The Awakening

Aerylin awoke to a throbbing pain in her head. The world around her was dark, but the rhythmic lapping of water and the distant cries of birds told her she was near the moon river still. Groaning, she pushed herself up from the cold ground, her body aching from the impact. For a moment, she struggled to remember what had happened, but then the memory rushed back—Nerida collapsing, the guardian's roar, and the earth-shattering strike that had knocked her unconscious.

"Nerida…"

Her voice was hoarse as she called out, scanning the area around her. The silver glow of the moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale light over the twisted landscape. The once-vibrant shore was now marred by deep gouges in the earth where the guardian's tail had struck. In the distance, she could make out Shiku's figure, standing watch, his sword still drawn, glinting in the moonlight.

"Nerida!" Aerylin called again, panic rising in her chest as she searched for her friend.

A weak groan answered her, and she spun toward the sound. There, half-buried under rubble and dirt, was Nerida. She lay motionless, her staff knocked away and her face pale as the moon itself.

Aerylin rushed to her side, heart pounding in her ears. "Nerida, hold on." She pulled at the debris, frantically uncovering her friend. Nerida's breathing was shallow, her eyelids fluttering, but she was alive. Relief washed over Aerylin, but it was fleeting. The corruption they had fought against had taken hold, and time was running out.

"Nerida…" Aerylin whispered, cradling her head. "Stay with me, we need to leave this place."

Just then, Shiku appeared beside her. He knelt, quickly assessing Nerida's condition, his expression unreadable. "We need to move. The guardian might return."

Aerylin nodded but hesitated. "What about the river? The corruption is spreading faster. If we leave now, it might be too late."

Shiku stood, eyes scanning the horizon. "If we die here, it won't matter."

He was right, but it felt like failure. Everything they had fought for, everything Nerida had risked—it couldn't end like this. Still, there was no choice. They had to retreat, regroup, and find another way to stop the darkness.

With Shiku's help, Aerylin lifted Nerida to her feet, the weight of her friend feeling heavier than it should. As they stumbled away from the shore, the moon river remained eerily still, the surface barely rippling now as if the chaos of the earlier battle had left it in a grim silence.

They walked in tense quiet for what felt like hours, the twisted forms of the corrupted creatures seeming to lurk in every shadow. The familiar woods felt foreign, the once vibrant forest now withering under the influence of the dark magic that tainted the land.

Eventually, they reached a small clearing, the trees forming a natural barrier against whatever was out there. Shiku lowered Nerida to the ground, his expression somber. "We can rest here. Just for a moment."

Aerylin knelt beside Nerida, brushing the dirt from her friend's face. "She's getting worse," she murmured, her voice tight with worry. "We need to heal her."

Shiku glanced at her. "You know that might not be possible. The corruption… it's inside her now."

Aerylin's heart sank. She refused to believe that there was no way to help Nerida. "There has to be a way. The moon river's magic—it's still there. If we could purify it, maybe…"

"Maybe," Shiku interrupted gently, "but we're not in any shape to do that now."

Aerylin clenched her fists, anger bubbling inside her. "I won't give up on her, Shiku. Not after everything she's done."

Shiku sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know. But we need time. We need to regroup, gather our strength, and find the source of this corruption."

As if on cue, Nerida stirred, her eyes fluttering open. Aerylin leaned over her, relief and fear warring inside her. "Nerida? Can you hear me?"

Nerida's gaze was unfocused, but she managed a weak nod. "Aerylin… the guardian…"

"Don't worry about that now," Aerylin said, her voice gentle. "We got away. You're safe."

But Nerida shook her head weakly, her voice hoarse and strained. "No… you don't understand. The guardian… it's not the source. It's… something deeper."

Aerylin's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Nerida's eyes flickered with pain, but she forced the words out. "The corruption… it's not just in the river. It's in the land. In the people. The guardian was trying to protect the river, but it's been infected too… from the inside."

Shiku crouched down, listening intently. "The inside? Of the temple?"

Nerida nodded slowly, her breathing labored. "The heart of the corruption… is inside the temple. Beneath it, in the old ruins."

Aerylin's stomach churned. The ancient temple had always been a sacred place, where the most powerful magic in their world was said to reside. If that magic had been tainted, then everything they knew could be lost. "How do you know this?"

Nerida's eyes met hers, filled with sorrow. "I saw it… in the river. The magic… it showed me."

Aerylin exchanged a worried glance with Shiku. The revelation was terrifying, but it also gave them a direction—somewhere to go, something to fight. If the source of the corruption lay beneath the temple, then that's where they would have to go.

"Then we have no choice," Shiku said grimly. "We need to reach the temple and stop whatever is feeding this corruption."

Aerylin nodded, her heart pounding with both fear and determination. "But first, we need to get Nerida somewhere safe."

Shiku stood, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the forest around them. "The village is too far. But there's an old healer in the mountains. If anyone can help, it's him."

Aerylin nodded. She'd heard of the healer before—a reclusive elder who lived in the high cliffs, known for his deep knowledge of ancient magic. It was a long shot, but it was the best chance they had.

Together, they helped Nerida to her feet again, their resolve hardening as they set off toward the mountains. The path ahead was uncertain, but they knew one thing for sure: they were now racing against time.

The shadows were growing, and if they didn't stop the corruption soon, it would consume everything.