The Unfinished Battle

The silence after Aria's vision was deafening. The ruins still hummed with ancient magic, the warnings etched into the walls echoing in her mind. Something hunted the old group… and it may still be watching.

She turned to the others, pulse steady, thoughts racing. "We have to find them," she said, her voice stronger than she felt. "If even one of them is alive, they might know where my mother is."

Finn exhaled sharply. "Assuming they want to be found."

Kael crossed his arms. "Or assuming they're not already—"

"Don't say it," Lyric cut in, shaking her head. "We've had enough ghosts for one night."

Quinn, who had been studying the ruins quietly, finally spoke. "There's one lead we can't ignore." He gestured to a name carved into the stone, barely visible under the dust of time.

Sorin Valcrane.

A name that had faded from history.

Tracking Sorin wasn't easy. From what little Finn's mother had revealed, the former warrior had gone into isolation years ago, vanishing from the world after the group disbanded. But if anyone knew what happened to the others—if anyone knew how to find Celeste—it was him.

Their search led them deep into the Veilwood, a forest untouched by time. The air felt heavier here, charged with an energy that made Aria's skin prickle. The deeper they ventured, the more it became clear that this was no ordinary place.

It felt watched.

Every crunch of leaves underfoot, every rustle in the canopy above sent tension through their group. Kael kept a hand on his sword, eyes scanning their surroundings. Finn muttered a protection spell under his breath, the faintest golden glow wrapping around them.

Then, as they reached the heart of the woods, they found it.

A fortress—abandoned but standing. Vines curled over its stone walls, its gates weathered with age. But it was not empty.

The moment they stepped forward, a presence made itself known.

A blade appeared at Kael's throat before anyone could react.

"Not another step."

The voice was low, rough, and unyielding.

Sorin Valcrane.

He stood before them, a figure carved from shadows and war. His long, silver-streaked hair was tied back, his sharp eyes piercing through them like a blade. He was older now, his once-golden armor now dulled with time, but the power in his stance had not faded.

Aria steadied her breath. "We need your help."

Sorin didn't lower his sword. "Then you've come to the wrong person."

They sat around a dying fire inside the fortress ruins, but there was no warmth in the air. Sorin had allowed them to stay, but his expression remained closed, unreadable.

"You're wasting your time," he said. "The past is better left where it belongs."

Aria clenched her fists. "My mother is alive. And if there's a chance we can find her—"

Sorin's gaze darkened. "You don't understand, girl. Some things aren't meant to be found."

Finn leaned forward, his voice tight with frustration. "That's easy for you to say. You vanished after everything fell apart. Meanwhile, the rest of us are still dealing with the mess you all left behind."

Sorin's expression flickered—just for a moment. A crack in the armor.

Kael narrowed his eyes. "What happened back then? Why did your group fall apart?"

Silence stretched between them. Then, finally, Sorin spoke.

"We were powerful together. Too powerful." His voice was laced with something unreadable. Regret? Guilt? "The more we uncovered, the more dangerous it became. Something was hunting us, waiting for us to make a mistake. When we did, it tore us apart."

Aria's heart pounded. "What was it?"

Sorin hesitated. "A force we didn't understand. And one that you don't want to face."

Before anyone could press him further, the air suddenly turned cold.

The fire flickered—then died.

A pulse of magic rippled through the ruins.

Kael was already reaching for his sword when the first wave of enemies emerged from the shadows.

Dark figures cloaked in crimson, their weapons glowing with eerie light. They moved like specters, silent but deadly.

Sorin rose instantly, his blade drawn. "Damn it."

Aria barely had time to react before one of them lunged at her. She twisted, dodging the strike, her instincts flaring to life. Around her, the others engaged in battle—Kael clashing against two opponents at once, Lyric casting protective barriers, Finn's magic flaring with raw energy.

Sorin fought like a storm.

For a man who had long abandoned war, he moved like it had never left him. His strikes were precise, lethal—his blade cutting through the darkness as if he had been waiting for this moment.

But they were outnumbered.

And then—

A piercing shriek split the air.

A figure descended from the sky, shrouded in black mist. Not a soldier. Not an assassin.

Something worse.

Aria barely had time to register its presence before a force slammed into her chest, sending her flying backward.

Pain exploded through her ribs as she hit the ground, gasping.

Through the haze of battle, she saw it.

A creature—humanoid in shape, but wrong in every way. Its eyes burned with violet fire, its body shifting like a shadow given form. It moved with unnatural grace, its attention locked on her.

It spoke.

"The Seeker must not reach the truth."

A wave of dark energy erupted from its hands.

Aria braced herself—

But the blast never hit her.

A figure stepped between them, sword raised.

Sorin.

His blade clashed against the creature's attack, the impact sending a shockwave through the ruins. For a brief moment, he held it back—then, with a surge of power, he forced it away.

The creature let out an inhuman screech before vanishing into the shadows.

The remaining enemies, sensing the tide had turned, retreated as quickly as they had arrived.

The battle had ended, but the damage was done.

Sorin stood in the aftermath, his breath uneven, his grip tight around his sword.

Aria pushed herself up, wincing. "What was that thing?"

Sorin hesitated. Then, he turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"It's what comes next."

Her blood ran cold.

Sorin took a step back, his decision already made. "I can't go with you."

Finn scoffed. "Seriously? After all that?"

Sorin's eyes darkened. "I'm not the man I used to be. But I will tell you this—if you want to find Celeste, find him first."

Quinn frowned. "Who?"

Sorin hesitated—then, quietly, he said the name.

A name that had been long forgotten.

A name that sent a chill down Aria's spine.

Then—before anyone could stop him—Sorin vanished into the shadows.

Leaving them with more questions than answers.

And a new name to chase.