Chapter 15: The Harbinger’s Mark

The road ahead stretched into the horizon, a jagged path carved through withered forests and broken ruins. Kael walked in silence, his mind still lingering on the events within the temple. The Hollow Pact had been a test—one he had barely escaped. But the questions it left behind gnawed at him.

Why had the temple sealed itself? What force had created the Pact in the first place? And more importantly, why had the shard warned him against it?

His hand instinctively brushed against the fragment embedded in his palm. It was warm, pulsing faintly beneath his skin. Ever since he had shattered the crystalline sphere, the shard had been… different. More aware.

"This world is not as it seems," the voice within whispered. "And you are not yet ready to understand its truth."

Kael's fingers curled into a fist. He was tired of riddles.

A distant howl cut through the night air, breaking his thoughts. He halted, muscles tensing. The sound was guttural, unnatural, like something struggling to maintain its shape.

Kael moved off the main path, ducking behind the remains of a fallen statue. He crouched low, slowing his breathing. The underbrush rustled ahead, and then—

A figure emerged.

The creature stood on two legs, but it was no man. Its flesh writhed as though something beneath it was trying to push its way out. Its arms were too long, ending in jagged claws that twitched with restless energy. Its head was featureless save for a single, gaping maw stretching from ear to ear.

Kael remained still, watching.

The creature tilted its head, sniffing the air.

Then, without warning, it turned and sprinted toward the ruins ahead, its limbs jerking unnaturally with every step.

Kael exhaled, rising from his hiding spot.

That wasn't a beast.

It was something else.

Something cursed.

And it was heading toward civilization.

---

The town of Black Hollow loomed in the distance, its outskirts littered with wooden barricades and hastily constructed defenses. Kael could see torches burning along the walls, the guards stationed there keeping watch over the darkened plains beyond.

By the time he arrived at the gates, the tension in the air was palpable.

"You there, hold!"

Kael raised a hand in peace as two guards stepped forward, their hands hovering over their weapons.

"I'm just passing through," Kael said evenly.

The older guard narrowed his eyes. "No one passes through Black Hollow without a reason. Not with the disappearances happening."

Kael frowned. "Disappearances?"

The second guard, younger and more anxious, shifted uneasily. "People have been vanishing at night. No bodies. No signs of struggle. Just… gone."

Kael exchanged a glance with the older man. "And you haven't seen anything strange?"

The older guard hesitated. "Some say the shadows move when no one's looking. Others talk about hearing whispers in the fog."

Kael's mind flashed back to the creature he had seen.

He had a feeling it wasn't a coincidence.

The older guard sighed. "If you really want in, you'll need to speak with Captain Varik. He's handling the situation."

Kael nodded. "Fine."

The gates groaned open, and Kael stepped inside.

The air in Black Hollow was thick with fear. People moved in hushed voices, their eyes darting to the streets as if expecting something to lunge from the darkness. The town itself was sturdy, built of stone and iron, but there was an underlying sense of fragility.

Kael moved with purpose, making his way toward the captain's quarters. He could feel it—the weight of something unseen pressing down on the town.

This wasn't just paranoia.

Something was watching.

---

Captain Varik was a broad-shouldered man with tired eyes and a scar running down his left cheek. He sat behind a cluttered desk, scanning a worn map marked with red ink.

Kael barely had time to introduce himself before Varik gestured for him to sit.

"You came at a bad time, stranger," Varik said gruffly. "Unless you're here to help."

Kael leaned forward. "Tell me everything."

Varik exhaled, rubbing his temple. "It started a week ago. People disappearing without a trace. No bodies. No signs of struggle. Just gone."

Kael nodded. "I heard as much at the gate."

Varik's gaze sharpened. "Then what you don't know is that a few of them came back."

Kael's blood ran cold. "Explain."

Varik gestured to the door. "See for yourself."

Kael followed Varik through the dimly lit corridors until they reached a locked chamber. Two guards stood outside, their expressions grim. Varik produced a key and turned the lock.

The door creaked open.

Inside, sitting on the floor, was a man. Or rather, what used to be a man.

His skin was pale, almost translucent, with veins of black corruption twisting beneath the surface. His eyes were hollow, unfocused. His mouth moved, but no words came out—only an eerie, gurgling whisper.

Kael took a cautious step forward. "Who is he?"

"His name was Garrin," Varik said. "A hunter. Went missing three nights ago. Turned up at the edge of town this morning… like this."

Kael studied Garrin closely. The corruption in his veins pulsed, shifting ever so slightly.

Then, without warning, Garrin's eyes snapped to Kael.

A violent whisper filled the room.

"…The Harbinger… the Harbinger comes…"

Kael's heart pounded. "What did you say?"

Garrin's head tilted at an unnatural angle, his jaw trembling.

"…He marks… the chosen… He takes… the forgotten…"

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, Garrin's body spasmed. The black veins surged violently, and before anyone could react, his form collapsed.

Not like a man dying.

Like something unraveling.

Within seconds, Garrin was gone, his body dissolving into nothing but a faint, dark mist that dispersed into the air.

Silence filled the chamber.

Kael exhaled, his grip on his sword tightening.

"Captain," he said quietly. "You're dealing with something far worse than missing people."

Varik swallowed hard. "What are we dealing with?"

Kael turned toward the door, his expression grim.

"The Harbinger."

And whatever it was—it had already begun its hunt.

---

End of Chapter 15