The morning sun filtered weakly through the dense canopy of the forest. Mist hugged the roots of ancient trees, and dew clung to the leaves like forgotten memories. The group moved in silence, the weight of the previous night still hanging in the air.
Raykan walked ahead, scouting without a word. His steps were confident, yet his jaw was tight.
Kael twirled a blade in his hand, then leaned toward Elara. "You noticed how broody Mr. Growl has been since last night?"
Elara nodded, adjusting her satchel filled with herbs. "Something's bothering him. He didn't sleep. I saw him staring at the fire the whole time."
Zan, walking beside them, folded his arms. "Raykan rarely speaks. But I've seen that look before. He remembers something."
Elara blinked. "Something about… before?"
Zan nodded. "When we were sealed… we were all robbed of our full memories. But when one returns to a place connected to them, sometimes the memories leak back."
Kael stretched. "Great. Another tragic backstory incoming. Shall I prep the tears or the applause?"
The porcupine system suddenly appeared, floating midair with a tiny, grumpy yawn.
"Reminder: Raykan's emotional detachment levels currently exceeding normal. Rebooting sarcasm defense matrix…"
Kael raised an eyebrow. "That sounds fake, but okay."
They finally reached a cliffside overlooking a long-forgotten battleground. The earth here was charred, split by deep scars. Elara could feel it—echoes of sorrow clinging to the soil like invisible fog.
Raykan stopped. "This is where I died."
No one spoke.
"I wasn't a warrior like the rest," he continued, voice low. "I was a shield. A protector. I guarded the temple of light… before it fell."
He walked to a broken column half-buried in the ground and knelt before it. With one hand, he brushed away dirt, revealing a symbol—an intricate crest shaped like a flame wrapped in wings.
Elara's eyes widened. "That's my father's sigil…"
Raykan turned slowly. "Yes. I served the Light God. I was his Vanguard. I… watched him fall."
A memory sparked in his eyes—flashes of fire, betrayal, and screams.
"We were told the enemy had come from the North. That a great evil had awakened. I ran into battle… and found the truth."
He stood, fists clenched. "It wasn't the enemy that destroyed us. It was our own priests. They served the false god. They betrayed us. The light we worshipped… was already caged."
Elara stepped forward. "Raykan, you couldn't have known."
He looked at her, eyes blazing. "But I should have. I let my god be chained. I let my brothers die."
Zan stepped beside him. "Then take that rage and wield it as your weapon now."
Raykan's body began to glow faintly. Runes sparked across his gauntlets, and the crest on the column ignited with pure white light.
The system let out a sharp ding.
"System Notice: Raykan has reclaimed 40% of sealed power. New skill unlocked: Lightbound Reversal."
Kael muttered, "And here I thought I'd get a turn next."
Raykan's armor shimmered with renewed luster, and a spectral cloak of light flowed behind him. He exhaled slowly, more centered than before.
Elara smiled. "You're stronger than your regrets."
He gave her a small nod. "And you… are more than you know."
Before she could ask what he meant, the ground trembled.
From the fissures of the battlefield, shadow creatures began to rise—distorted, inky beings with hollow eyes and twisting limbs.
Kael spun his daggers. "Welp. Time to test Raykan's upgrade!"
Zan took position at Elara's side. "They're targeting her. Again."
Raykan stepped forward. "Then they'll have to go through me."
A dozen shadow beasts lunged.
Raykan's cloak flared, and his gauntlets pulsed with divine power. He met the first creature head-on, punching it with enough force to shatter the darkness around it. He was faster—stronger.
Kael and Zan joined the fray while Elara pulled out a vial of glowing blue powder and tossed it into the air. The mist it released confused the creatures' senses, giving the warriors an edge.
The battle was chaotic, but not without humor.
"Zan, duck!" Kael shouted.
Zan didn't duck. Instead, he lifted Kael by the collar and spun him midair like a weapon, flinging him into a cluster of enemies.
Kael, groaning: "That's not what I meant!"
Meanwhile, the porcupine system hovered beside Elara, tossing out random "motivation quotes."
"Believe in yourself. Unless you're Kael. Then duck faster."
Finally, Raykan delivered the finishing blow—slamming his fists into the ground. A radiant pulse exploded outward, erasing the last of the shadow beasts.
Silence fell.
Then came slow applause… from the treeline.
A new figure stepped forward—tall, cloaked in bone-white robes. His face hidden behind a cracked porcelain mask. And beside him, a chained beast with six heads snarled.
"Three warriors freed… four remain," the figure said. "But the girl… is waking too fast."
Elara narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted its head. "A memory your father tried to erase."
Then it vanished into smoke.
Raykan turned to Elara, his voice quiet. "He knows who you are. And he's afraid."
Elara looked down at her trembling hands. Deep inside her, something stirred—wild, ancient, and waiting to awaken.
End of Chapter 16