Daywalker Part 1: Lucian Moonshade and the Sunlit Prophecy

Chapter 14: Into the Shadowlands

The council's verdict lingered in Lucian's mind as he, Lyra, and Elowen left the Elders' chamber. The weight of their decision, the preparation for war, and the confirmation of Kieran's growing power hung heavy in the air. Lucian knew that every second they waited, Kieran moved closer to gaining control of the Night Gates and the Daystone.

But there was one place they hadn't yet searched—one place that might give them the advantage they desperately needed.

The Shadowlands.

As the three of them made their way through the academy grounds, Lyra glanced at Lucian, her sharp eyes reflecting both curiosity and concern. "The Elders have given us the go-ahead. What's the plan now? You have that look on your face."

Lucian's jaw tightened. He had been mulling over the next steps since their meeting with the council, and one idea kept rising to the surface. "We need to go to the Shadowlands."

Elowen stopped mid-step, her eyes wide with alarm. "The Shadowlands? Lucian, that place is—"

"Dangerous," Lucian finished, nodding. "I know. But it's also the last place Morvath's followers would have gone to strengthen their connection to the Night Gates. The Shadowlands are tied to the dark realm in a way no other place in Eldergrove is. If Kieran's plan is as far along as we think, we might find more clues there. We might even find the last Night Gate."

Lyra raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a grin despite the danger ahead. "Well, you know I'm always up for a good challenge. Shadowlands it is."

Elowen, however, remained hesitant. "The Shadowlands are cursed. The magic there is unpredictable, and it's said that those who enter don't come back the same. If Kieran has anything to do with that place, it could be worse than anything we've faced so far."

Lucian's mind flashed back to the battle in Morvath's Tomb. The dark magic Kieran wielded, the connection he now had to the Night Gates—everything was accelerating. They couldn't afford to be cautious anymore.

"I know it's dangerous," Lucian said, his voice steady. "But we don't have time. If Kieran opens the last gate, we lose everything."

Elowen's gaze softened, though the worry remained in her eyes. "Then we'll have to be prepared for whatever we face there. The Shadowlands will test us. I'll need to gather supplies—protection spells, wards, anything we can use to shield ourselves from the magic."

Lucian nodded, grateful for her cautious approach. "Good. We leave tonight."

Night fell quickly over Solara Academy, casting long shadows across the forested grounds. The crescent moon hung high in the sky, its pale light illuminating the path ahead as Lucian, Lyra, and Elowen made their way toward the border of Eldergrove. The air grew colder the closer they got to the Shadowlands, a chill that seemed to seep into their bones.

The Shadowlands lay beyond the borders of Eldergrove, a desolate and cursed landscape that had been abandoned for centuries. Legends spoke of a time when the Shadowlands were once part of the magical realm, a thriving place of power. But after Morvath's fall, the land had been twisted by dark magic, becoming a place where shadows and nightmares ruled.

As they approached the outskirts of the Shadowlands, the trees thinned, giving way to jagged, barren earth. The sky above had darkened unnaturally, and the air itself felt heavy with malevolent energy. Even the moon's light seemed dimmer here, as if the land itself rejected the presence of the living.

Elowen tightened her cloak around her shoulders, her face pale as she glanced at the looming darkness ahead. "This place... it feels wrong. The magic here—it's ancient and powerful."