SKATH: The Awakening Of Power

Chapter 8

The sun had risen in the sky, and its bright rays filtered through the trees, illuminating the path that Skath and Lyra were walking. The forest was wrapped in an almost surreal silence, broken only by the birdsong and the rustling of leaves. As they walked, Skath couldn't help but notice the tense atmosphere surrounding Lyra.

"You're deep in thought," he observed, glancing at her.

"Just reflecting," Lyra replied, gripping the knife in her hand. "About Jonah, about Malakar. I don't know how we're going to face all this."

"It's normal to feel overwhelmed," Skath said, trying to reassure her. "But we're not alone. We have to face all of this together."

Lyra nodded, but her gaze remained fixed ahead. "Have you ever thought about how to confront Malakar?"

Skath paused for a moment, thinking. "There was a friend of mine, Puka. He was a Puka, a shapeshifter. He taught me many important things. Once, while holding a rose, he said to me, 'Do you like it, or is it just beautiful to look at?'"

Lyra looked at him curiously. "Puka?"

"He was an interesting character, very wise but also a bit... eccentric. Unfortunately, he passed away years ago," Skath explained with a nostalgic smile. "But his words stay with me. He taught me that to appreciate something, you have to know its nature."

"And how does that apply to Malakar?" Lyra asked, eager to understand.

"If we understand his nature, we might find a way to face him," Skath replied. "He's not just a dark dragon; he's a complex entity. We need to discover his story, his weaknesses."

As they moved along the path, a slight rustling in the bushes caught their attention. Lyra stopped, placing a hand on Skath's shoulder. "Wait. Did you hear that?"

Skath tensed, scanning the darkness between the trees. "We're being followed," he whispered, and his heart began to race.

Before they could decide what to do, a figure emerged from the shadows: it was Jonah, visibly shaken, but with a strange, almost distant look in his eyes.

"Jonah!" Lyra exclaimed, running towards him. "You're alive!"

Jonah looked at her, but his smile was unsettling. "Lyra," he said, his voice sounding deeper, almost malevolent. "Have you come back to help me?"

Skath stepped forward, worried. "Jonah, what happened to you?"

"Nothing to worry about," Jonah replied, but there was something sinister in his tone. "I just found power... and I want to show it to both of you."

"What kind of power?" Skath asked, his senses on high alert.

Jonah burst into laughter, but it wasn't a laugh that belonged to him. "The one Malakar gave me. It's magnificent! And I want you to see it, Skath. Do you want to join us?"

Lyra took a step back, alarmed. "That's not him! It's Malakar speaking through him!"

Skath braced himself, his heart pounding. "Step away from him, Malakar!"

Malakar, in Jonah's body, chuckled. "Oh, but Jonah is stronger than I thought. He wants power, and I'll give him everything he desires. In exchange, he offered me you."

Lyra stepped forward, gripping her knife tightly. "Let him go!"

But Malakar smiled, amused. "Oh, but he doesn't want to be let go. He wants to face the destiny I've prepared for him."

"Enough!" Skath shouted, launching himself forward. "I'll face you!"

"There will be time for battle, but not here," Malakar said, and with a wave of his hand, the air around them rippled.

In an instant, Jonah trembled and, with a flash of dark energy, disappeared. Lyra screamed, but it was too late. Malakar had taken her friend.

"He took him," Lyra said, tears streaming down her face. "We have to find him!"

Skath nodded, anger and frustration swirling in his mind. "We will find him. No matter where Malakar hides him."

Without wasting another moment, they resumed their journey, determined to track down Jonah and confront Malakar. Their adventure had only just begun.