Beyond the mortal oath

Kai rode through the dense forest, the narrow path beneath Shadow’s hooves seeming endless. Branches hung low, scraping against him, and the wet ground squelched with every step. Shadow moved cautiously, her ears flicking at every sound. Kai kept his sword ready, sensing that the ancient power awakened in the ruins had drawn danger toward them.

The night swallowed the forest, and only the faint glow of the moon managed to pierce through heavy clouds. The air buzzed with tension, as if an unseen storm brewed just beyond sight. Every rustle of leaves sounded like a warning, and the wind whispered secrets Kai couldn’t quite catch.

“There must be a village nearby,” he muttered, stroking Shadow’s neck, more to calm himself than the horse.

The mare snorted but kept moving forward. The forest grew denser with each step, and the road that had been visible moments ago suddenly vanished. Kai reined Shadow to a halt, scanning the woods. A broken branch he had snapped earlier still lay behind them — yet the path was gone, as if it had never existed.

“What kind of sorcery is this?” he whispered, gripping the reins tighter.

Then the air around him shifted. It thickened, becoming humid and suffocating, as if something heavy hovered just out of sight. Shadow whinnied, rearing in panic. Kai clung to the saddle, struggling to keep his balance.

Shapes emerged from the fog — first three, then five. Kai drew his sword, and the runes along his arms flared with light. These creatures looked human, but their eyes glowed with emptiness, and their movements were jerky and unnatural, like puppets pulled by invisible strings.

“Stay back!” Kai shouted, thrusting his sword forward. Shadow took a few nervous steps back, but the mist behind them thickened, blocking any retreat.

One of the creatures stepped closer, its voice echoing like a distant chasm:

“Give us the sword. Or the darkness will claim you.”

Anger flared in Kai’s chest. Whoever these beings were, they had come for his soul and his blade, but he had no intention of surrendering.

“To hell with you,” he muttered, surging forward with a fierce strike.

The battle erupted in an instant. The creatures moved with unnerving speed, but Kai found his body responding with a new agility. His sword felt like an extension of his will, and the runes on his arms pulsed with each swing, guiding his strikes.

The blade cut through the mist and flesh alike. One creature fell, dissolving into fog as if it had never existed. Another tried to flank him, but Kai pivoted sharply, delivering a crushing blow that split the creature in half.

Yet there were too many of them. They attacked in waves, closing in with relentless precision. Kai knew he couldn’t hold them off much longer.

Shadow reared again, kicking at the creatures and scattering them like leaves. Kai seized the opportunity and leapt onto her back.

“Go, girl!” he shouted, leaning close to her neck.

Shadow charged through the mist, hooves striking with thunderous ****. They sped along an unseen path, leaving the creatures behind. Kai didn’t know where the road would take them, but one thing was clear: there was no turning back.

Shadow galloped through the forest like a ghost carried by the night. Kai clung low to her neck, feeling the weight of their pursuers fading behind them. But the sense of unease remained, gnawing at him. He knew those creatures wouldn’t give up so easily. Their hollow eyes had spoken of a relentless hunger — they would find him, no matter how far he ran.

The forest eventually gave way to an open expanse. Dry grass stretched to the horizon, and in the distance stood stone pillars, twisted by time. A mournful wind whispered among them, carrying ancient secrets.

Kai pulled Shadow to a halt at the edge of the clearing, scanning the strange landscape. Something about the obelisks felt... wrong, as if they were markers on a path no one should walk. But there was no turning back.

"No stopping now, girl," Kai murmured, patting Shadow's neck.

They crossed the barren field, and Kai’s unease deepened. It felt as though unseen eyes followed their every move. At the base of one of the obelisks, he found an engraving — a symbol eerily similar to the one he had seen in the ruins.

"These signs are everywhere..." Kai traced the carving, and the runes on his arm warmed in response. It was as if the obelisk was linked to the same power now flowing through him.

Lost in thought, Kai didn’t notice the shadow stretching from one of the pillars until it began to take the shape of a person. A figure cloaked in gray stepped forward, their face hidden behind a mask. The air around them grew colder, heavy with an ancient presence.

"You have taken the first step down a path from which there is no return," the figure said, their voice like an echo from a distant void.

Kai tightened his grip on his sword.

"Who are you?"

The stranger stood still, but their shadow seemed alive, shifting with a will of its own.

"I am a guardian of knowledge," the figure replied. "You have touched a forbidden power. It will test you. It will tempt you."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "What do you want from me?"

"Ensure that you master the gift you now carry, or it will consume you. And not just you."

The stranger's form began to fade.

"Ahead lies a choice. Remember: the sword grants power, but it demands a price. You cannot wield it without blood."

Before Kai could ask more, the figure vanished into the twilight, leaving behind only the whisper of the wind.

Kai stood in silence, the weight of his burden pressing heavier with every breath. Answers remained elusive, tangled in riddles. And now the path before him carried not just his fate, but the fate of everything he had ever known.

"Come on, girl," he said, mounting Shadow. "Time to move on."

The mare trotted forward, the open road stretching into the unknown. Trials awaited him—trials beyond anything he could imagine. And to face them, Kai knew he would have to become more than just a man with a sword.

Shadow slowed to a walk, and in the silence of the night, Kai felt the crushing weight of solitude. The wind howled in the distance, every gust carrying the echo of someone’s grief. The forest and the obelisks lay behind them, but the road ahead stretched into the unknown. Kai had no idea where it would lead, yet he knew there was no turning back after his encounter with the mysterious guardian.

Suddenly, a soft rustling broke the stillness. Kai pulled Shadow’s reins, bringing her to a halt, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. In the dim moonlight, three figures emerged from the forest, hurrying forward.

They looked wary and exhausted, though none of them held weapons. One of them, a tall man with fiery red hair, raised a hand, signaling they meant no harm.

“Not from around here, are you?” he called cautiously. “This road’s dangerous these days.”

Kai narrowed his eyes.

“Who are you?” he asked, his grip on the sword steady.

The red-haired man chuckled, but the sound was strained, nervous.

“Just poor travelers. The mist threw us off course, and now here we are.”

Shadow shifted restlessly, sensing something amiss. Kai studied the trio closely. Their clothes were plain, but their eyes told a different story — haunted and distant, like those who had survived something terrible.

“Where are you heading?” Kai asked, still on edge.

“To Laert,” the redhead answered. “Ever heard of it? They say there’s shelter there, if you don’t mind paying the price.”

Kai frowned. The name Laert stirred something in his memory, though it was faint and blurred, like the remnants of a dream. He knew he should be cautious, but the fear and fatigue in these people seemed genuine.

“Laert…” Kai muttered. “How far?”

“Less than a day if we stay on the right path. But, as you know, nothing on this road is certain.”

Kai scanned their surroundings. The night pressed in on them, and the forest behind was teeming with unseen threats. Perhaps traveling with these strangers would make the journey a little safer.

“Alright,” he said finally. “We travel together. But if you try anything—”

“You’ll regret it,” the redhead finished with a nod. “Got it.”

He smiled slightly. “The name’s Faren. This is Lida, and that’s Toren. Just a couple of unlucky souls.”

They set off down the road, and Faren didn’t press Kai with more questions, for which he was grateful. But the nagging sense of unease wouldn’t leave him. Everyone carried a past, and Kai knew these three, no matter how innocent they appeared, were no exception.

“You from far away?” Lida asked softly, breaking the silence. Her voice was quiet and hesitant, as though afraid to attract misfortune.

“Far enough,” Kai replied curtly. “What about you?”

“We come from a place where there’s no reason to stay anymore,” she answered bitterly. “Only ashes remain.”

Kai gave a slight nod. He understood without needing further explanation. Wars and curses left too many places like that — towns and villages abandoned, where even time seemed to stand still.

The path grew steeper as it wound through low hills, and the moon vanished behind thick clouds, plunging the road into darkness. Shadow moved steadily, but even she snorted nervously now and then.

At one point, Toren raised his hand suddenly, signaling them to stop.

“Quiet,” he whispered. “Something’s up ahead.”

Kai tensed, listening. A faint sound, like someone walking along the rocky path toward them, sent a shiver through the group.

Around the bend appeared a lone figure — a man in a long cloak, leaning on a staff. His face was hidden in shadow, but Kai caught the glint of sharp eyes, far too observant for a mere traveler.

“Who goes there?” Kai called, raising his sword.

The stranger stopped, making no hostile move.

“Just a wanderer,” the figure rasped. “Are you heading for Laert?”

Faren took a step forward, but Kai held him back with a gesture.

“Maybe,” Kai said cautiously. “Who’s asking?”

“Someone who knows how to reach it safely,” the stranger replied.

Kai kept his gaze steady, not trusting this man. There was something strange about him — a sense that he knew far more than he was letting on.

“Why help us?” Kai asked.

“Sometimes fates cross, and you have to choose whether to help or walk away,” the stranger answered, a faint smile curling at the edges of his lips. “But perhaps it’s all just a game of shadows.”

The darkness around them deepened, and Kai felt invisible threads weaving their way between him and these strangers, binding their destinies together.

“Let’s go,” Kai said finally. “We don’t have time for riddles.”

The stranger gave a slight bow and resumed walking, not looking back. Faren, Lida, and Toren followed him, and after a brief hesitation, Kai urged Shadow forward.

They stepped into the deeper gloom, knowing full well that whatever awaited them on this path would test them all. And though the moonlight no longer illuminated their way, they understood: there was no going back.