The young woman lay still, her breathing shallow and uneven. Aethren knelt beside her, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder as he examined her pale face. The dark energy from the temple seemed to cling to her, like an invisible veil that refused to let her go.

“Is she going to be okay?” Thalira asked, her voice trembling as she leaned on her bow for support. Her quiver was nearly empty, and streaks of ash and shadow marked her arms where the Void’s creatures had grazed her.

Rhael knelt opposite Aethren, placing his glowing staff close to the woman’s chest. He muttered an incantation, his voice calm yet strained. A faint circle of golden light spread over her, pushing back the lingering darkness. As it dissipated, the woman stirred, letting out a faint groan.

“She’s alive,” Rhael said, though his brow furrowed deeply. “But whatever ritual they were performing—it wasn’t finished, but it left a mark. The Void’s touch is inside her now. It will take more than simple healing to purge it.”

Elyra wiped the blood from her blade, her jaw tight. "Do we have the luxury of time to help her? We’ve barely escaped, and they’ll come for us once they regroup. Whatever they were doing to her, she’s important to them—and that makes her a danger to us.”

“She’s a victim,” Aethren shot back, his eyes narrowing. “And we don’t abandon people to the Void. Not if we can help them.”

The young woman’s eyelids fluttered open. Her eyes were a piercing silver, almost luminous, but they were filled with confusion and fear. She tried to sit up, but her limbs trembled too much to hold her weight.

“Easy,” Aethren said, his tone softer now. “You’re safe. We got you out.”

The woman’s gaze darted between them, her breath quickening. “The shadows…” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “They… they were inside me. Whispering… calling me.”

“What’s your name?” Elyra asked, stepping closer. Her tone was gentle, but there was a cautious edge to it.

The woman hesitated, her hand clutching at her chest. “Seren,” she said finally. “I… I don’t remember anything else.”

“Convenient,” Elyra muttered under her breath, earning a sharp look from Aethren.

“She’s been through enough,” he said firmly. “Seren, do you remember anything about what they wanted? Why they took you?”

Seren shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t know. I was… I was in the forest. Then the shadows came. They took me, dragged me to that place. They said… they said I was chosen.”

“Chosen for what?” Rhael asked, his voice calm but insistent.

Seren shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. “They said… I was a vessel. For something ancient. Something… terrible.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

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The group exchanged grim looks. The Void’s schemes were always complex, but this was different. A vessel? For what? And why this woman?

“We can’t stay here,” Thalira said, her eyes scanning the empty street. “The shadows could already be following us. If they sent scouts, we’d be sitting targets.”

“Agreed,” Elyra said. “We need to get out of the city and find somewhere defensible.”

“Wait,” Seren said, her voice trembling but resolute. “There’s something else. In the temple… I saw something. A vision.”

“Vision?” Rhael asked, leaning closer. “The Void often twists the mind. What did you see?”

Seren closed her eyes, her hands gripping her arms tightly. “A gate,” she whispered. “A massive gate, covered in runes. It was surrounded by shadows, and beyond it… I saw a figure. Cloaked in fire and darkness. It spoke to me, but I couldn’t understand the words.”

Aethren’s chest tightened. “Did it say anything else? Anything that could help us?”

Seren opened her eyes, and they gleamed with a faint light. “It said… the gate would open soon. That the fire and the void would consume everything.”

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They moved swiftly through the darkened streets, their footsteps barely audible against the cobblestones. The weight of Seren’s words hung heavy over the group, an ominous reminder of what they were up against.

As they reached the edge of the city, a low growl echoed through the alleys. Aethren froze, his hand instinctively gripping the Cleansing Flame. The growl was followed by the sound of claws scraping against stone, and then a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows.

“Get ready,” Elyra said, drawing her blade as more eyes appeared, surrounding them.

The creatures emerged, their forms twisted and grotesque. They were hounds, but their bodies were covered in shadowy tendrils, their teeth glinting like shards of black glass. They moved in unison, their growls harmonizing into a chilling symphony.

“Voidhounds,” Rhael said grimly, raising his staff. “They’ve sent trackers.”

Aethren stepped forward, his blade igniting with a burst of golden light. “Then let’s make sure they don’t report back.”

The first hound lunged, its jaws snapping at Aethren’s throat. He sidestepped, bringing the Cleansing Flame down in a swift arc. The blade sliced through the creature, and it dissolved into wisps of shadow, its dying howl echoing through the street.

The others attacked in a frenzy, their movements unnaturally fast. Elyra fought with precision, her strikes quick and lethal. Thalira loosed arrow after arrow, each one glowing with faint magical energy. Rhael’s staff flared, creating bursts of light that disoriented the creatures, giving the others openings to strike.

Seren crouched behind them, clutching her head as the whispers grew louder in her mind. She felt the Void tugging at her, pulling her toward the darkness.

“Seren!” Aethren shouted, cutting down another hound as he turned to her. “Stay with us! Fight it!”

She looked up, her silver eyes wide with fear. But as she watched Aethren and the others fighting to protect her, something shifted within her. She clenched her fists, forcing the whispers back.

One of the hounds broke through the group, charging toward Seren. She raised her hands instinctively, and a burst of silver light erupted from her palms, striking the creature and disintegrating it instantly.

The group froze, their eyes on Seren as the light faded. She stared at her hands, trembling.

“What… what did I just do?” she whispered.

Aethren stepped toward her, his expression a mix of awe and concern. “You fought back,” he said. “And you won.”

But as the last of the hounds dissolved, a chilling laugh echoed through the street. The group turned to see a figure emerging from the shadows, its form tall and cloaked in darkness.

“Well done, little vessel,” the figure said, its voice smooth and mocking. “But the game has only just begun.”