The fire crackled softly in the cavernous shadows of the ancient fortress, casting faint orange light on the stone walls. The room was steeped in quiet, broken only by the soft breathing of Jace and Aila, who lay curled together against the wall. The fatigue of the recent battle had dragged them into a deep, undisturbed sleep, the weight of the world temporarily forgotten.Erynn leaned against one of the worn stone columns, her dagger twirling between her fingers in idle, practiced movements. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion, but her body remained tense, her gaze darting around the room. The threat of the Phantom King still lingered in the air like a bad dream, and she couldn’t afford to let her guard down.Her eyes drifted toward Riven, who stood near the broken archway, bathed in the cool glow of the moonlight filtering through the cracks. His silver eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, as watchful as ever. His dark hair hung loosely around his face, strands c

The forest lay ahead in shadows, the thick canopy blocking out the moonlight. Every breeze seemed to carry whispers of unseen threats, and the ground beneath them was damp, making each footfall treacherous. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the occasional snap of a twig or the distant call of some unseen creature.Jace paused at the edge of a clearing, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the dark terrain. “We can’t just stumble blindly forward. We need a path that won’t lead us into a trap.”Caelum stepped forward, his silhouette barely distinguishable in the gloom. His confident stance and unwavering calm made him seem almost otherworldly, his dark cloak blending effortlessly with the night. His eyes, an unusual blend of steel-gray and violet, seemed to glow faintly as he regarded the path ahead.“I’ll lead,” Caelum said, his voice low but certain. “I know this terrain. There’s a route that will take us through the forest’s edge, where the shadows are thickest but the ground is

The cave walls pressed in around them, the cold air seeping into their bones. Shadows twisted and danced along the walls, the only illumination coming from Aila’s staff, which glowed with a soft golden light. The warmth it emitted was faint but comforting, a small beacon in the oppressive dark.Jace stood near the entrance, his back straight despite the exhaustion gnawing at his muscles. His eyes scanned the narrow passage, every sound amplified by the silence. The low drip of water echoed like distant footsteps. Each heartbeat felt like a countdown to an inevitable clash.Behind him, Aila leaned against the cold rock, her fingers wrapped tightly around her staff. The golden light pulsed gently, synchronizing with her slow, measured breaths. Her face was calm, but her eyes glimmered with a silent storm. The weight of their journey, the horrors they’d witnessed, and the hope that felt so fragile it could shatter at any moment.Jace turned to her, his voice soft. “You should sleep.”Ail

The forest air hung heavy with tension as the hooded figure stepped forward, the tip of his bow still trembling from the force of the shot. As he drew back his hood, the glow of Aila’s fading staff cast shadows over a rugged face, sharp and striking, with piercing green eyes that seemed to see through the chaos. His dark hair was tousled and damp with sweat, but his expression held the calm assurance of a man who knew how to survive.“I believe you’ve all had enough of this nightmare,” he said, his voice low and steady, each word cutting through the silence like a blade. His gaze settled on Jace, a quiet acknowledgment passing between them, the kind that needed no explanation.Jace didn’t waste a second. “You’re either really brave or really foolish to intervene now.”The stranger’s lips curled into a half-smile. “Let’s just say I have a healthy dislike for tyrants. The name’s Cole.”“Cole,” Aila whispered, her voice trembling as she leaned against Jace for support. The soft glow of h

The air hung heavy, the low growls resonating through the forest like a primal warning. The gleaming eyes in the shadows remained motionless for just a heartbeat longer, and then they emerged. Sleek, sinewy creatures with dark, matted fur and mouths full of jagged teeth. Their bodies were low to the ground, the muscles beneath their skin rippling with tension. The forest predators moved with uncanny coordination, circling the group, their claws digging into the earth as if tasting the soil for fear.Cole didn’t lower his bow. His eyes flicked between the creatures, counting, assessing. “Five of them,” he murmured. “Shadowstalkers.”“Shadowstalkers?” Aila’s voice trembled, the golden glow of her staff flaring brighter. “I thought they were just a myth.”“Wish they were,” Cole replied, his voice grim. “They hunt anything that steps into their territory. Fast, smart, and relentless.”Jace positioned himself in front of Aila, his sword steady despite the exhaustion weighing down his limbs