The soldier's body lay stiff on the makeshift bed, his pitch-black eyes remaining wide open even though his life had departed. Kael couldn't tear his gaze away from the figure, from a face that should have been human but now looked like a torn mask, revealing something dark and horrifying beneath. The soldier's right hand, which seconds ago had gripped Kael's arm, now fell limply at his side. Yet Kael still felt the phantom of that grip on his skin, like a burn that hadn't entirely faded.
"Close his eyes," Elara whispered with a trembling voice. Her hand was still on the soldier's forehead, trying to detect any remnants of life that might remain. But there was nothing. His soul was shattered, not merely leaving the body, but obliterated by something far darker than ordinary death.
Kael took a deep breath and grabbed a piece of cloth from the table beside him. With slow movements, he covered the soldier's face, hiding the stare of black eyes still frozen in an expression of terror. His hand felt cold as he touched the soldier's skin—not the cold of a typical corpse, but something deeper, like touching ice formed from darkness itself.
"What just happened?" Kael asked, his voice sounding foreign in his own ears. "He... he spoke about Malachar. About the Demon King." Speaking that name felt heavy to him, like uttering a name that should never be spoken.
Elara stood up with stiff movements, her face pale under the flickering light of the oil lamp. "I don't know," she answered in a voice no more than a whisper. "I've read about Dark Aether, about how it can infect and destroy a person's soul. But this... this is different. Like there's something controlling him from the inside, using him as a... as a vessel." She swallowed hard. "And it managed to completely destroy his soul before I could do anything." She looked at Kael with eyes filled with fear and confusion. "I have never seen anything like this before. Not that strong." she clenched her hands into fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. "Never." She sighed heavily. "I have to return to the palace. I must find out what actually happened." She looked at Kael with a sharp gaze. "This is no longer just about wounded refugees, Kael. This is bigger than that." She picked up the gray robe she wore as a disguise and put it back on with hurried movements. "I will find you when I know something. Until then, be careful. Do not talk about this with anyone. Not yet." She then turned and rushed out of the tent without waiting for Kael's response.
Kael remained standing in his place for a long time, staring at the cloth-covered body. Around him, sounds from outside the tent filtered in—a child's cry, shouted instructions, footsteps hurrying by. All of it felt distant, as if coming from a world different from the reality he had just witnessed.
"Malachar... wakes..." He repeated those words in a barely audible voice, feeling a weight that could not be explained with words. A thousand years of war. A thousand years of fear. And now, there was something new. Something that turned a soldier who had survived on the front lines into a vessel for darkness.
The next day, the atmosphere at the training complex felt different. The air that was usually filled with Sergeant Brok's shouts and the clatter of wooden swords was now quieter, more tense. News of the soldier's death in the refugee camp had spread, though no one knew the details. All they knew was that a soldier from Thornwood died mysteriously in the medical tent, and his body had to be burned for unexplained reasons.
Kael stood in line with the other recruits, listening to Captain Aldric's announcement with full attention. The veteran's face was harder than usual, the lines on his face appearing deeper under the morning sun.
"Starting today, intensive training will be escalated," Aldric said with a voice that echoed across the field. "Night watches will be added for navigation and emergency defense drills. Recruits who do not meet the standards will be expelled and sent to reserve units in the rear." He paused, his eyes scanning the rows of young soldiers before him. "We don't know what will happen in the coming weeks. But what I do know is that Valdoria will be ready. And you, as future soldiers, must be ready too."
Murmurs rippled through the ranks of recruits. Some questioned in whispers, but no one dared to speak loudly. Kael remained silent, his eyes focused on Aldric's face. He could feel something unspoken, something more urgent than merely increased training.
After the assembly ended, Kael grabbed Erik's arm before his friend could leave. "Did you hear what happened at the refugee camp yesterday?" he asked in a low voice.
Erik nodded with a serious face. "Thomas said a soldier died in a strange way. His body was burned immediately without a ceremony. Some say he was afflicted by some kind of curse." He leaned his face closer to Kael. "You were there yesterday, right? Do you know what really happened?"
Kael hesitated for a moment, remembering Elara's warning not to speak to anyone. But Erik was his friend, the person who had been by his side since the first day. "I can't explain everything," he finally said. "But there was something... unnatural. He didn't just die. He was like... emptied."
Erik's eyes widened. "Emptied? What do you mean?"
"His soul," Kael answered in a barely audible voice. "Like something took it or destroyed it. And before he died, he spoke. He spoke the name Malachar."
Erik's face turned pale. "Malachar? The Demon King?" He swallowed hard. "But... but that doesn't make sense. Malachar has been asleep for hundreds of years. Everyone knows that. That's what allowed humanity to survive this long."
"That's what I heard too," Kael said. "But now... I'm not so sure."
They stood in an uncomfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Erik took a long breath. "I don't like this, Kael. I joined the military to protect my family, to make my little sister proud. But this... this feels like something much bigger than what I expected."
"None of us are ready for this," Kael answered in a flat voice. "But I don't think we have a choice."
That afternoon, after blinding physical training, Kael was summoned to the Aether instructors' tower. He walked there with heavy steps, his legs still protesting from the five-kilometer run he had just completed. But as he entered Magistra Clara's room, all that exhaustion evaporated instantly.
Magistra Clara stood beside a long table filled with old books and parchment scrolls. Opposite her sat a man Kael didn't recognize, wearing a black robe with gold embroidery on its collar. There was something in the man's appearance that made Kael's neck hair stand up, a kind of presence that could not be explained with words.
"Come in, Kael," Clara said in a more serious voice than usual. "There is something we need to discuss."
Kael stepped into the room, feeling the stranger's gaze seemingly judging him from head to toe. He didn't feel comfortable, yet something made him alert, like being near a forest he knew was inhabited by predators.
"This is Magister Corvus," Clara introduced. "He is the royal advisor for Aether affairs and... related phenomena."
The man nodded, his face showing no emotion. "And you are the recruit with an unusual Light Aether affinity," he said in a deep, sharp voice. "I have heard about you from Magistra Clara."
"I... thank you, Magister," Kael replied, slightly confused.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
"Magister Corvus came because of yesterday's incident at the refugee camp," Clara explained in a lower voice. "He is... investigating the phenomenon that happened to that soldier."
Kael tensed. "I didn't do anything. I was just..." He searched for the right words. "I was just there."
"We are not accusing you," Corvus said with a calming but still sharp tone. "On the contrary, we believe you might be an important witness. Tell us what you saw. Everything."
Kael took a deep breath and began to speak. He explained how the soldier was found, how his wounds were different from normal physical injuries, how his eyes were pitch black and moved as if something were beneath them. He recounted how the soldier grabbed his arm and spoke, a voice coming from a distant place, words that were not entirely human.
"Malachar... wakes..." Corvus repeated the words in a barely audible voice. He stared at Kael with a piercing gaze. "You're sure those were his words?"
"Yes, Magister. There was also something else. He said..." Kael hesitated for a moment. "He said 'They are coming.'"
Corvus and Clara exchanged glances with unreadable expressions. Then, with slow movements, Corvus picked up a book from the table beside him and opened it in front of Kael. The page showed an illustration of a creature Kael had never seen before, a humanoid figure with a strange symbol on its chest.
"This is the symbol found on the soldier's tunic," Corvus explained. "This symbol does not belong to the Kingdom of Valdoria or any human kingdom. This is the mark used by... them."
"Them?" Kael asked.
"Shadow Knights," Clara answered with a heavy voice. "Malachar's elite forces. They are high-level demons that can take human form and infiltrate our ranks. They haven't been seen since the great war five hundred years ago."
"Five hundred years," Kael repeated, feeling the weight of a history he had never studied. "And now they are reappearing?"
"With an objective we do not know," Corvus added. "Their presence in Thornwood, the sending of infected soldiers here... this is no coincidence. There is a plan behind this. And the warning about Malachar waking..." He sighed heavily. "This might be a sign that the war is about to enter a new chapter."
That night, Kael sat on the edge of the training complex, looking at the sky beginning to fill with stars. The night breeze carried the scent of cooking from the complex's kitchen, but his appetite had vanished since the meeting with Corvus. Too much information. Too many questions.
"I'm thinking the same thing," Erik's voice came from behind him. His friend sat beside him with two bowls of hot soup in hand. "Here." He handed one bowl to Kael. "You need to eat. Whatever happens, you can't fight a war on an empty stomach."
Kael accepted the bowl with a faint smile. "Thank you." He sipped the soup, feeling warmth spreading throughout his body. For the first time since morning, he felt slightly more human.
"So," Erik began, blowing on his own soup. "What really happened? I know you were hiding something earlier."
Kael fell silent for a moment, considering whether he should tell him everything. Elara had asked him not to speak, but Erik was his friend. And in situations like this, maybe information was the only thing that could save them.
"Shadow Knights," Kael finally said in a low voice. "That's what Magister Corvus said. That soldier wasn't human anymore. He was a... vessel. For something darker."
Erik's eyes widened, but he didn't interrupt.
"And the symbol on his tunic," Kael continued. "Not the symbol of any kingdom. It's the mark of Malachar's elite forces. They have infiltrated our ranks, Erik. Maybe for a long time. And now... the Demon King might be waking from his sleep."
Silence. Erik stared into his soup with a vacant gaze. "I always knew this war was real," he finally said in a quiet voice. "But never this real. I thought... I thought I would fight the demons I saw on the battlefield, not... not something already among us."
"That's what makes this dangerous," Kael said. "We don't know who can be trusted. We don't know who might already be..." He didn't finish, but Erik understood.
"Infected," Erik completed. "Or controlled. Or maybe not human at all." He took a long breath. "What a great way to start a military career."
Kael couldn't help a small smile. "At least we're not alone."
"No," Erik agreed with a similar smile. "We have each other. And..." He looked at Kael seriously. "You have Light Aether, right? That has to mean something. From what I hear, Light Aether is the natural enemy of darkness. If anyone can fight them, maybe it's you."
"I still can't control it well," Kael admitted in a low voice. "I only managed to awaken it consciously a few weeks ago. And every time I use it without control, I feel like... like I've been hit by a carriage."
"But you can learn," Erik said with a conviction that made Kael turn. "I've seen you train. You never give up. That's more than can be said for most people."
Kael was silent for a moment, pondering his friend's words. He remembered his meeting with Elara under the oak tree, how he could see her clearly for the first time, how she said he wasn't fighting for himself.
"The key is courage," Kael said in a barely audible voice, recalling the words his father had spoken years ago. "Standing against the darkness, even when you're afraid."
"Huh?" Erik looked at him confused.
"Nothing," Kael shook his head with a small smile. "Just remembering something." He stood up and emptied his bowl. "Thanks for the soup. And... Erik?"
"Yeah?"
"Take care of yourself. Whatever happens, don't trust anyone easily. Until we know what's really going on."
Erik nodded with a serious face. "You too, Kael. You too."
The next day, Kael found himself summoned again, this time to the main meeting room of the military complex. When he entered the room, he found more than just Magister Corvus and Magistra Clara. Captain Aldric stood to one side, his face serious. Opposite him sat a man in a black-and-gold robe that made Kael recognize a figure he never imagined meeting in person.
"Sit," Aldric said, pointing to an empty chair at the table.
Kael obeyed carefully, feeling the tension in the air.
"Kael," the man in the black-and-gold robe spoke with an authoritative but not intimidating voice. "I am Lord Varen, royal advisor for military and intelligence affairs. I am here because your name was mentioned in the report about yesterday's incident."
"My name, My Lord?" Kael asked, confused.
"Yes," Lord Varen nodded. "You are one of the few people who have seen the effects of Dark Aether firsthand and survived. You are also the only recruit with a Light Aether affinity pure enough for..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "For a specific purpose."
Kael felt uncomfortable under the stares of everyone in the room. "I don't understand, My Lord."
"I will explain directly," Lord Varen said with a more serious tone. "Last night, we received a report from the northern border. Ironhold Fort has lost contact since three days ago. And last night, one of our soldiers there was found in the same condition as the soldier in the refugee camp. Alive, but his soul... empty."
"Before his soul was completely destroyed, the soldier managed to speak," Lord Varen continued. "His words... are alarming. He said that 'the door is open' and 'he has crossed'."
"Door?" Kael asked, feeling something cold creeping down his spine.
"We believe it is a portal," Magister Corvus explained in a heavy voice. "A portal between our dimension and the dimension of darkness. A portal that should have been closed since Malachar first appeared a thousand years ago."
"And now..." Aldric took over the conversation, his eyes looking at Kael with unusual intensity. "We believe someone must inspect the situation at Ironhold. Someone with Light Aether who can detect the presence of Dark Aether. Someone who will not be suspected as a threat by... whatever is there."
Kael felt a cold current sweep through his body. "Sir... are you assigning me to this mission? I'm just a recruit. I haven't even finished basic training."
"That is why you are the perfect choice," Lord Varen said sharply. "An ordinary recruit will not be suspected. And your Light Aether... although not yet well trained, its purity is something that cannot be faked. If there is Dark Aether in Ironhold, you will be able to feel it."
"This is not an order," Aldric added in a softer voice. "This is a request. You may refuse if you are not ready. But..." He paused. "If what we fear happens, if Malachar is truly waking, then we need to know now. Before it's too late."
Kael looked at the faces around him. Lord Varen with his calm authority. Magister Corvus with a sharp yet calculating gaze. Magistra Clara with faint worry in her eyes. And Captain Aldric, his mentor, who had seen the potential in him from the beginning.
He thought back to the night his father died. The blazing fire, the screams, and the darkness that took everything. He remembered his vow under the oak tree. He remembered Elara's words about seeing him as someone worth looking at.
"When do I leave?" Kael finally asked, his voice steady even though his heart was pounding.
Lord Varen nodded with an unreadable expression. "Tomorrow morning. And Kael..." He stood up, signaling the meeting was over. "Whoever you meet there, whatever you see... do not trust them. Shadow Knights do not only take human forms. They take memories, emotions, even..." He stopped in the doorway. "Even imitating the people you love."
Kael sat silently in the increasingly quiet room, staring into the void with a feeling he couldn't name. Tomorrow, he would leave the safety of the training complex. Tomorrow, he would face the darkness that had haunted his dreams for thirteen years.
And perhaps, tomorrow, he would find answers to the questions that had frozen in his mind since yesterday.
Is Malachar truly waking?
— To be continued in Chapter 11 —