The darkness was suffocating, pressing down on Lira’s senses with an unrelenting weight. She could hear the echo of the voice, malevolent and taunting, repeating the same chilling words: You can run, child of the Forgotten. But you cannot hide. We will find you.
Then, suddenly, there was light.
It wasn’t the blinding flash of Kael’s power, nor the steady glow of the shard—it was softer, warmer, like the first rays of dawn breaking through a storm. Lira gasped, her lungs filling with air as though she had been drowning moments ago. Her vision cleared, and she found herself lying on a soft patch of moss in what appeared to be a secluded glade.
Massive trees with silvery leaves surrounded the area, their branches arching high above to form a canopy that shimmered faintly, as if catching an invisible light. A small stream trickled nearby, its water crystal-clear and humming with an energy she couldn’t place. The air smelled of earth and rain, cool and clean, but there was a faint undercurrent of something ancient, something powerful.
“Where are we now?” Lira muttered, pushing herself up on shaky arms.
Kael was already standing a few feet away, his silver eyes scanning the glade with a wary intensity. His broad shoulders were tense, his hand resting on the hilt of a dagger strapped to his side.
“The Warded Glade,” he said, his voice low. “It’s a hidden sanctuary, deep within the folds of reality. Only those tied to the Forgotten can enter. We’re safe here… for now.”
Lira sat up fully, glaring at him. “Safe? You said that about the last place, and look how that turned out.”
Kael turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “That wasn’t my fault. The darkness is evolving, growing stronger. They’ve found ways to breach places that should be impenetrable. That’s why I brought you here. It’s the last truly hidden place.”
She scoffed, brushing dirt off her arms. “You keep talking about ‘the darkness’ like it’s some all-powerful force. But you still haven’t explained anything. What is it? What do they want? And why am I the one being hunted?”
Kael hesitated, his jaw tightening. For a moment, he looked almost reluctant, as though telling her would set something irreversible into motion. But then he sighed, running a hand through his dark hair.
“They want the Light of Aetherial,” he began. “The shards, the mark on your chest—they’re all fragments of it. The Light is the only thing strong enough to destroy the darkness, and it’s been scattered for centuries, hidden from those who would use it for evil.”
Lira frowned, the weight of his words sinking in. “So… I’m just a vessel for this power? Is that why they’re after me? Because of the shard?”
Kael shook his head. “It’s not just the shard. It’s you. The Light doesn’t bond to just anyone. It chooses those who carry the blood of the Forgotten—the ancient race that first wielded its power.”
Her stomach churned. “The blood of the Forgotten? You’re saying I’m part of this… race?”
“Not entirely,” Kael said. “Your lineage is mixed. But even a drop of their blood is enough to awaken the Light.”
Lira’s mind raced, her memories flashing back to the years she’d spent in the orphanage, wondering who she was, where she came from. There had always been a part of her that felt… different, out of place. But she had chalked it up to her wolf, to the harsh realities of her upbringing.
Now, it felt like the ground beneath her had shifted, revealing a truth she wasn’t ready to face.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” she whispered.
Kael’s expression softened slightly. “Most wouldn’t know. The Forgotten have been wiped from history, their existence buried under centuries of lies and fear. The bloodlines are scattered, diluted. You’re one of the few left who carries enough of their essence to matter.”
Her wolf stirred uneasily, her instincts torn between anger and fear. “And what happens now? Am I supposed to just… accept this? Fight this darkness because I was ‘chosen’?”
“You don’t have a choice,” Kael said bluntly. “The darkness won’t stop. They’ve hunted every bearer of the Light before you, and they’ll keep hunting you until they have what they want. If they succeed, the world as you know it will end.”
Lira clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. She had spent her entire life surviving, fighting for scraps of freedom and control. And now, it felt like even that was being taken from her.
But deep down, she knew Kael was right. The creature’s crimson eyes, its relentless pursuit—it wasn’t going to stop. And if she didn’t fight, if she didn’t at least try to understand the power she carried, more than just her own life was at stake.
“How do I stop them?” she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
Kael studied her for a long moment before nodding. “There’s a way to harness the Light, to merge the shard with the mark and awaken its full power. But it won’t be easy.”
“Nothing in my life ever is,” Lira muttered. “What do I have to do?”
Kael hesitated again, his silver eyes narrowing. “We have to find the other half of the shard. The one you carry is incomplete, and without its counterpart, the Light won’t fully awaken.”
“Great,” Lira said, pushing herself to her feet. “And where exactly is this other half?”
“That’s the problem,” Kael admitted. “It’s hidden, scattered just like the first. But the shard you carry will guide us—if you’re strong enough to withstand its pull.”
“Strong enough?” Lira frowned.
“The shard is tied to you,” Kael explained. “It will test your resolve, your willpower. If you’re not ready, it could overwhelm you.”
Lira swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in. But she squared her shoulders, determination burning in her golden eyes. “I’ve survived worse.”
Before Kael could respond, the air in the glade shifted. The faint hum of energy grew louder, sharper, and the silver canopy above began to flicker.
Kael’s expression darkened. “They’re trying to breach the wards.”
“What?” Lira’s wolf growled, her hackles rising. “I thought you said this place was hidden!”
“It is,” Kael said, his voice tense. “But the shard’s power is like a beacon. The stronger it grows, the harder it is to hide. We need to move. Now.”
As if on cue, the shadows began to seep into the edges of the glade, dark tendrils curling and twisting like smoke. The temperature dropped, and Lira’s breath came out in frosty puffs.
Kael drew his dagger, its blade glowing with the same silver light as his eyes. “Stay close to me. No matter what happens, don’t let go of the shard.”
Lira nodded, her claws extending as her wolf surged to the surface. Together, they faced the encroaching darkness, their backs to the shimmering stream.
The shadows surged forward, and the glade erupted into chaos.
As the darkness closed in, a voice echoed through the glade, low and melodic, but filled with menace.
“Run all you want, little wolf,” it said. “The light you carry will soon belong to us.”
Lira’s chest burned as the shard flared to life, its light cutting through the shadows. But as the creature’s massive form began to materialize once more, Kael turned to her, his expression grim.
“This fight isn’t ours to win,” he said. “You need to trust me again.”
And before she could protest, he grabbed her arm and plunged them both into the shimmering stream.
The world around them shattered like glass, leaving only darkness—and the faint, haunting echo of laughter.