The ground trembled under the hooves of mounts galloping at full speed. The night draped the Black Mountains in a veil of ink, but that did not halt the relentless advance of the imperial legions.
Vaelzar rode at the front, his black armor absorbing the faint glow of the torches. His gaze, cold as steel, was fixed on the horizon. He did not speak. He did not need to. Every beat of his heart resonated with an unwavering certainty: he would catch Eryndal.
He would make him regret his escape.
In a cave overlooking a ravine, Eryndal and his companions held their breath.
— They're already here… Alessia murmured, her eyes fixed on the outside.
The thunder of hooves echoed through the valley, a sinister omen that left no room for doubt.
— We can't run anymore, Darek growled.
— Not the usual way, at least, Elion replied, scanning the crevasse.
Eryndal clenched his teeth. The cave's darkness weighed on him, but he closed his eyes for a moment, searching for an escape.
Then, he saw it.
A crack in the rock, leading to a steep path that descended even deeper into the mountain's bowels.
— There's a passage, he whispered. But it's risky.
— Everything is risky, Alessia retorted. We don't have a choice.
Without wasting time, they slipped into the narrow tunnel. The descent was treacherous, but they pressed on, their hearts pounding in sync with the urgency of the moment.
Behind them, the galloping of imperial riders drew closer.
Then a voice shattered the silence.
— Find them. Destroy everything.
A chill ran down Eryndal's spine.
Vaelzar was here.
And he would not leave without their heads.
In the darkness. The stone walls closed in around them as they advanced through the fissure. The air grew heavier, thick with moisture.
— Where does this lead? Darek asked.
— I have no idea… But it's our only chance, Eryndal murmured.
Behind them, a deep rumble echoed. A rockslide.
— They found the cave, Elion hissed.
Alessia quickened her pace.
— Then we need to disappear before they figure out where we went.
They kept moving until the tunnel suddenly opened onto an unexpected sight.
A massive cavern, bathed in an eerie, spectral light.
The ground was covered in ruins—remnants of a forgotten city.
Eryndal felt his heart skip a beat.
— What is this…
But he didn't have time to finish his sentence.
Behind them, the cave entrance exploded in a deafening roar.
Shadows emerged through the dust.
The imperial soldiers had arrived.
And among them…
Vaelzar stepped forward.
His gaze met Eryndal's.
— You can't run anymore.
The duel was inevitable.
And this time, only one side would leave alive.