The moon hung high over Ashlar, its silvery light casting long shadows over the city. In the quiet hours before dawn, Selene stood on the balcony of the repurposed palace, gazing northward toward Halvar's Rest. The messenger's words replayed in her mind like an unrelenting drumbeat: Fire and shadows. They came without warning.
The attack on Halvar's Rest wasn't just an act of violence—it was a warning, deliberate and calculated. But from whom? And why?
Selene's fire flickered within her, restless and eager. It was a reminder that she was not just a leader but a weapon. And if this new enemy sought to challenge her, they would soon learn the cost of provoking the Phoenix.
The council convened at dawn, the air thick with tension. Around the large table, the rebel leaders sat in grim silence, their expressions as heavy as the news Selene had to deliver. She began without preamble.
"Halvar's Rest is gone," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Not by the hand of the old regime or any rebellion we've encountered before. This is something new—something far worse."
The room erupted into murmurs. Jareth, his face lined with worry, leaned forward. "Gone? The whole town?"
Selene nodded. "The messenger said fire and shadows consumed it. No survivors. No warning."
"Fire and shadows," Corvin echoed, his sharp eyes narrowing. "It sounds almost... unnatural."
"It is unnatural," Selene replied, her gaze sweeping the room. "This isn't just an attack—it's a message. Someone, or something, wants us to know they're watching. That they can strike where and when they please."
Lira shuddered. "But why Halvar's Rest? It's a small town, hardly strategic."
"To instill fear," Selene said. "To show that no place is safe, no matter how far removed."
Jareth slammed his fist on the table, his frustration boiling over. "Then we need to act. If we sit idle, we're inviting them to strike again."
Selene nodded. "We'll send scouts to investigate what's left of Halvar's Rest. I'll go as well."
The council erupted in protests.
"Selene, that's too dangerous!" Lira exclaimed. "If something like this happens again, we can't afford to lose you."
"I agree," Corvin added, his voice steady but firm. "Your presence is vital to holding the rebellion together. If this is a trap—"
"I'm going," Selene interrupted, her tone leaving no room for argument. "This is not up for debate. If this enemy is using fire, then it's me they're taunting. I need to see it for myself."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words sinking in. Finally, Jareth sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Then at least take a contingent with you. If you're walking into danger, you shouldn't do it alone."
Selene inclined her head. "Agreed. I'll leave at first light."
The journey to Halvar's Rest was somber. Selene led a small group of trusted fighters, their faces grim as they rode through the rolling hills and dense forests that separated Ashlar from the northern town. The air grew colder as they approached, the trees thinning until they reached the edge of a blackened wasteland.
Where Halvar's Rest had once stood was now nothing more than charred ruins and ash. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke and something else—something darker, more unnatural. Selene dismounted her horse, her boots crunching against the scorched earth as she approached what had once been the town square.
The devastation was absolute. Stone buildings had been reduced to rubble, their foundations scorched and crumbling. Wooden structures were nothing more than piles of ash. Even the earth itself seemed to have been burned, the soil blackened and lifeless. But amidst the destruction, one thing stood untouched—a large, obsidian-black obelisk, its surface smooth and unmarked.
Selene's flames flickered uneasily as she approached the obelisk, her heart pounding in her chest. There was something wrong about it, something that made the fire within her recoil. She reached out a hand, hesitating just before her fingers touched the cold, dark surface.
"Selene, wait!" Lira called, running to her side. The healer had insisted on joining the expedition, despite Selene's protests. "We don't know what it is."
"I need to know," Selene replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She closed her eyes and pressed her hand against the obelisk.
The world shifted.
Selene found herself standing in a vast, featureless void, the air heavy with an oppressive darkness. A figure emerged from the shadows, its form indistinct but undeniably malevolent. It spoke, its voice like the grinding of stone and the hiss of fire.
"Phoenix," it said, the word dripping with disdain. "You rise again, as you always do. But this time, your fire will not be enough."
Selene stood her ground, her flames burning brighter in defiance. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The figure laughed, a deep, guttural sound that sent shivers down her spine. "You already know me, Selene. I am the darkness that your fire cannot banish. I am the end that even you cannot escape."
The figure's form shifted, its shadowy tendrils reaching toward her. Selene raised her hands, unleashing a torrent of flame, but the darkness swallowed it whole, undeterred.
"You will burn, Phoenix," the figure hissed. "And from your ashes, I will rise."
Selene gasped, her eyes snapping open as she stumbled back from the obelisk. Lira caught her, concern etched across her face.
"Selene! Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Selene said, though her voice was unsteady. She turned to the others, who had gathered around, their weapons drawn and their eyes scanning the ruins for any sign of danger. "We need to leave. Now."
"What did you see?" Jareth asked, his tone urgent.
Selene hesitated, her mind racing. "Something... ancient. And dangerous. We can't face it here, not without understanding what we're dealing with."
The group quickly mounted their horses, leaving the ruins of Halvar's Rest behind. But as they rode back to Ashlar, Selene couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The shadowy figure's words echoed in her mind, a chilling reminder of the darkness that lay ahead.
That night, Selene stood alone in the quiet halls of the palace, staring at the flames in the hearth. They danced and flickered, but their warmth did little to chase away the cold knot of fear in her chest.
She had faced death before. She had risen from the ashes time and time again. But this was different. This was an enemy she didn't understand—one that seemed to defy even the Phoenix's fire.
As the flames cast shadows on the walls, Selene made a silent vow. She would uncover the truth behind the darkness, no matter the cost. For Ashlar. For the rebellion. For the world.
And for herself.