We traveled deeper into the forest, the shadows around us stretching longer as the day wore on. The attack on the caravan had rattled everyone, though no one wanted to admit it. Jessa kept glancing over her shoulder like she expected the Shadespawn to return at any moment. Farron had gone unusually quiet, his usual smirk replaced by a tight-lipped frown.

Kael walked at the front of the group, his sword drawn and ready. Even Orin looked tense, his hand resting on the hilt of a knife that hadn’t left its sheath all day.

“Does this kind of thing happen often?” I asked, keeping my voice low as I fell into step beside Farron.

“Depends on where you are,” he replied. “Ecclesion keeps the roads clear near their cities, but out here?” He shook his head. “This is the wild. Anything can happen.”

“Comforting,” I muttered.

We stopped at a stream to refill our waterskins. The group spread out, each of us keeping a wary eye on the trees. Jessa crouched near the water’s edge, her movements careful and precise. Kael stood a few feet away, scanning the forest with his usual grim determination.

Orin approached me as I knelt by the stream. “You’re lucky,” he said, his voice low enough that the others wouldn’t hear.

“Lucky?” I repeated, glancing up at him.

“You’ve survived this long,” he said, his expression unreadable. “Most Chosen don’t.”

“That’s because I’m not doing what they expect,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended.

Orin tilted his head, studying me like I was some kind of puzzle. “You think that’s enough to save you?”

I shrugged. “It’s worked so far.”

He didn’t reply, just gave a faint, humorless smile before walking away.

As we prepared to move on, Farron nudged me with his elbow. “Don’t let Orin get to you. He’s just grumpy because he hasn’t stabbed anyone today.”

“Good to know,” I said, managing a weak smile.

“Seriously, though,” Farron continued. “You’ve got potential, Ash. You just need to figure out what to do with it.”

“Potential?” I echoed. “All I’ve done is screw up and run away.”

“Exactly,” he said, grinning. “And you’re still alive. That’s a start.”

The sun dipped lower as we continued south, the forest gradually thinning out. By the time we reached the edge of the woods, the sky was streaked with orange and pink.

The trading outpost lay just beyond the treeline, its weathered buildings silhouetted against the horizon. It wasn’t much—a cluster of wooden structures surrounded by a crude palisade—but it was the first sign of civilization we’d seen in days.

Jessa held up a hand, signaling for us to stop. “Wait here,” she said. “I’ll check the gate.”

“Why her?” I asked.

“Because she’s better at talking to strangers,” Kael said. “And she won’t get us all killed if things go sideways.”

I frowned but didn’t argue.

Jessa approached the gate, her movements cautious but unhurried. Two guards stood watch, their mismatched armor and weapons marking them as mercenaries rather than soldiers. One of them stepped forward to meet her, and the two began to talk.

“Think they’ll let us in?” I asked.

“They will,” Kael said, his tone confident. “They don’t have a choice. This place relies on trade to survive. They won’t turn away potential customers.”

“Good to know,” I muttered.

Jessa waved us forward a moment later, and we approached the gate as a group. The guards gave us wary looks but didn’t stop us.

“Welcome to Stonewall,” one of them said, though his tone made it clear we weren’t exactly welcome.

The outpost was a hive of activity, with traders and travelers bustling between stalls and wagons. The air was thick with the smell of wood smoke and roasted meat, mingling with the metallic tang of iron.

Jessa led us to an open space near the center of the outpost, where a large bonfire crackled in a stone pit. “We’ll rest here,” she said. “Farron, see what you can find in the way of supplies. Kael, Orin, keep an eye out for trouble.”

“And me?” I asked.

“You stay put,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I sighed, plopping down on a nearby bench. “Guess I’ll just sit here and look pretty.”

Farron returned after a while, his arms full of supplies. He dropped a bundle of dried meat and bread in front of me, grinning. “Figured you’d be hungry.”

“Thanks,” I said, tearing into the bread like I hadn’t eaten in days—which, to be fair, wasn’t far from the truth.

“So,” Farron said, sitting beside me. “What’s your plan, Chosen One?”

“Plan?” I repeated.

“Yeah,” he said, leaning back. “You’ve got a whole world looking to you for answers. What are you gonna do about it?”

I frowned, staring into the fire. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I just want to survive.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “But surviving isn’t the same as living.”

I glanced at him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone. “What about you? What’s your plan?”

He shrugged. “Stick with the group, help where I can, and hope I don’t get eaten by a Shadespawn.”

“Ambitious,” I said, smirking.

“Hey, I never claimed to be a hero,” he said, grinning.

The mood shifted as night fell. The outpost grew quieter, the crowds thinning as people retreated to their lodgings. Jessa and Kael returned, their expressions tense.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Trouble,” Kael said.

Jessa nodded toward the gate. “We’ve got company.”

I followed their gaze, my stomach sinking. A group of heavily armed soldiers was approaching the outpost, their armor gleaming in the moonlight.

“Ecclesion,” Kael said grimly.

Orin cursed under his breath. “They must have tracked us here.”

“What do we do?” I asked, my voice tight.

Jessa drew her dagger, her eyes cold. “We make a choice: fight, or run.”

The soldiers reached the gate, their leader stepping forward. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his face hidden behind a polished helmet.

“By order of the Light Eternal,” he declared, his voice booming, “you will surrender the Chosen One to us.”

The outpost fell silent. All eyes turned to me.

“Great,” I muttered, gripping my dagger. “Because this day wasn’t stressful enough already.”

Kael stepped forward, his sword at the ready. “We won’t let them take you.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because I’m not exactly worth dying for.”

Jessa smirked, though there was no humor in it. “You’d better prove otherwise.”

The tension in the air was suffocating. My heart raced as I glanced between the soldiers, the guards at the gate, and the small group of allies I’d somehow acquired.

The choice was clear, but that didn’t make it any easier.

“Alright,” I said, stepping forward. “Let’s see what happens when the Chosen One fights back.”

The battle for Stonewall was about to begin.

The leader of the Ecclesion soldiers stood motionless for a moment, his polished armor reflecting the flickering light of the bonfire. Behind him, his troops shifted uneasily, their hands on their weapons. The entire outpost held its collective breath, as though everyone knew a single wrong move would send everything spiraling into chaos.

“You dare defy the will of the Light Eternal?” the soldier demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

“Defy?” I repeated, stepping forward before I could think better of it. “Buddy, I’m the Chosen One. If anything, I am the will of the Light Eternal.”

Farron let out a choked laugh behind me, quickly disguising it as a cough.

The leader tilted his head, clearly not expecting that response. “The Light has deemed you unworthy. Surrender yourself now, and your companions will be spared.”

“Unworthy?” I asked, trying to mask my panic with sarcasm. “That’s rich, coming from someone who takes orders from a flaming cloud. What’s next, you gonna tell me the Light Eternal thinks I dress poorly too?”

The leader’s gauntleted hand twitched toward the hilt of his sword. Kael stepped up beside me, his sword drawn and gleaming in the moonlight.

“You’ll have to go through me to take him,” Kael said, his voice steady.

Jessa moved to my other side, her dagger already in her hand. “And me.”

Farron sauntered up, his bow in hand and an arrow nocked. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

I glanced around at the group, feeling a mix of gratitude and guilt. “You all realize I’m not worth dying for, right?”

“You said that already,” Jessa muttered, her eyes locked on the Ecclesion soldiers.

The leader raised his hand, signaling his troops to advance. “Then you leave us no choice.”

The soldiers surged forward, their movements precise and disciplined. The outpost erupted into chaos as the guards at the gate tried to push them back, their mismatched weapons clashing against Ecclesion’s polished steel.

Kael met the first soldier head-on, their swords colliding in a shower of sparks. Jessa darted forward, her dagger flashing as she took down another with ruthless efficiency.

Farron loosed an arrow, striking a soldier in the shoulder and sending him staggering back. “Hey, Ash!” he called, grinning. “Now’s a good time for that shadow thing of yours!”

“Right!” I shouted, gripping my dagger tightly.

The battlefield seemed to blur around me as I focused on the shadows pooling beneath the wagons and stalls. The memory of my last successful Shadow Step flickered in my mind, the sensation of cold darkness wrapping around me.

“Come on,” I muttered. “Work.”

A soldier lunged at me, his blade aimed for my chest. Time seemed to slow as I instinctively stepped into the shadows. The world shifted, and for a brief, disorienting moment, everything was cold and silent.

I reappeared behind the soldier, my dagger glowing faintly with dark energy. Before he could react, I drove the blade into his side. He let out a strangled cry, collapsing to the ground.

“Nice!” Farron shouted, loosing another arrow. “You’re getting the hang of it!”

“Not fast enough!” I muttered, scanning the battlefield for my next move.

The outpost was quickly descending into chaos. Ecclesion soldiers poured through the gate, their armor gleaming like spectral fire under the moonlight. The outpost guards fought valiantly, but they were outnumbered and outmatched.

Kael was a whirlwind of steel, his sword moving with practiced precision as he cut through the advancing soldiers. Jessa moved like a shadow, slipping between opponents and striking with deadly accuracy.

Even Orin had joined the fray, his knife flashing as he took down a soldier trying to flank us.

“Fall back!” Kael shouted, his voice cutting through the noise. “We can’t hold them here!”

Farron grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the center of the outpost. “Come on, Chosen One! Time to live up to your title!”

We regrouped near the bonfire, the flames casting wild shadows over the battlefield. The remaining outpost guards had formed a defensive circle around us, their expressions grim but determined.

“What now?” I asked, my chest heaving.

“We need to break through their lines and get out of here,” Kael said, his voice calm despite the chaos.

“And go where?” Jessa demanded. “They’ll chase us wherever we go!”

Kael glanced at me, his eyes searching. “Ash,” he said. “You’re the key to this. If you’ve got any ideas, now’s the time.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but the words caught in my throat. The truth was, I didn’t have a plan. I barely understood what was happening, let alone how to fix it.

Then a new screen appeared, hovering in front of me.

Special Quest Activated: Rally the Outpost

Objective: Inspire the remaining defenders to fight back and secure an escape route.

Reward: +1,500 XP, Ability Upgrade.

Penalty for Failure: Death.

I stared at the screen, my stomach twisting. Inspire the defenders? What did that even mean?

“You okay?” Farron asked, noticing my hesitation.

“Not even a little,” I muttered.

Kael turned back to the defenders. “We hold the line here. If we can break their momentum, we’ll have a chance to escape!”

The guards nodded, their grip on their weapons tightening.

“Alright, Chosen One,” Jessa said, her voice sharp. “Time to give us a reason to believe in you.”

“No pressure,” Farron added with a grin.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The defenders were looking at me now, their eyes filled with a mixture of hope and desperation.

“Okay,” I said, stepping forward. “Here’s the deal. I don’t know much about this prophecy. I don’t even know if I believe in it. But I do know one thing: if we let them take us, we’re done. And I’m not planning on dying tonight.”

The defenders straightened slightly, their expressions hardening.

“They think they’re better than us,” I continued, my voice gaining strength. “They think their Light makes them invincible. But we’ve got something they don’t.”

“What’s that?” one of the guards asked.

“Each other,” I said. “They follow orders. We fight for each other. That’s what makes us stronger.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Kael raised his sword. “For freedom!”

“For freedom!” the defenders echoed, their voices rising in unison.

I gripped my dagger, my resolve hardening. “Let’s show them what we’re made of.”

The defenders surged forward, their movements coordinated and fierce. Kael led the charge, his blade cutting through the Ecclesion soldiers with relentless precision.

Farron covered us from the rear, his arrows striking true with every shot. Jessa darted through the chaos, taking out stragglers before they could regroup.

Even I found myself in the thick of the battle, Shadow Stepping between enemies and striking where I could. The power flowed more easily now, the shadows responding to my will with an almost instinctive grace.

The Ecclesion soldiers faltered, their formation breaking under the defenders’ assault.

“Push through!” Kael shouted. “Don’t let up!”

We fought our way to the gate, the path littered with the fallen. The remaining soldiers tried to regroup, but their numbers were thinning.

As we passed through the gate, I glanced back, my chest heaving with exertion. The outpost was in shambles, the bonfire still burning brightly against the night sky.

“We can’t stay here,” Kael said, his voice grim. “They’ll regroup and come after us.”

“Then let’s keep moving,” I said, gripping my dagger tightly.

The group fell into step behind me, their expressions weary but determined.

We had survived—for now.

But as we disappeared into the forest, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.