Their horses ran as fast as they could, leaving Ironhold behind. The wind swept across Kael's face with a speed that made his eyes water, but he didn't care. All that was on his mind was the echoing growl from within the fort and the Shadow Knight's smile that lingered like a nightmare. Darius rode his horse beside him, the man's face tense and his eyes alert to the rear, as if expecting the darkness to chase them.
"Don't stop!" Darius yelled over the sound of the horses and the wind. "Keep running until we reach the forest!"
Kael didn't answer, only kicking his heels into his horse's sides harder. The animal responded with greater speed, its legs moving like shadows beneath the rising sun. Behind them, the Ironhold fort grew smaller, yet Kael could feel something following them. Not the sound of footsteps or a growl, but a deeper sensation, like eyes watching from an unseen darkness.
His Light Aether vibrated within his chest, not with its usual warmth, but with a sensation akin to shivering in the middle of freezing weather. As if his power was telling him the danger wasn't over.
After an hour of running without pause, they finally reached the tree line that marked the beginning of the forest. Darius raised his hand to signal a stop, and they slowed their horses to a walk. Kael looked back, gazing toward Ironhold which now appeared only as a dark speck on the horizon.
"Are they following us?" Kael asked, still panting.
Darius shook his head, his expression unconvincing. "Not right now. But that doesn't mean they won't come later. Shadow Knights do not forget the Light Aether that caught their attention."
Kael felt a chill creep down his spine. The Shadow Knight's words rang in his head. "Waiting for someone more suitable." What did it mean? And why did his Light Aether make him a target?
"We should rest for a moment," Darius said, leaping off his horse and tying the animal to the nearest tree. "These horses need time to catch their breath. And you do too."
Kael got off his horse with shaky legs. The physical and emotional exhaustion from the encounter with the Shadow Knight was beginning to set in. He sat beneath a large tree, his back resting against the rough trunk, and tried to regulate his breathing.
"Darius," Kael started in a quiet voice. "What did that Shadow Knight mean? About waiting for someone more suitable?"
Darius sat next to him, his face serious and full of consideration. "Shadow Knights are Malachar's elite forces. They are not only powerful in battle; they also possess the ability to sense Aether. Extremely pure Light Aether like yours is something rare. To them, it means... potential."
"Potential for what?"
Darius was silent for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "There are many theories about the Shadow Knights. Some say they are human soldiers who have been overtaken by Dark Aether. Others say they are creatures from another dimension who take human forms. But one thing is certain: they seek strong Light Aether. Either to destroy it... or for something worse."
Kael felt his stomach churn. "I don't understand."
"What you need to know now is that you must be careful," Darius said firmly. "Your Light Aether is no longer a secret. That Shadow Knight has sensed it. And it will remember it. When we return to Valdoria, we must make sure this information does not spread. Only Lord Varen and Captain Aldric need to know."
Kael nodded, though the discomfort in his chest did not lessen. He became a soldier to fight the darkness, not to become its target. But now, it felt like he had marked himself as prey.
The journey back to Valdoria felt longer than before. Every sound in the forest made Kael turn with a start, every shadow in the distance made his heart beat faster. Darius appeared more relaxed, but Kael could see that the man was also more alert than usual. Darius's eyes kept moving, scanning the surroundings with an intensity Kael had never seen before.
Their first night, they rested under an old stone bridge crossing a small river. The water flowed calmly, creating a soothing sound amidst the silence of the night. Kael sat by the riverbank, watching the flowing water as he thought about everything that had happened.
"You're quiet," Darius said, sitting next to him with a piece of hardtack in his hand. "Thinking about what?"
Kael sighed. "Everything. Ironhold. The Shadow Knight. My Light Aether. I used to think being a soldier meant fighting demons with a sword. Now it feels more complicated than that."
"It is more complicated," Darius answered in a serious tone. "This war is not just about swords and strength. It's about information, strategy, and sometimes sacrifice. Ironhold has fallen, and we cannot fend off Shadow Knights with ordinary military strength. We need to understand them first."
"How do you understand a creature that cannot be killed?" Kael asked, his frustration beginning to peak.
Darius offered a faint smile. "Everything has a weakness. Shadow Knights are no exception. They might be strong, but they are also bound to Dark Aether. Light Aether is their natural enemy. With proper training, you might become a real threat to them."
"But I'm still weak," Kael admitted in a quiet voice. "I can't even control my Light Aether properly."
"That is why you need to learn," Darius said, handing a piece of hardtack to Kael. "The Lux rune I taught you is a start. There are many other runes that can help you. And there are also techniques that can strengthen your control. But all of that requires time and patience."
Kael took the bread and bit into it without enthusiasm. It tasted bland, like everything he felt right now. "I don't have time," he said after swallowing. "That Shadow Knight said it's waiting. That means it will come again."
"Which is why we must be quick," Darius replied. "Tomorrow we will arrive in Valdoria. We will report to Lord Varen and decide the next steps. For now, rest. You will need your strength."
Kael nodded, even though he knew sleep would not come easily tonight. He lay down on the damp grass, looking at the stars in the increasingly cloudy sky. In the distance, he could hear the sound of a wolf howling, a sound usually frightening but now felt comforting compared to the growl he heard in Ironhold.
On the third day of the journey, the walls of the City of Valdoria finally appeared on the horizon. Kael felt mixed emotions upon seeing the fortress that had been his home for weeks. There was relief because he would return to a safe place, but there was also dread because what he brought with him was bad news.
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They entered the city gates in the late afternoon, when the sun had begun to set in the west. The gate guards recognized Darius and let them pass without question. Kael could feel the guards' stares following him, and he wondered if they could see the exhaustion on his face.
"We will go straight to the training complex," Darius said as they passed through the emptying city streets. "Lord Varen and Captain Aldric are waiting."
"They know we're coming?" Kael asked.
"I sent a message via falcon before we left," Darius explained. "They have been expecting our report."
The training complex looked different to Kael's eyes after a three-day journey. The place that used to feel like his entire world now felt small compared to what he saw at Ironhold. The recruits were still training in the courtyard, running and shouting under Sergeant Brok's orders. Kael envied their ignorance. They didn't know what was waiting at the border.
As they crossed the courtyard, a voice called his name.
"Kael!"
Kael turned and found Erik running toward him. His friend's face showed obvious relief, but also worry. Kael stopped and waited for Erik to reach him.
"You're back!" Erik said, panting. "I was worried. How was the mission? What happened at Ironhold?"
Kael looked at his friend with a feeling that was hard to explain. He wanted to tell him everything that happened, but Darius had warned him to keep it a secret. "Later," he said in a quiet voice. "I have to report first."
Erik looked at him with a sharp gaze, as if reading something behind Kael's words. "Alright," he said in a serious tone. "But don't disappear again without telling me. I'm in the barracks if you need someone to talk to."
Kael nodded and continued his walk with Darius. Behind him, he could feel Erik's gaze following him until he turned the corner of a building.
The main meeting room was located in the highest tower of the training complex. Its walls were filled with maps of the Valdoria region and its surroundings, with markers showing the positions of defensive forts and supply lines. In the center of the room was a long table surrounded by chairs.
Lord Varen was already waiting at the end of the table, his face serious and his eyes sharp. Next to him sat Captain Aldric Ironforge, who looked at Kael with an unreadable expression. Magister Corvus was also present, standing in the corner of the room in his long ceremonial robe.
"Report," Lord Varen said in a firm voice.
Darius stepped forward and began giving a detailed report. He explained their journey, the deserted condition of Ironhold, and their encounter with the Shadow Knight. Kael listened with full attention, noting the details he had missed while he was there.
When Darius mentioned that the Shadow Knight was interested in Kael's Light Aether, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Lord Varen looked at Kael with a sharper gaze, and Captain Aldric narrowed his eyes.
"Are you sure?" Lord Varen asked, his eyes not leaving Kael.
"Yes, My Lord," Kael answered in a steady voice despite his racing heart. "The Shadow Knight said it was waiting for someone more suitable. And it mentioned my Light Aether was unusual."
Magister Corvus stepped forward from the corner of the room, his eyes lighting up with interest. "This aligns with our theories about the Shadow Knights. They have the ability to sense Aether, and extremely pure Light Aether is something that catches their attention. The purity you possess, Kael, might only appear once every few generations."
"What does this mean for him?" Captain Aldric asked in a heavy voice. "Is he in danger?"
"That depends," Lord Varen answered before Magister Corvus could speak. "If that Shadow Knight is truly interested in him, they might seek him out again. But they might also wait for the right time. Shadow Knights do not act rashly. They are patient hunters."
Kael felt a chill crawl down his spine. "What should I do?"
Lord Varen exchanged glances with Captain Aldric and Magister Corvus before answering. "For now, you will remain at the training complex. Your training will be escalated, especially concerning Aether control. You need to become stronger if you want to survive against the Shadow Knights."
"And there is one more thing," Magister Corvus added in a low voice. "The purity of your Light Aether might be the key to something greater. The Valerius prophecy mentions 'a sword that blazes like the first dawn'. Perhaps you are the person referred to in that prophecy."
Kael looked at Magister Corvus with a feeling of disbelief. "Me? But I'm just a recruit. I haven't even graduated from training."
"Prophecies do not choose those who are already ready," Lord Varen said with a serious tone. "Prophecies choose those who have potential. And your potential has been evident from the start."
The atmosphere in the room grew heavier. Kael could feel the weight of their words pressing down on his shoulders. He was just a farmer's son from a destroyed little village. How could he possibly be the person referred to in a three-thousand-year-old prophecy?
"For now," Lord Varen continued, "we will increase security around the complex. And you, Kael, will receive special training from Magister Corvus and Magistra Clara. You need to master your Light Aether as quickly as possible."
"Yes, My Lord," Kael answered in a quiet voice.
"There is one more thing," Darius spoke for the first time since starting the report. "At Ironhold, before the Shadow Knight appeared, I felt something. Like a tremor from deep within the earth. There might be a portal open there."
Lord Varen nodded with an increasingly serious expression. "Then we must prepare ourselves. If a portal has indeed opened, Shadow Knights are not the only threat we will face."
That night, Kael sat alone in the training complex courtyard. The other recruits were already asleep in the barracks, but Kael couldn't sleep. Too much was spinning in his head. Ironhold, the Shadow Knight, the prophecy, and now the special training that awaited him.
He took his father's broken sword from his robe pocket and looked at it under the moonlight. The old metal was worthless, but to Kael, it was the only remaining connection to Dorian. To the father who had taught him about true strength.
"What would you say if you knew, Father?" Kael whispered into the silence of the night. "What would you do?"
No answer came. Only the sound of the wind blowing by and the rustle of leaves in the distance.
"You're not asleep yet?"
Kael turned and found Erik standing a few steps behind him. His friend was wearing a thin night robe, but his eyes were still sharp despite the late hour.
"Can't sleep," Kael admitted.
Erik sighed and sat next to him. "Me neither. After seeing your face earlier, I knew something wasn't right. Do you want to talk about it?"
Kael was silent for a moment, considering whether he should tell him everything. But Darius had warned him to maintain secrecy. "I can't tell you everything," he finally said. "But... Ironhold has fallen. And there's something there. Something dangerous."
Erik looked at him with a serious gaze. "Shadow Knights?"
Kael turned to him in shock. "How do you know?"
"I heard rumors from the instructors," Erik answered in a quiet voice. "They talked about forts falling without a fight. Soldiers found with shattered souls. And the old men in my village used to tell stories about Shadow Knights when I was little."
Kael sighed. "Yes. We met one of them."
"And?" Erik pressed with clear worry in his eyes.
"And it said something that's keeping me awake," Kael answered with a heavy voice. "It said it was waiting for someone. And it seems, that someone is me."
Erik was silent for a moment, digesting the information. Then, unexpectedly, he placed his hand on Kael's shoulder. "Whatever happens, you're not alone. I don't know much about prophecies or Light Aether, but I know one thing. You are my friend. And I won't let you face whatever it is alone."
Kael looked at Erik with a feeling that was hard to explain. For the first time since the encounter with the Shadow Knight, he felt a little weight lift from his heart. "Thank you, Erik."
"Don't thank me yet," Erik said with a faint smile. "Wait until we actually face that danger together."
They sat in a comfortable silence, looking up at the moon hanging high in the sky. In the distance, Kael could hear Sergeant Brok's shouted orders from the direction of the barracks, probably waking recruits for night watch. It all felt distant, like someone else's life.
Suddenly, Kael felt something strange. His Light Aether vibrated, not with the intensity he felt at Ironhold, but more like a faint warning. He looked toward the complex gates, and for a moment, he thought he saw something moving in the darkness outside the walls.
"Kael?" Erik asked in a worried voice. "What is it?"
Kael stared into the darkness longer, trying to confirm if what he saw was real. But there was nothing besides shadows and silence.
"Nothing," Kael said in a quiet voice, though he wasn't sure it was true. "Probably just the wind."
But in his heart, he knew that what he felt wasn't just imagination. That Shadow Knight had said it was waiting. And Kael had a strong feeling that the wait was not over yet.
Outside the walls of Valdoria, in a darkness impenetrable by moonlight, a pair of glowing red eyes flared briefly before vanishing back into the shadows.
— To be continued in Chapter 13 —