The Gathering Shadows

The sun dipped behind the jagged peaks as Eryndor and Kaelith descended the mountain, the weight of the relics heavy on Eryndor's back. Though the dragon had been sealed once more, the silence that followed felt unnatural like the calm before a storm.

Kaelith broke the quiet, her breath visible in the frigid air. "So… what now? We just keep walking and hope the world doesn't burn beneath us?"

Eryndor didn't answer immediately. His cursed arm still pulsed faintly, the flames subdued but not gone. The veil hadn't fully healed, and he could feel something pressing against it the shadows lingering beyond.

"No," he said finally. "We head east. There's one place left that might have answers."

Kaelith raised an eyebrow. "East? You mean the ruins at Varren's Hollow?"

Eryndor nodded. "The last records of the veil's creation are there. If the dragon isn't the only thing trying to break through, I need to know what else is coming."

Kaelith adjusted her cloak, muttering, "You know, for once I'd like to visit a place that isn't a ruin full of things trying to kill us."

They pressed on, following the winding path that cut through the snow-covered forest. The trees loomed overhead, their branches skeletal in the fading light. Kaelith stayed close, her hand resting on her dagger as the shadows thickened around them.

Eryndor's gaze shifted, scanning the treeline. The forest was too quiet no wind, no animals, nothing but the sound of their footsteps.

Kaelith's voice lowered. "You feel it too, don't you?"

Eryndor's cursed arm flared softly. "We're being followed."

Kaelith sighed, loosening her dagger. "Great. More shadows?"

"Not shadows," Eryndor said grimly.

A soft crunch of snow echoed from behind them. Kaelith spun, dagger raised, but nothing appeared.

Then a figure stepped out from the trees.

It wasn't one of the shadow creatures or another warden. The man wore dark traveling clothes, a long cloak draped over his shoulders, and a silver crest glinting at his chest the mark of the royal court.

Kaelith narrowed her eyes. "Who the hell are you?"

The man raised his hands slightly, showing he wasn't armed. "My name is Elias. I've been sent by the crown to track the Flamebearer." His gaze shifted to Eryndor. "Which I believe is you."

Eryndor lowered his sword slightly but didn't let his guard drop. "Why is the crown interested in me now?"

Elias stepped closer, his expression serious. "Because the king believes the veil won't hold. He's seen the signs cracks forming across the land, shadows creeping into villages. He believes the dragon's stirring is only the beginning."

Kaelith crossed her arms. "And what? The king suddenly wants to help now that the end of the world is knocking?"

Elias met her gaze calmly. "The king doesn't want to help. He wants to use the relics to strengthen the veil but at a cost."

Eryndor's eyes narrowed. "What cost?"

Elias hesitated, his expression grim. "The crown believes that to fully bind the veil… the Flamebearer must be sacrificed."

Kaelith tensed, stepping protectively in front of Eryndor. "That's not happening."

Eryndor's grip on his sword tightened. "If the king thinks I'm just going to walk willingly to my death, he's wrong."

Elias sighed. "I told him you'd say that. But the shadows are growing stronger. The relics may not hold much longer."

Kaelith scowled. "We'll find another way. Eryndor's not dying to fix someone else's mistakes."

Eryndor glanced at Elias, his cursed arm pulsing faintly. "If the king tries to come for the relics, tell him this I'll burn anyone who stands in my way."

Elias held his gaze for a long moment before nodding slowly. "I'll deliver the message. But be careful, Flamebearer. You may fear the shadows… but men are capable of worse."

With that, Elias turned and disappeared back into the trees, leaving nothing but the faint imprint of his footsteps behind.

Kaelith watched him go, shaking her head. "I really hate royal politics."

Eryndor smirked faintly. "You're not the only one."

But even as the humor faded, Eryndor's thoughts lingered on Elias's warning.

The crown wasn't just watching him. They were waiting for him to fall.

And if the shadows didn't take him first, the king's men might.