Evans was silent afterward, his chest heaving with every breath that seemed to shake him. The shadow had gone, leaving the air still and cold, but the discomfort in his chest just refused to dissipate. Slowly, he sheathed his sword, the sound of steel ringing against the scabbard like the last note in some long-forgotten song. Around him, the forest seemed exhaled, too, the weight of the shadow lifted, if only for a moment.
Yet the fight was not over. The titterings in his head, so soft now as if it was only an echo of an echo, reminded him of the worst foe that was yet to come: the crown. Kept well and tight deep inside the Astera castle vaults, it always waited. While it was, the darkness could never be truly overcome. He knew what had to be done. The crown needed to be destroyed, no matter the cost. Jorin and the soldiers carefully emerged from the edge of the forest. The faces of the soldiers were grim but relieved, though their ey
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Shadows of the crown Chapter 11: The Heart of Shadows
The earth shook beneath Evans's feet as he stood at the edge of the abyss, the final threshold to the resting place of the crown. In the darkness, the jagged rocks below were luminous from the pit glowing with that eerie light, casting long, twisted shadows around the chamber. Every step they had taken through the Black Mountains had been taken to come here. Now, at the heart of the cursed land, the crown's whispers no longer confined themselves to his head; instead, they echoed around him like some sort of chilling chorus of lost souls, begging to be set free. The air felt heavy with malevolent weight, and it was hard to breathe. "Evans, this isn't right," Jorin's voice cut through the haze, though it seemed to be so much farther away than it should have been. "We need to get out. This place. it's teeming with the crown's power. Evans's hand hovered near the hilt of his sword, his muscles tense, as if every fiber in his body was ready to ac
Shadows of the crown Chapter 12: The Shadow That Remains
Evans stood staring out at the peculiar emptiness that had settled in after his victory. The crown was gone, lost to the bottom of the Black Mountains, and with it, the voices that had haunted him for so long. Yet, in place of the whispers came a heavy silence-colder and more forbidding than he'd imagined. Jorin planted a firm hand on his shoulder, yanking him from the edge. "Evans, we have to go. This place… it's changed you. You've done all you could. Evans nodded but could not pull his gaze from the shadows. Defeating the crown, he felt somehow a victory that was not quite complete. Deep down, he felt he had only just let something out-a sleeping ancient darkness. They turned back and went, their footsteps heavy, down the narrow path leading them out of the accursed chamber. Now the mountain was dead silent, and this strange, unearthly calm had taken the place of that supernatural tension which smothered them before.
Shadows of the crown Chapter 13: A Kingdom Restored
Evans stood in the grand hall, the morning sun spilling through the high windows, filtering on to the intricate designs on the stone floor. He had trod these halls a thousand times as a boy, but now he dreamed of one day taking the throne, leading his kingdom with the same strength and honor. But after his journey into the Black Mountains, everything was somehow different. Gone was the boy who'd left the castle with little more than courage and curiosity. Before her stood a prince forged by darkness, strong through sacrifice, and burdened by truths he could hardly speak. Then he faced Jorin, who was well beyond being a friend—a partner, brother in arms. Together they'd faced horrors that nobody could ever understand, their bond deepening within the silence afterwards, after being taken from the mountain. Evans, are you certain?" Jorin's voice was even, but Evans saw the flash of concern in his eyes. "You don't owe anyone the truth of what happened. Th
Shadows of the crown Chapter 14: The rising shadows
Evans sat at the head of the council chamber, his mind wrestling with uneasy thoughts. Only days had passed since he'd shared the truth about the cursed crown with his council, but a new fear had begun to take root in the kingdom. Rumors began to filter in from villages along the borders: farmers spoke of seeing shadowy figures in the middle of their fields at night, and merchants spoke of townsfolk vanishing into thin air. Jorin entered the room, pale and grim. "Your Highness, word has arrived from North Haven and River's Edge," he said to Evans, handing him a worn and hastily-scrawled note. "It is worse than we thought." Evans's eyes scanned the message, his heart plummeting per line. "Three villages, and all under the same curse," he murmured, his voice no more than a whisper. "They are seeing shadows-figures that vanish once some one approaches. Jorin nodded, his jaw tight. "These shadows… they are no normal specters. It is as if t
Shadows of the crown Chapter 1: Shadows on the horizon
Standing on the eastern balcony of the castle, the winds whipping at his cloak, the gaze of Prince Evans swept over the great kingdom of Astera: the gold fields stretching to the horizon, kissed by the early morning sun, yet beneath that beauty a sense of foreboding lingered. These faraway mountains, once comforting and a natural barrier of protection, now seemed to brood under a thickening layer of mist, as though hiding secrets this kingdom was not ready to face. Astera had once shone so bright, a beacon of light and prosperity, but over the past year, it had been smothering under an invisible weight, a growing darkness that seemed to seep right from the air. Rumors flew among the people of strange happenings: withering of crops without cause, sickness, and death amongst the livestock, and a chill that had submerged into the bones-whatever the season. And at the hub of all that was the crown, an heirloom passed down the generations, now locked away in the castle's vault
Shadows of the crown Chapter 2: The Gathering Storm
The morning dawned on Astera, pale and silvery in the stone corridors of the castle. Evans stood in the armory, his hands on the worn hilt of his father's sword. Like the crown, the blade had been passed down through generations of his family, forged in the fire of the ancient forge. But it had never been tainted by darkness as the crown had. It was an emblem of honor, a memento of the kingdom's golden years-before the shadows crept in. Evans tightened his armor straps. The weight of the journey before him weighed heavy in his mind, as he had hardly slept the night before with his mind raped by visions of his father and the words he read about the crown. Thus, his mind was made up, but doubt still gnawed at the edges: could the curse that had ensnared his family for so long really be broken, or was he, like everybody else, destined to fall to the seductive power of the crown? Jorin entered the armory, his footsteps quiet against the stone floor. Already dressed
Shadows of the crown chapter 3: The whispers of Shadows
The wind howled through the trees, carrying upon it a biting chill that seemed to crawl under Evans's armor and burrow deep into his bones. The sudden disappearance of the cloaked figure had left the camp silent, but tension hung in the air like a thick fog. Each man stood still, staring into the darkness as if he expected the figure to reappear any minute. Evans's heart still racing, he stared at the place where the mysterious figure vanished. His mind was a tumble of questions, none of which had easy answers: Who was this stranger? How did he know about the crown? Most terrifyingly of all, what did it mean that the crown was awake? Jorin spoke first, his voice low, but urgent. "We need to move. If the crown knows that we're coming, it's too dangerous to stay here." Evans nodded, forcing himself to focus. "You're right. We'll rest for a few hours, leave at first light. But we need to be ready for anything." Jorin's face darkened, looking
Shadows of the crown Chapter 4: Into the Abyss
They rode through the mist-filled valley, the castle rising afar, its once-proud walls now shrouded in the very shadow that had set in, infecting the land. It was deathly quiet but for the rustling of unseen things that lurked in the darkness. With each heavy breath-one that seemed to carry within itself the air laced with some kind of curse that had spread throughout the kingdom-their breathing felt laborious. The closer they got to the edge of the castle, the more Evans could feel the tugging of the crown, louder now. It was like a gnawing sensation at the back of his mind, this constant whisper that reminded him of the inevitable confrontation to come. He knew full well that the moment he stepped into the throne room, there would be no turning back. The crown awaited him there and wanted him to fall. Jorin, ever watchful, turned to Evans with a hint of concern. "Are you sure about this? The closer we come, the different you act." Evans didn't answ
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