Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Uneasy Allies

The morning sunlight filtered through the cracks in Selene's cottage, painting the walls with streaks of gold. Aldric woke to the sound of rustling—a quiet but deliberate movement. Instinctively, his hand reached for the dagger strapped to his belt, but as his eyes adjusted, he saw Selene by the hearth, grinding herbs into a paste.

"You didn’t sleep," he said, his voice gruff from the night.

Selene glanced over her shoulder. "A healer rarely does." She returned to her work, the soft scrape of mortar against stone filling the silence.

Aldric sat up, his body still sore from the fight with the shadow beasts. The events of the night before played through his mind. Witches didn’t save hunters. Hunters didn’t defend witches. Yet here they were.

"What are you making?" he asked after a moment.

"A salve," Selene replied. "For your shoulder."

"My shoulder is fine."

She raised an eyebrow but didn’t look at him. "You’re welcome to let the infection set in. I’m sure it’ll complement your rugged demeanor."

Aldric scowled but didn’t argue. He watched as she worked, her movements methodical and precise. There was something calming about her presence, though he wouldn’t admit it aloud.

When she approached him with the salve, he stiffened. "I can do it myself."

Selene sighed, handing him the jar. "Suit yourself, hunter."

As he applied the mixture, its coolness easing the ache in his muscles, Selene busied herself with preparing tea. The aroma of chamomile and honey filled the room.

"You said last night that someone sent those creatures," Aldric said. "Who?"

Selene sat across from him, her gaze serious. "The forest doesn’t produce shadow beasts on its own. They’re conjured, summoned by a magic user with ill intent."

"And you have no idea who it might be?"

Selene hesitated, her fingers tracing the rim of her teacup. "There are… suspicions. Dark forces have been stirring in the region. I’ve felt it for months—an unnatural pull on the magic of the land."

Aldric frowned. "If that’s true, why stay here? Why not leave?"

"This forest is my home," Selene said firmly. "And if someone is using dark magic, running won’t stop them. I won’t abandon the people who depend on me."

The conviction in her voice caught Aldric off guard. He’d expected excuses, fear, or evasion—anything but the determination he heard.

"Your loyalty is going to get you killed," he muttered.

"Perhaps," Selene said with a faint smile. "But I’d rather die protecting others than live running from shadows."

Aldric didn’t reply. Her words stirred something in him, a faint echo of the ideals he’d once held before his life became an endless cycle of hunts and bloodshed.

As the morning wore on, Selene prepared supplies for the day—a satchel filled with herbs, vials of potions, and a small, leather-bound journal. Aldric watched her with growing curiosity.

"What are you doing now?"

"There’s a glade not far from here," she said. "Its waters are imbued with natural magic. If I can collect enough, I can fortify the cottage’s defenses."

"You’re going alone?"

Selene glanced at him. "Do you plan to stop me?"

Aldric crossed his arms. "I’m coming with you."

She raised an eyebrow. "To protect me, or to ensure I’m not up to something sinister?"

"Both," he said flatly.

Selene shrugged, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Suit yourself."

The glade lay deep within the forest, surrounded by towering oaks and wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze. The air was cool, carrying the scent of earth and moss. Selene knelt by the edge of a crystalline pool, her hands cupped to draw water.

Aldric stood a few paces away, his eyes scanning the trees. The quiet felt unnatural, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

"Something’s wrong," he said.

Selene glanced up. "The magic here is disturbed. Be ready."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the ground beneath them trembled. A dark figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in tattered robes. Its face was obscured, but its voice rang clear—a low, guttural growl.

"Witch," it hissed. "You meddle where you don’t belong."

Selene stood, her fingers tightening around a vial of potion. "Who are you?"

The figure didn’t answer. Instead, it raised a hand, and the shadows around it coalesced into a monstrous form. A hulking creature with claws like daggers and eyes that burned with crimson light.

Aldric drew his sword. "Stay behind me."

Selene didn’t argue. As Aldric charged the creature, Selene began chanting under her breath, her magic weaving through the air like threads of light. The creature swung at Aldric, its claws narrowly missing as he dodged and struck back.

Selene hurled a potion at the figure in the robes, the vial shattering against its chest. A burst of white light erupted, forcing the figure to stagger.

The battle was fierce, the air thick with the clash of steel and the hum of magic. But together, Aldric and Selene fought as though they’d done so for years. Aldric’s blade met Selene’s spells in perfect harmony, driving the dark figure and its beast back into the shadows.

When the fight was over, Aldric turned to Selene, his breathing heavy. "That wasn’t just some rogue mage."

"No," Selene agreed, her expression grim. "Whatever that was, it’s only the beginning."

Aldric sheathed his sword, his gaze lingering on her. "If you’re right, we’ll need to work together."

Selene’s eyes softened. "Does that mean you trust me now?"

"I don’t trust anyone," Aldric said. "But I’ll fight beside you—for now."

Selene smiled faintly. "Then let’s prepare. The real battle has yet to come."

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