Kaden and Lara sprinted through the dark forest, the trees blurring into shadows. The voice seemed to be closing in, its whispers turning to screams.
They burst into a clearing, and Lara pulled Kaden behind a massive stone monument. "Stay down," she whispered.
The air rippled, and dark tendrils snatched at Kaden's clothes. Lara held him tight, her fire burning brighter, pushing the shadows back.
"The Serpent's mark is here," she said, pointing to a symbol etched into the stone. "We need to decipher it. Fast."
Kaden examined the symbol—a coiled serpent with stars in its eyes. "It's a riddle," he muttered.
Lara leaned in. "The stars align with the Serpent's gaze..."
Suddenly, Kaden understood. "The constellation! It's pointing to a specific star."
Lara nodded. "Follow it. I'll hold off the shadows."
Kaden focused on the star, and a beam of light burst from the monument, guiding him east. As he turned to Lara, a dark figure swooped in, wings blocking the moon.
"You're not taking the Heart," it hissed.
Lara pushed Kaden away. "Run!"
Kaden sprinted into the night, the shadows closing in. He glanced back—Lara was engulfed in flames, fighting to hold off the darkness.
"Keep going!" she shouted.
Kaden's eyes burned with determination. He kept running, the Serpent's star leading him into the unknown.
What happens next? 😊