The Herbarium was quiet, save for the soft hum of the vines and the occasional chirp of the Inking as it darted between glowing plants. Kael sat cross-legged on a root-chair, sipping the last of his tea. The warmth of the drink settled his nerves, but the weight of the prophecy still hung in the air like a storm cloud.
"So," Kael said, breaking the silence, "what's next? Do we just… wander around until we find another page?"
Elyra set her cup down, her expression thoughtful. She leaned back in her chair, her silver hair catching the light as she tilted her head. "Not exactly. The archive tends to guide those it deems worthy. If we're meant to find the next page, it'll show us the way."
"Great," Zara muttered, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh. "So we're waiting on a picky, sentient library to decide we're worth the effort?"
Thorne stood abruptly, brushing dirt from his hands. "Enough sitting around. The Herbarium has its own ways of revealing secrets. If there's a clue to the next page, it'll be here. Grab what you need and let's move."
Kael tightened the strap of his satchel. Elyra adjusted her robes, slipping a small vial of herbs into her pouch. Zara checked her daggers with quick efficiency, though her movements were sharper than usual, betraying her unease. Lira clutched her notebook close, her lips pressed in concentration. When everyone nodded, Thorne led the way.
The air grew heavier and the plants more wild as they advanced deeper into the Herbarium. The path narrowed, flanked by towering bushes bristling with thorns that glinted ominously in the dim light.
"Stay close," Thorne warned. "These aren't ordinary thorns. They're alive… and temperamental."
"Temperamental?" Zara echoed, skepticism lacing her tone. "What does that even—"
Before she could finish, a thorn shot out from one of the bushes, narrowly missing her arm. She stumbled back, her hand flying to the dagger at her belt. "What the—?!"
"I said stay close," Thorne growled, stepping forward to shield her. The bushes rustled, their thorns quivering as though sensing the group's presence.
"Uh, guys?" Kael said, his voice shaking. "I think they're mad."
"Calm down," Elyra instructed, her tone steady but firm. "They respond to fear. Keep your movements slow and deliberate."
The group advanced cautiously, their footsteps soft against the damp ground. The tension was palpable, each rustle of the bushes sending a fresh wave of unease through Kael. Then, without warning, a thorn lashed out, grazing Zara's arm.
She hissed in pain, pressing a hand to the wound. "I'm fine," she snapped before anyone could say anything. "Just keep moving."
Thorne's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "We'll treat it later. Let's keep going."
As they pressed on, Kael noticed a faint glow emanating from the center of the thicket. "There's something there," he said, pointing to a rune carved into the ground.
Elyra approached cautiously, her eyes narrowing as she studied the glowing symbol. "It's a riddle," she murmured. "The thorns won't let us pass until we solve it."
Kael knelt beside the rune, squinting at the script. "It says: 'I am not alive, but I grow. I have no voice, but I can whisper. What am I?'"
The group fell silent, each of them lost in thought. Even Zara, despite her injury, seemed focused.
"A shadow," Lira said finally, her voice quiet but confident.
The rune flared briefly, but the thorns remained in place, sharp and unyielding.
"It's not just about saying the answer," Elyra said, pacing. "We have to show it. The archive's riddles always require action."
"Show a shadow?" Kael muttered. He looked around, his gaze settling on a glowing orb suspended in the air. "How can we show a shadow?" Sounding his confusion.
"You guys better be quick before the bushes shooting that damn thorn again" With her hand still pressing to the wound, as more blood running and dripping to the ground.
Suddenly, an inspiration struck to Kael "We need to cast one over the rune."
"By creating one," Thorne said, stepping forward as if reading Kael's mind. He positioned himself between the rune and the orb, his broad frame casting a long, dark shadow over the carved symbol.
For a moment, nothing happened. The air felt charged, the silence oppressive. The bush start moving. As it moving, waving, the group start their defensive position, preparing incoming attack. Then, the rune flared brightly, and the bushes parted, their thorns retracting as the path ahead cleared.
Kael let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "That was… intense."
Thorne glanced at Zara, who was leaning heavily against a nearby tree, her face pale. "We need to treat that wound," he said gruffly.
Elyra was already kneeling beside Zara, pulling out a small vial of salve. "This will help," she said, her voice gentle. Zara didn't protest, allowing Elyra to tend to the injury.
"Thanks," Zara muttered, her usual sharpness softened.
Elyra nodded, her expression calm but determined. "We're a team. We look out for each other."
As they prepared to move on, the Inking chirps has shut, darting ahead as if something is coming. And the air grew colder, and the light dimmed. The path twisted unnaturally, the walls of the Herbarium seeming to close in.
"This isn't right," Elyra said, her voice tense. "The archive is shifting."
"What does that mean?" Kael asked, his heart pounding.
Before Elyra could answer, a low, guttural growl echoed through the air. The group froze, their eyes scanning the shadows. From the darkness emerged a figure—tall, cloaked, and radiating menace.
"Who are you?" Kael demanded, his voice trembling.
The figure didn't respond. Instead, it raised a hand, and the ground beneath them began to crack. The Inking chirped in alarm, darting back to Kael's side.
"Run!" Elyra shouted, her voice filled with urgency.
The group turned and fled, the figure's laughter echoing behind them. As they ran, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched—and that their journey had just become far more dangerous.