A shadow on the road

Kai stood motionless, staring into the fog that shrouded the forest like a dense veil. The stranger’s words—“If you want to know the truth, come to the ruins of the Meir monastery before sunset”—echoed in his mind. Questions swirled, like insects in the mist, but there were no answers. Who was this man? How did he know his name? And what had his father been hiding?

Kai sighed, lowered his sword, and turned to his mare. Shadow stood calmly, but her ears were flattened, and her tail twitched nervously. She sensed the same danger that he did.

“Calm down, girl,” he muttered, running his hand over her glossy, night-black coat.

She was as swift and silent as the darkness itself. He trusted her more than he trusted most people. They had escaped danger together many times. But was it worth it, following the stranger’s warning? Going to the ruins?

The Meir monastery lay deep in a dangerous part of the forest, a place filled with legends of forgotten spirits and ancient curses. The locals spoke of it in hushed tones, avoiding the area as if it were tainted by some dark power. But what choice did he have? The stranger’s words had struck a chord deeper than Kai was willing to admit: if there were truths about his father hidden there, he could not simply walk away.

He tightened the saddle strap and mounted Shadow.

“Let’s go, girl,” he said, his voice low. “If this man knows something, we’ll find out before sunset.”

The mare shifted slightly, as if she understood the gravity of the journey ahead. Kai gave a light signal, and she moved forward, her steps smooth and sure.

The forest greeted them with an eerie silence. Only a few crows, perched on distant branches, cawed dully, as though they were watching from the other side. Kai lowered his head instinctively, trying to blend into the shadows, feeling the oppressive weight of the forest closing in.

Hours passed, and the path seemed to narrow with each step. The trees grew denser, the sunlight barely breaking through the thick canopy, leaving only a faint gray glow to guide them. The fog clung to the ground, swirling around Shadow’s legs like a living thing.

For a moment, Kai questioned his sanity. There was no reason to trust a stranger who appeared in the mist. It could be a trap. But there were too many unanswered questions, ones that had haunted him since he was young.

What had really happened to his father? What had he done? Was there any truth to the accusations?

The wind picked up, and a strange chill settled deep inside him, slipping under his cloak and biting into his bones. He wrapped his cloak tighter, but the unease remained.

Shadow, too, seemed restless, her ears flicking back, sensing something he couldn’t see. Every so often, she snorted, her nostrils flaring.

“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” Kai whispered, brushing his hand over her neck.

And then, just as his anxiety reached its peak, a faint noise reached his ears—either the snap of a branch or the careful step of someone moving between the trees. His heart quickened, and he pulled sharply on the reins. Shadow halted, her muscles tense beneath him.

Silence.

The forest held its breath.

Kai strained to hear, but only the wind and the rustle of leaves filled the air. Still, his instincts screamed that they were not alone.

“Whoever it is, they’re following us,” he murmured, nudging Shadow to move again.

They pressed on, but now Kai constantly glanced over his shoulder. The mare moved with caution, her ears twitching at every sound. The path twisted unnaturally, and every shadow seemed to grow more menacing.

Then, as if by some strange magic, the fog began to lift, parting to reveal the ruins ahead. The crumbling walls and columns of the Meir monastery loomed before them, cloaked in moss and the weight of time.

Kai dismounted and led Shadow closer, but as he stepped into the ruins, a sense of dread washed over him. The monastery seemed lifeless and forgotten, yet something kept him on edge. Shadow shifted uneasily from one hoof to the other, her instincts as sharp as ever.

“I know, girl,” Kai muttered. “I don’t like it either.”

But there was no turning back. If the answers were here, he would find them.

He tethered Shadow to a half-standing pillar and crept deeper into the ruins, moving silently over the stone. With each step, his sense of unease grew. It felt as though unseen eyes were watching him from every cracked wall, every broken pillar.

And then, in the stillness, he heard it—the same soft whisper from the fog.

“Welcome, Kai Tarnel.”

Kai’s sword was drawn in an instant, and he spun around, but no one was there.

“Show yourself!” he shouted, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

A low laugh followed—a soft sound without malice, but it sent a shiver down his spine.

“Everything you seek is here,” the voice whispered, “but the truth comes at a cost.”

Kai’s gaze flickered to the center of the ruins, where an ancient altar stood, etched with symbols he couldn’t comprehend. Something within him stirred—he knew that the answers lay there, perhaps even the beginning of a path he wouldn’t be able to turn from.

“You know you’ve already made your choice,” the voice echoed once more, now right behind him.

Kai spun again, but still saw no one. The wind stirred the moss, and the forest around him seemed to hold its breath.

He gripped his sword tightly, taking a step toward the altar. He knew, with absolute certainty, that the moment he moved closer, his life would change forever.