Chapter 3: The Forsaken City

The ruins pressed in around them, their silent, towering forms like forgotten sentinels watching from the dark. The woman led the way, moving with a quiet precision that told Elliot she had traveled these paths before. He followed, his pulse still racing from their near-death escape.

"Do you have a name?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She didn't stop walking. "Seris."

Elliot let the name settle. "Well, Seris, mind telling me where exactly we're going?"

She shot him a glance, unreadable. "Somewhere safe."

"Pretty sure 'safe' doesn't exist in a place like this," Elliot muttered.

Seris didn't argue.

They pressed on through the broken corridors, the air growing colder as they descended deeper into the ruins. Strange symbols lined the walls—some glowing faintly, others cracked and fading, as though the very magic holding them together was slipping away.

Elliot traced his fingers along one of the carvings. The moment his skin met the stone, a faint pulse of energy rippled outward, like a drop of water disturbing a still pond.

Seris grabbed his wrist.

"Don't touch anything," she warned.

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"

She hesitated, then released him. "This city is broken, but not dead. Some things should remain undisturbed."

Elliot frowned but said nothing. He had the feeling she wasn't telling him everything.

The Watchers in the Dark

They emerged into an open courtyard, the remnants of an ancient plaza stretching before them. Towering statues, worn by time, loomed from either side, their features unrecognizable. At the center stood a massive gate, its archway lined with symbols similar to those on the walls.

Elliot instinctively slowed his steps.

Seris stopped just ahead of him.

"We need to cross quickly," she said.

Elliot glanced at her. "Why?"

A whisper slithered through the air.

Not words. Not sound. Just… something pressing against the edges of his mind.

He turned slowly.

The shadows beneath the statues were moving.

Elliot's breath caught as figures began to emerge—twisted, faceless shapes draped in darkness, their limbs shifting like liquid. They didn't walk. They glided, their forms flickering in and out of focus, as though they existed between moments.

Seris drew her blade.

"Run," she said.

Elliot didn't argue.

They sprinted across the plaza, their footsteps echoing against the ancient stone. The shadows stirred in response, their movement quickening. Watching. Following. Closing in.

Elliot could feel them.

Not just behind him. Around him. Inside his thoughts.

The shard in his hand burned, a faint hum vibrating through his bones.

He stumbled.

Seris grabbed him before he hit the ground, pulling him forward. "Keep moving!"

The gate was just ahead. Beyond it, a narrow tunnel carved into the rock. A chance at escape—if they could reach it.

The air grew heavy, like wading through invisible water. Elliot's vision blurred, his thoughts turning sluggish. The shadows whispered, their voices curling around his mind like tendrils.

Keybearer… lost… unmade…

He gritted his teeth.

Seris yelled something, but the words were distant, distorted.

The shadows surged forward.

Elliot's instincts took over. He gripped the shard and slammed it against the ground.

The moment it touched stone, a shockwave erupted outward.

Blinding light tore through the darkness. The shadows reeled back, hissing in agony. The weight pressing against Elliot's mind lifted, and for the first time since entering this cursed city, he could breathe.

Seris didn't waste a second. She yanked him through the gate and into the tunnel beyond. The walls trembled as the entrance collapsed behind them, sealing off the plaza.

Silence.

Elliot collapsed against the cold stone, his chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. "Okay," he gasped. "That… that was new."

Seris turned to him, her eyes narrowed. "You used the shard."

Elliot looked down at his hand. The fragment was still glowing, its surface warm. "Yeah. Guess I did."

Seris studied him, something unreadable flickering in her gaze. "You're more connected to it than I thought."

Elliot let out a breathless laugh. "Great. More questions. Just what I needed."

Seris didn't smile.

"We need to keep moving," she said. "If the Shadeborn weren't hunting you before, they are now."

Elliot exhaled. "Fantastic."

He pushed himself to his feet, his legs still shaky, and followed her deeper into the dark.