The forest was too quiet. No birds, no rustle of animals, only the faint whisper of wind moving through the leaves. Lioren stepped carefully through the blue mist, the orb in his bag pulsing gently like a heartbeat.
Rattle followed close behind, his bony feet crunching over twigs. Master, I feel like this forest is watching us. And I do not mean in a friendly way.
Lioren kept his eyes forward. That is because it probably is.
He raised his hand slightly, letting a trace of magic flow into the air. The mist swirled toward him as if it were alive. For a brief moment, faint shapes appeared within it, like flickering figures. Then they were gone.
Rattle made a noise somewhere between a gasp and a clatter. Tell me you saw that too.
I did, Lioren replied quietly. Spirits. They are drawn to the orb.
They continued walking until they reached a narrow stream cutting through the forest. The water was unnaturally still, reflecting the blue light of the mist. Lioren crouched beside it, watching the ripples. A whisper brushed against his ear.
Return what was taken.
He stood quickly, scanning the trees. The whisper had come from nowhere and everywhere at once.
Rattle stepped back. Master, if that was the wind, I will eat my own skull.
Lioren smiled faintly. I do not think it was.
He lifted his hand again, and faint glyphs glowed across his palm. The orb's pulse quickened, and the mist began to move. Slowly, a figure emerged from it, glowing faintly with ghostly light. The form was that of a warrior, dressed in broken armor, a cracked helm hiding his face.
The spirit spoke in a deep, echoing voice. You carry the Heart of Control. That relic belonged to the Dragon King.
Lioren frowned. Dragon King?
The spirit nodded. He ruled this land long before mortals built their cities. The orb was his heartstone. It gave him command over life and death. You have awakened it, necromancer. But the dragon will rise again to reclaim what is his.
Rattle tilted his skull. So, just to be clear, we are holding the heart of a dragon god? That is wonderful. I always wanted to die twice.
The spirit's head turned toward Rattle, and the skeleton froze in place.
Lioren took a step forward. If this orb truly belonged to a dragon king, why was it sealed in the ruins?
The spirit's voice grew heavier. The gods feared his power. They shattered his body and sealed his heart beneath stone. Time has weakened the seal. The pulse you feel is his memory awakening.
The mist thickened around them, and the spirit began to fade. Before vanishing completely, it whispered one final warning. When the mist turns crimson, it will be too late.
The air fell silent again.
Rattle exhaled shakily. Master, next time, can we not talk to glowing ghost knights? My bones are still shaking.
Lioren's eyes remained on the forest. Then he smiled faintly. If that spirit is right, we are holding something far more interesting than I thought.
Interesting is one word for it, Rattle muttered. Suicidal is another.
Lioren chuckled. Come. There is a village nearby. We will rest there and learn what we can.
By evening, they reached a small village surrounded by wooden fences and flickering torchlight. The villagers paused as they saw the cloaked man and the walking skeleton beside him. Some stared in shock, others screamed and ran.
Rattle waved nervously. Hello, living people. Do not panic. I am friendly.
The screaming got louder.
Lioren sighed. I told you to stay hidden.
Rattle groaned. How am I supposed to hide? I do not even have skin.
They finally found an older villager who did not faint at the sight of them. His name was Bram, and though his hands trembled, he managed to speak. You are a mage, aren't you? Strange mist has been creeping into our woods for days now. People are vanishing. Animals too. And last night, something flew over the hills. The sky turned blue for a moment.
Lioren leaned forward slightly. Did you see it?
Bram shook his head. No, only heard it. The wings sounded like thunder.
Rattle whispered softly, Dragon wings.
Lioren nodded. Thank you for the warning. Stay indoors tonight.
They left the village and walked toward the plains. The mist thickened again, swirling around them in strange patterns. The orb glowed brighter inside Lioren's bag, reacting to something ahead.
Suddenly, a roar shattered the silence. The trees bent under its force, and the ground trembled. Lioren looked up in time to see a massive shadow sweep across the clouds.
Rattle clattered in panic. That was not thunder, was it?
Lioren smiled slowly. No. That was the real thing.
The sound faded, leaving an eerie stillness behind. The orb trembled violently, its light flickering like a heartbeat under strain. Lioren rested his hand over it to calm the pulse.
Looks like our next lesson has arrived, he said softly.
Rattle sighed. Great. Maybe next time we can summon something less terrifying. Like a rabbit.
Lioren laughed quietly as they walked deeper into the glowing mist. The air shimmered with faint trails of blue fire, and high above, the moonlight glinted against something enormous in the clouds.
Something ancient had awakened.