HE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN MASK
The forest air was cold and dense, and the moon barely managed to pierce through the canopy of trees. The group advanced slowly, with Zyrion leading the way. The silence among them was unsettling, broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath their feet.
Kyrahna stepped forward a little, looking at Zyrion with concern. "Are you sure we're heading in the right direction? This place doesn't feel… normal."
Zyrion nodded, though there was a slight doubt on his face. "I know, Kyrahna. But I have this feeling that this is the path. I can't explain it, but something is guiding us."
"Something?" Caelithra intervened from behind, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Or maybe your fragment is messing with your head again? Because honestly, we don't need another ambush caused by your 'intuition.'"
Before Zyrion could respond, Karion approached with a carefree smile. "Come on, Caelithra, give him a break. If we end up in another trap, at least we'll have a good story to tell afterward, right?"
"Only if we survive to tell it," Caelithra replied with a sharp look.
Quindarion, who was walking at the end of the group, raised his voice calmly. "Something's off here. I can feel it. Everyone, stay alert."
Zyrion suddenly stopped, raising a hand to signal the group to halt. His eyes narrowed as he stared ahead, trying to discern something hidden within the shadows.
"What is it?" Kyrahna whispered, moving to his side.
"Someone's here," Zyrion replied quietly. "I can feel them."
Before anyone could react, a figure emerged from among the trees, moving with impossible speed. He was tall, wearing a black cloak that seemed to absorb the light around him. But the most striking feature was his golden mask, glowing even in the dimness.
"Zyrion…" the figure said, with a deep, resonant voice. "At last, I have found you."
Zyrion stepped forward, eyes fixed on the man. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"
The man tilted his head slightly, as if studying Zyrion. "You are nothing but a pawn in a much larger game than you can comprehend. But today, I am not here for explanations. I am here to take you with me."
Karion drew his sword, placing himself between Zyrion and the figure. "If you think we're going to let you take Zyrion, you're very mistaken, friend."
The figure let out a low laugh, as if amused by the threat. "How brave. But also… how naïve."
With a swift movement, the man with the golden mask raised a hand, and an explosion of golden energy swept through the area. The group was thrown back as if struck by an invisible wave.
Caelithra was the first to get up, gasping. "What the hell was that?"
Quindarion stepped in front of her, his eyes glowing with determination. "This is no ordinary opponent. We need to work together if we want to survive."
Kyrahna helped Karion stand as he groaned from the impact. "Any plans? Because charging straight at him doesn't look like an option."
Zyrion rushed toward the masked man, unsheathing his sword. Each strike was effortlessly blocked, the figure barely seeming to move.
"You're brave, Zyrion," the man said, deflecting an attack with perfect precision. "But also reckless. You're not ready to face someone like me."
Zyrion shouted, attempting a downward strike, but the man dodged elegantly and struck his chest with a wave of energy, sending him crashing to the ground.
Kyrahna cried out his name and ran toward him, but was stopped by a golden barrier that rose between them.
"You will not interfere," the man said, his tone leaving no room for debate.
Quindarion lifted a hand, creating a barrier of his own to protect the group. "This won't end the way you think. I won't let you take him."
The man turned to Quindarion, tilting his head again as if evaluating him. "You… are interesting. But you are not my goal today."
Before anyone could stop him, the man extended a hand toward Zyrion. A current of golden light enveloped him, lifting him into the air. Zyrion tried to resist, but he was completely immobilized.
"Let him go!" Caelithra shouted, unleashing a burst of magic toward the figure. However, the attack was absorbed by the golden energy surrounding the man.
"You don't understand," the man said, with an eerie calm. "This is not goodbye. This is only the beginning."
With those words, the man vanished in a flash of light, taking Zyrion with him.
The group was left in complete silence, the weight of what had happened falling over them like a heavy stone.
Kyrahna fell to her knees, hitting the ground in frustration. "This can't be happening! We can't lose him!"
Caelithra, although visibly shaken, tried to remain composed. "We need to think. This can't be the end. There has to be a way to get him back."
Karion looked toward Quindarion, his face filled with desperation. "You know more than we do. Who was that man? Where did he take him?"
Quindarion sighed, his gaze heavy. "That man was a Zykrath Nolthem. One of the most powerful warriors serving forces we barely even understand. If they took him, it's because Zyrion has something they need. But I promise you this: we will not abandon him."
Caelithra stepped closer to Quindarion, her tone harsh. "Don't make promises you can't keep. If we're going after Zyrion, we need a plan. Something solid. No more improvising."
"I understand," Quindarion replied. "And I promise we won't fail. For now, we need to regroup and stay strong. If they come for us, we must be ready."
With Zyrion gone, the group had fallen into uncertainty. Quindarion took a more active role, guiding them with calm and resolve. Though his face was serene, his eyes reflected the worry he held inside.
As they prepared for what was to come, Kyrahna and Caelithra shared a look. Though they didn't say it out loud, they knew Zyrion's absence would weigh more heavily than they were willing to admit.
The group remained silent around the dying embers of their campfire. The air was tense, thick with guilt and frustration. No one knew what to say, but everyone knew the same thing: they had failed. Zyrion was in the hands of their enemies.
Caelithra broke the silence, her voice filled with contained anger. "How did we let this happen? There were five of us and he was alone!"
"He was more than one, Caelithra," Quindarion said calmly, his voice steady like water before a storm. "That man… that being, wasn't here to play. He knew exactly what he was doing and who he was up against."
"Knowing isn't enough!" Kyrahna shouted, jumping to her feet. "Zyrion trusted us, and now he's… he's who knows where, with who knows what being done to him. How are we supposed to fix this?"
Karion, who had been staring into the fire, finally looked up. "Right now, we can't. We don't know where they took him or how to find him. If we want to bring him back, we first need to be ready for whatever comes. We need answers."
Caelithra crossed her arms, looking away. "Answers, sure. Because answers always show up when you need them most, right? Meanwhile Zyrion could be dead, or worse."
"He's not!" Kyrahna cut in, her eyes burning. "I know it. I can feel it. He's still alive."
Quindarion watched Kyrahna closely, as if evaluating something in her reaction. "He is. But we cannot act recklessly. If we go after him without information, without a plan, we'll fall into an even worse trap."
"And what do you suggest, oh wise strategist?" Caelithra said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "That we sit here and wait while they destroy him?"
Quindarion closed his eyes for a moment, searching for the right words. "I didn't say we should wait and do nothing. What I propose is that we use this time to strengthen ourselves, to understand who our enemy is. That man, the one with the golden mask, is not just a soldier. He is a Zykrath Nolthem, a force feared for centuries. If we go after them, we need more than bravery. We need strategy, allies, and above all, power."
Kyrahna nodded slowly. "Then what do we do first?"
"We stay together," Quindarion replied. "Zyrion would've wanted that. Second, we start looking for information. There are fragments that haven't been claimed yet fragments that could tip the balance in our favor. If we find one, our chances increase."
Caelithra looked at him, still skeptical. "And how do we know we're not walking straight into another trap? That man found us too easily. How do we know there aren't more like him?"
"Because what they wanted, they already have," Quindarion replied firmly. "For now, we are not their priority. But that will change if we obtain something they value."
That night, as the group tried to rest, Quindarion approached Kyrahna and Caelithra. Both were sitting at the edge of the camp, their faces illuminated by the faint glow of the embers.
"What do you want?" Caelithra asked, crossing her arms.
"To talk to you two," Quindarion replied, sitting down in front of them. "There's something you need to know, but something I can't share with everyone."
Kyrahna frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"About Zyrion," Quindarion said, lowering his voice. "He is not like the others. There is something within him… something even he doesn't understand. I saw it when he fought that man with the golden mask. I saw a glimpse of his true potential—something even the enemy didn't expect."
Caelithra watched him with distrust. "And what does that mean? That Zyrion is special? We all know that, but it doesn't change the fact that we lost him."
"It means we must protect him at all costs," Quindarion continued, ignoring her tone. "He is more important than any of us can imagine. Not just for us, but for the balance of this world."
Kyrahna stared at him in silence, searching for any sign of deception in his eyes. Finally, she nodded. "We'll protect him. But we'll also bring him back."
"That's all I needed to hear," Quindarion said, standing up. "Now rest. Tomorrow, our search begins."
The next morning, the group was more united, though Zyrion's absence was palpable. Quindarion naturally assumed leadership, guiding them with a mix of calm and determination. Though no one said it aloud, they all knew Zyrion would have wanted them to move forward.
"So, where do we go first?" Karion asked as he gathered his things.
"There's a nearby village," Quindarion replied. "We might find information there. Also, there are rumors that a fragment is hidden in the northern mountains. It's a risk, but one we have to take."
Caelithra sighed, adjusting her sword. "I hope you know what you're doing, Quindarion. Because I'm not standing still while they toy with Zyrion."
"You won't," Quindarion assured her. "None of us will."
As the group walked away from the camp, the unseen camera of fate seemed to turn toward a darker place. Somewhere far from them, Zyrion was imprisoned, facing challenges that would change his life forever.
But for the group, the journey was only beginning. And though they didn't know it yet, each step brought them closer to the true conflict that would define not only their lives, but the fate of all Kyrethron.
TO BE CONTINUED…