Echoes Of Maldoria

The deeper they ventured into the forest, the more the air changed. It grew heavier, colder, as though the trees themselves carried the weight of something ancient and long forgotten. Aralyn couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, though every time she turned, there was nothing but the shifting shadows of the trees.

Kael moved ahead silently, scanning their surroundings with practiced precision. Aralyn clutched the medallion tightly, its faint hum reverberating through her chest like a second heartbeat. Every so often, it pulsed, sending a ripple of warmth through her hand. She felt it urging her onward, though she had no idea where it was leading.

"I still don't understand why this thing is doing this," she said, breaking the silence.

Kael glanced over his shoulder. "The medallion is connected to Maldoria. It's ancient magic, probably the last of its kind. It's reacting to you because…" He hesitated, then sighed. "Because you're tied to Maldoria's bloodline."

Aralyn stumbled, nearly tripping over a root. "Wait, what?"

Kael stopped and turned to face her. "You're not just some random village girl, Aralyn. The medallion wouldn't have chosen you otherwise. It only responds to the bloodline of Maldoria's rulers."

"That's impossible," she said, shaking her head. "My father was a blacksmith. My mother was…" Her voice faltered. She barely remembered her mother, who had died when she was a child.

"Your father probably kept the truth from you to keep you safe," Kael said, his voice softer now. "If the Shadowborn knew who you were, they would've come for you a long time ago."

Aralyn's head spun. The weight of the medallion suddenly felt unbearable. "So what? I'm supposed to be some lost princess of a dead kingdom?"

"Not just a kingdom," Kael said, his tone firm. "Maldoria was the heart of the world's magic. Its rulers were its guardians, tasked with protecting the balance of power. When Maldoria fell, magic started to disappear. The Shadowborn want to finish the job—to snuff it out completely and remake the world in their image."

Aralyn stared at him, struggling to process his words. She had always dismissed the stories about Maldoria as fairy tales, the kind of myths old men told by the fire to entertain children. But now…

"What happened to it?" she asked quietly.

Kael hesitated, his gaze drifting to the trees. "No one knows the full truth. Some say Maldoria's rulers grew greedy, using the Heart of Aether—the kingdom's source of power—for themselves instead of the world. Others claim the Shadowborn corrupted it. Whatever happened, the Heart shattered, and Maldoria crumbled. Its people scattered, its cities turned to ruins."

"And the Shadowborn?"

"They didn't disappear like Maldoria did," Kael said grimly. "They've been hiding in the shadows ever since, waiting for their chance to rise again. That medallion? It's the key to finding the Heart of Aether. With it, you can restore Maldoria's power. But if they get it first…"

Aralyn swallowed hard. "Then it's over."

Kael nodded. "Exactly."

They pressed on, the forest growing darker and more oppressive with every step. Aralyn tried to focus on Kael's words, but her mind kept drifting to the vision the medallion had shown her—the golden city, the towering tree, the waterfalls that shimmered with light. Could Maldoria really be more than a myth?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden chill that swept through the air. The medallion pulsed sharply, its glow flickering like a warning.

"Kael," she said, her voice low.

"I know," he replied, drawing his sword. "We're not alone."

The shadows around them seemed to move, shifting unnaturally. Aralyn gripped her dagger, her heart pounding. From the darkness, a low, guttural growl echoed through the trees.

"Shadowborn," Kael muttered.

The first figure emerged from the shadows, its form humanoid but twisted. Its skin was ashen, its eyes glowing faintly red, and its fingers ended in sharp, claw-like tips. Behind it, more emerged, their movements unnervingly fluid, as if they were part of the shadows themselves.

Aralyn's grip on her dagger tightened. "What do we do?"

"Stay close to me," Kael said, his voice steady. "And whatever you do, don't let them touch you."

One of the creatures lunged at them, its claws slicing through the air. Kael met it head-on, his sword flashing as he parried the attack and struck it down in a single motion. The creature dissolved into black smoke, but two more took its place.

Aralyn's instincts kicked in as another Shadowborn lunged at her. She ducked under its claws and slashed upward with her dagger, the blade biting into its arm. The creature hissed, recoiling, but before it could strike again, the medallion flared brightly.

A surge of energy erupted from the medallion, knocking the creature backward and disintegrating it into smoke. Aralyn staggered, the force of the magic leaving her breathless.

Kael glanced at her, his expression a mix of surprise and approval. "Looks like the medallion's more useful than I thought."

"Less talking, more fighting!" she shot back, her confidence growing.

The battle was chaotic, but eventually, the Shadowborn began to retreat, their forms melting back into the darkness. Kael wiped his blade clean and turned to Aralyn.

"They'll be back," he said grimly.

Aralyn nodded, her hand still clutching the medallion. "Then we need to keep moving."

As they continued through the forest, the medallion's glow steadied, its hum a constant reminder of the path ahead. Aralyn's fear was still there, but now it was joined by something else—resolve.

For the first time, she understood what was at stake. Maldoria wasn't just a lost kingdom or a forgotten legend. It was a chance to restore balance to the world. And somehow, she was at the center of it all.