THE LEGENDARY ZYKRATH NOLTHEM
The mist blanketed the Forbidden Forest, a place many believed to be nothing more than a myth. The colossal trees carried a ghostly aura, their leaves shimmering faintly with silver and blue hues beneath the moonlight. The Zykrath Nolthem, an ancient and mysterious order, inhabited this place. Some saw them as protectors; others as vengeful specters that obeyed neither mortal nor divine laws.
Zyrion, Kyrahna, Caelithra, and Karion had arrived following fragments of information about the order. The name "Zykrath Nolthem" had appeared in ancient texts Zyrion found in a forgotten ruin. According to those writings, the Zykrath Nolthem knew more about the fragments than anyone else especially the one Umbraek himself had created.
Zyrion looked at his companions as they advanced cautiously.
"Do you think they'll be… hostile?" he asked, breaking the silence interrupted only by the crunch of branches under their feet.
"That depends on how we approach them," Caelithra replied without looking back. Her tone remained cold, but there was a hint of caution in her voice. "We're not exactly the kind of visitors they would welcome with open arms."
"And what is their kind of visitor, then? Lost souls, maybe?" Karion joked, though his smile quickly faded when a nearby tree seemed to move slightly.
"If you can't keep your tongue still, Karion, they might see us as intruders before we even get to speak to them," Kyrahna said, though a small smile betrayed her attempt to appear stern.
"You know, at least I'll be the most charming intruder they've ever met. That has to count for something, right?" Karion replied, adjusting the hilt of his sword.
"That's enough," Zyrion interrupted with a mix of nerves and determination. "This isn't a game. We're here because we need answers. If these Zykrath Nolthem know something, we have to earn their trust, not their hatred."
The mist thickened as the group advanced. Soon, a hooded figure appeared among the trees, tall and slender. Its movements were fluid, almost as if floating above the ground. More hooded figures began to surround them, emerging from the fog like living shadows.
"Stop," said a deep, resonant voice. It was impossible to tell who had spoken, but all the hooded figures raised their hands at once, halting the group instantly.
"We are travelers seeking knowledge," Zyrion said, raising his hands to show they carried no hostile intent. "We come without ill will."
One of the hooded figures stepped forward. Its face remained hidden, but the voice that emanated had an almost musical tone. "Knowledge always has a price, stranger. What are you willing to offer?"
Zyrion exchanged glances with his companions. "We'll offer what we can, within our means. We only seek answers about the fragments."
The figure let out a low laugh that echoed eerily. "Fragments? Ah, of course. Always the fragments. Each of you is a piece of a puzzle you don't even understand. Why do you think you deserve to know more?"
Caelithra stepped forward, her gaze as sharp as a blade. "Because if we don't, the entire world could fall into the wrong hands. And I'm certain that affects you as well."
There was a heavy silence before the hooded figure spoke again. "Brave, yet reckless. Come with us. If you truly seek knowledge, you must prove your worth."
They were led to a clearing where a circle of ancient stones stood, covered in glowing runes. The hooded figures formed a semicircle around them, leaving the group in the center.
"Only those who face their own fears can learn the truth," one of the figures said. "Each of you will be tested. If you fail, you will not leave this forest."
"Well, that sounds promising," Karion whispered to Kyrahna. "If this is another one of those tests where we end up fighting horrible creatures, can you at least try to protect me?"
"Protect yourself, clown," Kyrahna responded with a sarcastic smile.
"Silence," ordered the leading hooded figure. "The first will be the leader."
Zyrion swallowed hard. "What do I have to do?"
"Enter the circle and face what lies within you," the figure said. "The test is not of the body, but of the soul."
Zyrion nodded, though his hands trembled slightly. He stepped forward and crossed the threshold of the circle. The moment he did, the stones glowed intensely, and Zyrion's figure vanished.
He found himself in an infinite darkness. Everything was silent, except for a distant heartbeat his own. Before him appeared an identical figure, but with eyes as black as the void.
"You think you can save everyone?" the figure said, its voice a twisted version of his own. "You're a leader without purpose, a spark without flame. How can you guide others when you don't even know who you are?"
Zyrion breathed deeply. "I know I'm not perfect. I know I don't have all the answers. But I'm not alone. My companions trust me, and I trust them."
The figure laughed. "Do you trust them? Even when they hide things from you? Even when they know something you don't?"
Zyrion hesitated. "What are you talking about?"
"Ask them. Ask them what they know about you about your true role in all of this. But be careful, Zyrion… the truth may destroy you."
Before he could respond, the figure vanished, and Zyrion found himself back in the clearing, sweating and gasping for air.
One by one, his companions faced their trials. Each returned with a different expression: Caelithra with tight lips and fierce determination; Kyrahna with a melancholic but resolved gaze; and Karion with a nervous smile that failed to hide his inner turmoil.
"You have passed the test," said the leading hooded figure. "But the answers you seek are not simple. The fragments are more connected than you imagine, and the void is not the only enemy you face."
Zyrion stepped forward, still shaken. "What more must we know? What are you hiding from us?"
The figure leaned toward him, its eyes glowing beneath the hood. "Sometimes, the greatest enemy is not the void… but what lies within you."
The words lingered in the air, but before Zyrion could respond, all the hooded figures raised their hands simultaneously. The runes on the stones glowed with blinding intensity, and an indescribable energy filled the clearing. The air vibrated with ancient power.
"What are they doing now?" Karion whispered to Caelithra, who remained stoic.
"I think this is their way of showing us something. Maybe even warning us," she replied coldly.
"Warning us of what exactly? That their light tricks are dangerous?" Karion muttered, though no one laughed this time.
The leading hooded figure raised a hand, and the runes projected images in the air like liquid mirrors. Fragmented scenes appeared: chaotic battles, masked figures holding fragments, and a world crumbling under the shadow of an imposing figure with glowing purple eyes.
A shiver ran down Zyrion's spine. "Is that the future?"
"No. It is what will be… if you fail," the figure replied, its voice echoing within Zyrion's mind.
Kyrahna stepped forward, her expression resolute. "If we know what's at stake, we can prevent it. We're no strangers to battle or sacrifice. Tell us what we need to do."
The figure tilted its head. "What you must do is not in our hands. But know this: one of you will be the key… and another will be the downfall. The fate of the fragments is tied not only to the void, but to something far older. Older even than Umbraek."
Caelithra narrowed her eyes. "If what you say is true, why don't you do something? Why just warn us instead of acting?"
"Because we do not intervene. We only observe," the figure said. "It has always been so. It must remain so."
"Well, that's useful," Karion muttered, rolling his eyes. "A mysterious order that just watches us fall like some kind of show."
The figure turned toward him, its presence growing heavier. "Watch your tongue, boy. Laughter may be a shield, but it can also be your doom."
"Is that a threat? Because it sounds like one of those ominous phrases meant to be creepy but not very helpful," Karion replied, trying to keep his composure despite the tension in his jaw.
"It is a warning," the figure corrected. "The same I give to all of you. The truth is not kind to those who seek it unprepared."
Suddenly, the stone circle trembled, and the runes projected one final image: a massive portal of dark energy devouring everything around it. From it emerged humanoid shadows each one a twisted form of an individual nightmare.
"This is what approaches," said the figure. "Umbraek is not alone. There are forces seeking something beyond the fragments, beyond the void. If you are not ready, you will not survive."
Zyrion clenched his fists. "Then prepare us. Don't send us blind. Help us understand what's at stake."
The figure remained silent for a moment before extending a hand toward him. In its palm appeared a small object: a crystal sphere emitting a faint golden glow.
"This contains a fragment of Zykrath Nolthem knowledge. It holds guidance for the next step in your journey. But be warned: not all answers will be welcome… and not all truths will be revealed at once."
Zyrion took the sphere carefully, feeling both comforting and unsettling warmth within it. "Thank you. We won't waste this opportunity."
The figure nodded. "Then go. Time is not on your side, and your enemies already move."
The group left the clearing, but none spoke for a long while. The atmosphere was heavy, each of them processing what they had seen and heard. Finally, Karion broke the silence.
"Well, that was… intense. Though I still think they could've been a bit clearer. 'The truth is not kind'? Really? What kind of motto is that?"
"One that clearly goes over your head," Caelithra replied without looking at him.
"Do you always have to be so cold, Caelithra? You could try being a little warmer. Maybe even smile. Just once."
"I prefer to save my smiles for when they're truly worth it," she said, leaving no room for argument.
Kyrahna sighed, looking at Zyrion, who seemed lost in thought, the sphere glowing softly in his hands. "What do you think, Zyrion? You've been very quiet."
Zyrion lifted his gaze, his expression somber. "I think what they told us is only a part of the truth. Something else is going on something they're not telling us. And I can't shake the feeling that we're stepping into a game we don't fully understand."
Kyrahna nodded slowly. "Then we'll have to learn fast. Because if those Zykrath Nolthem are right, we're running out of time."
The sphere glowed faintly in Zyrion's hands, almost as if responding to his thoughts. The path ahead was filled with unknowns, but the group knew they couldn't turn back. And though no one said it out loud, they all shared the same feeling:
Something far darker was lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
TO BE CONTINUED…