Eyes in the Dark

The system notification lingers in my vision, its glowing text confirming what my instincts already knew—someone is watching. My grip tightens on my spear as I scan the treeline, but I don't see anything yet. Whoever—or whatever—it is, they're staying just outside my line of sight.

Gorak watches me carefully, arms crossed. "Something wrong?"

I glance at him, debating how much to reveal. He's loyal, at least for now, but the tribe is still new under my control. I need to handle this carefully.

"Something is near the perimeter," I say finally. "Watching us."

The former goblin champion's expression hardens. His hand drifts toward the hilt of a crude dagger strapped to his side. "Enemy?"

"Unknown." I keep my voice steady, eyes never leaving the trees. "Could be another scouting party. Could be something else entirely."

Gorak exhales through his nose, then turns to one of the nearby goblins. "Gather warriors. Tell them to be ready."

The goblin nods and dashes off, leaving just the two of us standing at the edge of the clearing.

A low wind rustles the leaves, carrying the scent of damp earth and distant smoke. The unease in my gut tightens. Whoever is out there hasn't moved, but they also haven't run. That means one of two things—they're either planning something, or they're waiting to see what we do first.

I raise my voice. "I know you're out there."

For a long moment, nothing happens.

Then, just as I'm about to speak again, a shape steps from the shadows.

It's humanoid, tall but lean, moving with an unnatural smoothness. The figure is wrapped in tattered dark cloth, a hood covering most of its face. Even from this distance, I can tell its eyes are sharp and alert, scanning everything—me, Gorak, the camp. It's assessing, just like I am.

A new notification pings in my system.

[New Entity Detected: Unknown Humanoid]

Threat Level: Uncertain

Status: Observing

I take a slow step forward, keeping my spear relaxed at my side but ready if necessary. "You've been watching us for a while," I call out. "Who are you?"

The figure doesn't answer immediately. It tilts its head slightly, as if considering its response. Then, finally, it speaks.

"You are not like the others."

The voice is smooth, calculated, but with a slight rasp—like someone who doesn't speak often.

I frown. "The others?"

The figure gestures slightly with one hand. "The beasts. The goblins. The wild ones who fight without purpose. You are something else."

I exchange a glance with Gorak, who is watching the exchange with narrowed eyes. I turn back to the stranger. "And what are you?"

A slight pause. "A watcher."

I don't like that answer. It tells me nothing while confirming that this person has been observing for far longer than I'd like.

I shift my stance, keeping my voice calm but firm. "Watching for what?"

The figure's hood shifts slightly as they glance toward the camp. "To see if you are worth speaking to."

I raise an eyebrow. "And?"

Another pause. Then, almost imperceptibly, the stranger nods. "Perhaps."

Before I can press for more information, the figure takes a deliberate step forward, no longer lingering in the shadow of the trees. Now that they're closer, I get a better look—beneath the tattered cloak, their movements are precise, controlled. This isn't some wandering traveler. This is someone trained, someone dangerous.

And they aren't carrying a weapon.

At least, not visibly.

"I have questions," I say, watching for any reaction. "You came all this way. I assume you have some of your own."

The figure nods again, slow and measured. "I do."

Gorak shifts beside me, clearly uncomfortable with this entire situation. "Do we trust this?" he mutters under his breath.

I don't answer right away. I don't trust the stranger, but I also don't sense outright hostility. If they wanted to attack, they would've done it already.

Finally, I gesture toward the center of my territory. "Then let's talk."

The stranger hesitates for only a moment before stepping forward. Gorak tenses but doesn't interfere, though I can tell he's ready to react at a moment's notice.

As we walk toward the heart of my settlement, the goblins who have been adjusting to their new home pause what they're doing, eyes following the cloaked figure with thinly veiled suspicion. The Guardians remain still, towering sentinels watching over everything, but I can sense the shift in the atmosphere.

I lead the stranger to a clearing near the resource piles and motion for them to sit. They remain standing. I do the same.

The silence stretches. Then, finally, the stranger speaks.

"You are building something," they say. "Something unlike the chaos that usually thrives in these lands."

I nod. "I am."

A long pause. "Why?"

That question catches me off guard. I was expecting demands, maybe veiled threats, but not that.

I take a breath, considering my answer. "Because I can," I say truthfully. "Because I refuse to scrape by in this world like so many others. I'm going to make something better."

The figure watches me carefully. "And yet, you have done what so many others have failed to do. You have taken a tribe without spilling unnecessary blood. You build rather than destroy."

Something about the way they say that makes me pause.

"Is that… rare?" I ask.

The stranger's hood tilts slightly, like they're considering how much to say. "Few seek to build in this world. Fewer succeed."

I cross my arms. "And you? Where do you stand in all of this?"

The figure is silent for a moment before they reach up and slowly pull back their hood.

I feel Gorak tense beside me.

Beneath the cloak is a woman, but not human. Her features are sharp, almost too perfect, with angular cheekbones and deep violet eyes that seem to glow faintly in the fading light. Her skin is an unnatural shade of pale gray, and her ears taper slightly into points.

She is not like the goblins. Not like anything I've encountered yet.

A new notification pings in my system.

[Race Identified: Shadeborn]

Status: Nomadic – Rarely Seen

Threat Level: Variable

I stare at her, trying to piece together what I know. The name Shadeborn isn't something I recognize, but the system's wording suggests they aren't common. If she's from some hidden or secretive group, that could explain her careful approach.

She watches me expectantly. "You know what I am now."

I nod. "I do."

"And what will you do with that knowledge?"

I study her, weighing my options. She came here to observe, not to attack. That tells me she was looking for something specific—someone specific.

I let a slow smile creep onto my face. "That depends. Are you just a watcher, or are you looking for something more?"

For the first time, the woman's expression shifts ever so slightly. It's not quite a smile, but there's something in her eyes that suggests amusement.

"Perhaps I am," she says. "But the question remains… are you worth following?"

Another test. Another challenge.

I exhale slowly, the weight of the moment pressing down on me.

One thing is certain.

This world keeps throwing obstacles in my path, and I have no intention of backing down.