The forest was a blur of darkness and faint, flickering light as Kael ran, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The woman—whoever she was—moved with unnatural speed, her staff cutting through the underbrush like a blade. Behind them, the shadowy creature's roars grew louder, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
"Who are you?" Kael managed to ask between breaths. "And what is that thing?"
"Lyra," the woman replied curtly, not slowing down. "And that thing is a shadowspawn. Now keep running unless you want to find out what it feels like to be torn apart."
Kael didn't need to be told twice. He gripped the shard tightly, its warmth seeping into his palm like a lifeline. The light it emitted was growing brighter, casting eerie shadows on the trees around them. He could feel its power humming faintly, as if it were alive.
They burst into a small clearing, and Lyra skidded to a halt. Kael nearly collided with her, his heart pounding in his chest. "Why are we stopping?" he demanded.
Lyra didn't answer. Instead, she raised her staff and muttered something under her breath. The air around them shimmered, and a faint barrier of light appeared, encircling the clearing. Kael stared in awe as the shadowspawn emerged from the trees, its glowing red eyes fixed on them. It lunged forward, only to be repelled by the barrier with a sizzling crackle.
"That won't hold it for long," Lyra said, turning to Kael. "Give me the shard."
Kael hesitated, clutching it tighter. "What is this thing? And why is that monster after it?"
"No time for explanations," Lyra snapped. "If you want to live, hand it over."
Before Kael could respond, a deep voice cut through the tension. "Let the boy keep it, Lyra. He's earned that much."
Kael turned to see a man step out of the shadows. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a face that looked like it had been carved from stone. His armor was worn but well-maintained, and a massive sword hung at his side. His eyes, sharp and calculating, locked onto Kael's.
"Who are you?" Kael asked, his voice wavering.
"Thorne Ironclaw," the man said, his tone gruff but not unkind. "And you, boy, are in way over your head."
The shadowspawn roared again, slamming against the barrier with renewed fury. Lyra glanced at Thorne, her expression tense. "We need to move. The barrier won't last much longer."
Thorne nodded and turned to Kael. "Can you fight?"
Kael looked down at the unfinished sword in his hand. It was crude and unbalanced, but it was better than nothing. "I can try."
"Good enough," Thorne said, drawing his own sword. "Stay close, and don't do anything stupid."
The barrier flickered and then shattered, the light dissolving into the air. The shadowspawn charged, its massive form barreling toward them. Thorne met it head-on, his sword clashing against its shadowy claws. Lyra raised her staff, chanting words Kael didn't understand, and bolts of light shot toward the creature, forcing it back.
Kael stood frozen for a moment, his mind racing. He had never been in a fight like this before. The closest he'd come was breaking up tavern brawls in Emberfall. But as the shadowspawn turned its gaze on him, he knew he had no choice. Gripping his sword tightly, he stepped forward.
The creature lunged at him, its claws slashing through the air. Kael swung his sword, the blade connecting with the shadowspawn's arm. To his surprise, the creature recoiled, letting out a pained screech. The shard in his hand flared brightly, its light spreading to the sword and imbuing it with a faint, golden glow.
"Keep it distracted!" Thorne shouted, circling around to flank the creature.
Kael nodded, his fear giving way to determination. He swung the sword again, the light from the shard cutting through the shadowspawn's form like a hot knife through butter. The creature howled in rage, its movements becoming more erratic.
With a final, powerful strike, Thorne drove his sword into the shadowspawn's chest. Lyra unleashed a burst of magic, and the creature let out one last, ear-splitting roar before dissolving into a cloud of black smoke.
Kael stumbled back, his legs trembling. He looked down at the sword in his hand, the light from the shard fading as the danger passed. "What… what just happened?"
Thorne sheathed his sword and clapped a hand on Kael's shoulder. "You survived. That's what happened."
Lyra stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "You're lucky we found you when we did. That shadowspawn would have torn you apart."
Kael shook his head, still trying to process everything. "Why is this happening? What is this shard, and why are those things after it?"
Thorne and Lyra exchanged a glance. "It's a long story," Thorne said. "And one we don't have time for right now. More of those creatures will be coming, and we need to get you somewhere safe."
"Safe?" Kael repeated. "Where is safe?"
Lyra's lips curved into a faint smile. "You're about to find out. Come on, blacksmith. Your life just got a lot more interesting."