Invitation from the Shadows

Night draped the forest in an unsettling stillness. The wind stopped blowing. The moon was veiled behind black clouds, plunging everything into darkness.

Molvar sat close to the fire, sword in hand, eyes fixed on the river ahead. Karl remained calm as ever, though tension quietly coiled within him.

Sir Cedric stood a few paces away, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

— "It's almost time…" he whispered.

Then… a faint chime echoed in the air — its source unknown.

From across the river, fog began to rise. It didn't drift with the breeze but slithered with eerie purpose, curling through the trees and gliding across the water, slowly reaching their bank.

And then he appeared.

A towering figure emerged from the mist, draped in tattered priestly robes. His wolf-like head tilted slightly, yellow eyes glowing with strange light. No footsteps could be heard, yet with every step he took, grass and soil beneath him darkened.

— "Who dares speak my name?" his voice rumbled like it came from the depths of the earth.

Sir Cedric took a deep breath and stepped forward:

— "We ask for passage across the river."

The creature smiled—a smile no one would ever want to see twice.

— "What will you offer in return?"

Molvar swallowed hard. He leaned toward Karl and muttered:

— "What exactly do we have to trade? We're out of food and… I might've accidentally left the jewels in my invisible pocket."

Karl said nothing. He stepped forward beside Sir Cedric. Under the dim firelight, his gaze met the creature's — two ancient forces silently reading one another.

— "You are a being who walks the border," Karl spoke, calm but firm. "You belong neither to light nor to shadow. So, what is it you truly seek?"

The Gatekeeper tilted his head, seemingly intrigued.

— "One who sees beyond surfaces. Rare."He paused.— "I want a memory. One you cannot reclaim."

Karl frowned slightly. Molvar jumped:

— "Wait! A memory? Which one?!"

— "A willing one," the creature hissed. "Something that brought you sorrow… or joy. I care not. But it must be real."

Sir Cedric turned to the younger men. Silence fell.

Then Karl spoke:

— "I accept."

Molvar snapped toward him:

— "Are you insane?!"

Karl shook his head. He closed his eyes briefly, then said:

— "I'll give you the memory of the first sunrise I saw from the Eternal Mountain… when I thought I had died, but realized I was alive."

The creature hissed:

— "It is done."

The air around Karl chilled. A soft mist rose from his brow, swirling before vanishing into the Gatekeeper's outstretched hand. He clenched it, then tucked it beneath his tattered cloak.

— "You may pass."

And he turned, fading into the mist.

The river lay cloaked in darkness. Its surface, black as ink, shimmered faintly under the dying campfire. After the Gatekeeper vanished, only the sound of flowing water and anxious breathing remained.

Sir Cedric was the first to step in. He gestured for Karl and Molvar to follow. The water reached his knees, but he remained composed — as though such perilous paths were nothing new.

Molvar grumbled as he followed:

— "We're walking through the devil's river... I really should've written a will."

Karl let out a quiet chuckle:

— "As long as you're still complaining, you're alive."

The icy water bit into their skin. They all shivered, but strangely, nothing happened. No whispers. No creatures. Just darkness — and an unsettling stillness.

Until they neared the far shore.

A faint "scrrr... scrape..." echoed. Molvar jumped. Beneath the surface, something stirred. Thin root-like arms emerged, brushing against Karl's leg.

Sir Cedric instantly drew his sword.

— "Keep moving! Don't stop! If you hesitate, they'll drag you down."

Karl said nothing. He tensed, manipulating the gravity around him to stay stable. These things—remnants of lost souls, perhaps—couldn't strike, but they could shake resolve.

Finally, the far bank came into view.

As soon as they reached solid ground, the ghostly hands vanished like mist. Sir Cedric exhaled.

— "Welcome to the rest of the world."

Karl turned back, staring at the river. Somewhere within, a piece of him now lingered — a memory swallowed by the current.