A kingdom of Ash and Echoes

Chapter 11: A Glimpse of Fire

Northern Borderlands, Avaranth

The wind howled through the jagged peaks as Lyriana pulled her cloak tighter around her. The northern borderlands were a desolate expanse, the snow-covered ground littered with jagged rocks and twisted pines. Callum's squad of knights rode ahead, their armor gleaming faintly in the pale light of dawn.

This was not the first time the royal family had sent a team to investigate the disturbances in the north. For nearly a year, strange occurrences had plagued the borderlands—disappearances, attacks on trade routes, and whispers of a dark force rising.

But now, after the attack on the Varyndal caravan, the signs were undeniable. Something ancient and powerful was stirring.

Callum slowed his horse, signaling for the group to stop. He turned to Lyriana, his expression grim. "We're close. Stay behind me."

Lyriana gave him a pointed look. "I'm not here to be a bystander."

"Humor me," Callum said, his tone softening. "We don't know what we're walking into."

The knights dismounted, their boots crunching against the snow as they moved cautiously toward the ravine where the caravan had been ambushed. The wreckage was a grim sight: charred wagons, shattered crates, and bodies frozen in unnatural poses.

"This wasn't the work of mere bandits," Callum muttered, kneeling beside a fallen guard. "These burns... they're precise. Ritualistic."

Lyriana knelt beside him, her eyes narrowing at the strange markings etched into the guard's armor. They matched the symbols she had seen in the Book of Varys—the ancient tome her family had hidden for generations.

"This has been going on for months," Lyriana said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why hasn't Father told us everything?"

Callum glanced at her, his jaw tightening. "Because he doesn't trust anyone with the full truth—not even us."

Before she could respond, one of the knights called out. "Over here!"

They rushed to where the knight stood, his sword drawn. He pointed to a trail of footprints leading deeper into the ravine—large, clawed imprints.

"Shadowborn," Callum said grimly. "It's not just a myth."

Lyriana's stomach churned. The stories of the Shadowborn had always been dismissed as legends, but the evidence was undeniable. These creatures had been lurking at the kingdom's edges, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"We follow the trail," Callum ordered. "Stay alert."

They moved cautiously, the ravine walls closing in around them. The wind seemed to carry whispers, fragments of a language Lyriana couldn't understand. Her pulse quickened, every instinct screaming that they were being watched.

Suddenly, the ground trembled. A low growl echoed through the canyon, and a figure emerged from the shadows.

It was a creature unlike anything Lyriana had ever seen—tall and cloaked in darkness, its eyes glowing a fiery crimson. Its form shifted like smoke, yet its presence was suffocatingly real.

The knights drew their swords, forming a protective circle around Lyriana.

"Stand down," Callum commanded. "We don't know what it wants."

The creature stepped forward, its gaze fixed on Lyriana. It raised a clawed hand, and the symbols on the caravan guard's armor flared to life.

"Child of Avaranth," it said, its voice a guttural rasp. "The pact is broken. For a year, we have waited. Now, the debt must be paid."

Lyriana felt a surge of heat in her chest, as though the creature's words had ignited something within her. She clenched her fists, her mind racing. She had no idea what debt it spoke of, but she wasn't about to let this monster dictate her fate.

"I owe you nothing," she said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. "If you want a fight, you'll have to do better than cryptic threats."

The creature tilted its head, almost amused. "The fire in your blood will burn brighter than the stars. But beware—your path is not yet set."

Before anyone could react, the creature vanished in a swirl of shadow and flame, leaving behind only the faint smell of smoke and a lingering sense of dread.

The knights looked to Callum, their faces pale.

"We need to return to the palace," Callum said. "Father must hear of this."

Lyriana nodded, but her thoughts were elsewhere. The creature's words had struck a chord, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to change in ways she couldn't yet comprehend.