It was an early hour, so early the sun hadn't yet peeked over the horizon. The air was thick, laden with a cold that seeped into bones. Valdor woke me with a light nudge, his stern face illuminated by the faint glow of an oil lamp. He tossed me a wide, worn sweater—more akin to a potato sack than proper winter wear. I barely had time to put it on before he hoisted me onto a horse-drawn cart pulled by two brown steeds whose breaths formed misty clouds in the frozen air.
—Where are we going? —I asked, studying his impassive face, trying to decipher what lurked behind those cold eyes.
—To the kingdom's outskirts —he replied with a faint smile, as if privy to knowledge I lacked—. First, we'll pick up a friend.
I turned forward, the wind slicing my skin. Along the path, the flickering light of Valdor's lamp revealed a wooden sign. I managed to read the carved words: "White Road." The name echoed in my mind like an omen.
The horses slowed to a stop before an opulent house. It stood in stark contrast to the humble mud-and-thatch dwellings we'd passed—painted white with glass windows and an imposing door. Valdor plucked a small stone, balanced it on his thumb, and flicked it. The stone vanished into a wall cavity, and moments later, a bell chimed.
The door swung open instantly. A hulking silhouette emerged, holding an oil lamp that cast an eerie blue glow. Brown eyes gleamed from the shadows—the only light in that place. I blinked, and in that split second, the figure vanished. The cart jolted, and when I turned, I immediately recognized the warrior now seated beside me.
—Jann—! —I tried to call out, but the edge of a dagger pressed against my chin.
Jannes watched me with a crooked smile, raising a finger to his lips in a silencing gesture. Slowly, I pushed the blade away from my skin.
—Surprised, trash? —he taunted, winking as he drove the knife into the cart's wooden plank.
We resumed our journey. Jannes lounged with hands behind his head, posture relaxed as if this were all a game. I glanced at the embedded knife. It would be so easy to grab it and repay his "welcome" from our first meeting. But something in his gaze stopped me—as if he knew my thoughts, as if he were waiting for me to try.
—What're you staring at, trash? Like what you see? —he jeered, voice dripping sarcasm.
—What the hell's wrong with you? —I retorted, struggling to stay calm as anger simmered in my veins.
—Dunno, walking shitstain. You're glaring like you wanna stab me —he shot back, mocking. His right hand (the one farthest from me) flicked, and the knife reappeared between his fingers. He raised it with a grin—. And this little guy's your revenge plan, huh?
I whipped my head to where he'd embedded it earlier—the blade was gone.
—What the—? —I stared, shock mingling with rising fury.
Jannes let out a haughty laugh.
—Surprised. —His smile was triumphant, the look of someone reveling in superiority—. This toy causes lots of trouble.
With two fingers, he pinched the blade and—before my eyes—snapped it effortlessly, dropping the broken shards onto the road. The cart lurched to a halt, throwing me forward.
—Jannes, Marl —Valdor called from the front—. We continue on foot.
We dismounted before an immense forest. Its trees loomed like titans, canopies woven into a natural roof that blocked sunlight even at midday. The air here was colder, and a strange vibration hummed through the ground, as if something within the woods watched us.
—Stay alert —warned Valdor, his voice tighter than usual.
—Why? —I asked, feeling dread take root.
Jannes strolled ahead, hands still cradling his head.
—A strong beast has awakened —he said with a smug grin—. That makes weaker creatures flee the forest... and attack the nearest thing. Oh dear—the kingdom.
Suddenly, the ground beneath us began to vibrate. A deafening rumble spread through the forest. The earth trembled violently, and from the shadows emerged a horde of small, deformed creatures. Their bodies were gaunt and skeletal, with elongated limbs ending in razor-sharp claws. Their skin—a sickly gray-green—appeared cracked in places, as if constantly molting. Their faces were grotesque: oversized, milky eyes without pupils, elongated snouts lined with jagged teeth, and twitching ears that swiveled at every sound.
They had no noses, just two slits in the center of their faces, and their breathing came in wet, rattling gasps, as if their lungs were filled with water. But the most disturbing feature was their backs: segmented carapaces protruded from their spines, covered in thorns that seemed to move on their own, like living things.
—Fantastic… —Jannes grinned with a mix of amusement and challenge—. Little carrion spawn.
—What the hell are those things? —I asked, instinctively stepping back as fear gripped me.
—They're called Shriknirs —Valdor answered gravely—. Aquatic beasts. —He let out a hollow sigh—. Never seen more than three together.
Without hesitation, Valdor unsheathed his sword and cleaved one in half. A spray of dark blood splattered toward him, but his metal gauntlet deflected it to the ground—not a single drop touched him. I stared as the blood sizzled against the grass like acid.
—Because they're fucking suicidal —he added, kicking the corpse aside.
Then why so many?
—The beast must've scared them —he said, parrying another creature's lunge with a flick of his wrist—. They don't hunt… just scavenge what others leave behind.
The Shriknirs moved unnervingly, hopping in erratic bursts. Their bodies vibrated with unstable energy, as if about to explode. Suddenly, one shrieked—a piercing sound—and the entire horde surged toward us.
From the trees, translucent figures emerged, encircling Jannes.
—Watch out!
—Don't fret, Marl.
The creatures' tongues lashed at Jannes like whips. Before I could react, I heard a whisper—a chant from Jannes: "Monarch of Wind. Lend me your power. Let me strike with your fury. By the might of the four winds. Charge of the Monarch…" A gust of wind ripped past my face. In the blink of an eye, every tongue lay severed on the ground. The Shriknirs pinned to trees began to fall, split in two.
Jannes rested his sword on his shoulder and flashed me two fingers with a mocking smirk.
—That's two, trash.
His brown eyes gleamed with a dangerous light in the dark.
I froze. The strength he'd used in our fight was nothing compared to this.
—Catch. —Valdor tossed me a short sword. I barely caught it in time.
—It's dishonorable to hide behind another's back.
I adjusted my grip, readying myself—but movement caught my eye: a small Shriknir dragging itself across the ground, its thin limbs trembling, emitting a broken chirp almost like a whimper.
Then, from a nearby burrow, another creature appeared. Different from the rest—smaller, no carapace, its skin paler. Without hesitation, it gathered the wounded one in its claws and scrambled back into the hole.
Jannes approached slowly, lifting his lamp to illuminate the burrow.
—Three females. Two newborns —he murmured. With a sadistic smile, he raised his hand.
"Monarch of Fire. Lend me the blazing light of your heart. To sever the darkness before me." —A fireball coalesced in his palm.
The shrieks from the burrow intensified, clawing at my eardrums—a sound of pure desperation.
—Jannes, stop! —I grabbed his wrist—. They're not attacking us. Let them be.
Jannes clenched his fist, snuffing the flame. For a second, I felt relief. But before I could speak, he slammed me to the ground with a brutal shove.
The air fled my lungs. I stared up at him, genuine fear taking root. In the darkness, his eyes burned brighter than the lamp.
—What the fuck do you think you're doing?
—They're not… they're not hurting anyone… —I stammered, trying to rise.
Jannes leaned down, his voice dripping venom.
—Listen close, little hero… —His words were a knife at my throat—. These things are scum. And scum… gets exterminated.
My throat locked. No time to reply. He turned away. Guilt festered in my chest, my gaze dropping to the dirt as I heard:
"Monarch of Fire. Lend me the blazing light of your heart. To sever the darkness before me. Star of the Monarch."
This time, he didn't hesitate.
The fireball struck.
The shrieks rose to an unbearable pitch. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the heat of flames lick my skin.
Everything burned.
Jannes loomed over me, gripping my collar and lifting me airborne.
—Step one meter in my way again —he hissed— and I'll kill you. Worthless scum.
He threw me down. I knelt, hands in the dirt.
A blue light illuminated the grass before me.
—Marl… breathe —Valdor's firm voice cut through—. Don't let your emotions win. —He offered a hand, pulling me up—. Don't play the hero.
His words felt strange. Incomplete. As if he wanted to say more.
But we still had to move forward…