The forest felt quieter as Ravenna and Damien made their way back to the path. It wasn't the comforting kind of silence, but the unnerving stillness of being watched. Ravenna clutched the key tightly in her hand, her heart thudding in her chest.
"Do you think this key belongs to the castle I saw in the visions?" Ravenna asked, her voice cutting through the stillness.
Damien glanced over his shoulder at her. "It's possible. Keys usually have a purpose, and if the pendant led us here, then it must mean something."
Ravenna nodded, her thoughts swirling. She could still see flashes of the castle in her mind—the towering spires, the darkened corridors, and the figure cloaked in shadows. It felt familiar, yet so far away.
As they walked, the moon began to rise, its silver light piercing through the canopy above. The glow gave the forest an ethereal quality, casting long shadows that danced with the movement of the trees.
"I don't like this," Damien muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "It's too quiet."
Before Ravenna could respond, the sound of rustling leaves caught their attention. She froze, her eyes darting toward the source of the noise.
"Stay close to me," Damien said, his voice low.
Ravenna obeyed, gripping the key in one hand and the pendant in the other. The rustling grew louder, and a moment later, a figure stepped out from the shadows.
It was a man, tall and lean, with pale skin that seemed to glow in the moonlight. His eyes were a piercing shade of gold, and his smile was unnerving.
"Well, well," the man said, his voice smooth and dripping with malice. "What do we have here? A little human and her protector, wandering where they don't belong."
Damien stepped forward, placing himself between Ravenna and the stranger. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
The man chuckled, his fangs glinting as he stepped closer. "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that she," he pointed a long, slender finger at Ravenna, "has something that doesn't belong to her."
Ravenna tightened her grip on the pendant, her heart racing. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, but you do," the man said, his smile widening. "That pendant, and now the key… You're playing with forces you don't understand, little girl."
Damien drew his blade, the steel catching the moonlight. "If you think you're taking anything from her, you'll have to go through me."
The man's smile faltered for a moment, and his golden eyes narrowed. "You're brave, I'll give you that. But bravery won't save you."
With a sudden burst of speed, the man lunged toward them. Damien was ready, his blade flashing as he swung at the attacker. The two clashed, the sound of metal against flesh echoing through the forest.
"Run!" Damien shouted, but Ravenna stood frozen, her eyes locked on the fight.
The man was fast, almost inhumanly so, but Damien held his ground, his movements precise and calculated. The stranger snarled, his fangs bared as he tried to overpower Damien, but the warrior was relentless.
Finally, with a powerful strike, Damien drove his blade into the man's chest. The stranger let out a guttural cry before collapsing to the ground.
Damien turned to Ravenna, his chest heaving. "Are you okay?"
Ravenna nodded, though her hands trembled. "Who was he?"
"I don't know," Damien said, his voice grim. "But whoever he was, he's not working alone. We need to keep moving."
Ravenna glanced at the body on the ground, a shiver running down her spine. She could feel the weight of the key in her pouch and the warmth of the pendant against her skin. Whatever was waiting for them, she knew it was only the beginning.
"Let's go," she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest.
Damien nodded, and together they disappeared into the shadows of the forest, the moonlight guiding their path.