The village was quiet in the aftermath, but the silence felt brittle, as though it could shatter at any moment. Dawn filtered through the thin morning mist, revealing scorched patches of marsh and flattened reeds where the Shades had surged. Liora, Corren, and the Beast stood together at the edge of the northern path, their bodies coated with mud, frost, and the residue of battle.
Dren appeared at the far side of the path, flanked by soldiers, his face pale but rigid. "Report," he demanded, though his voice carried a tremor beneath the stern exterior. "What happened in the marsh?"
Corren stepped forward. "The Shades came. Liora drew the bond, and the Beast held them back. The village is safe."
Dren's eyes narrowed. "Safe?" He gestured to the frost-streaked reeds. "Two bodies already, and now this? If your 'bond' can't contain the threat permanently, then what is the point of it?"
Liora's chest tightened. She knew the Circle's power was fragile. The bond could hold the Shades at bay, but each use strained the connection. Overuse could break it entirely—or claim the one maintaining it. "It's not perfect," she said. "Nothing in this marsh is. But without it, there is nothing stopping what lies beneath."
Dren's gaze hardened, cutting through the mist. "You speak as though you understand. Yet here you are, leading monsters closer to the village. You and this… creature are liabilities."
The Beast shifted behind her, antlers low, eyes glinting with something ancient and protective. Liora put a hand on its flank, drawing courage from its presence. "The Beast is not our enemy. And neither am I."
Dren's fist slammed into a nearby post, wood splintering. Soldiers flinched. "Words don't save lives, girl! Only action does. And I will not have the village destroyed by fear and superstition!"
That evening, Liora and Corren returned to their quarters in silence, each lost in thought. Mud-crusted and weary, Liora poured water from a small clay jug over her hands, letting the cold rinse away the sticky residue of battle.
"We can't keep defending the Circle like this," she said finally. Her voice was low, almost a whisper. "Every time the Shades rise, we risk everything. If the bond weakens…"
Corren rubbed his face, exhaustion written deep into his features. "I know. I've been thinking the same. We need Maren, or someone who understands the full depth of the Circle. But Dren will never let her walk free in the village again."
Liora swallowed. "And yet she's the only one who can guide the Beast—and me—through what's coming. The bond will demand more than we've given it. I can feel it."
Corren's hand tightened on his spear. "Then we have no choice. If the village won't listen, we'll have to act alone."
Meanwhile, Maren's confinement in the granary had grown tense. Guards rotated more frequently, suspicion in their eyes like a tangible weight. She sat cross-legged on the floor, chains lightly around her wrists, staring at the walls. She didn't need freedom to know that the bond was weakening with each Shade's attack.
A soft rustle at the window caught her attention. Liora slipped inside, muffling the creak of the boards.
"You shouldn't be here," Maren whispered, though her lips curved faintly.
"I had to," Liora said, panting slightly. "The Shades attacked again. I felt it in the bond. Corren barely held them off. We need your help."
Maren's eyes softened. "And yet Dren will tighten the chains around your wrists if he knew you snuck here. You risk everything."
Liora knelt beside her. "We have no choice. The bond is failing, Maren. Every time I pull on it, it burns more. If we don't strengthen the Circle… next time, the Shades won't just threaten the marsh. They'll come for the village."
Maren's gaze darkened. "Then we need to decide who will bear the burden. The Circle cannot hold on its own. Someone must bond permanently with the Beast to reinforce the seal."
Liora froze. "Permanently?"
"Yes," Maren said. "It is not reversible. Once bonded, the Beast becomes part of you, and you become part of it. Human and spirit merged. Only then can the Circle endure the next wave of Shadows."
Corren's voice, quiet in the doorway, broke the moment. "And if none of us volunteer?"
Maren's eyes met his. "Then all of this—the village, the marsh, everyone we love—will fall. The Shadows do not forgive hesitation."
Liora's throat tightened. She glanced at the faint light filtering through the cracks in the granary walls. The Beast's silhouette was visible in the distance, watching, patient, ancient. It seemed to sense the discussion, its presence vibrating with expectation.
That night, they met at the shrine, under the pale moonlight. The frost still clung to the stone, remnants of the previous encounter, though the Shades had receded into the fog. The Beast emerged from the shadows, moving toward the three with deliberate grace.
Liora stepped forward, heart pounding. "If we do this," she said, "we have to understand the cost. We're not just reinforcing the Circle. We're changing ourselves. Permanently."
Maren nodded solemnly. "The bond takes what it needs and gives what it can. The Beast will not betray you, but it will demand everything in return."
Corren clenched his jaw. "Then we need to choose carefully. One of us—or none. But it cannot be forced."
The Beast knelt before them, antlers brushing the stone, eyes locked on Liora. A subtle pull, almost magnetic, tugged at her chest. The Circle pulsed faintly beneath the altar, responding to the presence of both the Beast and the humans who had faced the Shadows.
Time seemed to slow. Liora felt a whisper in her mind — not words, not a voice, but a presence urging her to step forward. Her fingers tingled. She felt the pull of the Circle, the weight of generations, the silent demands of an ancient power.
Maren spoke again, softly. "The bond chooses who it needs. The Circle will respond to courage and sacrifice. Do not rush the decision, Liora. But know this: hesitation has its own price."
The wind stirred, carrying with it a faint chill. Somewhere deep in the marsh, a Shade watched, waiting for the bond to falter. The village was unaware. The soldiers slept in their barracks. Only the three of them — Liora, Corren, and Maren — along with the Beast, knew the truth.
The Circle needed a guardian. One choice would define their future. And no one could predict the cost.
Liora drew a deep breath, feeling the pulse of the Circle thrumming through her veins. She knew the decision would come soon. And when it did, there would be no turning back.