Valon soared through the vast expanse of the night sky, astride a mass of inky black feathers. As the wind tousled his hair, he patted the beast's side reassuringly and glanced to the pack secured on the tail end on the saddle he rode. The feeling of unease that had been keeping him on edge seemed to be effecting the creature underneath him.
"Calm, Yarrvek," he murmured. For years, Valon raised the creature from an egg, and regarded him as close as a friend. This beast, a member of the Therahtaw herd, lived in harmony with his people. While the Kraven thrived above, the Therahtaws, as guardians and nurturers of the undergrowth, ensured a symbiotic balance below.
It wasn't merely their shared forest habitat that united them. Both races held the ancient ability to morph into raven forms, a gift bestowed upon them by the spirits of a bygone era. This mutual transformation not only solidified their bond but also enriched their mutual understanding.
Yarrvek's eyes darted below, tracking the shifting shadows of the wild forest. A lingering scent of decay wafted upwards, hinting at the tragedy that had unfolded below. The relentless forest had claimed its due, drawing life from the unfortunate souls of Branside who lay forsaken and desolate.
With each powerful flap, Yarrvek's wings sliced through the air, propelling them closer to the crystal.
Gripping the raven's thick feathers, Valon's distinctive yellow eyes darted about, scanning the celestial canvas above. The familiar brilliance that usually greeted him seemed muted. Where once billions of stars had shimmered, now there was an uncharacteristic dimness. As he observed, some stars seemed to wane until they disappeared altogether.
Could it be clouds are obscuring them or some other illusion?
Shaking off the unease, he tried to focus on the task at hand. But as his gaze shifted downwards, another anomaly caught his attention. To the north, the tides, which should have been washing against the shores, were abnormally withdrawn. It was as if the sea had receded further than ever, and the once-churning waves were now still.
A shiver ran down Valon's spine. Between the vanishing stars and the stilled waters, a sense of foreboding settled in him. Whatever was coming, he hoped they were prepared for it. The blackened book lay nestled within fold of cloth as to not come into contact with his skin. With fear, he knew that some of his kin had fallen to the same corruption that had taken the book.
Valon squinted, trying to make sense of the transformed landscape below. Where once stood homes, markets, and streets, now sprawled an unrecognizable expanse dominated by the savage encroach of nature. The town had been completely consumed by an ever-encroaching forest, its aggressive tendrils obliterating all traces of human existence. The only familiar sight was the solitary tree at the town's centre.
But what drew Valon's attention was the luminous object nestled within the tree's twisted branches: a gleaming white crystal that pulsed with raw power. Its ghostly light seemed to feed the surrounding flora, making everything appear hyper-alive in its intense glow.
As he angled Yarrvek for a descent towards the crystal, the surrounding dark stretched and contorted. Valon’s breath caught in his throat.
Emerging from the inky void were creatures of the abyss, winged and menacing. They flitted around Valon, their intent far too clear with black weapons in their clawed hands. Panic rose in his chest as he recognized them – these were no strangers, but his former kin, now twisted and darkened, their souls lost to shadowy puppeteers. Their new monstrous forms, enhanced with otherworldly power, dove for him.
“Dive Yarrvek!”
The beast responded with unmatched agility. As they plummeted downward, one of the shadowy figures lunged, reaching for the bundled blankets at Valon's side, revealing their sinister motive. If it weren’t for Yarrvek’s speed Valon knew it would have already been too late.
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With a swift motion, Valon unsheathed his cobalt blade, its distinctive ring piercing the night. As he aimed his blade at the first shadow, it clashed with the creature's own sword. To Valon's dismay, his blade groaned under the strain and shattered. Quickly discarding the hilt, he urged his Therahtaw to dive faster, hoping the dense branches would hide them.
Diving deep into the forest, leaves rustled in agitation. The forest came alive, its branches and roots thrashing violently as they sensed the shadowy intruders. Valon deftly guided Yarrvek, skilfully dodging the sprawling boughs and evading the snapping tendrils eager to ensnare them.
Trailing behind, the corrupted beings weren't as adept. Several found themselves entrapped; their dark forms disappearing behind the vengeful forest they had sought to dominate.
The air grew cold with the hisses of the retreating attackers, echoing like ghostly whispers from a forsaken realm. As their chilling cries dwindled, Valon found himself in a momentarily tranquil forest, heart pounding, with the weight of his unfulfilled mission on his mind.
The sudden appearance and subsequent vanishing of the attackers left Valon preoccupied. He felt that their sudden retreat wasn't solely from the forest's shadow. A small flame of hope kindled, and he found himself wondering if the potent energy radiating from the crystal could indeed be the salvation Karn had alluded to.
As Yarrvek's talons touched the ground, his expansive raven feathers began to recede, unveiling his true form. With its immense claws, the creature effortlessly swept away any encroaching tree branches, drawn forward by the beckoning light ahead.
Carefully, Valon reassured himself of his cargo's safety, his fingers brushing against the angular object wrapped in cloth. Drawing nearer to the ruined Colosseum, which now stood as nothing more than a mound of rubble, he shifted his focus to the towering tree. As he drew the book from its protective cloth, it remained as dark as the moment Theodoric entrusted it to him. To see if the book would react, he made his way to the tree's base, but still, there was no response.
A reluctant idea formed in his mind, one he wasn’t entirely comfortable with. To proceed, he would need direct contact with the book. "Yarrvek, get closer to the crystal," he whispered. His mount responded, and as they drew near enough for Valon to touch the glowing crystal, he took a deep breath and unwrapped the cloth. The immediate sensation of the book’s cover against his skin sent a jolt of discomfort surging through him, which Yarrvek also seemed to sense. The engulfing darkness momentarily consumed his vision, but, with determination, he pressed the book to the crystal's surface.
For a heart-stopping moment, he feared the worst, but then, a brilliant surge of light erupted from the book, banishing the black taint marring its cover. The cleansing radiance didn't stop there. It flowed over the book, onto Valon's hand, coursing through his skin, muscles, and veins, filling him with a warmth he never felt. A gasp escaped his lips, mirrored by Yarrvek's own astonished cry.
The energy pulsating through Valon was unlike anything he'd ever felt. It was pure, untainted, and invigorating. As the initial shock began to subside, he chanced a glance at Yarrvek and was struck by the transformation before him. The once dark and foreboding beast now radiated with an ethereal white luminescence. The previously diminutive black feathers had morphed into a pristine snowy-white cascade, his menacing claws were now pale and gleaming, and those once abyssal eyes shimmered with a soft, pearlescent light.
The realization dawned upon Valon as a strand of his hair fell into his line of vision. Gone were his signature black locks. Instead, they had taken on the same immaculate white shade as Yarrvek's new form. His fingers trembled as they reached up to touch his hair, confirming the stark transformation.
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through his mind. The radiant energy had purified them. What did this mean for their mission? Would this newfound purity aid them, or make them stand out, drawing more attention from the very foes they sought to evade?
Pushing the distracting thoughts aside, Valon focused on the immediate path before them. The transformation might have been unexpected, but it was clear that whatever they'd tapped into was powerful, potentially a game-changer.
As he prepared to give Yarrvek another command, Valon hesitated, his eyes drawn to his pack. Acting on a sudden impulse, he unfastened it, extracting a scroll of parchment. Swiftly, he jotted down a message in an elegant, curving script before placing it back into the pack alongside the now-purified book.
Valon then locked eyes with Yarrvek. "Fly to my brother. As swiftly as the wind carries you." He then gazed westward, in the direction of their ancestral homeland. "It might be a while before I reach the city."
⚔ END OF PART THREE ⚔