Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Threads of Darkness

The walk back to Selene’s cottage was a quiet one, but it wasn’t the same tense silence that had hung between them before. Aldric remained alert, scanning the shadows for signs of another attack, while Selene clutched the satchel of glade water, her mind preoccupied with the robed figure.

"You’ve seen things like that before," Aldric finally said, breaking the quiet.

Selene nodded. "Not often, but yes. That wasn’t a simple dark mage or a common beast. It was something older, something… tethered to the land."

"Tethered?" Aldric frowned.

"Magic isn’t always born of will or spells," Selene explained. "Sometimes, it seeps into the earth, the trees, even the stones. Over time, it can twist, creating entities like what we faced today."

Aldric considered this. He had always thought of magic as something wielded by witches—an external force to be summoned and controlled. The idea that it could exist on its own, alive and malevolent, was unsettling.

"Why would it target you?" he asked.

"Because I stand in its way," Selene said simply. "Whoever—or whatever—is manipulating the magic here, they see me as a threat. I’m disrupting their plans."

Aldric scoffed. "A lone witch in a forest? Doesn’t seem like much of a threat."

Selene shot him a sharp look. "Underestimate me if you like, hunter, but I’ve been holding this forest together for years. The wards, the protective charms, the healing—it all keeps the darkness at bay. Without me, this place would be overrun."

Aldric didn’t reply. He couldn’t deny that she’d proven herself more capable than he’d expected, but it grated against everything he’d been taught.

By the time they reached the cottage, the sun was low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Selene immediately set to work, pouring the glade water into a wide bowl and mixing it with herbs and powdered gemstones.

"What are you doing now?" Aldric asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Reinforcing the wards," Selene replied. "If that creature returns, I want it to find a wall of magic waiting for it."

Aldric watched as she moved with precision, her hands steady despite the day’s events. Her focus was almost hypnotic.

"How long have you lived here?" he asked, his tone softer than before.

"Five years," Selene said without looking up. "After I left the coven."

"You were part of a coven?"

"Every witch starts in one," she said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "It’s how we learn. But not all covens are… benevolent. Mine sought power at any cost. When I refused to take part in their rituals, I left."

Aldric narrowed his eyes. "And they let you leave?"

Selene paused, her hands stilling over the bowl. "Not without consequences."

He caught the flicker of pain in her expression, and for a moment, he wanted to press further, to know more about the past that clearly haunted her. But he held back, sensing that the wound was still raw.

Instead, he asked, "And the villagers? Why not leave them behind?"

Selene resumed her work. "Because someone has to look after them. Even if they fear me, they need me. Fear isn’t their fault—it’s what they’ve been taught. Just as you were."

Aldric felt the sting of her words but said nothing.

Later That Night

The cottage was quiet, save for the crackle of the fire. Aldric sat near the hearth, sharpening his blade. Selene was at the table, writing in her journal, the faint scratch of her quill a soothing counterpoint to the flickering flames.

"You’ve done this for years," Aldric said suddenly.

Selene looked up, her quill pausing mid-stroke. "Done what?"

"Fought to protect people who’d sooner burn you at the stake."

Selene met his gaze, her eyes steady. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it’s right," she said simply. "Because someone has to. And because… not everyone hates me. There are children in the village who smile when they see me. Farmers who leave offerings at the edge of the woods, even if they won’t speak to me directly. They’re small gestures, but they matter."

Aldric nodded slowly, her words resonating more than he wanted to admit.

Before he could reply, a loud thud came from outside. Both of them were on their feet in an instant, Aldric with his sword drawn and Selene clutching a vial of shimmering liquid.

The sound came again, this time accompanied by a low growl.

"Stay here," Aldric said, moving toward the door.

Selene grabbed his arm. "No. You don’t know what’s out there."

"And you do?"

She hesitated, then shook her head. "That’s why we go together."

Aldric wanted to argue, but the determination in her eyes made him relent. He pushed open the door, the cold night air rushing in.

Standing in the clearing was another beast—this one larger than the shadow creatures from before. Its fur was matted, its eyes glowing a sickly green. But what struck Aldric most was the faint shimmer of runes etched into its body, glowing faintly under the moonlight.

"Someone bound this creature," Selene whispered. "It’s been cursed."

The beast snarled and charged, and the fight began anew. Aldric moved with practiced precision, his sword slicing through the air, while Selene unleashed bursts of light magic to slow the creature’s movements.

But this beast was stronger, faster. Aldric narrowly dodged a swipe of its claws, the force of the attack sending him sprawling. Selene raised her hand, chanting a spell, but the beast lunged at her before she could finish.

"Selene!" Aldric shouted, throwing his dagger. The blade struck the beast’s shoulder, forcing it back.

Selene took the opportunity to hurl her vial, the liquid shattering against the beast’s chest. A burst of golden light erupted, and the creature howled in agony before collapsing.

Breathing heavily, Selene knelt beside the beast, her hands glowing faintly as she examined its runes.

"What are you doing?" Aldric asked, his sword still raised.

"Trying to break the curse," she said. "It’s suffering."

Aldric frowned. "It tried to kill us."

"And you’ve never fought to survive when you didn’t want to?" she shot back.

He didn’t answer.

After a moment, the runes faded, and the beast let out a low whimper before dissolving into a fine mist.

Selene stood, her shoulders slumping. "Whoever is behind this… they’re growing bolder."

Aldric sheathed his sword, his expression grim. "Then we’ll have to be ready."

Selene looked at him, her eyes searching his face. "We?"

He nodded. "If this is what we’re up against, you’ll need more than wards and potions. And I…" He hesitated. "I need answers. About you. About this magic."

For the first time, Selene smiled—a small, tired smile, but genuine.

"Then let’s get to work," she said.

As they face mounting threats, Aldric and Selene’s alliance grows stronger, setting the stage for deeper trust and the seeds of something more.

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