Shadows on the Horizon

The wind howled across the ruins of Eldrin, carrying the scent of salt and rain. Emma clutched the Sapphire Stone, its cool energy pulsing against her palm like a living thing. The warning it had given her still echoed in her mind.

"The storm follows the tide."

She turned toward Rahi, who was already scanning the darkened sky. The moon had disappeared behind thick clouds, and in the distance, lightning cracked against the horizon.

"We need to move," Rahi said, gripping his dagger. "Now."

Emma frowned. "You think it's just a storm?"

Rahi's expression was grim. "No. I think it's him."

Emma's stomach twisted. The Eclipse King.

He knew.

She had passed the Guardian's trial, she had claimed the Sapphire Stone, and now he was coming.

For her.

___________________________________________________

The Pursuit Begins

They moved quickly, leaving the ruined kingdom behind as the storm gathered strength. The path ahead was treacherous—twisted roots and slick stone made their descent slow.

Emma felt the weight of the stones at her waist, her mind still adjusting to the new power coursing through her. The Sapphire Stone wasn't like the Ruby—it didn't burn, it flowed. A constant, steady presence.

But something felt off.

She glanced over her shoulder. The ruins of Eldrin had vanished into mist, but an eerie silence settled over the land.

Too quiet.

Rahi slowed his pace, his posture shifting. "They're here."

Emma's pulse quickened. "Who?"

Rahi didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her behind a jagged rock formation.

And then—

Shadows moved in the mist.

Figures, cloaked in black robes, emerged from the storm—six, maybe seven of them. Their faces were hidden beneath hoods, but the glowing red sigils on their hands marked them as the Eclipse King's assassins.

The Nightborn.

Emma's breath hitched. "How did they find us so fast?"

"They didn't." Rahi's jaw clenched. "They were waiting."

A cold realization settled over her.

The Eclipse King knew she would come to Eldrin.

He had planned for this.

And now, they were trapped.

___________________________________________________

The First Strike

One of the Nightborn raised his hand, and Emma felt it—a pulse of dark magic spreading through the air.

The mist around them thickened, turning into clawing tendrils of shadow.

Emma's instincts screamed at her to run, but Rahi was already moving.

In one fluid motion, he drew his dagger and threw it.

The blade pierced the throat of the nearest assassin.

The Nightborn collapsed, but the others didn't even flinch. Instead, they lunged forward, their movements inhumanly fast.

Emma reacted on instinct.

She reached for the Sapphire Stone, and the moment her fingers tightened around it, the air shifted.

The storm answered her call.

A wave of water surged from the ground, forming a powerful barrier between them and their attackers. The Nightborn skidded to a halt, hissing as the magic clashed against their own.

Rahi shot her a look. "Nice trick."

Emma exhaled. "It won't hold them for long."

Lightning cracked above them, illuminating the battlefield for just a second—just enough for Emma to see the figures standing at the cliffside.

Not just the Nightborn.

Someone else was here.

Watching.

Her chest tightened. Was it him?

Before she could think, the barrier shattered.

The Nightborn attacked.