Shadow slave:The Forgotten Spawn

Volume 2: Shards of Unity

Chapter 41: Unseen Shadows

The group moved cautiously through the shattered expanse, each step weighted with exhaustion and tension. The fight with the guardian had left them drained, but there was no time to rest. Every instinct screamed that something was lurking just beyond their sight, watching, waiting.

Eryth led the way, his shard faintly pulsing in his grip, its light flickering as if struggling to guide them. Behind him, the armored woman scanned the landscape, her blade drawn and ready. Nyx prowled silently beside them, its ears twitching at every faint sound.

"Do you feel that?" Eryth murmured, his voice low.

The woman nodded. "We're being followed."

Nyx growled softly, confirming her suspicion.

Eryth tightened his grip on the shard, the unease gnawing at him. The barren land stretched endlessly before them, but he could sense they were heading toward something. The shard's faint pull was growing stronger, leading them toward what he hoped was another shard—or answers.

A Sudden Attack

Without warning, the ground erupted beneath their feet, and shadowy figures emerged, their forms shifting and indistinct. These weren't like the guardian they had faced before—these were faster, smaller, and more agile. Their movements were erratic, like flickering flames in the wind.

"Ambush!" the woman shouted, raising her sword just in time to deflect an oncoming strike.

Eryth stumbled back, raising the shard instinctively. A burst of light shot out, striking one of the creatures and dissolving it into ash. But for every one that fell, two more took its place.

Nyx lunged at the attackers, its claws tearing through their shadowy forms. It fought with ferocity, but even its speed couldn't keep up with their relentless assault.

Eryth's heart pounded as he struggled to keep up. The shard's power was fading quickly, and he knew they couldn't hold out much longer.

"We're outnumbered!" he shouted, dodging a swipe from one of the creatures.

"Then we even the odds," the woman growled, her blade cutting through another attacker.

A Dangerous Gamble

Eryth glanced at the shard, its light flickering dangerously low. A desperate idea formed in his mind—a reckless, dangerous gamble that might turn the tide.

"Cover me!" he yelled, dropping to his knees and pressing the shard into the ground.

The woman hesitated but nodded, stepping in front of him to shield him from the onslaught. Nyx leapt to his side, its form coiling protectively around him.

Eryth closed his eyes, focusing all his energy into the shard. He could feel its faint heartbeat, the dormant power buried deep within. He pushed harder, drawing on every ounce of strength he had left.

The shard pulsed once, then again, its light growing brighter with each beat. The ground beneath them trembled, and a wave of energy erupted outward, slamming into the shadowy figures and scattering them like leaves in a storm.

When the light faded, the creatures were gone, and the air was eerily still.

Aftermath

Eryth collapsed, gasping for breath. The shard in his hand was dull, its glow reduced to a faint ember. Nyx nuzzled his shoulder, its warm presence grounding him.

"Are you insane?" the woman snapped, yanking him to his feet. "That could've killed us all!"

"It worked, didn't it?" Eryth shot back, his voice shaky.

She glared at him but didn't argue. Instead, she sheathed her sword and looked around. "We can't stay here. Whatever that was, it won't be the last time we're attacked."

Eryth nodded, still catching his breath. The shard felt heavier in his hand now, its power nearly spent. But despite their narrow escape, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.

As they continued their journey, the pull of the shard grew stronger, guiding them toward something unknown. And though none of them spoke it aloud, the same question hung in the air:

What awaited them at the end of this path?

To Be Continued…