The night was heavy, a blanket of shadows broken only by the faint glimmers of moonlight filtering through the dense forest canopy. Alexander stumbled forward, each step dragging as if the weight of the Essence he had absorbed was physically pressing him down. His breaths came in shallow gasps, his body still trembling from the aftermath of the Infernal Hornback's Essence integration.
Kaelith walked ahead, her posture upright and alert, the ever-present confidence in her stride unshaken. She didn't bother to glance back at him, though her voice carried a sharp edge. "Keep moving. If you fall behind, I'm not coming back for you."
Alexander clenched his teeth, pushing himself to keep up. The fiery Essence within him hadn't settled yet; it churned wildly in his core, like a caged beast testing the bars of its confinement. He had no idea how to control it, and the thought of it consuming him gnawed at the edges of his mind.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he muttered, more to himself than her.
Kaelith's golden eyes flickered as she glanced back briefly. "What part, exactly? Watching you stumble around like a newborn fawn or saving your life every ten minutes?"
"Both," Alexander shot back, though his voice lacked its usual bite.
Kaelith smirked but said nothing more. Instead, she came to an abrupt stop, raising her hand for silence.
The forest fell eerily quiet. The distant hum of crickets and rustling leaves ceased, replaced by an oppressive stillness that pressed against Alexander's ears.
"Stay close," Kaelith murmured, her tone softer but no less commanding. She gripped her spear tightly, her movements slow and deliberate as she scanned the surrounding shadows.
Alexander's pulse quickened. "What is it now?"
"I'm not sure," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But something's watching us."
The hairs on the back of Alexander's neck stood on end. He turned in a slow circle, his eyes straining to pierce the darkness. Every shadow seemed to shift and crawl, as if alive.
A faint rustle to their left made him whip his head around, his grip tightening on the jagged blade he had salvaged earlier. "Over there," he hissed, pointing toward the sound.
Kaelith didn't respond. Her gaze was fixed ahead, her body as still as a statue.
The rustling grew louder, closer. Alexander swallowed hard, his hands slick with sweat. "Should we run?"
Kaelith finally moved, stepping forward and planting her spear into the ground with a deliberate thud. "No. Running invites pursuit. Stand your ground."
Before Alexander could protest, the shadows ahead seemed to coalesce, pooling into a single point. From the darkness emerged a figure—a man, or at least something resembling one.
His frame was tall and gaunt, draped in tattered robes that seemed to shift and blend with the shadows themselves. His face was obscured by a hood, but faint, glowing eyes peered out from the void beneath it.
"Travelers," the figure said, his voice smooth and unnervingly calm. "You tread upon dangerous paths."
Kaelith didn't flinch, her spear remaining steady. "And you are?"
The figure tilted his head slightly, as if amused. "A watcher, nothing more."
Alexander stepped closer to Kaelith, his weapon raised. "A watcher of what?"
The figure's glowing eyes seemed to fixate on him, and a chill ran down Alexander's spine. "Of those who seek power," he replied. "And of those who burn too brightly."
Kaelith's grip tightened on her spear. "What do you want?"
The figure chuckled softly, the sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. "To offer a warning."
"A warning about what?" Alexander demanded, his frustration outweighing his fear.
The figure turned slightly, gesturing to the forest around them. "The beast you slew was but a fragment of what lies ahead. The power you've taken will mark you, boy. Others will come for it. For you."
Alexander glanced at Kaelith, hoping for some reassurance, but her expression remained unreadable.
The figure continued, his voice taking on a darker tone. "The Infernal Hornback was not alone. Its kin are not as forgiving, and they will sense what you have done."
"Let them come," Kaelith said coldly, taking a step forward. "We'll deal with them the same way we dealt with the Hornback."
The figure laughed again, a hollow, unsettling sound. "Arrogance. A common trait among those who walk this path. But I wonder…" His gaze shifted back to Alexander. "Will the boy survive the weight of it?"
Alexander's grip on his weapon tightened, though his hands were shaking. "I'm not afraid of you."
The figure's glowing eyes seemed to narrow. "Brave words. But bravery alone will not save you."
Before either of them could respond, the figure began to fade, his form dissolving into the shadows. His parting words lingered in the air like a whisper.
"Beware the flames, traveler. They consume more than they illuminate."
The forest was silent once more, as if the encounter had never happened.
Alexander exhaled shakily, his legs threatening to give out beneath him. "What… what was that?"
Kaelith didn't answer immediately. She stared at the spot where the figure had vanished, her expression uncharacteristically serious.
"A shadowborn," she said at last.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Kaelith sighed, slinging her spear over her shoulder. "An echo of something long dead. They appear when the balance of Essence is disturbed—like when someone absorbs too much power too quickly."
Alexander's stomach sank. "So… it was here because of me?"
"Partly," she admitted, her tone blunt. "But it wasn't lying. The Essence you took from the Hornback is like a beacon. It'll draw things to you—beasts, people, worse."
Alexander groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Just what I needed."
Kaelith smirked, her usual confidence returning. "You'll manage. If you don't, well…" She shrugged. "At least I won't have to babysit anymore."
He shot her a glare, but she was already moving, her pace quickening as she led the way deeper into the forest.
"Come on," she called over her shoulder. "We've wasted enough time here. If we're lucky, we can make it to the next outpost before dawn."
Alexander hesitated, casting one last glance at the dark forest around them. The words of the shadowborn echoed in his mind, a cold knot of unease settling in his chest.
With a deep breath, he forced himself to follow Kaelith, each step taking him further into the unknown.