The next morning, the camp was bathed in the soft glow of dawn. Eryx stretched, feeling the chill of the early morning air as he rose from his makeshift bedroll. The tension from the previous night still hung in the air, though subdued in the light of day. The fire had died down, and the others were beginning to stir.
As Eryx scanned the horizon, his thoughts shifted to Celeste’s revelations. Her connection to the Order of the Luminous, her exile, and the creatures she had spoken of. It was clear that she was a powerful ally, but also a potential source of danger. Shadows that feed on fear and hatred… that wasn’t something you ran into every day.
“Morning, fearless leader,” Celeste’s voice broke into his thoughts. She was leaning against a nearby tree, watching him with a sly grin. “Pondering your destiny?”
Eryx rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face. “More like wondering if traveling with you is a mistake.”
“Now, now, I haven’t even begun to be trouble yet,” she teased, pushing herself off the tree and walking toward him. Her silver hair caught the sunlight, giving her an ethereal glow that contrasted with her darker, mysterious nature.
“Yet,” Eryx muttered, more to himself.
Celeste stopped next to him and followed his gaze toward the horizon. “It’s not too late, you know. You could always drop me at the next town.”
“I don’t think that’s happening,” Eryx said, his voice low but serious. “You know too much about what we’re facing.”
Celeste’s smirk softened, and for a brief moment, she looked almost vulnerable. “Maybe,” she said quietly, before her teasing nature returned. “Or maybe you just like having me around.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Eryx retorted, shaking his head. “But you’re right—there’s no turning back now.”
As they packed up camp, Lysandra shot cold glances in Celeste’s direction, making her feelings on the matter clear. Despite her calm demeanor, Eryx could tell Lysandra wasn’t fully convinced Celeste could be trusted. The tension between them had been simmering since their first meeting, and Eryx wasn’t sure how long it would last before boiling over.
As they prepared to move, Lysandra finally approached Eryx, her face set in a hard expression. “We need to talk.”
“About Celeste?” Eryx guessed.
Lysandra glanced over at the silver-haired woman, who was playfully bantering with the others, then nodded. “She’s hiding something. You know it, and I know it.”
“She’s already told us a lot,” Eryx replied, though he knew Lysandra was right. There was more to Celeste’s story than what she’d shared.
Lysandra crossed her arms, her dark eyes locking onto Eryx’s. “We’re walking into something dangerous, and if we’re not careful, she could lead us right into the middle of it.”
Eryx sighed. “I know. But we also need her.”
“Need her, or want her around because you’re curious?” Lysandra’s tone was sharp, but Eryx could sense there was more behind it than just mistrust.
He held her gaze for a moment before replying, “Both, I think. But whatever she’s hiding, we’ll figure it out before it becomes a problem.”
Lysandra’s expression didn’t soften, but she gave a short nod before walking away. Eryx watched her go, wondering if keeping this balance between them would be possible for much longer.
As the group set off on the road once more, the mood was tense, though Celeste remained her usual self, cracking jokes and throwing occasional winks in Eryx’s direction. Her playful demeanor was enough to lighten the mood, at least for now.
“Hey, Eryx,” Celeste called from behind him as they trekked through the forest. “Ever wondered what you’d be doing if you weren’t running around with a bunch of misfits?”
“Definitely not chasing down shadow monsters,” Eryx replied, glancing back at her. “Probably something boring, like farming.”
“You? A farmer?” Celeste scoffed, laughter dancing in her eyes. “I can just picture it now—Eryx Thorne, the world’s most handsome cabbage grower.”
Eryx grinned. “And you’d be what? A mysterious traveling merchant selling magic beans?”
“Nah,” Celeste said, flipping her silver hair over her shoulder. “I’d be the mysterious local witch living on the edge of town, keeping everyone on their toes.”
Lysandra, walking a few paces ahead, couldn’t resist chiming in. “I’d pay good money to see you try to be ‘local’ anywhere.”
“Oh, please,” Celeste replied with a wink. “You’d miss me if I wasn’t around.”
Lysandra’s silence spoke volumes, but the small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth didn’t go unnoticed by Eryx.
By midday, the group reached the outskirts of a small village nestled between two towering cliffs. It was a quaint place, with stone cottages and narrow streets, seemingly untouched by the chaos of the wider world.
“We’ll rest here for a while,” Eryx said, scanning the village. “Gather supplies before we move on.”
As they made their way into the village, Eryx couldn’t help but notice the strange looks they were getting from the locals. People whispered as they passed by, eyes wide with curiosity and… something else.
“Something’s off,” Lysandra murmured, her hand instinctively moving toward the hilt of her sword.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Eryx said, though he shared her unease. “We’ll keep our heads down, grab what we need, and get out.”
Celeste, however, seemed unfazed by the attention. “Maybe they’ve never seen someone as stunning as me before,” she said with a smirk.
“Or maybe they’ve heard of the trouble you bring with you,” Lysandra muttered under her breath.
As they approached the village market, a commotion broke out nearby. A group of villagers had gathered around a small, rickety stall, where an older man was shouting about some kind of “dark omen.”
“The shadows are coming! They’ll devour us all!” the man yelled, his wild eyes scanning the crowd.
Eryx exchanged a glance with Celeste, who raised an eyebrow. “Guess word travels fast.”
Lysandra frowned. “We should keep moving. The last thing we need is to get caught up in—”
But before she could finish, the old man’s gaze locked onto them, and he pointed a bony finger in their direction.
“There! They’re the ones! They’ll bring the darkness upon us!” he cried, his voice filled with desperation and fear.
The crowd murmured in agreement, eyes turning toward Eryx and the others.
“Well, that escalated quickly,” Celeste said, her tone surprisingly calm.
Eryx cursed under his breath. “Looks like we’re not staying here after all.”
As the villagers began to close in, their faces twisted with fear and suspicion, Eryx knew they had no choice but to make a quick exit. But as they turned to leave, a low growl echoed from the shadows of the nearby alleyway, and a chill ran down his spine.
The creatures Celeste had spoken of… they were already here.
This chapter continues to explore Celeste’s enigmatic nature while introducing a new, immediate threat to the group in the form of the shadow creatures. The comedic interactions between the characters help lighten the tension, though the growing danger becomes more apparent as they realize they may be walking right into the heart of the darkness they’ve been trying to avoid.
