The following morning after Haldir's memorial, Elwin sat outside, waiting for Erlan to say farewell to his parents. Shalendra stopped by and grabbed Alea to gather supplies.

Cailu was about to ask why, but Elwin cut him off. Don’t bother asking.

“Why not?”

Alea turned her head, confused. Don’t worry about it, Alea. She shrugged and continued walking, deep in conversation with Shalendra.

As to why not? It’s because they want to talk, and you would be in the way. Leave it at that.

His posture shrunk in defeat. “Fine. Is there anything I can do?”

You can go find Taredd and let him know we will leave soon.

“Yes, sir.”

Tarred met Elwin at the perimeter with his daughter, Caeda. She stood by her new scouting party, who joined to say goodbye to Shalendra. Erlan stood silent, his brother’s sword resting on his hip.

You have something to fight for. Someone who wants to see you again. Trust me. That can make a difference when your back is against the wall.

The young elf met Elwin’s gaze. Resolve etched on his face.

Clapping her hands, Shalendra motioned for her new teammates to gather around. “Listen up. I appreciate all that Erlan has done, but I should take over as a guide. You all know I’m the most qualified to do so. Any objections?”

To his surprise, Alea and Cailu turned to Erlan as if he had any say in the matter.

You were our guide. I trust your judgment. What do you want to do?

He stepped up to Shalendra, pulled out his brother’s sword, and placed it over his heart. With a bow, he offered her the blade and looked at her patiently.

She grinned in pleasure, taking the weapon and repeating the gesture.

“I look forward to working with you. You have changed much since you left. Your brother would be proud.”

True to her word, their guide took them swiftly throughout the nearby land, tracking down various tribes to persuade them to join their cause. Between Erlan's heartfelt reasoning and Shalendra’s aggressive pragmatism, they inspired many to join the cause. When doubt and fear took hold, Elwin would step up and reveal his capabilities along with the truth.

If we fail, there will be nowhere to run from the darkness if it has free rein to consume our land.

When they had exhausted every avenue to recruit without staying too far from home, Elwin turned them back toward the forest.

Elwin felt hope and encouraged by the level of support he found among his former brethren.

Elwin, my champion, if you can hear this. Return now.

His heart dropped when Silvertree’s mind connected with his own.

Your mate fought the enemy. They will surely retaliate after such a loss.

The spike of dread at the thought of Vanima facing those monsters without him sent a chill down his spine. He vowed to return swiftly, knowing he might have to leave his friends behind.

He didn’t tell them any of it, though. Elwin could sense Erlan looking at him, trying to figure out if anything was amiss when he froze mid-step, but he paid them no mind.

Try to keep up, we have a lot of ground to cover.

...

Elwin, I need you now. They are attacking Unn Thalor as we speak. I sent the wolves to help.

Silvertree’s guardian dug deep into his connection and prepared to run. Enemy attacking now. Can’t wait. Alea will lead them.

The ground rumbled from the force of Elwin's initial launch. The others gawked at the spectacle, Erlan most of all. Shalendra slapped Alea's back and grinned.

“Your people need you. We need to follow."

She composed herself and said, “Cailu and Erlan in the center. Shalendra take point. I will watch our rear. Move out!”

They could follow Elwin's path by the blur of movement kicking up dust until he entered the forest, disappearing. Alea only hoped there was a home to return to when they arrived.

Enveloped by Silvertree's presence, Elwin no longer had to rely on the power he held within. Fur coated in a soft glow; he pushed his body near the breaking point.

The howls of pain registered a fraction before he burst into a clearing. The local wolf pack fought several monstrosities hidden beneath shadows.

It was a massacre.

Retreat my brothers. This is no longer your fight.

Hissing as they shrank away from the power waffling off him, Elwin advanced, giving his brethren a chance to flee. A few had to be dragged away by the scuff of their neck toward their den.

Before the shadow beasts could pursue, Elwin crashed a wave of gravity down on his foes, slamming them to the ground. He closed the distance in a single breath.

Howl!

You shall not defile this ground any longer. The darkness does not have sway over this land.

In a single bound, Elwin leaped onto the nearest beast, teeth clamping down on the back of their neck. All four claws dug deep for support. He infused his jaw with power and ripped the head from its shoulders. The shadows no longer concealing the former elf and the mutations it had gone through.

Red, piercing eyes glared daggers at Elwin. Rage filled their roar as they charged. The fight had truly begun.

Leaning into Silvertree's embrace, Elwin reflected on the friends and family he lost so he could harness the love he shared with them and the loyalty his old pack held for him.

A sacrifice that he could never forget. Both Trivana and Chiyan taught him that running away can always be an option. Not today, though.

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Blood is the payment for hard truths. Nature can be a cruel, unforgiving force where the strong survive. Elwin accepted the responsibility for leading his pack against that tiger and Carca, Tinwe, Huine, and Ceuran were the cost.

When the enemy stacked their forces against them, he charged in, believing in the cause and his pack. Tisha fought all she could, and the love Darshee held for her best friend united them in the end against a monstrous foe. Tasar did his duty and returned home, but he could not fight against the loss of blood.

At its climax, both Kailu and Ashera fell to a corrupted elf, and Siraye, who survived the fight against the cougar, did not come out of this fight. Elf and wolf alike, every death had meaning. It was not all for nothing. They had pushed back the darkness. The light of the sun once again broke away the evil that had failed to hold it tight. Battle trance fading away, Elwin stood over three mutated beasts, dead and exposed.

I am Silvertree’s champion. It will take the darkness themselves to challenge me. I do not fear you.

Howl!

This is my home, and I will protect it.

...

The top of Unn Thalor’s wall was brimming with activity. A flurry of hand signals and clicking noises, a telltale sign that something had happened. The inhabitants knew there was a threat out there somewhere. Were they under attack? Did Elwin and Vanima fail, and they would be on their own now? Could this be the end?

Several thoughts ran through everyone's head when the call went out to the designated shelters, where it was safer. Zeno walked past the retreating elves, his escort by his side.

“The rest of the council are safe. My people need me. We need to find out what’s out there.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Joining the other hunters on the wall, Zeno stood next to Abarat, his successor, as he organized their defense. “Report, Captain.”

“The team we had out on patrol ran back when the wolves started howling. Whatever has them riled up can’t be good for us.”

Zeno placed his hand on Abarat’s shoulder and squeezed. “Elwin did his best to prepare us for a fight against this darkness. It’s up to the hunters of the Wataki Soma Tribe to do their part until they return.” Voice raised; Zeno projected to every elf on the wall. “We will hold the line. There is no retreating, no matter what comes at us.”

A resounding “Yes, sir!” echoed across the wall, filling Zeno with confidence.

Zeno felt proud over the resounding "Yes, sir!" that echoed across the wall.

A handful of shadows raced across the ground, weaving between the trees. Abarat took charge, pointing at the threat, and gave the order.

“Fire.”

Arrows showered the ground. Every target hit with precision, to no avail. Nothing could pierce the darkness protecting whatever hid beneath. The shadows made a screeching cry moments before they crashed into the wall. Zeno steadied himself. Trying not to let the concern show, he raised his fist in the air defiantly.

To everyone’s horror, the wall rattled between each jolt. The creatures were using their claws to climb up. Abarat pulled out his sword and raised it into the air. “Draw your blades. We make our stand here.”

Fear not. My champion is close.

The unknown voice brought hope to Zeno. The shining light that blazed to life along the wall gave them time. They could do this.

…

Hidden in the shadow of a tree deep in the forest stood an elf. The outline of a black thumbprint blazing with power on his forehead. He observed the conflict with the detached clinical eye as he gauged the enemy's defensive capabilities. Next to the elf stood the dark lord's newest creation.

The reaper.

They built it for agility and quick attacks, sharpening its bone swords protruding from their shoulders to deadly effect. Reserved as a last resort, Ruvan had instructed the elf to retreat if his creation faced a powerful foe.

To his dismay, the shadow beasts fell from the wall, which now radiated light. The antithesis to the dark lord and his ilk.

Silvertree intervenes. Send my reaper in. Let’s show them what genuine despair is.

“At once, my lord.”

Willing the reaper into action, the elf watched death incarnate enter the fray.

…

Shouts of alarm altered Zeno of the new threat racing toward the wall. The shadow beasts walked back and forth along the wall, snarling in frustration. He hoped the blessed wall would hold up to this new threat.

An elf appeared in the air over the wall. Long sharp bone blades protruded from its shoulder and wolf-shaped paws, claws and all adorned the bottom of his legs. There was no mistaking this abomination for anything but a creature of death.

Two hunters fell from the wall in pieces where the bone sword horror now stood. In the next instant, several more bodies fell to the dance of death. Abarat issued an order and charged the monster. Zeno wanted to protest when the hunters dragged him away, but there was nothing any of them could do against such a foe. The last he saw, Abarat had toppled the creature over the edge, vanishing from sight.

...

Shocked at the scene before him, Elwin watched two figures fall from the glowing wall toward the group of shadow beasts huddled at the bottom. He trusted Silvertree and the power he had harnessed over the millennia.

Tree branches swayed from the shockwave that Elwin’s burst of speed produced. Shoulder-checking one shadow beast into the wall, he used the rebound to dive into the mob of shadows, teeth, and claws lashing out, leaving a third of the remaining forces on the ground exposed.

The rest of the beasts pounced on the elf who had fallen from the wall, teeth tearing away flesh with abandon. The creature that had fallen with the elf stood up, preparing to launch itself up into the air.

Howl!

Not on my watch.

Condensing his power, Elwin hit the bone horror with a gravity slam that caught it in the gut halfway up the wall from its jump and smashed it back into the ground with bone-crushing force. Ignoring the others for the moment, Elwin charged the creature to end the biggest threat.

To his dismay, it stood up, bones snapping back into place. Consuming the energy formed after the hunters and shadow beasts died, its bones ground back into place, cracks disappearing. It twisted its head around at an unbelievable angle, snarled, and pounced with a feat of acrobatic mastery.

Both arms slashed down at varied intervals, slicing all in their path, be it shadow beast or tree. All cut down by its might. What Elwin lacked in pure raw strength and slicing potential, he made up for in cunning and tactics. In terms of speed, they were a match unless Elwin used Silvertree’s power to push himself, but he had already done that earlier and couldn’t risk the stress.

The remaining mutations struggled to decide between the blessed outer wall and the blessed wolf that had devastated their forces. Elwin used this to his advantage, darting between them with the bone horror hot on his tail. When only half remained, he jumped on the wall, pushed off, and spun backward while rotating, clearing the swinging bone blades below him.

Focused on the skull of his foe, Elwin compressed his energy into a pinpoint and slammed it between the eyes with enough force to snap its neck back. He took advantage of the momentary pause in combat to leap on its chest, grip its neck with his teeth, and rip its head clean off.

This is when an elf appeared next to him with a ball of shadows in his palm. The ball of darkness slammed into his side, knocking him into a tree. The newcomer picked up the severed head and ran, the headless bone horror chasing after him with the surviving shadow beasts taking up the rear.

Preparing to pursue, Elwin saw Silvertree deep in the forest and stopped.

There will be time enough for that. I will send a wolf out to follow the trail back to their home.

The fight had been long over when Shalendra led Cailu, Erlan, and Alea to the other side of the forest, up to the gate of Unn Thalor. Elwin stood guard at the gate, solum expressions on everyone’s face who came to retrieve Abarat’s remains. Zeno thanked Elwin’s efforts to stop the darkness’s minions.

Dark thoughts of what-ifs and impossible hurdles to overcome troubled the old man before Elwin. Recognizing the pain Zeno felt, Elwin placed a paw on their foot.

I know how you feel. I lost many of my pack in a hopeless fight before I could harness a piece of Silvertree’s power and strip away the darkness. In the end, it's only a piece of armor easily broken when shown the light.

“Thank you, my friend. With Abarat gone, I return to my old post and lead my people in this war. It is where I belong.”

Alea and Cailu ran past Elwin to help support their fellow hunters, take care of the dead, and check on the shelters. Unsure what to do, Erlan stood next to Elwin trying not to be noticed while Shalendra studied the shadowless beast corpses that littered the ground.

“Hey, Elwin. Did you know these things used to be an elf? Just changed somehow.”

Yes. The darkness corrupts and twists life until it’s unrecognizable. It subverts reality, turning death into a goal to be achieved in the worst way possible.

“And we have to fight an entire army of those?”

I don’t know. It has been a very long time since I had to face the shadows like this. We don’t have a choice. Someone needs to stop the darkness and Silvertree only has us.

“Yes, sir.”

…

That night, Elwin entered the forest to honor the dead or sacrificed themselves to protect the forest next to Silvertree himself. That is when he received the message from Vanima. She had encountered these beasts as well and would be returning home.

The message was weak when it arrived. It is unknown how long it took to reach me. Stay strong, my champion.

I trust my mate. She will return. When you can feel her presence, please let me know.

With pleasure. Welcome home.