----Chapter 5----
The market square still buzzed with lingering relief after the Purge Knights' intervention. Merchants whispered thanks, families embraced, and children clutched their parents tightly, their faith in Ethille's protectors renewed.
The golden fruits of solvaris, salvaged from the wreckage, gleamed faintly under the dying sun, symbols of hope that life might yet endure. Yet, beneath the surface of gratitude, a tremor of fear lingered.
Azre and Nilda remained at the edge of the square, watching as the boy and his father departed with their meager salvaged wares.
The child waved one last time, his small hand bright against the backdrop of smoke-stained skies. Azre felt a pang of sadness, knowing that their lives would never be the same.
Azre lifted her hand in return, her expression warm and genuine. Nilda only adjusted her glasses, though her faint smile betrayed the composure she struggled to keep.
Captain Eldhar's voice carried across the square, strong as ever. "This city owes you much. But remember, the Black Fang will not rest. Tonight, we celebrate survival, not victory. The true battle lies ahead."
The crowd quieted as his words sank deep. For all the relief of the moment, there was truth in his warning shadows still lingered beyond Ethille's walls.
Back in the camp, Eldhar stood over a prisoner, his eyes sharp. The prisoner was bound to a chair, his face bruised and bloodied.
Aven, his frustration still simmering, slammed a gauntleted fist on the table. "This is pointless. He will speak nothing under terror."
Eldhar's gaze hardened. "Enough, Aven. Anger clouds judgment. We need clarity, not rage. We are knights, not torturers."
Aven's shoulders sank. "Forgive me, Captain."
Suddenly, the chamber shifted. Shadows pooled and condensed in the corners, forming a hollow, unnatural figure.
The phantom moved deliberately, raising its hand. From the floor, a jagged pinnacle of darkness erupted, sparks of lightning leaping between its edges. Within its core, a ball of compressed dark energy throbbed violently, pulsating with lethal intensity.
Before anyone could react, the phantom seized the prisoner. Its voice carried familiarity and malice. It was Darkan.
"You cannot touch me," the voice hissed. "Through this ritual, my essence travels far beyond your reach. My soul inhabits these shadows, and your fate is mine to toy with."
The dark sphere swelled violently, radiating heat and sparks in all directions. Azre shouted across the distance to Nilda, who was already several meters away with Rowan and Thalia crouched behind her small shield. "Nilda, barrier, now!"
Nilda reacted instantly, extending her arm and speaking the chant in a rush. "Shield of the faithful, hold fast to life."
Azre simultaneously spoke her chant. "Light of protection, shield us from darkness."
They were too far apart. Nilda's barrier began to form around herself and the knights behind her, Rowan and Thalia, but the ball of darkness detonated the moment Darkan tightened his grip on the prisoner.
The chamber shook violently. Rocks and splinters of wood flew through the air. Sparks of black energy and lightning crackled outward, slamming into walls and floors.
Azre's larger golden barrier expanded, enveloping Eldhar, Aven, and the other soldiers nearby.
Rowan gritted his teeth, gripping his sword tightly behind Nilda's barrier. Thalia's hands tensed on her bow, eyes wide but focused. Eldhar pressed against the inside of Azre's dome, feeling the vibrations of the blast shake through his body.
The prisoner vanished in the chaos, carried into the darkness, while the air filled with the hiss of dissipating magic.
As the golden light of the barriers began to fade, the aftermath revealed the true extent of the destruction. Chunks of stone littered the floor, splintered beams lay across shattered tiles, and blackened scorch marks streaked the walls.
Azre pressed her palms to the surface of her dome, reinforcing the golden light. Nilda kept her focus on the smaller pinnacle of light, rapier in hand, ensuring the knights behind her remained protected.
Eldhar stood slowly, brushing dust from his armor, his gaze sweeping the room. "Everyone, check your positions. Make sure no one is injured," he ordered.
Aven exhaled, rubbing his forehead as he surveyed the debris. "That was too close," he muttered.
Rowan and Thalia lowered themselves carefully from behind Nilda's shield, exchanging brief, tense glances. "Is everyone alright?" Rowan asked quietly.
The chamber was quiet now, but the oppressive weight of the darkness remained. The prisoner was gone.
Darkan's shadow had vanished along with him, leaving only the faintest residue of malevolent energy curling across the scorched floor.
Azre's eyes narrowed as she scanned the corners of the room, lingering on the space where the shadows had condensed.
Nilda lowered her arm slowly, letting the pinnacle of light dissolve. "He won," she said quietly. "The prisoner… gone, and he used the shadows to escape."
Azre remained silent, absorbing the weight of the loss. The golden light around Eldhar and the soldiers dimmed, leaving the chamber in the muted glow of flickering torches.
Eldhar's gaze met Azre's. "We cannot dwell on it," he said, voice calm but edged with steel. "The mission remains. We know now that Holon and Darkan's plans are already in motion. We must be ready."
Rowan and Thalia exchanged glances, a shared understanding passing between them.
Eldhar paused, remembering the promise made to Lady Seraphine after the battle in the clearing. "Rowan, Thalia," he said, his voice firm, "you will depart immediately. Brightnox Manor awaits. Go under the cover of night and represent us as promised."
Rowan bowed. "As you command, Captain. We will see Lady Seraphine tonight."
Thalia gave a short nod, checking her bow. "We will arrive and maintain our honor."
Even as they prepared to leave, the chamber seemed to exhale with silence, the tension thick and lingering like smoke.
Azre pressed her palms to her barrier one last time, reinforcing the fading glow. She whispered to herself, a vow carried in the silence of the aftermath: "We will not fail again."
But as the light dimmed completely, and the room settled into an uneasy quiet, the truth remained undeniable.
The prisoner was gone.
Darkan's shadow had vanished.
And the darkness was still watching.
And it would not rest.