The Artifact’s Power

Kai moved swiftly through the shadows, his mind racing. The girl's weight was a burden, but not an unfamiliar one. He had carried many things in his life—grief, regret, his past. But this girl, this stranger, was different. There was something about her that called to him, something urgent in the way she clung to consciousness, even as her body fought against exhaustion.

His eyes flickered to the moonlit sky above, his thoughts drifting to his own exile. His days as a knight seemed like another lifetime, a distant dream. He had left all that behind, had chosen solitude over duty. Yet, here he was again, caught in the web of fate, bound to a girl who seemed to carry the weight of an entire kingdom on her fragile shoulders.

He heard a distant rustling ahead, the sound of hooves and the echo of voices. More of the mercenaries? Or something worse?

Instinct took over. He dove into a nearby thicket, pressing the girl's unconscious form against the ground and covering her with his cloak. He held his breath, listening, waiting for the threat to pass.

The sound drew closer, and Kai cursed under his breath. He wasn't in the mood to deal with another fight, especially not when he had no idea who the girl was—or why she was so important.

He slowly pulled his sword from its sheath, ready for whatever danger approached. But when the voices grew louder, his tension eased.

It wasn't mercenaries.

A small party of travelers emerged into the clearing, a caravan of sorts—four riders, carrying torches and pulling a cart laden with supplies. At the front of the group, a woman in flowing robes rode with an air of authority. She looked young, but her eyes carried the wisdom of someone far older.

Kai stiffened. Her eyes locked onto him, piercing and knowing, as if she had been expecting him.

"Easy there, warrior," the woman called out, her voice calm and melodic. "We're not here to fight."

Kai didn't lower his sword. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled faintly. "We're the ones who just saved your life."

The others, a burly man with a thick beard and two young women, nodded in agreement.

"You could've left," Kai said, his voice low, still wary. "Why didn't you?"

The woman dismounted and approached him, her steps soft but purposeful. "Because we have a common enemy. And you have something we need."

Kai narrowed his eyes, and then glanced down at the girl he carried. "What do you want with her?"

The woman's gaze softened, as if she had been expecting this question. "Her name is Aria," she said gently, kneeling beside him. "She is a princess. And what you've been carrying isn't just a girl. It's the key to saving this world—or destroying it."

Kai's heart skipped a beat. A princess? That meant she was from the royal family—one he knew all too well, even if he wanted nothing to do with them. He had once served under King Alaric's banner. And the kingdom… it had fallen.

"This is madness," he muttered, taking a step back. "I'm not your hero. I've had enough of kingdoms, politics, and whatever game you're trying to play."

The woman's eyes darkened, and her tone shifted. "You don't have to be a hero, Kai. You're already in this. But what happens next is your choice."

Kai stared at her, confusion mixing with anger. "How do you know my name?"

She smiled softly, as if he had asked a child's question. "I know many things. And I know that you're not just a knight—no, you're something more. The artifact you carry, it's been calling out for you. You cannot ignore it forever."

Kai's grip tightened on his sword. He hadn't told anyone about the strange artifact, hidden beneath his cloak—a small, intricately carved stone that seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy. It had appeared to him shortly after his exile. He didn't understand its significance, but he knew it was powerful.

Aria stirred in his arms, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked, disoriented, and then gasped when she saw the woman in front of her.

"Lyra…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lyra's expression softened, and she reached out a hand, gently brushing Aria's hair back from her face. "You're safe now, Princess."

Princess. Kai's mind reeled. He had just saved a princess, and now it seemed he had been thrust into something far larger than he could have ever imagined.

Lyra straightened, her eyes meeting Kai's once more. "You may not want to be a hero, but you are the only one who can help her. The Eclipse Order is coming for her. They will stop at nothing to claim the artifact."

"Eclipse Order?" Kai asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Lyra nodded. "They are the ones who've been hunting her, hunting you, since the moment the artifact awakened."

Kai stood in silence, processing everything. The weight of the artifact at his side felt heavier than ever before.

"Then let's go," he said, his voice hard. "Before they find us."