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2024-11-28 17:00:24By the time morning broke over the kingdom, Evans and Jorin prepared to take their leave for the eastern forests. The atmosphere was thick with foreboding as they mounted their horses, accompanied by a small retinue of house guards loyal to them. Though the sorceress they searched for was only a day's ride away, weighted was this journey because there was an ominous threat lurking behind every shadow.
Are you certain of this, Evans? "Jorin asked. An edge of concern laced his tone. "Magic has always had a price, especially of the kind used by the sorceress." Evans nodded, his jaw set. "If there is even a chance she can help us understand this curse, we have to take it. The kingdom's already in jeopardy. Whatever price she asks, I'll pay it if it protects our people.". They set off at an even gait, the sound of hooves pounding on the forest path the only sound to break the silence of early morning. The trees loomed overhead, their shadow
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Shadows of the crown Chapter 16: The silent war within
The weight of the shadows lay heavy within Evans as he and Jorin emerged from the sorceress's cottage, this darkness now an invisible burden he had to carry in silence. Every step back toward the kingdom felt arduous, the shadows themselves seeming to resist leaving the forest. The trees whispered, gnarled branches twisting, as if they too sensed the silent threat now bound to the young prince. Jorin studied Evans closely, the worry deeply etched across his face. "How are you feeling, Evans?" His voice was hesitant; loyalty tugged at him while dread seemed to fill the air around them. Evans forced a smile of reassurance, but his eyes betrayed the exhaustion. "The shadows… I can feel them. They're quiet now, but it's as if they're watching, waiting. It is as if a tempest were being held back by a hair's breadth." He stopped, turning back to the woods, the mist and silence swallowing the terrors. "I know what I've taken on, Jorin. But I won't let them w
Shadows of the crown Chapter 17: A Kingdom In Shadows
The night Evans came back, the quiet of the castle seemed to be every bit as ominous. Every corner seemed darker, each shadow deeper. He could feel the weight of the shadow spirits pressing down on him, their unending memory of what this soul held captive within himself. Every step he took echoed through the empty hallways, mingled with the hushed whispers that trailed his thoughts. By the time he reached his chambers, a figure stood waiting by his door. It was Jorin, his features etched in concern and determination. "Evans," Jorin said, stepping forward. "We have to talk. The people are frightened, and the council's getting restless. They can feel something is wrong, although they do not know the full extent of it. Evans nodded, fatigue pulling at his face. "I understand, Jorin. The shadows' influence is beginning to seep. Even now, they lean on me, probing my defenses. But I may not yield to them. Not now, not when there is so much h
Shadows of the crown Chapter 18: Shattered Bonds
Evans stumbled out of the shrine, and with a wave of darkness surging thick and alive, spilling over into the frozen mountain pass, for the first time he saw shadows twist, coiling like some great beast given new life. A chill ran deeper than the mountain's cold air through Evans. Jorin's voice cut through the chaos. "Evans! This way!" He grabbed Evans's arm, pulling him up the rocky slope just as the dark mass swept over where they had stood moments before. They climbed higher, slipping on loose stones as the shadows reached, tendrils stretching like fingers, trying to claw their way closer. With every step, Evans's lungs gulped in air as his mind still reeled over the failure of the mirror. The Mirror of Oblivion had been the last hope, and it had shattered under the strength of the darkness inside him. And now, freed, the shadows were stronger than ever. "We need to get away!" Jorin exclaimed in a desperate tone. However, Evans shook his head as h
Shadows of the crown Chapter 19: The Price of Peace
It was as though the silence after Evans' sacrifice sent an eerie feeling that unsettled him. The pass of the mountain, which was teeming with shadows and dark energy, felt hallowed now-those air drained out. And Jorin stood in place, looking where Evans vanished into the darkness; his friend's last words a painful echo in his mind: Protect them. A cold shiver ran down his spine. He had promised, but how could he fulfill that promise sans Evans by his side? The enormity of his friend's sacrifice weighed in upon him, mingling with his grief and disbelief. The prince, his friend, had given all in service to the protection of the kingdom, but at what real cost? He did not know how much time he spent thus, staring into the shadows as they receded down the mountainside, a faint mist swirling where Evans had been. Now, a cold wind swept through the pass, breaking the silence, and with effort, Jorin pulled himself from his grief. He had known that
Shadows of the crown Chapter 20: The Path of Shadows
In the following days after that meeting with Evans's spirit, which was wrapped in darkness, Jorin felt rejuvenated, somehow different in his determination. His heart was heavy because of his friend's sacrifice, but knowing Evans was there, somewhere within the darkness, kept him going. He now had a place to go: the ancient shrine Evans had told him about, so old that even the archives of the kingdom made no clear mention of it. Yet, he was not without guidance. Deep within the library of the castle, among texts and scrolls considered oldest, Jorin found hints of a hidden path that was said to lead into various sacred sites across the land. The writings were not exactly clear, though, full of curses and treacherous obstacles, claiming that even the slightest mistake would keep the traveler trapped in darkness forever. The final clue he had been searching for was on an old map, worn and faded, tucked between the pages of a thick volume of myt
Shadows of the crown Chapter 21: The gathering storm
As Jorin came down from the Whispering Peaks, his mind had been the battlefield upon which shadows had contended with him. The blue flames bought a temporary victory, but the weight upon his mind was strong-the words of Evans that the shadows would return, stronger than before. He knew he must prepare, yet for what, precisely, he had no idea. This ancient shrine Evans had hinted at was only the tip of a far larger iceberg. There were other powerful forces out there-forces he could hardly comprehend. And he needed allies, knowledge. Every step back toward the kingdom felt like a walk deeper into the unknown. It would have taken days to travel, yet when he finally reached the castle grounds, it was something quite different from what met his eyes. There was a thick, unnatural heavy mist that lay over the town below and seemed to choke the life out of once-lively streets. He could feel it, the same malevolent energy he'd felt in the mountains. The shadows
Shadows of the crown Chapter 22: Shadows in the mirror
The shadows in the mirror twisted, swirling in a mad dance, as if sensing Jorin's presence. His heart pounded, every instinct screaming for him to turn back, yet he held his ground, his gaze locked onto Evans's face within the glass. His friend's eyes, once filled with light and determination, were now hollow, a darkness swirling within them. "Evans…" Jorin whispered, reaching toward the mirror again. But as his fingertips brushed the cold surface, the darkness surged forward. Shadows poured from the glass, spilling out like smoke and taking shape around the clearing. They formed spectral figures with vague, distorted faces-their eyes glowing with malevolent intent. Each was a twisted reflection of the humans they had once been, shadows of the ancient guardians who had once protected the crown. Mara and Kellan instantly prepared their arms, one to either side of Jorin, while Sir Garen clutched his sword before them, protectively. The shad
Shadows of the crown Chapter 23: The Wrath of the shadow lord
Before them, it loomed-the creature form shifting, pulsing with the essence of darkness itself. Its face was undistinguished except from its eyes, which gleamed bright with an ancient and threatening intelligence, piercing right through Jorin. The air grew colder with each breath the creature took, furthering the chilling reminder they were standing in the middle of something far beyond mortal reckoning. Jorin's fingers tightened on his sword, the cool metal a minor reassurance considering the smothering presence before him. He glanced at his companions: Mara and Kellan steeled themselves, holding torches high, while Sir Garen readied his blade, clenching his jaw. The Shadow Lord tilted its head to one side, regarding them with the briefest flicker of a minor annoyance. "You stand before me with such resolve," it hissed, the voice like ice scraping over stone. "Brave—and foolish. I have been bound for centuries, denied my rightful power. Your ancestors
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Chapter 34: The Shattered Crown
Evans's heart was racing as he looked up to see the creature finally exposed in full detail looming over the horizon, the form an elongated, ghastly shadow in a vast desert expanse. All instincts within him were screaming, demanding he run, escape from chaos and darkness, promising to sweep him and all he cared for under. There was nowhere to go, no place left. It was here, in this spot, that his world was coming to an end. The crown, the curse, the creature-all had built up to this. The amulet on his chest pulsed with an unnatural heat, almost as if it were alive and urging him to action-to call upon its power inside. He reached for it, his fingers trembling as the weight of such a decision weighed heavy upon his chest: Could he trust it? Be able to make use of its power to stop this creature? Or would things get even worse, like with the crown? The creature, still a distance away but closing in with each passing second, let out a low growl-a guttural
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Chapter 33: The Price of Power
Everything around Evans was disorienting: a dizzying blur of fractured images and sounds. He blinked rapidly, fighting to clear the haze from his brain. His body seemed like it had been shredded by some sort of storm inside him; each muscle screamed in pain, its tension threatening to paralyze him. Gradually, the light that had blinded him began to dim, allowing him to make out the details of his surroundings.He was no longer in the abyss. The smothering darkness had lifted, and in its place, a soft golden glow bathed the ground beneath him. It was quiet, almost peaceful-until his gaze shifted to what lay before him.The ground spread in all directions, a huge area of land that was desolate to the last inch. Mountains loomed distantly, their jagged peaks enshrouded by mists. The air reeked of the burning of wood and the crashing of waves from a distance. It was as though he had been spirited to some place between worlds—a place where time and reality melted togeth
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Chapter 32: Into the Abyss
It seemed his fall was endless. Evans was breathing in ragged gasps, and the chill of the abyss had permeated his bones with every drop into the unknown. The blinding light from the amulet gave way to overwhelmingly suffocating darkness that closed in on him from every direction. His body was in pain; the beat of his heart echoed in his head, as if it were to explode at that moment because of the heavy action.Everything went silent for a moment.Then, a sharp jolt ripped through him as he hit solid ground with a sickening thud. Pain tore through his limbs, and for a heartbeat, he was convinced that he had something broken-or worse, this was it. Yet, he fought through the hazy veil of agony and dragged himself to his feet by the skin of his teeth.The air was thick, heavy, and oppressive, as if the very atmosphere was a manifestation of sorrow and decay. There was no light, no warmth-just shadow, twisting and writhing like living things. Evans felt the pul
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Chapter 31: Shattered Realms
Thick air felt oppressive, as if it was going to suffocate any in its wake. Evans's heart was pounding in his chest as he struggled for breath because the overwhelming surge of dark magic was choking the life out of the world around him. The explosion of light emanating from the amulet had forced the shadows back a moment, but only a moment. Instead of being in retreat, the shadows now combined into something terrifying-something older.A deep, guttural roar echoed through the camp, rattling trees and the very earth beneath them. Before Evans could wrap his brain around the sound, a chasm of black seemed to tear itself open right in front of him, gaping with a void that engulfed everything in its sights. From the very pits of the rift, something materialized-a towering, dark insidious figure. It wasn't human, not of this world. Its eyes burned with an unnatural, malevolent glow, while its form twisted and writhed like a shadow given flesh.Seraphine stood frozen, h
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Chapter 30: The Edge of Deception
It wore a deep night, and, it seemed, the treetops pulsed through the darkness with life-thoughts in an unnatural, extended stillness. By this time, Evans knew that weight against his chest was more than an innocuous mass of material, being now quite sensitive to the near presence of a great, moving evil. It had, after all, brought them thus far, and its light was now a blaze compared to what Evans could recall as he made their way toward the loyalists' camp. He glanced at his comrades: Mara, her daggers faintly glinting in the dark; Brynna, who had muttered softly under her breath; Jorin, his hand firm on the hilt of his sword. Garen led ahead, a mask of concentration etched across his face. "We are close," Garen uttered in a low tone. Evans nodded. "We keep to the plan. We find Seraphine, stop the ritual, and get the fragments before they can complete the crown." Yet with their push onward, a seed of disquiet began to nes
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Chapter 29: The Splintered Shadows
Thick tension hung in the air as the group trekked through the forest, guided by the soft, eerie light of the Amulet of the First Light. Evans walked upfront, and every nerve in his body was taut. The roar still echoed faintly in his mind, a grim reminder that tonight was far from over.Brynna gained on him, her staff resuming its soft glow with a muttered protection spell. "We don't know what we're walking into," she said, quietly but urgently. "The loyalists of Cedric are desperate. That just makes them unpredictable-and dangerous."Evans looked at her, his jaw tightening. "If they've taken the shadow fragments, we really don't have time to wait. Whatever they're up to, we need to stop it before it only gets worse.From behind them, Jorin chimed in, his tone dry. "Worse than shadow spirits, cursed crowns, and rebellious traitors? Sounds like a low bar."Despite himself, Evans almost smiled. Jorin's humor was a rare constant in the chaos. But the
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Chapter 28: The Aftermath of Shadows
The throne room was silent now but for the soft crackle of the extinguished shadows. The shattered remains of Cedric's shadow crown lay scattered across the floor, faintly shimmering as if they retained a fraction of the dark power that had consumed him. Evans stared at the fragments, his chest rising and falling heavily from the battle. He had won-at least, it felt like it-but a deep unease churned in his gut. Evans," Brynna called softly, her voice hoarse. She crouched beside one of the freed citizens who had been under Cedric's control. "They're alive but barely. Whatever spell he used drained them to their core. Evans knelt next to her, placing a hand on the unconscious villager’s shoulder. The man’s face was pale, his body trembling as though caught in an endless nightmare. Around the room, others in the same condition lay scattered, broken but alive. “We’ll get them help,” Evans said, his tone firm despite the uncertainty gnawing at
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Chapter 27: Shadows at the Throne
The halls of the castle were no longer recognizable, where once splendor and order had been; now, chaos. Fires smoldered in the corners of the corridors, casting eerie shadows on the cracked stone walls. Every echo of their hurried footsteps seemed to taunt them, a sinister whisper of the reach of rebellion. Evans and his group moved cautiously, guns drawn, senses high. The weight of the Amulet of the First Light on Evans's neck seemed heavier with every step. He could feel its magic run through him, but the thought of how little he knew of its power gnawed at the edges of his mind. They had one shot to stop Cedric before the kingdom fell completely. "You don't think we are walking into some kind of trap?" Brynna whispered, clutching her staff tightly. Garen's face was grim. "We're well past traps. This is a battlefield." As they approached the grand staircase leading to the throne room, Evans’s heart clenched. Guards loyal
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Chapter 26: The Return with the Amulet
The walk back from the Cave of Echoes was not at all victorious. Evans grasped the Amulet of the First Light, its luminous shine starkly contrasted with the gloom hanging over his group. Every step was an ordeal. The trials of the cave might have tested their resolution, but the way back home was filled with tension, which betrayed the fact that treachery could be sitting in any shadow.Sir Garen led the way, his sword at the ready as his eyes scanned the thick forest for any sign of movement. Brynna followed closely, her gaze flickering from the amulet to the path ahead, her healer's intuition sensing danger as yet unseen. Jorin and Mara brought up the rear, whispering in hushed tones about the political unrest gripping the kingdom in their absence."We need to move faster," Evans said, low but firm. "Cedric won't sit idly by now that we have this."Brynna nodded. "The amulet is powerful, but its light will draw attention. Shadows, whether magical or mort
