Chapter — The Fall of Shadows
The chapter will follow exactly your plan — filled with chaos, a tragic clash, emotional weight, and the reveal of Abyrus, the Herald of Silence — ending with Kael's quiet narration to Anay in the present.
Chapter – The Fall of Shadows (~2000 words draft)
The forest burned.
The night that had once been calm now howled with chaos. Black flames licked the trees as monstrous figures swarmed from every shadow. Goblins, ogres, and crawling horrors of every shape and size poured from the cracks of darkness — their eyes glowing with the madness of the abyss.
Night's command echoed in their minds like a thunderclap.
"Run."
Kael didn't argue. He grabbed Liora's hand, shouting over the roaring wind. "Move! Now!"
Anand turned back, his eyes reflecting the endless tide of monsters emerging from the dark mist. His jaw clenched. "They're already here… damn it!"
Kael's boots pounded against the soil. "Then we break through! Come on!"
Anand's lips curled into a half-smirk despite the chaos. "You forget who I am."
He slammed his palms together. The ground trembled.
A cold wind swept through the battlefield as his shadow erupted outward, splitting and twisting. From the black fissure rose skeletal warriors cloaked in mist, their hollow eyes burning with eerie light. Swords, scythes, and claws of darkness gleamed in their hands.
"Rise, my dead."
The undead surged forward, crashing into the monsters like a living wall. Roars turned to screams; black blood splattered the forest floor.
Kael glanced back, astonished even now. "That's—!"
"Buying time!" Anand shouted. "Move!"
The three of them — Kael, Liora, and Garix — darted through the chaos as Anand's summons tore through the enemy ranks. Explosions shook the forest. The screams of dying beasts mixed with the sound of splintering trees.
But then… everything stopped.
A sharp, unnatural silence fell.
Even the fire froze mid-flicker.
Liora slowed, breath catching. "Kael… where's Anand?"
Before Kael could answer, the air itself cracked. A web of red light tore through the sky, splitting it open like glass. The world rumbled.
From the fracture above descended a figure.
Kael he already came
Seven burning marks ran across his neck and arms, pulsing like living veins of blood.
And from his shadow trailed an aura that suffocated the very air.
Kael's eyes widened. "No way…"
The figure's gaze found them instantly — cold, golden, inhuman. The very earth seemed to bend under the weight of his presence.
Garix's fur bristled. His growl shook the ground. Then, in a blur, he leapt forward, shadows swirling around him. His body glowed faintly as his power surged — and in a flash of dark mist, Kael, Liora, and Anand were gone.
They appeared several meters away, lying in tall grass, disoriented.
"Garix!" Liora screamed, trying to get up — but Kael held her back.
Garix stood alone in the clearing, facing the demon who had descended from the shattered sky.
His voice rumbled deep and clear.
"You want me. Then take me. But leave them out of this. I am the one responsible."
The demon tilted his head, expression unreadable. "Oh… interesting." His voice was soft — too soft — and yet it made the trees tremble.
Garix lowered his stance, claws spreading, eyes blazing. "But I will not die without fighting."
The demon smiled faintly. "Admirable."
Then they clashed.
The ground exploded beneath them.
Garix vanished into motion, a streak of shadow and teeth, while the demon moved like water, each step leaving cracks of red energy in the air. The two forces collided — lightless claw against burning mark — and the shockwave flattened the forest around them.
Kael and Liora could barely watch. Each impact tore through the earth like thunder. Trees split, the ground bled fire, and the air burned.
Garix struck with all his fury — fangs of black light, tails of mist, shadow constructs slamming into the demon from every direction. But no matter how hard he hit, the figure did not falter. His wounds closed before the blood could fall.
Then, with one slow gesture, the demon raised his hand.
"Enough."
Garix froze mid-lunge — every shadow around him shattering like glass.
He fell to the ground, coughing blood, his body torn and trembling. The glow in his eyes dimmed, yet he forced himself up again.
"You… will not… touch them."
The demon tilted his head slightly. "Bravery. But wasted."
He lifted his palm, crimson light gathering at his fingertips. The seven marks on his body began to pulse, forming a circle behind him — like seven suns dripping with blood.
He spoke, his tone smooth and final.
"I, Abyrus, the Herald of Silence, shall deliver your punishment."
A red burst of energy exploded from his hand, tearing through the air like a divine spear.
"Garix!" Liora screamed — but before it struck, another shadow moved.
Anand appeared in front of Garix, his body shrouded in dark mist, eyes burning with determination. His voice cut through the roar.
"I won't let you die alone… Garix. No—Peru."
He thrust his hands forward, summoning every ounce of power he had left. His shadow expanded, swallowing the light, meeting the demon's blast head-on.
For a moment, silence — then a deafening explosion tore through the forest.
A crimson pillar rose into the sky. The shockwave flattened everything for miles.
Kael and Liora were thrown backward, tumbling through the grass. When the dust settled, a deep crater smoked where Garix and Anand had stood.
Both were gone.
Liora's heart stopped. She stumbled to her feet, running toward the crater, screaming, "Peru! Anand!"
Kael followed, shouting after her, but when they reached the edge, there was nothing left. Just ashes, smoke, and silence.
Liora fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "They're gone… they're gone…"
Kael clenched his fists, trembling with rage. "No… no, they can't be!"
Abyrus stepped through the dust — completely unharmed. His expression was calm, almost bored.
"You care for beasts and necromancers alike," he said softly. "How… quaint."
Liora rose, fury burning through her grief. "You monster!"
Kael's eyes flared with rage as he drew his blade. "You'll pay for this!"
They charged together — lightning and light flaring — but Abyrus barely moved. With a flick of his hand, invisible force threw them both aside like broken dolls.
"Call yourselves lucky," he said coldly. "For I am leaving you alive."
He turned, the red cracks in the sky beginning to close around him. His final words echoed through the clearing.
"Pray you never see me again."
Then he vanished.
Moments later, beams of light tore through the forest — artifacts humming as human scouts arrived, armed with sealing relics. Their armor bore the crest of the Astral Order, the demon hunters of the north.
One of them knelt beside Kael. "We detected a surge… One of the Seven Hells appeared here, didn't it?"
Kael forced himself to speak, voice hoarse. "Y-yeah. He came out of nowhere. We were traveling. Then… everything went wrong."
Liora said nothing. She just stared at the crater, tears falling silently. Neither mentioned Garix. Neither spoke Anand's name.
The soldiers nodded grimly and began scanning the area, unaware of the truth buried beneath their silence.
[Present Day – at the forest
The moon hung high, pale and distant. Kael sat on the edge of the rooftop, the wind cold against his skin. Beside him stood Anay, silent, listening.
Kael's voice was low. "And that's why I think Liora froze when she saw that Shadow Wolf today."
Anay looked down, guilt flickering in his eyes. "I'm… sorry. I didn't know."
Kael smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "It's not your fault. Just… some wounds never really fade."
The wind carried the last of his words into the night.