A Pact in the Shadows

Chapter 9: A Pact in the Shadows

Kaelin took a deep breath, his grip tightening around the shard. The old woman’s warnings gnawed at him, but the stranger’s words carried an undeniable urgency. He glanced at Anara, her face a mask of distrust, before turning back to the man.

“Fine,” Kaelin said cautiously. “We’ll trust you—for now. But if you try anything, you won’t get a second chance.”

The man’s smile returned, sharp and knowing. “Wise choice, Kaelin. You won’t regret it.”

Anara crossed her arms, her gaze cold. “Oh, I already regret it.”

The man ignored her and extended a hand toward Kaelin. “My name is Verrin. Let’s move quickly; every moment we waste, the Legion gets closer to Everglen.”

Kaelin hesitated but finally shook Verrin’s hand. His grip was firm, his touch cool. Verrin’s eyes flickered to Anara, who gave him a look that could have cut steel.

“I don’t trust you,” she said bluntly.

“You don’t have to,” Verrin replied smoothly. “But trust this: without me, you’ll never make it to the shard alive.”

The old woman, who had remained silent until now, stood and placed a hand on Kaelin’s shoulder. Her touch was light, but her gaze was heavy with meaning. “Your path is your own to walk. But tread carefully, boy. Shadows can wear many faces.”

Kaelin nodded, unsure if her words were meant for Verrin or himself.

As the three of them left the tavern, the cold night air hit them like a wall. The village was quiet, its streets bathed in silver moonlight. Verrin led the way with a confident stride, as if he had walked this path a thousand times before.

“So,” Anara said after a while, her voice dripping with skepticism, “what’s your story, Verrin? You seem awfully invested in this whole shard business.”

Verrin glanced over his shoulder, a faint smirk on his lips. “My story isn’t important. What matters is that I’ve been tracking the shards for years. I know the paths, the traps, and the enemies you’ll face.”

“Convenient,” Anara muttered.

Kaelin stayed quiet, his thoughts a whirl of questions. Who was Verrin, really? And why had the shard reacted so strongly in the tavern?

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew heavy, and an unnatural stillness settled around them. The trees seemed to lean closer, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers.

“We’re being watched,” Anara said, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger.

Verrin stopped abruptly and raised a hand. “She’s right. Stay close and stay quiet.”

Kaelin strained his ears but heard nothing. No rustling leaves, no chirping insects—just an oppressive silence. The shard in his pocket began to pulse again, its glow faint but insistent.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees. Kaelin spun around, his heart pounding. Shapes began to emerge from the shadows—creatures with elongated limbs, glowing red eyes, and gnarled, blackened bodies.

“The Legion’s hounds,” Verrin said, drawing a sleek black blade from beneath his cloak. “They’ve found us.”

Anara wasted no time, her daggers flashing in the moonlight. “I knew this was a bad idea.”

The first hound lunged, its jaws snapping at Kaelin. He barely managed to dodge, stumbling backward as the creature’s claws raked the ground where he’d been standing. Verrin stepped in swiftly, his blade slicing through the beast with precision. The creature dissolved into smoke, its eerie howl fading into the night.

“They’ll keep coming,” Verrin said, his voice calm but urgent. “We need to move.”

Kaelin drew his sword, his hands trembling. Another hound charged, and he swung clumsily, the blade grazing its side. Anara darted in, finishing it with a swift stab to its throat.

“Focus, Kaelin!” she shouted.

More hounds emerged from the shadows, their glowing eyes multiplying like stars in the darkness. Verrin moved with deadly efficiency, each strike of his blade cutting through the creatures with ease. Anara fought fiercely beside him, her movements a blur of speed and precision.

Kaelin struggled to keep up, his swings clumsy and his footing uncertain. The shard’s pulsing grew stronger, its glow now lighting the forest around them.

“Kaelin!” Verrin shouted. “Use the shard!”

Kaelin hesitated. “How?”

“Focus on it! Let it guide you!”

Desperation and instinct took over. Kaelin pulled the shard from his pocket and held it aloft. Its light flared, blindingly bright, and the hounds recoiled, their howls turning into shrieks of pain. The shard’s energy surged through Kaelin, filling him with a warmth that burned away his fear.

With a shout, he swung his sword, and the shard’s light flowed through the blade. The nearest hounds disintegrated, their forms scattering like ashes in the wind.

The remaining creatures hesitated, their red eyes flickering. Then, as if sensing their defeat, they melted back into the shadows, leaving the forest eerily quiet once more.

Kaelin lowered the shard, his breathing ragged. The glow dimmed, but its warmth lingered in his hand.

“Well,” Anara said, wiping her daggers clean, “that was something.”

Verrin sheathed his blade, his expression unreadable. “You handled yourself better than I expected, Kaelin. The shard recognizes you now. That’s a good sign.”

Kaelin looked at the shard in his hand, its surface smooth and unassuming. “What was that?”

“The shard’s power,” Verrin said. “It’s connected to you now. But don’t think this means you’re ready. That was just a taste of what’s to come.”

Anara gave Verrin a skeptical look. “And I suppose you knew that would happen?”

Verrin’s smile was faint but pointed. “I had a hunch.”

Kaelin slipped the shard back into his pocket, his mind buzzing with questions. Verrin’s knowledge was undeniable, but his motives remained a mystery.

As they continued through the forest, Kaelin couldn’t shake the feeling that their new ally was hiding something—something that could change everything.

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