2024-12-03 17:22:07In 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
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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
Shadows of the crown Chapter 24: Unbelievable
The quiet in the throne room seemed unusually tense as Evans sat in his place, surveying the court. This should be a moment of triumph, fresh from their victory over the Shadow Lord, but an unshakeable feeling of unease had settled upon him. Bizarre occurrences still plagued the kingdom even while the Shadow Lord was defeated. Rumors of unrest, strange behavior amongst familiar faces, and growing distrust apparently infected the townsfolk like some sort of slow-spreading illness. He'd also noticed the change in the air within his court. Everyone around him seemed distant, some even going so far as to whisper amongst themselves when they thought him not watching. Advisors that had spoken to him with confidence and conviction now stuttered and looked about with furtive glances. Evans could feel the shadows creeping back in, this time not overt as before, not so clearly defined. It was a more insidious kind of darkness, similar to poison dripping into the veins of his ki
Shadows of the crown Chapter 25: Shadows Within
Evans paced the limits of his chamber, his mind whirling with all he had seen inside the chapel: Cedric, the trusted advisor who was once more like a brother to him, using the dark remnants of the crown's power-it was almost too unreal to fathom. Still, he could feel the chill of that dark magic in his thoughts and know the power of the curse was far more strongly wound than he had realized. Garen entered early in the morning, his face tight with concern. "I have arranged to meet with the few members of the council whom we can trust," he whispered, "but we must be very careful. We are not sure who else may have been influenced by Cedric." Evans nodded, looking out at the courtyard below. It seemed quieter than usual tonight, nearly strained, as if even the guards felt it-the weight of change hanging in the air. "We go in secret," he said finally. "The fewer eyes on us, the better." The two slipped out of the room an
Shadows of the crown 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
Shadows of the crown 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
Shadows of the crown 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 125: The Final Choice
The air crackled with a tension so thick it could almost be touched. Evans stood tall, his sword drawn, his breath shallow but steady. Amara was beside him, her golden light pulsating like a heartbeat, its warmth cutting through the encroaching darkness. Together, they faced the abyss—the vast nothingness that seemed to stretch out endlessly, threatening to swallow them whole.And yet, despite the overwhelming odds, they stood their ground."Evans," Amara's voice cut through the chaos. "This isn't the end. We can end this."But her words, while comforting, seemed to hang in the air, uncertain, like the wind before a storm. The abyss, however, seemed to mock them, its silence louder than any roar."Can we?" Evans muttered, almost to himself. His grip tightened around his sword, his thoughts swirling in a haze of doubt. The figure—the one who had been manipulating them, twisting their every move, had vanished into the shadows, leaving only its words
Chapter 124: The Abyss of Truth
The darkness swirled around them like a living, breathing entity, its tendrils creeping along the edges of the battlefield, wrapping around them like a suffocating shroud. Evans’s heart pounded in his chest as he and Amara stood back-to-back, eyes darting for any sign of movement, any shift in the shadows that might signal the next attack. They were trapped.The figure—the one who had claimed the cycle was not yet over—loomed in the distance, its shape ever-shifting, like a shadow cast in a world without light. It moved with eerie precision, its presence suffocating, as if the very air had thickened in response to its arrival.Evans gritted his teeth, sword tight in his grip. "Who are you?" he demanded again, his voice louder this time, desperate for answers. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the distant crackle of the growing storm of shadows."You want to know who I am?" The figure's voice, cold and mocking, sliced through the tensi
Chapter 123: A Price to Pay
The silence hung thick in the air, broken only by the faint crackle of fading energy. Evans could barely register his surroundings, his body too worn to make sense of anything. The pain from the battle had settled into his bones, but there was something deeper, something more lingering—a weight in his chest that had nothing to do with his physical wounds.He had won. They had won.But at what cost?The battlefield lay in ruins around them, the air thick with the scent of smoke and destruction. The storm had vanished, leaving behind a cold, empty silence. It was as though the world itself had held its breath, waiting for something—anything—to change. And in the distance, the last remnants of the Devourer's dark form flickered and collapsed into nothingness.Evans staggered, his legs threatening to buckle beneath him, but he caught himself, steadying himself with a hand on his blade. His vision swam, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse ri
Chapter 122: The Descent
Evans’s vision blurred as his body struggled to respond. The blast from the creature had sent shockwaves through him, and every muscle felt as if it were on fire. The storm raged above him, an angry sea of darkness, but the world felt distant now. His heartbeat thudded painfully in his ears, and for a moment, he thought he might lose consciousness again.But then, he heard her voice."Evans..."It wasn’t the wind. It wasn’t the storm. It was her—Amara. Her voice cut through the chaos like a lifeline, bringing him back from the brink.He pushed himself up, gritting his teeth against the pain. His ribs felt like they were cracked, and his head spun with every movement. But he couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when they were this close.He could see her now, standing on the edge of the battlefield, her golden energy crackling around her. Her eyes were wide with fear, but there was something else too—determination. She had seen him fall, but she ha
Chapter 121: The Heart of the Storm
The ground beneath them trembled as the monstrous creature loomed over them. Its form was vast, impossibly large, with tendrils that stretched from the depths of the mountain, twisting and writhing like serpents in the dark. Its eyes, glowing with that sickly green light, locked onto Evans, and for a moment, the world stood still.Evans’s heart pounded in his chest. He had faced enemies before, creatures of unimaginable power, but this—this thing—was different. It wasn’t just a physical threat. It was a manifestation of everything they had fought against: fear, despair, the breaking of the mind.The creature roared again, its voice echoing through the pass, and the sound was enough to rattle even the strongest of warriors. It wasn’t just the force of the roar; it was the weight of the emotions behind it. The pain. The suffering. The fear that had been trapped inside the creature for eons.Evans’s hand tightened around his blade.“We can’t fight th
Chapter 120: The Abyss Within
The silence was deafening.Evans stood in the center of the ruined camp, his body still trembling from the weight of what he had just witnessed. The air was thick with the remnants of the creature's storm, the dark clouds still swirling above, but now there was no sound, no movement. The world around him seemed suspended in time, as though it was holding its breath.He didn’t know how long they stood there, the storm above them slowly dissipating. Amara’s hand remained tightly clasped around his arm, her grip firm, but there was fear in her eyes. Fear and something else. Something deeper.“We have to go,” Amara said quietly, her voice barely a whisper. “Before it comes back.”Evans nodded but didn’t move. His mind was still reeling. What had just happened? The creature was gone—vanished—but he could feel it, the faint echo of its presence, lingering in the depths of his mind. It wasn’t over. Not yet.He turned to Amara, his voice low. “Wh
Chapter 119: The Whispering Darkness
Evans’s heart pounded in his chest, the echo of the dark voice still vibrating in his bones. The air was thick with uncertainty, the ground beneath him unsettled as if the very earth knew something he didn’t. He looked at Amara, and for the first time since this battle had begun, he saw something in her eyes that mirrored his own dread—uncertainty.“What did it mean?” Amara asked quietly, her voice strained with disbelief.Evans swallowed, shaking his head as he tried to focus. The figure, the voice, the endless night—nothing made sense. But one thing did.“We’ve only just started,” he muttered, more to himself than to her.Amara’s grip tightened on his arm. “Evans—what does that mean?”Before he could respond, the rumbling began again. This time, it was closer. Louder. Stronger.The sky overhead crackled with an unnatural storm, swirling clouds darkening the horizon like an oncoming tidal wave. The air had grown cold, sharper, b
Chapter 118: Fractured Paths
The camp was quiet, but the weight of the silence felt like an unshakable storm cloud hanging above them. The aftermath of the battle had left its mark on everyone, but more than the physical wounds was the uncertainty—how could they rebuild when the very fabric of their reality had been torn apart?Evans stared into the horizon, where the smoke from the burned battlefield still lingered like a fading memory. He could still feel the sting of his exhaustion, the remnants of the Devourer’s power still tingling in his veins. But there was something else, too. An unease that gnawed at him, a whispering doubt that clung to his thoughts no matter how hard he tried to push it away."You’re not alone in this," Amara’s words echoed in his mind, but somehow, they didn’t reach him. He needed more than words right now. He needed answers.He heard footsteps behind him, and before he could turn, a voice cut through the silence."You’re still thinking about it,
Chapter 117: The Aftermath
The silence was deafening.Evans’s chest rose and fell rapidly, his breath sharp, as he struggled to steady himself. He had done it. The shadow—the Devourer, or whatever it had become—was gone. But the victory tasted bitter. He hadn’t just fought an enemy; he had fought himself, the remnants of his own fears, doubts, and insecurities. It wasn’t just an external battle—it was an internal war. And now, with the creature destroyed, the question lingered: What remained of him?Amara’s voice broke through the quiet."Evans."He looked up. She was standing just a few paces away, her expression a mix of concern and relief. But there was something else in her eyes. Something that made his heart skip a beat. The battle was over, but the war inside him wasn’t.He forced himself to stand, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It’s over," he said quietly, though he wasn’t sure if he was speaking to her or to himself.Amara stepped closer, her gol