Cleaned up and clothed, Chet took Kira to see Sapphire, who was just coming out of the healer's camp. The moment she saw him, Kira rushed and hugged him tightly, relief washing over her face like morning light breaking fog. Sapphire smiled warmly, hugging her back. Chet watched with a mild nod before escorting them to where they would be staying.
Outside, Nirro, Lucian, and Kealor stood waiting anxiously for their friends' arrival. The instant they saw Sapphire and Kira together, tension seemed to drain from their shoulders – they put their hearts to rest seeing the pair intact. They asked Sapphire inquisitively if he was okay after the ordeal that had just occurred. Sapphire assured them with a calm "Yes, I'm okay – I was treated." When they didn't quite buy it, Sapphire raised his top attire to show them his torso, which was free from bruises. The conversation flowed easily until Chet intervened. "Okay, let's round it up – it'll soon be time for you guys to be fed. You can continue the discussion later."
Sapphire turned to Chet and said, "Thank you." Chet responded with a smile, "I am not the one you should be thanking," but Sapphire thanked him regardless. Soon they entered a large hall with long tables and seats; children lined up, ready to collect food. "Go join the line and later you will be shown your sleeping area," Chet said with a smile. "After today's rest, tomorrow you guys will be addressed early at dawn." He walked away, leaving Sapphire, Nirro, Lucian, Kealor, and Kira staring after him before joining the food line.
They got their food, sat down, and ate quietly – the clatter of utensils mingling with subdued murmurs. Walking around the courtyard afterward, Kealor asked Kira, "That man holding you, was he the one that found you?" "Yes, with the other one," Kira replied softly. "I thought we would never see each other again, after what happened." Kealor swung Kira's hand gently, a hint of a smile on his face. "This feels like fate."
As they spoke, shadows crept into their eyes – memories clawing back unbidden. They had been herded like livestock, hadn't they? Traffickers had promised "opportunities" but ended up dealing with these people – powerful, ruthless, and possessive. The traffickers met brutal ends; the children were left bewildered, shrouded in darkness with sacks over their heads. When those sacks were removed, they saw this place: Valleyside, imposing and controlled like a fortress carved from night itself.
Sapphire, Nirro, Lucian, Kealor – they along with other children found themselves in this camp, disoriented and captive, trying to grasp what had overtaken them. Recalling those moments now, they exchanged looks heavy with things left unspoken; questions hovered, refusing to be voiced aloud. Afterward, they'd been taken to a dormitory – beds arranged in long lines, boys on one side and girls on the other. Exhaustion had swallowed them whole; they'd taken their beds and slept.
Thane ascended the granite platform at the heart of Valleyside's courtyard, his imposing figure drawing the gaze of every child assembled below. The platform's cold stone seemed to amplify his voice as he spoke. his gaze dissecting the children like broken fragments. Morning's cold air clung like a damp shroud.
"I am Thane," he declared, voice carving commands into the shadows. "You live and exist under our rule. Disobey… there will be consequences. I decide if you live or die. There are no choices as long as you're on this ground."
He gestured to a warrior beside him holding an engraved slab that floated mid-air. "You, come forward," Thane said, eyeing a child who gulped deeply. The boy climbed the stand, hand trembling as he pressed it onto the slab. Engravings lit; the smell of burning flesh mingled with a scream. A mark seared onto skin.
"This assesses your spirit power," Thane explained. "The mark signifies your place here. Spirit power is life essence coursing through you – tied to your soul form. It determines aptitude for abilities here and what lets you harness powers."
One by one, children placed hands on the slab. Results showed varied levels: some high, some low. Sapphire, Nirro, Lucian, Kealor, and Kira registered high spirit power readings.
Thane continued, "Your soul form dictates power affinity: elemental ties, perception ties, kinetic abilities… some manifest uniquely. It's intrinsic; you'll discover and hone what's yours."
With a subtle nod to a warrior, the warrior triggered a spell. Large intricate diagrams formed beneath feet. Before they knew it, the children disappeared from the courtyard – dispersed equally into Valleyside's ancient forest.
They called out names – voices eaten up by other children's cries calling into void-like echoes. An evil shriek sounded, silencing noise. Thane, Chet, warriors appeared above the forest in the sky.
"A mile from where you stand lies salvation," Thane's voice reached them. "Half a mile behind you crouches Gryphonax, the Devourer – beast whose speed outstrips nightmare. Reach safety before the sun's fiery arc plunges toward twilight. Fail… you'll bear the consequence."
"Start running," Thane's command followed another shriek. Morning's Descent into Valleyside's Abyss became a race for survival. Everyone sprinted – terrain didn't matter; they wanted to live. Gryphonax closing in half a mile back– cacophony of wings, slavering jaws; pursuit etched in primordial terror. Its wings sliced air like razors; screams built like knives in minds.
Sapphire ran, saw a boy ahead grabbed by Gryphonax. The beast's talons tore flesh; the boy's scream cut short as he was swallowed. Sapphire's gut twisted. Lucian sprinted, murmuring sounds like dark summons. He dodged Gryphonax's slash by inches. Didn't know what stirred inside him. Nirro flitted tree-to-tree, fire ghosting unbidden on palms. He vaulted logs; Gryphonax's darkness lunged mere feet behind. Lucian and Nirro collided in panic – first to meet each other amid terror.
Kira stumbled, ragged breath. Gryphonax closed in; she bumped into a stranger. Both scrambled back scared – then ran together till… a figure was torn apart yards ahead by Gryphonax. Stranger pushed Kira away; beast took the other child mid-air. she didn't have time to petrified as Kealor met her, he called out, urging her to get up and run. then – his own terror followed, separating them. Kealor's form shifted abruptly like substance yielding inner pressure. He crashed down a steep slope avoiding Gryphonax's swoop; skin gouged rocks. joining Lucian and Nirro, battered. Kira met Sapphire – he hauled her through chaos. Together, Sapphire with Kira, Lucian, Nirro, Kealor pushed toward salvation.
When the sun hung at the apex of brutal reign, Thane released a second abomination: Khra'goroth – the Shadow Eater. Now two predators stalked: Gryphonax half mile back: feathered fury, talons like black knives. Khra'goroth flanking: liquid darkness, jaws void swallowing sound.
Forest became pandemonium: Gryphonax disembowelled a child – intestines unspooled like wet rope; scream liquefied into gore. Khra'goroth swallowed another whole – form dissolved into black hunger, bones cracking inaudibly. Nirro felt a fire surge – flames bit Khra'goroth's darkness; didn't know how. Lucian KEENED – shadows answered the call he hadn't meant voice. Kealor's hands contorted sharp – felt something yield, reshape. Sapphire saw fractured images – like broken glass in mind's eye.
As the sun's golden dominance tilted shadows, Valleyside's forest reeked viscera. Survivors staggered toward salvation's markers: Kealor left crimson footprints – soul form still raging. Lucian's eyes were WILD – saw horrors chasing. Nirro's fire guttered – exhaustion clawed prone. Sapphire stood gasping, hazy – battered alive. Kira collapsed forward passing the gate; Sapphire dragged her deeper inside.
Some didn't make it. Four others near the gate – Gryphonax snapped jaws yards away. Time up. All got teleported back to the courtyard. Thane watched with an unreadable expression. Warriors appeared behind four children who didn't cross line; slit their necks. Others stared terror as eyes dim.