The Keeper coughed weakly, each sound rattling in his chest as his life ebbed away. His gaunt face twisted into a sickening smile, despite the pain. "You have no idea... what you've done," he hissed, his voice barely audible.

Kaelen crouched beside him, the faint glow of his eyes dimming but still unsettling. "Then enlighten us before you meet your end," he said, his tone sharp but measured.

Sigrid, standing nearby with her daggers ready, added coldly, "If you value whatever's left of your miserable life, you'll answer quickly."

The Keeper’s sunken eyes shifted between them, his expression a mixture of amusement and contempt. "The crystal wasn’t just a source of power—it was a seal," he said, his voice trembling. "It kept something far worse... locked away."

Kaelen’s grip on his sword tightened. "What kind of ‘something’?"

The man’s laugh was hollow, like wind through an empty grave. "You’ll see soon enough. It’s older than your gods, your magic, your schools of hunting. And now... it’s free."

Sigrid’s jaw clenched, her silver hair catching the dim light of the chamber. "If that’s true, why were you using the crystal’s power? Why risk breaking the seal?"

"For knowledge," the Keeper rasped. "For control. I thought... I could master it. But it appears I was wrong."

Kaelen rose, his patience wearing thin. "And what should we do now? Beg for forgiveness? Pray to something that doesn't care?"

The Keeper’s grin widened, his teeth stained with blood. "Run. Fight. Die. It doesn’t matter. What’s coming... will find you."

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Before either hunter could respond, the man’s body convulsed, dark veins spreading across his skin. His form dissolved into ash, leaving only the faint smell of sulfur behind.

Sigrid sheathed her daggers, her expression unreadable. "We need to leave. Now."

Kaelen nodded but paused to glance at the empty pedestal where the crystal once stood. "Do you think he was telling the truth?"

"Does it matter?" Sigrid said, already heading toward the exit. "If something was sealed here and we broke it, we’ll face it eventually. But not in this place."

Kaelen followed, his boots crunching over the debris. As they emerged from the ruins, the cold night air hit them like a wave. The stars above seemed dimmer, their light struggling against an unseen shadow that now lingered in the world.

Back at their makeshift camp, Nessa sat near the fire, her bow resting across her knees. She looked up as they approached, her expression shifting from relief to concern. "You’re both alive. That’s a start."

"We’re alive, but there’s a problem," Sigrid said flatly, taking a seat near the fire.

"There’s always a problem," Kaelen muttered, dropping his gear with a heavy sigh.

"What happened down there?" Nessa asked, her tone cautious.

Kaelen stared into the flames for a moment before replying. "We destroyed the crystal. Turns out it wasn’t just a source of power—it was a seal. According to the Keeper, we’ve unleashed something... ancient."

Nessa’s face paled. "Ancient how?"

"Think older than gods and magic," Sigrid said, her voice tinged with frustration. "And apparently, it’s not something we can ignore."

The three sat in silence, the weight of their actions pressing down on them. Kaelen finally broke the quiet. "If whatever this thing is starts showing itself, we’ll need more than just us to face it."

"You’re suggesting we gather others?" Sigrid asked, her tone skeptical.

"Not just anyone," Kaelen said. "We need knowledge—answers. And the best place to find that is the Raven Hunting School."

Sigrid raised an eyebrow. "Your old school?"

Kaelen nodded. "They’ve dealt with ancient threats before. If anyone has records or insight into this kind of thing, it’ll be them."

"That’s assuming they’ll even let us in," Sigrid said.

"They’ll let me in," Kaelen replied confidently. "Whether they’ll let you two in is another story."

Nessa smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Guess you’ll have to sweet-talk them, big guy."

Kaelen rolled his eyes, but the faintest hint of a smile crossed his face. "Pack your things. It’s a long journey, and we don’t have time to waste."

As the fire crackled and the group began preparing for their next move, a faint howl echoed in the distance. It wasn’t a wolf or any beast they recognized—it was something far more unsettling.

Kaelen exchanged a glance with Sigrid. "Looks like whatever we unleashed isn’t going to wait."

Sigrid’s hand instinctively moved to her dagger. "Then we won’t either."

The group moved quickly, extinguishing the fire and mounting their horses. The road to the Raven Hunting School would be fraught with danger, but it was t

heir best hope of uncovering the truth—and surviving whatever came next.