtyard. The stone, once a vibrant source of light and guidance for tamers, was now dark and lifeless, its surface cracked and blackened as though it had been burned from the inside out.
"This doesn't make sense," Ryn said, crouching beside the shattered stone. "The Codex is supposed to be indestructible. How does this even happen?"
The Spirit Fox sniffed at the stone, letting out a low, mournful chirp.
Ryn reached out to touch the fragments, his fingers brushing against the cold surface. The bond pulsed faintly, and for a brief moment, he felt something—a flicker of energy, fragmented and chaotic. It was like trying to listen to a broken melody, the pieces refusing to come together.
"Whatever this is," Ryn said, pulling his hand back, "it's connected to the corruption. The Codex isn't just failing—it's being attacked."
The Spirit Fox growled softly, its glowing eyes fixed on the doorway of a nearby building.
"What is it?" Ryn asked, rising to his feet.
The fox chirped sharply, its tail bristling as it took a step forward.
Ryn followed its gaze, his grip on his knife tightening. The building in question was the largest in the outpost, its roof partially caved in but still standing. Faint scratches and dark smudges marred the wooden door, which hung slightly ajar.
"This is a bad idea," Ryn muttered, stepping cautiously toward the doorway.
The Spirit Fox darted ahead, its glowing fur cutting through the shadows as it slipped inside.
"Hey!" Ryn hissed, following quickly. "Don't just run off like that!"
The interior of the building was worse than the courtyard. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the faint glow of the Spirit Fox's fur revealed splatters of dried blood on the walls. Broken furniture lay scattered across the floor, along with torn maps and shattered glass.
Ryn swallowed hard, his stomach churning as he stepped over the wreckage.
The Spirit Fox sniffed at the ground, its tail flicking nervously. It let out a sharp chirp, drawing Ryn's attention to a corner of the room.
"What now?" Ryn muttered, moving toward the fox.
As he rounded the corner, his breath caught in his throat.
A body lay slumped against the wall, its armor battered and its cloak torn. The figure's face was obscured by a cracked helmet, but the faint glow of their Codex crystal, embedded in their chest plate, was unmistakable.
"A tamer," Ryn said, his voice barely audible.
The Spirit Fox growled softly, its fur bristling as it sniffed at the body.
Ryn knelt beside the fallen tamer, his fingers trembling as he reached for the Codex crystal. It was faint, its light flickering weakly like a dying ember.
"They didn't make it," Ryn said, his voice heavy with guilt.
The bond pulsed faintly, and Ryn felt the Spirit Fox's quiet sorrow echo through him.
He searched the tamer's belongings, his hands brushing against a small satchel tied to their waist. Inside, he found a torn journal, its pages smudged with dirt and blood.
Ryn opened the journal carefully, scanning the scribbled entries.
"The corruption is spreading faster than anyone expected..."
"The Codex isn't responding. Every attempt to stabilize it has failed..."
"We're not alone in the Wildlands. Something is watching us. Something... ancient."
The final entry was barely legible, the handwriting frantic and uneven:
"If anyone finds this, the Codex can't be trusted. It's not what we thought it was. Beware the shadows. Beware the light. They're two sides of the same coin."
Ryn stared at the words, his mind racing. "What the hell does that mean?"
The Spirit Fox let out a low chirp, pressing against his leg.
Ryn closed the journal, slipping it into his pack. Whatever the tamers here had discovered, it had cost them everything. And now, it was up to him to figure out what to do next.
"We need to go," Ryn said, standing. "This place isn't safe."
The fox chirped in agreement, its glowing eyes darting to the shadows as the oppressive energy in the room seemed to grow heavier.
As they stepped back into the courtyard, Ryn's thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and fear. The Codex, the corruption, the ancient force the journal had hinted at—it all felt too big, too impossible.
But as he looked at the Spirit Fox beside him, its glowing fur a beacon of light in the darkness, he felt a flicker of resolve.
"We'll figure it out," Ryn said quietly. "Whatever it takes."
The bond pulsed warmly, and the Spirit Fox chirped softly, its tail swishing as they left the outpost behind.