Chapter 3: Shadows of the Past
The cabin shook violently, dust raining from the rafters as the distant sound of an explosion echoed through the forest. Lyric jolted upright from his cot, his heart pounding. Erynn was already on her feet, peering through a crack in the boarded window, her blade drawn.
“What was that?” Lyric asked, panic creeping into his voice.
“They’ve found us,” Erynn said sharply, her eyes narrowing. “The Empire’s hunters. Get the scroll and stay close to me.”
Lyric froze. The scroll, still glowing faintly on the table, seemed to mock him with its presence. He wanted to scream, to curse the artifact for the trouble it brought, but there was no time. Grabbing the scroll, he slipped it into the leather pouch at his side and followed Erynn.
Outside, the forest had turned eerily silent, the usual chorus of birds and insects replaced by the muffled thud of boots on damp earth. Shadows moved between the trees, and Lyric caught a glimpse of soldiers in dark, segmented armor, their faces obscured by menacing helms.
“They’re circling us,” Erynn whispered, her voice calm but urgent. “Stay behind me, and whatever happens, don’t let them take the scroll.”
Lyric’s throat was dry, but he nodded. His hands trembled as he clutched the pouch, the weight of his father’s dying wish pressing down on him like a leaden shroud.
---
The first soldier emerged from the treeline, his blade gleaming in the fading light. Erynn didn’t wait. She moved like a shadow, her dagger flashing as she closed the distance in an instant. Lyric barely had time to register the sickening sound of metal slicing through flesh before the soldier crumpled to the ground.
“Go!” Erynn barked, pointing toward a narrow path.
Lyric stumbled forward, his legs heavy with fear. Behind him, more soldiers appeared, their shouts filling the air. Erynn met them head-on, her movements a blur of precision and fury.
Lyric’s chest tightened as he ran, the forest blurring around him. His ears rang with the clash of steel and the cries of the fallen. A root caught his foot, and he hit the ground hard, the scroll tumbling from his pouch.
“Get up!” Erynn’s voice cut through the chaos like a whip.
Lyric scrambled to his feet, grabbing the scroll just as a soldier broke through the underbrush. The man lunged, his blade aimed for Lyric’s chest.
Time seemed to slow. Lyric’s instincts kicked in, and he dodged clumsily, the blade grazing his shoulder. Pain flared, sharp and hot, but adrenaline drowned it out. He swung his pouch wildly, the hard leather catching the soldier across the face.
The man staggered, giving Lyric a precious second to retreat. Before the soldier could recover, Erynn was there, her dagger plunging into his side.
“You have to keep moving!” she snapped, grabbing Lyric by the arm.
---
The forest seemed endless, each step a battle against exhaustion and fear. Lyric’s lungs burned, his vision blurred, but he forced himself to keep going. Behind them, the soldiers pursued relentlessly, their shouts growing louder.
Erynn led him to a rocky outcrop, its jagged edges rising like a fortress. “Up there,” she said, pointing to a narrow crevice. “We can hold them off.”
Lyric climbed, his fingers scrabbling for holds on the rough stone. Erynn followed, pausing occasionally to hurl throwing knives at their pursuers. Each blade found its mark, but the soldiers kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless.
Reaching the top, Lyric collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving. Erynn stood at the edge, her daggers ready, her expression grim.
“Why are they so determined?” Lyric gasped.
“Because they fear the truth,” Erynn said, her voice hard. “And they’ll kill anyone who stands in their way.”
---
The first soldier to reach the outcrop didn’t stand a chance. Erynn met him with a vicious kick, sending him tumbling back down the slope. The next one was quicker, dodging her strike and swinging his sword in a wide arc.
Erynn blocked with her dagger, the clash of metal ringing in Lyric’s ears. She twisted, using the soldier’s momentum to drive her second blade into his neck. Blood sprayed, and the man fell, but more were climbing behind him.
Lyric’s mind raced. He couldn’t just sit there, watching Erynn fight alone. His eyes fell on a large branch lying nearby. Gripping it tightly, he edged toward the crevice.
When the next soldier appeared, Lyric swung with all his might. The branch connected with the man’s helmet, the force jolting Lyric’s arms. The soldier stumbled, and Erynn finished him with a swift strike.
“Not bad,” she said, glancing at Lyric.
“Not good, either,” he muttered, his hands shaking.
Erynn’s lips twitched into a brief smile, but it vanished as more soldiers reached the top. “Stay behind me,” she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.
The fight was brutal, a blur of steel and blood.Lyric tried to focus, but the scene was overwhelming- the screams, the clash of blades the sickening crunch of bodies hitting the ground.
By the time they stopped, the forest was silent once more. Lyric collapsed onto the ground, his body trembling. Erynn leaned against a tree, her breathing heavy.
Just when it seemed like the soldiers might overwhelm them, a sudden, deafening noise filled the air. The ground shook as a cascade of boulders tumbled down the nearby slope, smashing through the ranks of soldiers like a force of nature. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring the chaos below.
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The soldiers hesitated, their confidence wavering as the unrelenting avalanche tore through their formation.
“What... just happened?” Lyric whispered, his voice trembling.
“A landslide,” Erynn said, her eyes scanning the ridge above. “The terrain worked in our favor.”
Whether it was an accident or an act of sabotage, Lyric couldn’t tell, but the results were undeniable. The soldiers scrambled to regroup, their shouts now tinged with panic.
“Now’s our chance!” Erynn grabbed his arm and pulled him toward a narrow path leading away from the outcrop.
Lyric didn’t argue. He ran, the sound of tumbling rocks and disoriented soldiers fading behind them.
---
By the time they stopped, the forest was silent once more. Lyric collapsed onto the ground, his body trembling. Erynn leaned against a tree, her breathing heavy.
“What... was that?” Lyric managed to say between gasps.
“A stroke of luck,” Erynn said, her tone grim. “But luck doesn’t last forever.”
Lyric shook his head, his mind struggling to process everything that had happened. "This is insane."
Erynn crouched beside him, her expression firm. “If you want to honor your father’s wish, you need to stay sharp and keep moving.”
He looked at her, the weight of her words sinking in. Despite the madness, something in him refused to give up.
---
The forest around them seemed to close in, the trees like silent sentinels bearing witness to their flight. Lyric sat up slowly, his muscles aching and his shoulder still throbbing from the earlier graze. He glanced at the pouch where the scroll rested, the weight of its significance heavier than ever.
“How far do you think they’ll follow us?” he asked, his voice low.
“As far as they need to,” Erynn replied, standing guard with her daggers still drawn. “The Empire doesn’t leave loose ends, especially not when it comes to something as dangerous as that scroll.”
Lyric swallowed hard, his fingers brushing the leather strap of the pouch. “What’s so dangerous about it? It’s just... writing.”
Erynn’s eyes flicked to him, her expression unreadable. “Writing that could topple kingdoms. The truth has power, Lyric. Sometimes more than armies or swords.”
Her words stirred something in him—curiosity mixed with unease. He wanted to ask more, to demand answers, but the exhaustion weighing him down made the questions feel like a distant echo.
Erynn finally sheathed her blades and crouched beside him. “We can’t rest long. The hunters will regroup, and we need to stay ahead of them. There’s a village a few miles from here. If we’re lucky, we can slip through and find shelter.”
“And if we’re not?” Lyric asked.
Erynn gave him a look that sent a shiver down his spine. “Then we fight again.”
---
The journey to the village was a blur of cautious steps and hushed silence. The forest seemed alive with unseen eyes, every rustling leaf and snapping twig setting Lyric’s nerves on edge. Erynn moved with the practiced ease of someone used to evading danger, her sharp gaze constantly scanning their surroundings.
When the flicker of firelight appeared through the trees, Lyric almost cried out in relief. A cluster of small cottages sat nestled in a clearing, smoke curling from their chimneys. The soft murmur of voices carried on the night air, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.
“Stay close,” Erynn whispered, pulling her hood low over her face.
As they entered the village, a few wary eyes turned their way. Farmers and traders, their faces lined with years of hard work, paused to glance at the newcomers before returning to their tasks. It was clear this wasn’t a place that welcomed strangers with open arms.
Erynn led Lyric to the edge of the village, where a small inn stood, its wooden sign swaying gently in the breeze. The innkeeper, a stout man with a grizzled beard, gave them a once-over before grunting and motioning toward an empty table.
“Food and water,” Erynn said, sliding a few coins across the counter. “And a room, if you have one.”
The innkeeper’s eyes lingered on her for a moment before he nodded. “Upstairs. First door on the right.”
Lyric slumped into the chair, his body screaming for rest. The warmth of the inn was a welcome change from the cold forest, but the tension in his chest refused to ease.
As they ate in silence, Lyric couldn’t help but glance at the other patrons. Most kept to themselves, their conversations quiet and their gazes averted. But one man near the fireplace caught his attention—a thin figure wrapped in a dark cloak, his eyes sharp and calculating as they swept over the room.
“Erynn,” Lyric whispered, leaning closer. “That man... he’s watching us.”
Erynn didn’t look up, but her hand moved subtly to her blade. “Keep eating,” she murmured. “Don’t draw attention.”
Lyric obeyed, though his appetite had vanished. The man near the fireplace didn’t make a move, but his presence felt like a storm cloud hovering just out of reach.
When they finally retired to their room, Erynn bolted the door and pulled the small table in front of it for good measure. She leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, as Lyric collapsed onto the bed.
“Do you think he’s one of them?” Lyric asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Erynn shrugged. “Could be. Could just be a curious stranger. Either way, we’ll know soon enough.”
Her words did little to comfort him. As he lay there, staring at the wooden beams of the ceiling, Lyric felt the weight of the scroll pressing against his side. He couldn’t shake the feeling that their escape was only the beginning of something far more dangerous.
Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled, its mournful cry echoing through the night. Lyric closed his eyes, hoping for sleep but knowing it wouldn’t come easily.
.
---
When they finally retired to their room, Erynn bolted the door and pulled the small table in front of it for good measure. The room was dimly lit by a single lantern, casting long shadows across the wooden walls. Erynn paced in a slow circle, her eyes never leaving the door, while Lyric sank onto the bed, his mind still racing from everything that had happened.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Lyric broke the silence, his voice hoarse. "What now? We’re safe for the moment, but it won’t be long before they find us again. The Empire won’t stop looking."
Erynn turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "We keep moving. We can’t stay in one place too long. Not with what you’re carrying."
Lyric's gaze dropped to the pouch resting at his side. The scroll, despite its quiet and unassuming appearance, weighed on him like a thousand pounds. It was the reason they were running, the reason the Empire had come after them with such force.
“I didn’t ask for any of this,” Lyric muttered, his fingers brushing the edge of the pouch. "I don't even know what the scroll means, just that my father gave it to me before he—"
"Before he died," Erynn finished for him, her voice softer now. "I know. But there’s a reason he trusted you with it. A reason they’ll do anything to take it."
Lyric clenched his fists, frustration bubbling within him. "I don’t want to be a part of whatever this is. I don’t want to keep running, keep fighting, keep... risking everything."
Erynn knelt beside him, her gaze steady. "I know. But you’re not alone in this. We’ll figure it out, together."
The sincerity in her voice caught him off guard. For the first time in days, he felt a flicker of warmth inside him—a sense of trust, something he hadn’t realized he’d been missing.
"You’re right," he said quietly, the tension in his chest easing slightly. "I’ll keep going."
Erynn stood and began packing their things into a small satchel. "We move at dawn. If the Empire has their eyes on you, it won’t be long before we’re spotted again."
Lyric nodded, even though the thought of more running made his stomach twist. "Where do we go next?"
Erynn paused, her hand resting on the satchel. She looked toward the window, her expression hardening. "We head north, to the Blackstone Peaks. It's the only place where you’ll be safe. There’s an old ally of mine who can help."
Lyric felt a strange sense of unease at the mention of the Peaks. "And what’s waiting for us there?"
"Nothing good," Erynn said, her lips twitching into a bitter smile. "But sometimes the only way out is through."
---
The night passed without incident, but sleep didn’t come easily for Lyric. The weight of the scroll, the looming threat of the Empire, and the strange urgency in Erynn’s words kept him awake. His thoughts were a blur, and his body ached from the endless flight through the forest.
By morning, Erynn had already packed up and was waiting by the door, her expression serious. "Time to go," she said simply.
Lyric stood and grabbed the pouch containing the scroll. It felt colder than before, as if it were alive, its power growing stronger the longer he carried it. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than just an object—it was a key to something far greater and far more dangerous than he could comprehend.
Together, they slipped out of the inn and into the quiet streets of the village. The morning sun had just begun to rise, casting a soft light over the cobblestones, but Lyric’s unease only deepened. He felt eyes on him, though no one in the village seemed to take notice.
They made their way through the winding streets, sticking to the shadows. Erynn kept her movements sharp and purposeful, and Lyric tried his best to stay out of sight. They reached the outskirts of the village without incident, but just as they were about to step into the cover of the trees, a voice called out behind them.
"Where do you think you’re going?"
Lyric froze, his heart hammering in his chest. He turned slowly, eyes narrowing. A figure stood at the edge of the village, watching them closely. It was the man from the inn—dark cloak, calculating eyes, and a presence that seemed to hang in the air like a storm cloud.
Erynn’s hand went to her blade, her eyes narrowing in recognition. "You," she said, her voice low and warning.
The man smirked. "It’s not often I get to meet someone like you, Erynn. You’ve been busy. And now you’ve got the boy too. The Empire will be pleased to know where you’re headed."
Lyric’s stomach dropped. The Empire? This man was working for them?
"Stay away from him," Erynn growled, stepping in front of Lyric. "You’ve made a mistake if you think you can stop us."
The man chuckled darkly. "I’m not here to stop you. Just to make sure you don’t get too far."
Before Lyric could react, Erynn was already moving, her blade a blur as she advanced on the man. The stranger didn’t flinch, though. He was fast—faster than Lyric could track.
The clash of steel rang out, the sound sharp and brutal. Lyric watched, heart racing, as the two fought in a blur of motion. The man was skilled, but Erynn was relentless.
She landed a quick strike, but the man seemed unbothered. He moved with a fluidity that Lyric had never seen before, and for a moment, it seemed like he might have the upper hand.
"You should have stayed in the shadows, Erynn," the man said, voice calm despite the chaos. "The Empire doesn’t forget."
Lyric’s mind raced, and instinct took over. He didn’t think—he just acted. Grabbing the branch that had served him so well in the forest, he swung it at the man’s back.
The blow connected with a sickening thud, knocking the man forward. For a split second, he lost his balance, and Erynn took her chance. She moved like lightning, her dagger finding its mark in the man’s side.
The man gasped, his breath coming in ragged bursts as he staggered back. "You’ll regret this," he spat, before disappearing into the shadows of the trees.
Erynn wiped the blood from her blade, her face hard. "That’s not the last we’ll see of him," she muttered.
Lyric swallowed hard, his hands shaking. “We need to go. Now.”
With a shared look, they turned and sprinted toward the cover of the forest. The journey ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: The Empire was coming for them, and no one was going to stop until they got what they wanted.
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