Chapter 16:  The Last of the Eldon Tribe

Aria could still hear the echoes of the whispering voices as she and Eldara ran through the dense forest. The trees swayed unnaturally, their branches moving as if they were reaching out to touch Eldara. The rain had slowed, but the air remained thick with moisture, and every step felt heavy, as if the earth itself was mourning.

Aria stole a glance at Eldara, who was running beside her, her breathing labored but steady. Her blue eyes, glowing softly in the darkness, flickered with an unreadable emotion.

Who was she?

And why did the world itself seem to weep for her?

They finally stopped beneath the shelter of an old willow tree. Aria placed her hands on her knees, catching her breath, but her curiosity was burning within her.

"Eldara," she said, turning to the girl. "Who are you?"

Eldara hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. She looked like she was debating whether or not to answer, but then she sighed and leaned back against the tree.

"I am from the Eldon Tribe," she said quietly. "Or… at least, I was."

Aria frowned. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. "Eldon Tribe?" she echoed.

Eldara nodded. "My people… we were connected to nature. Every tribe member was in tune with the land, but the royal line—my line—controlled it. We felt its pain, and it felt ours."

Aria's stomach twisted. "What happened to them?"

Eldara's expression darkened, and for a moment, she was silent. When she finally spoke, her voice was laced with sorrow.

"They were wiped out."

Aria's breath hitched.

"All of them?" she whispered.

Eldara nodded. "I'm the last."

The wind picked up again, rustling the leaves above them. The sorrow that hung in the air now made sense. It wasn't just a storm, nor was it just nature reacting to some unknown force. It was grief.

Nature itself was mourning the loss of the Eldon Tribe.

Aria swallowed hard, feeling a strange, deep ache in her chest—not just for Eldara but for something greater. Something ancient and lost.

"Who did this?" Aria asked softly.

Eldara hesitated again, her fingers curling into fists. "The Shadowborne."

Aria felt a shiver crawl down her spine. She had heard that name before. Whispers of a dark force, of creatures that lurked in nightmares and shadows. But she had always thought they were just legends.

Until now.

"They wanted our power," Eldara continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "But they couldn't have it, so they destroyed us instead."

Aria clenched her fists. "And now they're after you."

Eldara met her gaze, her blue eyes filled with something unreadable.

"They won't stop until I'm dead."

Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating.

Aria knew danger. She had been running from it her whole life. She had seen death, had faced fear. But this was different. This wasn't just about survival anymore.

This was about something much bigger.

And she had just stepped into the center of it.

The Weight of the Past

The rain had stopped entirely now, but the air still smelled of damp earth. Aria and Eldara remained under the willow tree, neither speaking for a long time. The only sound was the occasional rustling of leaves as the wind passed through.

Aria wanted to say something, anything, but she wasn't sure what words could possibly be enough.

Finally, she asked, "Where will you go?"

Eldara shook her head. "I don't know. There's nowhere left."

Something in Aria's chest ached at those words.

For so long, she had felt like she didn't belong anywhere. Like she was an outcast, cursed to wander alone. But here was Eldara, a girl who had lost everything—her family, her home, her entire tribe.

She wasn't just alone.

She had nowhere to belong anymore.

Aria exhaled slowly, making a decision.

"Then stay with me," she said.

Eldara's eyes widened slightly. "What?"

Aria crossed her arms. "I mean it. You're being hunted, and if they're as powerful as you say, you won't last long on your own. I know what it's like to be chased by something you can't escape. And I know what it's like to be alone."

Eldara didn't respond immediately, but Aria could see the flicker of emotion behind her eyes.

Finally, she let out a quiet laugh, though it was tinged with sadness.

"You barely know me," she said. "Why would you risk yourself for me?"

Aria shrugged. "Because I know what it's like to need someone and have no one."

Eldara looked away, her expression unreadable. But Aria could tell that something had shifted.

Then, after a moment, Eldara nodded.

"Okay," she said softly. "I'll stay."

Aria felt something settle in her chest. A sense of resolve.

Whatever was coming, whatever darkness was chasing them—

They would face it together.

A Shared Burden

Eldara's fingers tightened around the fabric of her cloak, her gaze lost in the distance. The forest had fallen into an eerie stillness, as if it, too, was listening to their conversation.

"I never thought I'd meet someone like you," she murmured.

Aria arched a brow. "Someone like me?"

Eldara glanced at her, a small, almost sad smile on her lips. "Someone who understands."

Aria didn't respond right away. She knew what it was like to carry burdens alone. The weight of her visions, the constant rejection—she had learned to live with the ache of loneliness. But now, looking at Eldara, she realized something.

Maybe she hadn't been the only one suffering all this time.

Maybe there were others, just like her, wandering through the dark, searching for something—someone—to hold on to.

"We should leave soon," Aria said finally. "The Shadowborne—do they know where you are?"

Eldara hesitated, then nodded. "I don't think they're far. When I escaped, I ran until my body gave out, but they've always had a way of finding me. Like hounds following a scent."

Aria frowned. "Then we don't have much time."

She turned away from the tree, looking toward the horizon. The rain had stopped, but the sky remained dark, heavy with unspoken threats. The world felt… unsettled.

"We need to find somewhere safe," Aria continued. "Somewhere we can regroup, figure out our next move."

Eldara shook her head. "There's nowhere safe."

Aria glanced at her. "There has to be."

Eldara sighed. "The Shadowborne… they aren't like normal enemies. They don't just hunt—they consume. They leave nothing behind. Even if we find shelter, they'll come."

Aria swallowed hard. The weight of Eldara's words settled over her like a heavy blanket.

No safe place. No escape.

Then there was only one option.

"We fight," Aria said.

Eldara looked at her sharply. "What?"

Aria squared her shoulders. "We can't keep running forever. If they'll find us no matter what, then we have to be ready."

Eldara hesitated. "You don't understand how powerful they are."

Aria met her gaze, determination burning in her eyes. "Then I'll just have to become stronger."

The Path to Strength

They traveled in silence, moving deeper into the woods. Eldara led the way, guiding them through paths Aria wouldn't have noticed on her own. The trees whispered around them, shifting ever so slightly to clear a way forward. It was subtle, but Aria noticed.

Nature obeyed Eldara.

The thought was both fascinating and terrifying.

"You said your people controlled nature," Aria said as they walked. "What does that mean, exactly?"

Eldara glanced at her. "It means we are bound to it. The land, the sky, the elements—they feel what we feel. They respond to us, protect us… or grieve for us."

Aria shuddered, remembering the way the rain had fallen harder when Eldara had spoken of her tribe's destruction.

"Can you use that to fight?" Aria asked.

Eldara hesitated. "In theory. But I've never trained for battle."

Aria exhaled sharply. "Then it's time to start."

Eldara gave her a wary look. "You make it sound easy."

"It's not. But we don't have a choice."

Eldara didn't argue, and Aria took that as a sign that she understood.

They walked for what felt like hours, the forest stretching endlessly before them. Aria had no idea where they were headed, but she trusted Eldara's instincts.

Finally, they reached a clearing. At the center stood an ancient ruin, half-buried beneath vines and moss. The stone was cracked, the remnants of an old civilization lost to time.

Eldara exhaled. "This should do."

Aria scanned their surroundings. "What is this place?"

Eldara's expression was unreadable. "A graveyard for forgotten gods."

Aria blinked. "You're serious?"

Eldara nodded. "The Eldon Tribe believed this was once a sacred place. A temple for beings older than the world itself. But now, it's just ruins."

Aria studied the crumbling stone. Even though it was abandoned, there was something powerful about this place. A lingering presence, as if the gods that once dwelled here were watching.

Or waiting.

She shook off the thought.

"Then let's make it our training ground."

Awakening the Elements

They spent the next few days pushing their limits.

Eldara focused on channeling her connection to nature, learning to shape the elements rather than merely sensing them. She practiced calling the wind, bending the earth, even summoning water from the air. It was slow progress, but she was growing stronger.

Aria, on the other hand, had to refine her own abilities. Her visions had always been uncontrollable, appearing without warning and leaving her drained. But now, she needed to harness them—command them rather than be a slave to them.

She sat cross-legged on the cracked stone floor, closing her eyes.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

She focused on the threads of energy around her, trying to grasp the intangible force that wove through her existence. For years, she had feared her power. But now, she had to embrace it.

The world blurred.

A rush of images flooded her mind—shadows creeping at the edges of her vision, figures moving in the distance, whispers that she couldn't quite understand.

And then—

Pain.

A sharp, searing agony shot through her chest, as if something had reached into her and squeezed her heart.

Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped for breath.

Eldara rushed to her side. "Aria! What happened?"

Aria clutched her chest, panting. "They're close."

Eldara paled. "The Shadowborne?"

Aria nodded. "They know where we are."

Silence stretched between them.

Then Eldara clenched her fists. "Then we finish our training fast."

Aria met her gaze, and for the first time since this all began, she saw something new in Eldara's eyes.

Not just grief. Not just fear.

But determination.

A fire had been lit.

And the battle was only beginning.