The forest fell silent after the distant roar, the air thick with tension. Kael gripped the glowing sword in his hand, his knuckles white. The shard's light pulsed faintly, a steady reminder of the power he was only beginning to understand. Thorne stood beside him, his sword at the ready, while Lyra scanned the trees, her staff glowing with faint, swirling energy.
"What was that?" Kael asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Something worse than shadowspawn," Thorne said grimly. "Stay close, and don't do anything stupid."
Lyra's eyes narrowed as she focused on the forest ahead. "We need to move. Now."
The group moved quickly, their footsteps muffled by the thick underbrush. Kael's heart pounded in his chest, every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs setting him on edge. The shard's light seemed to grow brighter as they moved, as if reacting to the danger ahead.
"Why is it doing that?" Kael asked, holding up the shard.
"It senses the darkness," Lyra said, her voice tight. "The closer we get to the source, the stronger its reaction will be."
"Great," Kael muttered. "So it's basically a beacon for trouble."
Thorne smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Welcome to the life of a hero, boy."
Before Kael could respond, a low growl echoed through the trees, closer this time. The group froze, their eyes scanning the shadows. Kael's breath caught in his throat as a massive shape emerged from the darkness.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen. The creature was twice the size of a shadowspawn, its body a writhing mass of shadow and sinew. Glowing red veins pulsed across its form, and its eyes burned like coals. Its jaws were lined with jagged teeth, and its claws gleamed like black iron.
"What is that?" Kael whispered, his voice trembling.
"A shadowbeast," Lyra said, her tone grim. "A corrupted creature, twisted by the Shadow King's magic. They're faster, stronger, and far more dangerous than shadowspawn."
Thorne tightened his grip on his sword. "And they don't go down easy."
The shadowbeast let out a deafening roar and charged, its movements unnervingly fast. Thorne met it head-on, his sword clashing against its claws with a shower of sparks. Lyra raised her staff, chanting under her breath, and bolts of light shot toward the creature, forcing it back.
Kael hesitated, his mind racing. He had barely held his own against the shadowspawn—how was he supposed to fight something like this? But as the shard's light flared in his hand, he felt a surge of determination. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing.
He stepped forward, the glowing sword in his hand. The shadowbeast turned its burning eyes on him, and for a moment, Kael felt a wave of paralyzing fear. But then he remembered Lyra's words: *The shard's power is tied to your will.*
He focused on the energy, willing it to grow stronger. The sword's light intensified, its blade humming with power. The shadowbeast lunged at him, its claws slashing through the air. Kael swung the sword, the blade cutting deep into the creature's side. It let out a pained roar and staggered back, black ichor dripping from the wound.
"Good hit!" Thorne shouted, moving to flank the creature. "Keep it distracted!"
Kael nodded, his confidence growing. He swung the sword again, the blade cutting through the shadowbeast's arm. The creature howled in rage, its movements becoming more erratic. Lyra unleashed another barrage of magic, her spells striking the creature with pinpoint accuracy.
But the shadowbeast wasn't done yet. With a sudden burst of speed, it slammed into Thorne, sending him flying into a tree. He hit the ground with a grunt, his sword slipping from his grasp. The creature turned its attention to Lyra, its claws raised for a killing blow.
"No!" Kael shouted, charging forward. He swung the sword with all his strength, the blade cutting through the shadowbeast's neck. The creature let out one last, guttural roar before collapsing into a pool of shadow and ichor.
Kael stood over the creature, his chest heaving. The sword's light flickered and faded, leaving him holding a crude, unfinished blade. He dropped it to the ground, his hands trembling.
Thorne groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, clutching his side. "Not bad, boy. Not bad at all."
Lyra walked over, her expression a mix of relief and concern. "Are you hurt?"
Kael shook his head, though his legs felt like they might give out at any moment. "I'm fine. But… what if there are more of those things?"
"There will be," Lyra said, her voice grim. "The Shadow King won't stop until he has the shard—and you."
Thorne picked up his sword and sheathed it. "Then we'd better keep moving. We need to find the next shard before he does."
Kael looked down at the shard in his hand, its light still glowing faintly. "Where do we even start?"
Lyra's expression softened, just a little. "We start with the legends. The shards were scattered across Aeloria, hidden in places of power. If we can decipher the clues, we might be able to find the next one."
Kael nodded, though the weight of the task ahead felt overwhelming. He had barely survived his first real battle, and already the stakes were higher than ever. But as he looked at Lyra and Thorne, he felt a flicker of hope. He wasn't alone in this.
"Let's go," he said, his voice steady. "We've got a Crown to rebuild."