The road ahead was not paved with destiny. It was carved with blood, betrayal, and the choices of those who thought they could outrun fate.
Under the Black Sun, shadows moved faster than the wind, and the first true battle had begun.
---
The Chase Begins
Kaelen and Lirien rode hard through the twisting forest path, the capital of Valdris now far behind them. The night air was cold, and the trees stretched high, their skeletal branches clawing at the sky.
Kaelen's mind was racing. He had ruled from the safety of marble halls, given orders from golden thrones. Now he was in the dirt, a fugitive from his own empire. And worst of all, he could feel something watching them.
He stole a glance at Lirien, who rode beside him, her face set in grim determination. She had felt it too.
"Tell me the truth," he said. "Are we being followed?"
Lirien didn't answer at first. Then, after a long pause, she whispered, "Yes."
Kaelen cursed under his breath. "Who?"
Lirien tightened her grip on the reins. "Not who. What."
Then the first arrow struck.
It slammed into the tree beside Kaelen's head, quivering in the bark. He barely had time to react before another whistled through the air, grazing his shoulder.
"Ride!" Lirien shouted.
They surged forward, their horses tearing through the underbrush. Behind them, the sound of hooves and the low growl of something inhuman filled the air.
Kaelen drew his sword. "Can you fight them?"
Lirien's eyes flashed. "Magic will only draw more of them. We have to run."
Kaelen gritted his teeth. He hated running. But she was right.
Not yet. Not here.
They thundered down the path, but the pursuers were gaining.
And then, suddenly, Lirien yanked her horse to the side. "This way!"
Kaelen barely had time to react before she vanished into the trees.
Damn it. He turned sharply, following her off the path.
Branches whipped past them, thorns scraping against his arms, but Lirien didn't slow. She rode as if she knew exactly where she was going.
And then—suddenly—the ground vanished beneath them.
Kaelen's horse bucked as they plunged into a ravine, the walls of rock closing in. His heart pounded, but somehow, they landed safely in the river below.
The roar of water drowned out the sound of their pursuers.
They had escaped.
For now.
---
The Hunter's Eyes
Far above them, on the ridge overlooking the ravine, a figure stepped forward. Cloaked in darkness, its form flickered between solid and shadow, watching the rushing water below.
It did not speak. It did not need to.
The High Priest's will had been clear.
"Find him."
And it would not fail.
With an unnatural, twisting motion, the shadowed hunter turned and vanished into the night.
The chase was not over.
It had only just begun.
---
A Stranger's Fire
Miles away, Elias sat before a small fire, his blade resting across his knees. His body ached from the battle at the Hollow Keep, but his mind was sharper than ever.
Something was coming.
The Black Sun had risen, and the world had begun to shift. He had no illusions—he was only a man with a sword, and yet somehow, he knew he was meant to be here.
He had left behind the life of a knight, but war had found him again.
He heard a rustle in the trees behind him. He didn't turn. He simply gripped his sword. "Come closer, or walk away," he said, voice steady.
A pause. Then, slowly, a figure stepped into the firelight.
A woman, cloaked in tattered robes, her face half-hidden beneath a hood. Her eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.
Elias studied her. "You're not lost, are you?"
She tilted her head. "No more than you."
Elias nodded. He had expected as much.
"Sit," he said. "Tell me why you're here."
The woman hesitated, then moved closer, her expression unreadable. "I have seen what lies ahead," she murmured. "And I know you will not survive it alone."
Elias let out a slow breath.
He didn't believe in fate. But for the first time, he wondered if fate believed in him.
---
Threads of Fate
Kaelen and Lirien—on the run, barely escaping the High Priest's hunters.
Elias—meeting a woman who may hold answers he desperately needs.
The Hunter—watching, waiting, preparing to strike again.
The Black Sun had not yet reached its peak.
But already, the world was beginning to burn.
Echoes of the Forgotten
Beneath the Black Sun, the world was shifting.
Shadows moved where none should exist. Old powers stirred, whispering through the wind, speaking to those who dared to listen.
But not all who listened survived the knowledge.
---
Fugitives in the Dark
The river had carried them far.
Kaelen coughed as he dragged himself onto the rocky shore, his body aching from the brutal ride and the sudden fall. His fine clothes were torn, his golden brooch lost somewhere in the rushing waters.
Lirien pulled herself up beside him, her breathing heavy but steady. Unlike him, she did not complain. She simply scanned the dark forest ahead, her sharp eyes unreadable.
"They'll follow our trail soon," she said. "We don't have much time."
Kaelen exhaled sharply. "We need rest."
Lirien shook her head. "We need distance."
Kaelen clenched his jaw but knew she was right. If the High Priest had truly sent something after them, stopping meant death.
He forced himself to his feet. "Where to?"
Lirien hesitated. Then, finally, she said, "There's a ruin, deep in the hills. Old magic lingers there. It might hide us."
Kaelen frowned. "Might?"
Lirien smirked. "If you'd rather take your chances here, be my guest."
Kaelen sighed. "Lead the way."
And so, they disappeared into the night, moving deeper into lands where few dared tread.
---
The High Priest's Warning
The throne room of Valdris was silent.
The High Priest stood before the empty golden seat, his hands clasped behind his back. Candles flickered around him, their light casting twisted shadows along the walls.
Before him knelt a figure cloaked in darkness—the Hunter.
"They escaped," the High Priest murmured. "Disappointing."
The Hunter did not move. It had no excuses, no apologies. It existed only to serve.
The High Priest turned slowly. His voice was calm, but something simmered beneath it. "You will find them again."
The Hunter's head lifted slightly. It waited.
The High Priest extended a hand, and the shadows in the room deepened, curling around him like living things. "And this time," he whispered, "do not let them run."
The Hunter vanished into the darkness.
The game was not yet over.
---
The Woman Who Knows
Elias watched the woman carefully.
She sat across from him, her face still half-hidden in her hood, her hands resting near the flames of the fire. Her voice was quiet but steady.
"I have seen what lies ahead," she said again. "And I know you will not survive it alone."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "That so?"
The woman nodded. "You seek answers, Knight of the Hollow Keep. But you are not the only one who does."
Elias tensed. He had not given her his name.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The woman smiled faintly. "One who was warned. One who listened."
Elias frowned. He did not trust riddles. But something in her voice made him hesitate.
"What did you see?"
The woman's smile faded.
"A city burning," she whispered. "A king lost. A shadow that was never meant to walk this world again."
Elias felt a chill run through him.
The Hollow Keep had been only the beginning.
He looked into the flames, his grip tightening around his sword. "Then tell me," he said. "Where do I go next?"
The woman studied him for a long moment. Then, softly, she said,
"You must find the ruins of Caer Thalion."
Elias frowned. "Why?"
The woman exhaled. "Because that is where the Black Sun was born."
---
Threads Weaving Together
Kaelen and Lirien flee toward an ancient ruin, hoping its old magic will hide them.
The High Priest orders the Hunter to strike again—this time, with no mercy.
Elias learns of Caer Thalion, a ruined city that may hold the answers he seeks.
The paths of fate were drawing closer.
And soon, the truth of the Black Sun would be revealed.