Chapter 48

The Shadow’s Reckoning

The wind howled through the jagged peaks of the Eldren Mountains, carrying with it the faint scent of ash and iron. Below, the valley stretched out like a wound in the earth, its edges scarred by the recent battle. Kael stood at the precipice, his cloak snapping in the gusts, his dark eyes scanning the horizon. The weight of the amulet hung heavy around his neck, its faint pulse a reminder of the power—and the burden—he now carried. Beside him, Lysa adjusted the straps of her leather armor, her auburn hair tied back in a tight braid. 

“We can’t stay here,” Lysa said finally, her voice cutting through the wind. “They’ll come for it. For us.”

Kael didn’t respond immediately. His mind replayed the moment the High Warden had fallen, his blood staining the sacred stones of the temple. The amulet had chosen Kael then, its light flaring as it bonded to him. He hadn’t wanted this—none of them had—but the prophecy had been clear: one would rise to wield the Shadow’s Heart, and with it, either save or doom the realm. He clenched his fist, feeling the cold metal bite into his palm.

“They’re already coming,” he said, nodding toward the distant plumes of dust rising from the valley floor. Riders. Dozens of them. The Black Covenant hadn’t wasted time regrouping after their defeat. “We need to reach the Hollow before they cut us off.”

Lysa’s jaw tightened. The Hollow was a day’s journey through treacherous terrain, a network of caves rumored to house the last of the Old Ones—beings of myth who might know how to control the amulet’s power. It was their only hope. “Then we move fast,” she said, turning to signal the others.

Behind them, the remnants of their band emerged from the shadows of the ridge. Torren, the grizzled mercenary, leaned on his axe, his scarred face set in a scowl. Beside him, Eryn clutched her staff, the faint glow of her magic illuminating her pale features. They were battered, weary, but alive—a miracle after the ambush that had claimed half their number.

“Riders incoming,” Kael announced. “We head north, stick to the high ground. No stops.”

Torren spat into the dirt. “High ground won’t save us if they’ve got trackers. You sure about this, boy?”

Kael met his gaze, unflinching. “I’m sure we’re dead if we don’t move. Let’s go.”

The group descended the slope in a tight formation, their boots crunching against loose stone. The air grew colder as they moved, the sun dipping behind the peaks, casting long shadows that danced like specters. Kael kept his senses sharp, every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig setting his nerves on edge. The amulet pulsed faintly, a rhythm he couldn’t ignore, as if it were whispering secrets he wasn’t ready to hear.

Hours passed, the terrain growing more unforgiving. Narrow paths wound between cliffs, forcing them single-file at times. Lysa took point, her dagger drawn, while Eryn murmured incantations to mask their trail. Torren brought up the rear, muttering curses about the cold. Kael stayed in the middle, his hand never straying far from his sword. The riders were closer now—he could feel it, a prickling at the base of his skull.

“We’re being hunted,” Eryn said suddenly, her voice low. She stopped, her staff digging into the earth as she closed her eyes. “I sense… something. Not just the Covenant. Something older.”

Kael’s stomach tightened. “The Old Ones?”

“No,” she whispered, her eyes snapping open. “Something worse.”

Before he could press her, a low rumble shook the ground. Pebbles skittered down the cliffs, and a shadow passed overhead—massive, winged, and gone in an instant. The group froze, weapons drawn, eyes darting skyward. Silence followed, heavy and oppressive.

“What in the hells was that?” Torren growled.

“A drake,” Eryn said, her voice trembling. “The Covenant must have woken it. They’re desperate.”

Lysa cursed under her breath. “A drake changes everything. We can’t outrun that.”

“We don’t have to,” Kael said, his mind racing. He pointed to a narrow crevasse ahead, barely visible in the fading light. “There. If it’s tight enough, the drake can’t follow. We’ll lose the riders too.”

It was a gamble, but they had no choice. The group squeezed into the crevasse, the walls pressing close, scraping against their armor. The air was damp, thick with the scent of moss and stone. Kael’s breath came in shallow bursts as he navigated the twists, the amulet’s pulse quickening. Behind them, the distant roar of the drake echoed, followed by the shouts of the Covenant riders.

The crevasse opened into a small cavern, its ceiling lost in darkness. Eryn raised her staff, casting a soft glow that revealed ancient carvings on the walls—spirals and runes that pulsed faintly, mirroring the amulet’s rhythm. Kael’s heart thudded. This wasn’t just a hiding place. It was something more.

“We’re not alone,” Lysa whispered, her dagger glinting as she scanned the shadows.

A figure stepped forward, cloaked in tattered robes, its face hidden beneath a hood. “You bear the Shadow’s Heart,” it rasped, its voice like dry leaves. “And you bring death with you.”

Kael drew his sword, but the figure raised a skeletal hand, stopping him. “I am no enemy. I am a Watcher, one of the last. You seek the Hollow, but the path is not what you think.”

“What do you mean?” Eryn asked, stepping closer, her curiosity outweighing her fear.

The Watcher turned, revealing a map etched into the cavern wall—a labyrinth of tunnels leading deeper into the mountains. “The Hollow is a prison, not a sanctuary. The Old Ones are bound there, and the amulet is their key. Free them, and you free chaos.”

Kael’s grip tightened on his sword. “And if we don’t?”

“Then the Covenant takes it,” the Watcher said. “And the world burns either way.”

A roar shook the cavern, dust raining from above. The drake was close—too close. Kael exchanged a glance with Lysa, then Eryn, then Torren. They were out of time.

“Show us the way,” Kael said, his voice steady despite the dread coiling in his chest.

The Watcher nodded, tracing a path on the map. “Through the dark, to the heart of the mountain. But beware—the amulet’s power grows. It will test you.”

As they followed the Watcher deeper into the tunnels, the drake’s cries faded, replaced by an eerie silence. The amulet burned against Kael, its light now a beacon in the gloom. Ahead, the unknown waited—danger, destiny, or both.