Veil of Shadows

Into the Ashen Temple

The road leading to the Temple of Ashen was long and winding, cutting through dense forests and rocky hills. Ariana and Kael rode in silence for most of the day, the tension between them thick as they prepared for whatever dangers lay ahead.

The Temple of Ashen was the closest of the three locations, but it was also the most notorious. Ariana had heard stories about it—a place abandoned for centuries, its halls filled with deadly traps, ancient curses, and magic that could drive a person mad. The kind of place most people avoided at all costs.

But Ariana had never been one to run from danger.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor, Ariana slowed her horse, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the landscape ahead. They were close now—she could feel it. The air had changed, growing colder and more oppressive. Even the birds had stopped singing, their silence unsettling.

Kael pulled up beside her, his expression tense. "We're getting close."

Ariana nodded, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her dagger. "I can feel it."

They rode in silence for a few more minutes before the trees thinned out, revealing a narrow path that led up a steep hill. At the top, nestled among jagged rocks and twisted trees, stood the temple.

Or at least, what was left of it.

The structure was ancient, its stone walls crumbling, covered in dark moss and creeping vines. The entrance was a large archway, half-collapsed, with strange runes carved into the stone. Ariana felt a chill run down her spine as she dismounted, her eyes scanning the ruins.

"So, this is it," she muttered, her voice low. "The Temple of Ashen."

Kael dismounted beside her, his eyes dark as he studied the temple. "It's been abandoned for centuries. But the magic inside is still strong."

Ariana shot him a look, her hand resting on her dagger. "You've been here before?"

Kael shook his head. "No. But I've heard the stories."

Ariana huffed, glancing back at the ruins. "Great. More stories."

Kael's lips twitched into a faint smile. "If it makes you feel any better, most people who come here don't make it out alive."

Ariana rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of unease in her chest. "You really know how to lighten the mood, don't you?"

"Just being honest," Kael said, his tone teasing but his eyes serious. "This place isn't like anything you've faced before."

Ariana tightened her grip on her dagger, her jaw set. "I can handle it."

Kael studied her for a moment, his gaze softening. "I know you can."

They stood there for a moment longer, the weight of the temple pressing down on them both. Then, without another word, Ariana turned and started toward the entrance, her heart pounding in her chest.

As they stepped into the shadow of the archway, the air grew colder, and the oppressive weight of the temple settled over them like a dark shroud. The runes on the walls seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, their meanings lost to time, but the power they radiated was undeniable.

"Stay close," Ariana muttered, her eyes darting around the darkened hall. "I don't trust this place."

Kael smirked, his voice soft as he followed her inside. "You don't trust anything."

Ariana shot him a look over her shoulder. "That's why I'm still alive."

They moved deeper into the temple, the air thick with dust and the scent of old stone. The hallway stretched on before them, narrow and twisting, with strange carvings etched into the walls. Every now and then, Ariana would catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye—shadows that seemed to shift and writhe, though when she turned, there was nothing there.