> "Not all who hunt are truly enemies. And not all who save, are truly friends. The path between is where fate is forged."
> — Teachings of the Wayward Paths
>
Ash ran until his lungs burned and his legs screamed. The distant glow of the burning village faded behind him, replaced by a bleak, empty land of twisted, dead trees and jagged, dark rocks. The air grew colder, thick with a damp chill that seemed to sink into his very bones. The black shard in his chest pulsed, a constant, unsettling heat. Strange, broken images flashed in his mind: a queen crying crystal tears, a city sinking into the sea, a giant eye staring from a stormy sky. They were terrifying, disjointed, blurring the line between real and unreal.
He stumbled, falling to his knees in a patch of thorny bushes. The emptiness where his memories should be felt like a heavy weight. He was just Ash, a name given by a stranger, haunted by power he didn't understand.
"Easy, boy."
The voice was low, soft, but clear. Ash's eyes snapped open. Standing over him was Selene, the woman from the village. Her dark robes were now whole, somehow untouched by the fire. Her face, no longer covered in soot, showed sharp, delicate features and tired eyes the color of twilight. She looked both old and ageless, a figure carved from shadow.
"Selene," she said again, holding out a hand. "You made it. You carry a heavy burden, Ash. That shard... it is a piece of the Crown of Dominion. And its power is now yours, for better or worse."
Ash took her hand, surprised by how cool her skin felt. "What is this Crown? Why am I being hunted? And who are you?" His questions tumbled out, desperate.
Selene's face showed no emotion. She pulled back her hand, her gaze on the pulsing shard in his chest. "The Crown was broken long ago. Its pieces hold immense power, but they draw danger. You were delivered by the fire, chosen by the shard. As for who I am... a shadow priestess. And now, your guide. For a time."
Just then, the rustling in the trees nearby grew loud. A man appeared, wearing heavy, dirty metal armor, his longsword in its sheath. His face was grim, scarred, and his pale blue eyes held a deep, tired look, like a distant, stormy sea.
He looked at Ash, his gaze stopping on the glowing shard. "Another one," he muttered, his voice a low rumble. "The king's order is clear. Any who carry the Crown's fragments are to be taken."
Ash felt fear. "Are you with them? The ones who burned the village?"
The knight's jaw tightened. "My promise is to the King. To bring order. Not to mindless killing." He looked at Selene. "Why is he with you, priestess? Your kind often find trouble."
Selene stepped forward, shielding Ash slightly. "He is lost, Kael. A pawn in a game older than your king's decree. A game you know well, perhaps even more than you admit. Your own hands are not clean."
Kael snorted. "There are no innocents with a shard of Dominion. That thing twists everything it touches." He reached for his sword, the sound of metal sliding out loud in the quiet air. "Give up, boy. Or I will take you by force."
Ash felt a strange tingle from the shard, a cold power simmering under his skin. He didn't know how to use it, but an instinct screamed at him not to give up.
"Stand down, Kael," Selene said, her voice dropping to a low, commanding tone. Shadows seemed to deepen around her, swirling like liquid night. "Or I will show you the true reach of a shadow priestess. You know my rituals."
Kael hesitated, his eyes narrowing. He lowered his sword slightly, but stayed ready. "This isn't your fight, Selene. He's a risk."
"He's a chance," Selene countered, her gaze steady. "A chance to understand what truly broke the Crown. Join us, Kael. Or get in our way."
The knight looked between Ash and Selene, a silent battle in his pale eyes. Duty fought with something else, something weary and old. With a sigh that seemed to carry heavy burdens, he put his sword back.
"Fine," Kael grumbled, his voice showing he didn't like it. "But if this 'chance' gets us killed, I'm holding you responsible. And if the boy makes one dark move, my blade will find his heart before yours does. Make no mistake."
Selene gave a faint, small smile. "A fair deal, knight. Welcome to the run. It seems fate has chosen you, too."
Ash stared at them, confused. A mysterious shadow priestess. A grim knight haunted by his past. And him, a boy with no memories, now carrying a piece of a shattering crown. He was caught between his past and a dangerous new beginning. The pursuit from the shadows had not ended, it had only just begun.