🔥 Chapter 7 — The Shadeborn's Wrath
The Shadeborn struck with a screech that rattled the windows of the village homes. Its arms elongated into jagged shadow-blades, slicing through the air as Kael leaped aside. Blue fire burst from his palm, lighting up the square in a flash.
The flame tore through the creature's torso—but the shadow reformed instantly.
Rhyne cursed. "You can't burn a Shadeborn apart. You have to bind it!"
"How?!" Kael shouted, dodging another swipe.
Rhyne sprinted toward the old well, plunging his blade into the stone rim. A ring of silver sigils erupted around it, glowing faintly. "Lure it into the circle!"
Kael didn't have time to argue. The Shadeborn shrieked and hurled itself at him again. He rolled across the ground, firing bursts of blue fire with each movement—forcing the creature back, then sideways, then closer and closer to the well.
Villagers peeked from windows, holding lamps and trembling.
Kael's Ember marks blazed like wildfire. His chest burned from exertion. Every flame he summoned grew harder to control, like wrestling a storm that wanted to break free.
Just a little closer—
The Shadeborn lunged again. Kael jumped backward into the sigil circle.
The creature followed.
Rhyne slammed his hand against the final sigil. "Bind!"
The circle flared with blinding silver light. The Shadeborn shrieked, thrashing violently as the sigils wrapped around it like chains of moonlight. Its form twisted, trying to escape, but the bindings tightened.
"Now, Kael!" Rhyne yelled. "Purify the core!"
Kael saw it—a dark, pulsing knot within the Shadeborn's chest. He focused, forcing his trembling hand steady, summoning every flicker of Ember fire he had left.
A thin beam of blue flame shot forward, piercing the core.
The Shadeborn convulsed—
—and burst into harmless ash that scattered across the square.
Silence fell.
Rhyne exhaled, sheathing his blade. "You did well. Better than expected."
Kael barely heard him. He stared at his own hands, glowing with fading flame, trembling from exhaustion.
"That thing was stronger," Kael whispered. "Smarter."
Rhyne nodded grimly. "Shadeborn appear only when a major breach is close."
Kael's heartbeat stilled.
"Meaning?"
Rhyne looked toward the sky, where the crack now pulsed like a colossal heartbeat.
"Meaning," he said, "the Harrowed King is almost awake."