Rise Of The Unchosen

Chapter 10: Awakening Shadows

The courtyard of the ruined city was chaos. Shadowy figures surged toward Kael and his companions, their forms twisting and shifting like living smoke. Their glowing red eyes pierced the darkness, and their movements carried a terrible, predatory grace. Kael stood at the base of the obelisk, his heart pounding as the amulet at his chest flared with golden light. The fragile shield it cast around him and his friends was the only thing holding the encroaching darkness at bay.

Darius met the charge head-on, his blade flashing as he struck at the nearest shadow. His movements were swift and precise, but each blow felt like cutting through dense fog rather than flesh. Behind him, Elysia hurled bolts of fire, the light from her magic briefly illuminating the grotesque forms of their attackers. One shadow caught fire, its body twisting and writhing before it dissolved into smoke.

"Kael!" Mira's voice cut through the fray. She stood just beyond the battle, her face tense, her eyes fixed on him. "The obelisk—it's the key! You need to activate it now!"

Kael hesitated, the hum of the amulet vibrating against his chest. The obelisk loomed before him, its surface etched with runes that pulsed faintly in response to the amulet's light. He could feel the pull between them, like a thread of energy drawing him closer.

"Cover me!" Kael shouted, his voice raw with urgency.

Elysia and Darius moved to shield him, their movements sharp and desperate as they fought to hold the shadows back. Darius's strikes forced their attackers to retreat, his blade flashing with lethal precision. Elysia's flames created a barrier that briefly halted their advance, but she was tiring, the strain of the battle etched on her face.

Kael turned to the obelisk and pressed the amulet against its surface. The runes flared brightly, a deep hum resonating through the air as the obelisk began to awaken. The shadows recoiled, their movements growing frantic as if sensing an imminent threat.

Just as the light began to intensify, Mira's voice rang out. "Stop!"

Kael froze, his breath catching in his chest. He turned to see Mira standing a few paces away, her hand raised, her expression stricken. Her eyes, wide and filled with something between guilt and determination, locked on his.

"Mira," Kael said, his voice trembling. "What are you doing?"

Her hand faltered for a moment, but then she steeled herself. "I'm sorry, Kael. I can't let you do this."

Before he could respond, Mira darted forward. Her movements were quick and precise, as if she had planned this moment for a long time. Kael barely had time to react before her hand shot out, grasping the amulet.

"No!" Kael shouted, but her grip was firm, and with a sharp tug, the amulet snapped free from its chain.

Kael staggered back, the sudden loss of the amulet's energy leaving him breathless. He reached for her, his fingers brushing against her arm, but she pulled away, the amulet clutched tightly in her hand.

"Mira, don't do this!" Kael's voice cracked with desperation.

"I don't have a choice," she said, her voice trembling. "Malakar's vision... it's the only way to survive."

The light from the amulet dimmed as Mira stepped away, her expression heavy with regret. For a moment, Kael thought he saw tears glistening in her eyes, but then she turned and ran, disappearing into the shadows.

The world seemed to tilt around Kael as he stared at the empty space where the amulet had been. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving with ragged breaths.

"Mira!" he shouted after her, his voice echoing into the void. But she was gone.

As the golden light of the amulet faded completely, the shadows surged forward with renewed ferocity. A figure emerged from their midst, larger and more distinct than the others. His jagged black armor shimmered faintly, and his crimson eyes burned with a malevolent intelligence. Kael recognized him immediately from the visions—one of Malakar's commanders.

The figure's voice was like grinding stone as he spoke. "The amulet belongs to Lord Malakar. Your resistance is meaningless."

Darius lunged at the commander, his blade aimed for a killing blow, but the shadowy figure deflected the strike with ease. The force of the block sent Darius staggering back, and the commander advanced, his presence radiating power and malice.

Elysia unleashed a wave of fire, the flames roaring toward the commander, but he raised a hand, absorbing the magic as if it were nothing. "You're all insects," he said, his tone cold and dismissive.

Kael tried to summon the amulet's power out of instinct, but there was nothing. The bond he had relied on, the light that had protected them, was gone.

"We can't win this!" Darius shouted, his voice hoarse.

"We don't have to," Elysia replied, her tone grim. "We just need to survive."

With no other options, they turned and fled. Darius and Elysia moved quickly, dragging Kael with them as they navigated the crumbling ruins. The shadows pursued them relentlessly, their forms shifting and coiling as they closed in.

Kael's heart pounded as they reached the edge of the ruins and stumbled into the forest. The air was heavy with the weight of failure, the sound of the battle fading into the distance. Kael collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving as he clutched the empty space where the amulet had been.

Far from the battle, Mira knelt before an obsidian throne in a vast, dimly lit chamber. The air was thick with power, and the walls shimmered faintly with red light. On the throne sat Lord Malakar, his dark armor gleaming with crimson runes. His fiery eyes burned with a terrible intensity, and his presence dominated the room.

Mira held out the amulet with trembling hands. "I've brought it, my lord."

Malakar leaned forward, his lips curving into a cruel smile. "You've done well," he said, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to resonate through the very walls.

"It wasn't easy," Mira said, her voice shaking. "They won't stop coming for it."

Malakar rose from his throne, his towering form casting a long shadow across the chamber. "Let them come," he said. "Their defiance will make their fall all the more satisfying."

Around him stood his Ten Commanders, each a terrifying figure in their own right. An armored giant wielding a massive warhammer loomed beside a cloaked assassin whose form seemed to flicker and shift. A mage crackling with raw lightning stood nearby, his expression cold and calculating. Each commander radiated a unique and deadly aura, but none could match the overwhelming presence of Lord Malakar himself.

Malakar held the amulet aloft, its light now darkened and subdued in his grasp. "The awakening has begun," he said, his voice echoing with power. "Soon, the shadows will consume all."

Kael sat in the forest, his head bowed and his fists clenched. The weight of Mira's betrayal pressed heavily on him, and the memory of her taking the amulet replayed in his mind like a cruel loop.

Elysia knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get her back," she said firmly. "And we'll stop Malakar. Together."

Kael looked up at her, his eyes burning with resolve. "He has the amulet now. But this isn't over. It's just the beginning."

Above them, the storm raged on, lightning splitting the sky as if heralding the war to come.

Preview of the next volume:

A Glimpse of Kael's Destiny

Kael's gaze hardened as he looked toward the horizon, the storm raging above. He could feel it—a faint, distant echo of the amulet's power. Even in Malakar's grasp, the light hadn't been extinguished entirely.

For the first time since Mira's betrayal, Kael's voice was steady, filled with quiet resolve. "He may have the amulet," he said, "but the fight isn't over. The shadows haven't won yet."

The lightning above illuminated the forest, and Kael's silhouette stood firm against the encroaching dark.

2. A Hint of Malakar's Next Move

Deep in his fortress, Malakar stared into the pulsing glow of the amulet. Around him, his Ten Commanders knelt, awaiting his orders.

"It begins now," Malakar said, his voice a deep, resonant promise of doom. "Send word to the outposts. The city of Verenthia will fall, and its light will be extinguished forever."

The amulet pulsed again, and the shadows around him thickened, spreading like tendrils of smoke across the room.

3. Mira's Inner Conflict

As the shadows swallowed Mira, she clutched the amulet tightly, her knuckles white. Malakar's words echoed in her ears, but so did Kael's. She closed her eyes, her heart pounding.

"It's for the greater good," she whispered, though her voice wavered.

Yet deep inside, a single question refused to be silenced: What if I've made the wrong choice?

4. A Mysterious New Ally

As Kael sat in the forest, staring into the stormy night, a voice spoke from the shadows behind him. "You're not alone in this fight."

Kael turned sharply, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon. A cloaked figure emerged from the darkness, their face obscured but their presence commanding.

"If you want to defeat Malakar," the figure said, "you'll need more than just resolve. You'll need me."

5. Foreshadowing a Greater Threat

The storm above raged as if the skies themselves were warning of what was to come. Far beyond the Wastes, in the heart of Malakar's fortress, the amulet flared to life, its golden light twisted into something darker.

Unseen by Kael or his companions, fissures of shadow spread across the land, seeping into places untouched for centuries. And in the depths of the earth, something ancient stirred—a darkness that even Malakar could not fully control.