The Oathbearer's Legacy

ge of Andor in golden light, casting l

e, staring at the relic he had

sunlight, its strange symbols unr

ranger, the unsettling encounter that had shifted th

, bound by word

hrough his mind, ref

to ease the tension that had taken reside

ng to the trees, gathering firewood, trading in the market for the things he co

the small room. It was clear he

t mean to be "bound by fate," and why him? He had lived quietly, avoiding anything t

. Few people came by his cottage, especially this early in the morning. Fo

g persisted, mor

door, opening it just a crack to pe

threshold was th

ad remembered, his presence even

features, but there was no mistaking the intensity of the man's

aid, his voice low and gravelly,

or and bolt it shut, but something in the stranger's to

asked, his voice st

ickered toward the table where the relic sat in plai

sity and wariness. "Who are you?" he

ightly, revealing a sharp, angular f

sorrow and determination. "My name is Eamon,"

his grip on the door tighte

wering his voice as if af

something far greater, something that's been hidden for cen

kened. He didn't li

kind of

e unwavering. "There are forces that seek the relic.

trailed off, the weight of his unf

presence like a heavy burden on his shoulders. "I didn't ask for this," he muttered, frus

htly. "None of us asked for the roles we're given, Kael

me what I'm supposed to do," he said, his voice rising with desperation

slowly. "A sanctuary, hidden deep within the northern mountains. It's a stronghold fo

is head was spinning with questions. "For all I k

ht to be cautious," he said. "But think about this

e paused, letting the weight of his words sink

f the relic falls in

silent, his

ng, and yet... the relic's presence had

mon's warning made his gut twist with the certainty

ecision made. "Where is

ey," he said, "but I can guide you. We need to leave

m. His life as a woodsman was over. The simple days of cho

clear that his path would

gs," he said, retu

ings, his thoughts churned with q

t power did it truly hold? And how had his fate becom

s eyes scanning the horizon as if expe

ing off The stranger was on edge, an

er his shoulder, Kaelin tu

e woods," he said. "It's safer that w

asting one last glance back at the place

life closing. But he didn't have the luxury of mourni

as they headed toward the forest. Kaelin's heart pounded in his

ng watched, though every glance over his shoulde

eyes scanning the surroundings. "Once we're in t

atures that can sense magic. They'll be

reatures? This was more

im, Kaelin stepped into the forest, followin

into the underbrush, the weight of t

urney that would take him far

s of his mind, there was also

n was stepping into the unknown, and t

ow, this was onl

le. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs beneath his boots f

ining to form a canopy so dense that the sunlight barely filt

dge of these woods, knowing their pat

heart, the familiar comfort he had alwa

he air here-heavier, oppressive as if

g to keep his voice steady, though he could feel

didn't turn around. "A week's jour

ult, and we'll need to

elin muttere

f spending days navigating through the wilderness with a strange

re these 'creature

, his eyes shadowe

f dark magic centuries ago, their sole purpose is to seek

tronger the magic, the more relentless the

weight of the relic inside now feeling mo

ch danger and what exactly made it so valuable to

wandered back to the village, to the li

ll of it seemed impossibly distant now. He had always felt conten

ed into something that was

sudden sound eerie, distant howl

unting knife strapped to his belt. Eamon, too, stopp

," Kaelin muttered, his vo

" Eamon sa

the scent. Kaelin's heart r

se for c

his hand resting on the hilt of the swo

arefully through the underbrush. Kaelin hurried to follow,

his heart pounded in his chest, a

es in unnatural, haunting tones. There was a guttural, bone-

nt hunger behind it as if whatever was making that so

wiftness and grace of someone who had been in these kinds of situations be

p pace. His lungs burned as he pushed himse

could hear them now, not just howling, but rustling through the unde

er. He could see movement in the shadows- flashes of black, slee

s it, we might lose them."Kaelin nodded, th

pe downward, the trees thinning as they ne

but he pushed himself forward, the howl

nly, a steep drop that carved t

were jagged, and the distance between the two

ward the edge and launched himself in

ing a crumbling ledge, then turned back t

into his throat as he

the thought of jumping over the gaping chasm filled

mell their foul stench. With no time to th

er the ravine. The wind rushed past him, and then he slammed into t

se on the rocky edge, his feet

bing Kaelin's arm and pulling

eart pounding wildly in his chest. He didn't have time to catch h

them-shadowy, lithe figures with glow

heir jaws, clearly agitated. Their glowing eyes burned with

on said, his voice steady but low.

stion and relief. But his eyes stayed on the creatures, hi

to follow. "They may not be able to cross, but they'

still shaking. The Ma'rakh watched them with their unb

d, Kaelin couldn't shake the feeling that

settling in around them once again. Kaelin's thoughts

Ma'rakh-the speed of their approach, the w

nder: what other dangers awaited them on this journey? And how m

endlessly ahead, and