Chapter 10: Shadows of Treachery

Saga and Lysandra reached the village, weary but triumphant. The sun had fully risen by the time they emerged into the open, escaping the shadows of the Forest of Shadows. Now, the long, warm rays banked down upon familiar surroundings. Yet there was something in that morning, so full of peace, that did not let Saga's unease depart from his stomach. The retrieved artifact shivered with ill energy, as ever-present in his awareness as the dark power it had held before.

As they advanced through the village, the villagers turned up to get a view of them with a mixture of awe and trepidation. Saga had grown to be somewhat a legendary figure among them—no longer a frail, poor boy but a warrior who had fought monsters and emerged victorious. Earned respect, however, did little to calm his growing tension at heart.

"You've done it, Saga." Lysandra said, breaking the silence. "The artifact's yours, but what now?"

Saga looked down at the small thing he held in his hands. It looked simple, but he got the sense that looks were deceiving and the item was much more than that. "I don't know," he said. "But I can't shake the feeling that something's amiss."

Lysandra's face crumpled in concern. "What are you talking about?"

Before Saga could respond, a hum from the village square stirred their attention. A group of villagers had gathered, their voices raised in alarm. Saga and Lysandra exchanged a glance before hurrying over to see what was happening.

They elbowed their way through the throng, and Saga's heart plummeted. In the center of the square was Aric, the village elder, white-faced and with a face otherwise pinched. At his side stood a man whom Saga recognized only too well—Dorian, a classmate from the university and one of Saga's most bitter rivals.

"What is he doing here?" Saga muttered under his breath.

Dorian's presence was an omen, a dark and terrible portent. The last time they had crossed each other's path, it had ended in a heated duel with Dorian vowing revenge after his defeat. For him to be here now, within Saga's village and surrounded by several other university students, meant trouble.

Aric raised a hand, silencing the murmurs of the crowd. "Saga," he called out, voice wavering. "Come forward.

Reluctantly, Saga moved into the clearing, Lysandra at his side. Dorian's eyes narrowed as he beheld him, a sneer curling his lips.

"Saga," Aric began, his voice heavy with regret, "Dorian has brought serious accusations against you. He accuses you of having stolen a powerful artifact from them at the University, where it rightfully belongs.

Saga felt her blood turn cold. "No, that can't be! I found this in the Forest of Shadows, so technically, this object belongs to no other but the System."

When Dorian stepped forward, his grin widened. "And yet, by your mistake, you have failed to see this object once belonged to the university, lost in the forest for centuries. In your hand, you now hold the evidence of theft, and under this university's law, you must return it.

Lysandra hand went to her weapon, flashing anger with her eyes. "That's ridiculous! Saga went to hell and back to get that artifact. The university has no right to it."

But Dorian only smiled a little wider. "The law is the law. If Saga refuses to return the artifact, he will be kicked out of the university and declared an enemy of the state."

Saga felt the anger surge hurriedly up in him. He could feel it; Dorian was lying—he could see it. This was just another ruse to undercut him, to take away the power that he had so painstakingly built for himself. But the villagers were looking more at him, as if unsure; doubt danced in their eyes. Even Aric seemed unsure just what to believe.

"I won't give it away," Saga said, his voice not transmitting in the least the turmoil of his heart. "This artifact is bound with the System. It becomes my duty to protect it and use the power inside for the good of the world."

Dorian's expression darkened. "Then you leave me no choice."

He gestured to them, and they moved forward, drawing weapons. The villagers were shocked, stepping back, making an open wide circle around Saga and Lysandra. The feeling was extremely tense, and Saga knew no way but to fight.

"Lysandra, stay back," Saga whispered. "This is my fight."

But Lysandra shook her head. "No, Saga. We're in this together."

Dorian's laughter resounded across the square. "How noble. But that will not save you."

With a flick of steel and the flare of magic, the battle erupted. Saga was quick and precise, parrying Dorian's strikes and striking back with mighty blows. Lysandra engaged the rest of the students, her blade a blur as she fought to keep them at bay.

But Dorian had long enrolled in the fight, his hatred for Saga fueling his attacks. He attacked with that relentless kind of ferocity, which Saga had seldom met, intent with every blow to kill. The audience was watching in silence mixed with horror as the two combatants clashed: The land below them shook from the sheer power of their attacks.

Saga could feel the System guiding him, its power flowing through him while he fought, but Dorian would not give up. He was pressing Saga with all his might, not letting him go. The beading sweat ran down Saga's brow, as his moves grew harder and harder with every moment passing.

Before he could even act, in a light too blindingly fast to see, Dorian's blade met home. Saga felt what should have been a scorching burst of pain along his side as the sword cut through flesh, but he only staggered backwards.

Dorian stood over Saga, his gaze filled with the light of triumph. "It's over, Saga. You should have known better than to challenge me."

But then the darkness did not fall; could not fall. Saga reached down into himself, deep, calling upon last forces of strength he had. The System responded, activated the last powerful thrust in a final, desperate attempt to save him.

With a roar, Saga ignited a wave of energy with the force of sending Dorian backwards. A force so sharp that it shattered the ground under them sent waves through the square. The villagers cried out in terror with the quaking earth, and the students were knocked from their feet.

Dorian hit the ground, scraping his way along before finally coming to a stop. The elven mage grunted in pain as he tried to find his footing, but the blast had taken its due. His body shook with fatigue as his sword slid out of his hands.

Saga staggered to his feet; the wound in his side bled freely. The artifact in his hand blazed with power; the System's power coursed through him like a heartbeat.

"This isn't over, Dorian," Saga replied with a low, determined voice. "I won't let you or anyone else take what I've earned. The System chose me, and I will see this through to the end."

Dorian's glare could have scorched the flames off Saga. But he was about to reply when a voice bellowed from the crowd.

"Enough!"

It was Aric, the village elder, his face ashen but holding firm. He stepped out, hands raised, showing that he had no intention to fight.

"Saga," he addressed in a voice as steady as he could muster. "You've proven yourself to be strong and you have guts. But this battle is breaking our village. We cannot take losing any more lives.

Saga looked around, reading the fear and uncertainty in the villagers' eyes, and he accepted it: for now, Aric's judgment was right; this fight already had gone far enough.

He slowly lowered his weapon, the glow of the artifact fading. Beside him, Dorian stared with a mix of rage and disbelief, but he too lowered his hands. His followers reluctantly followed suit.

"This isn't over, Saga," Dorian spit, and there was poison in his voice. "You may have won today, but I will see you fall. The university will not forget this."

He turned and stalked away, his followers trailing after him. The villagers parted to let them pass, washing over themselves with relief as tension really began to fall apart.

Saga watched them go, and his entire body seemed to hurt from just standing there. Lysandra was at his side in an instant, her eyes filling with concern.

"Saga, are you okay?"

He nodded, even though the pain in his side was proving otherwise. "I'll be fine," he professed, but rather weakly. "But Dorian won't stop. This was only the beginning."

Lysandra scrunched her face, her hand coming down on his shoulder. "Then we shall be prepared. No matter what comes our way, we will face it together."

Saga was able to give her a weak smile, thankful for her resolute morale-boost. However, deep in his heart, he knew it was going to keep getting more dangerous from there on out. The System had chosen him for a reason, and that artifact was nothing but a double-edged sword.

Gradually, the villagers started to leave the area, and Saga and Lysandra halted beside Aric, who waited for them. He greeted them with a combination of relief and concern in his expression.

"Saga," he began, his words bearing the tone of what had transpired during the day. "Thank you for coming to our aid to protect the village. But I'm afraid that your quest isn't nearly complete."

Saga nodded, jaw tight. "I know, Aric. But it's not going to deter me. Dorian or anyone, for that matter. The System has given me a purpose, and I am going to see it through."

Aric placed a hand on Saga's shoulder, his expression grave. "Then you must be very careful, my boy. The path you walk is fraught with danger, and the enemies you face will let nothing befall their resolve to bring you down.

Saga met the elder's gaze, determination burning in his eyes. "I understand.