Ash floated in the water, his body drifting like a lifeless leaf caught in a gentle current. His eyes blinked open, the cold sting of water biting at them. Everything around him was blurry like smoke. His lungs burned, desperate for air, but there was only water.
He kicked his legs, weakly at first, then harder, his arms pushing through the thick liquid. His fingertips scraped against something rough, stone maybe, covered with moss but solid. He grabbed hold, pulling with all the strength he had left.
His head broke the surface with a gasp so sharp it cut through the silence. Air rushed into his lungs, filling the emptiness inside. He coughed, spitting out water that tasted of iron, his body shivering against the cold. Slowly, painfully, he dragged himself onto the muddy bank, collapsing onto the damp ground with a wet thud. For a long moment, he just lay there, eyes closed, chest raising and relaxing, as he sucked in breath after breath.
He blinked, squinting up at the shattered sunlight that poured down in thin streams, cutting through the mist that curled around the roots of the trees. His head throbbed with a dull ache, and when he reached up to touch his forehead, his fingers came back wet with blood. He stared at it for a moment, before wiping it against his shirt.
With a groan, he pushed himself up, his arms trembling from the effort. His legs felt heavy, like they were made of stone, but he forced them to move. His clothes stuck to him, soaked through mud and blood, but he didn't care. He was alive. Somehow, he was still alive.
He looked around, the forest stretching out in every direction, thick with towering trees and tangled roots. Far off in the distance, something shimmered—a flicker of light, pulsing softly through the shadows. Ash squinted, his eyes locking onto it. A beacon. Maybe Dev or Kesher.
The forest was alive with sound. His hand fell to his sword, fingers brushing the hilt as if to remind himself it was still there. His head pounded with every heartbeat, the wound still fresh and bleeding, but he pushed on. There was no time to rest.
The ground was uneven, roots coiling up from the soil like twisted fingers, waiting to trip him up. He stumbled more than once, catching himself against thick trunks that smelled of earth and damp. His breaths came heavy, each one fogging in the chill air, but he kept moving. The beacon wasn't far. He could make it.
He saw a small herd of creatures, maybe ten or twelve of them, grazing peacefully in the clearing. Their bodies were thick and round, covered in scales that shimmered faintly under the broken sunlight. Long necks stretched out to pluck leaves from the low branches.
Ash stared, hand still resting on his sword. The creatures didn't even look at him. They just kept eating, tearing leaves away with their wide, flat teeth, their eyes half-closed in contentment. He relaxed his grip on the hilt, letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. They weren't a threat.
He stepped forward, careful not to make too much noise, and walked around them. His feet pressed into the soft soil, each step leaving a deep impression that filled with water almost instantly. The creatures barely acknowledged him, a few flicking their tails or turning their heads, but none moved. Ash kept his eyes forward, his gaze fixed on the distant light that shimmered through the trees. He didn't have time to waste.
But then the ground began to rumble. It started as a soft tremor, barely noticeable beneath his feet. He stopped, glancing down, his heart quickening. The creatures around him raised their heads, ears twitching as the tremor grew stronger. Their eyes darted around, wide with sudden panic, and then, they bolted.
Ash stepped back, eyes wide as the herd thundered past him, their heavy bodies shaking the ground with each step. He barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as the creatures stampeded by. He rolled to the side, pressing his back against the trunk of a thick tree, watching as the last of them disappeared into the shadows.
A new sound took its place—softer, but far more sinister. Ash peered out from behind the tree, his eyes narrowing as he saw them. Shadows slipping through the underbrush, their eyes gleaming with hunger. Predators. Hunting in packs.
He cursed under his breath, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. His head still pounded, the wound dripping fresh lines of crimson down his face, but he ignored it. He had to move. He had to keep going.
Ash stepped out from behind the tree, eyes locked on the shadows that darted through the trees, their forms flickering in and out of view. He took a breath, steadying himself, and then he moved. His footsteps were careful, deliberate, his body low to the ground as he slipped through the forest. His eyes stayed sharp, catching every movement, every flicker of shadow that passed by.
The beacon still glowed in the distance, its light cutting through the gloom like a thread of hope. He moved through the haze until finally, through the shimmering light of the beacon, he saw a figure.
Dev was sitting there, his back against a rock, one knee up, his head tilted back like he was catching his breath. His armor was scratched and battered, streaked with dirt and blood. His eyes were closed, he was deep in thought, or maybe just tired beyond belief.
Ash stepped forward. Dev's eyes snapped open.. He blinked once, then again, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Ash?" he breathed out, standing up so fast his armor clanked together loudly. He stepped forward, scanning Ash from head to toe, his eyes lingering on the blood drying on his forehead and the way Ash's legs shook beneath him. "Where the hell were you?"
Ash hesitated, the lie already forming in his mind, smooth and practiced. "Had to…distract a Lorder," he muttered, his voice cracking. "It was too close to the unconscious. Had to pull it away."
Dev raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over his chest. "You fought a Lorder…alone?"
Ash held his gaze, forcing himself not to flinch. "Didn't have a choice."
For a second, Dev just stared, his eyes searching Ash's face for something—fear, maybe, or doubt—but then he sighed, his shoulders dropping. "Well…you made it," he said, stepping forward and clapping Ash on the shoulder. It was gentle, careful even, like he thought Ash might break. "You look like you got chewed up and spit out, but you're here."
Ash chuckled, the sound rough and strained. "Feel worse than I look."
Dev then turned his back, crouching slightly. "Get on."
Ash blinked. "What?"
Dev didn't even turn around. "I said get on. You're bleeding, and I'm not dragging your sorry ass back to the outpost. So get on."
Ash hesitated, pride flaring up, but his legs wobbled beneath him, and he knew there wasn't much choice. He moved forward, climbing onto Dev's back, his arms wrapping around the man's broad shoulders. Dev stood up easily. He adjusted him slightly, then started walking, his footsteps steady and sure.
"Kesher went ahead," Dev said after a while, his voice breaking the silence. "He did his job as the porter. Got the unconscious back safe." He paused, then added, "He was really worried about you. Wouldn't stop pacing."
Ash blinked, surprised. "Worried?"
Dev chuckled. "You sound so shocked."
"I…I guess I am."
Dev's steps never faltered. "You know, I got shocked twice today. First, when I saw Kesher in action. That kid's stronger than he looks."
"I mean, I saw him fight. Handled himself better than I expected. There's more to him than I thought." Dev's voice was thoughtful, almost impressed. "And the second shock…well, that was when I got here."
Ash stiffened. "What happened here?"
Dev chuckled, shaking his head. "I saw the body of that shadowy thing. Never seen anything like it before. Looked like it could tear through a battalion. And there it was…just dead." He paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "You did that?"
Ash swallowed hard, his fingers tightening slightly on Dev's shoulders. "Got lucky," he murmured.
Dev let out a low whistle. "Well, luck or not, it's damn impressive. I've seen seasoned heroes turn tail at the sight of something half that size." He paused, his voice softening. "You're something else, Ash. For your age…you're something else."
Ash felt the words settle over him, heavy and real. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. But then, the truth bubbled up before he could stop it, raw and unfiltered. "I…I lost my powers."
Dev stopped dead in his tracks. Ash could hear his own heartbeat thudding in his ears. Finally, Dev turned his head slightly, just enough for Ash to catch the edge of his jaw, clenched tight. "You lost them?"
"Yeah," Ash whispered. "For a while now."
Dev stayed still, then started walking again, his footsteps slower, more measured. "You did all that…without any powers?" His voice was soft, almost like he didn't believe it.
"Yeah."
Dev was silent for a long moment, then he spoke, voice firm and steady. "Well.... You just gained a whole lot more respect from me."
Ash blinked. "What?"
"You survived out here with nothing but your own hands? Fought that thing alone?" Dev shook his head. "You're stronger than most heroes I know."
Ash's mouth opened, then closed. He didn't know what to say, so he just nodded, his head resting against Dev's shoulder. "Maybe…but I'm still a liability."
Dev laughed—a real, booming laugh that seemed to shake the trees. "Liability, my ass! I can teach you some of my moves. Flashy stuff, things that'll make up for whatever you lost. You might end up better than you were before."
Ash couldn't help but smile, despite the throbbing in his skull. "You think so?"
"I know so."
They walked on, the trees thinning out, the sky growing wider. And then they saw it—the portal, shimmering with light, bending the air around it. Dev knelt, letting Ash climb off his back, his legs shaking but holding firm. Ash stared at the portal, the surface rippling like water.
"Ready?" Dev asked.
Ash nodded. "Yeah…let's go."
They stepped through, the world stretching and bending, until suddenly, they were back. The outpost buzzed with life, heroes moving around. But when Ash and Dev appeared, the crowd stopped. Eyes turned, whispers spread like wildfire.
Kesher was the first to move, pushing through the throng and grabbing Ash in a tight embrace. His voice was soft but strong. "A hero of the damned walks among us...But I am glad you're not walking alone." His words flowed like poetry, whispered with weight and certainty.
Dev clapped Ash on the back, turning to the crowd and lifting Ash's arm high. "This is the one who saved all the heroes who were trapped!" he shouted, voice booming. "The one who faced the shadows and came back!"
The crowd erupted, cheers and shouts filling the air. Ash stood there, stunned, his heart pounding. And he held onto that feeling like it might slip away any second.