Despite my certainty that we needed to leave as soon as possible, we stayed a while longer. Thalia's leg was on the mend but she still couldn't put too much weight on it despite Harlan's careful and thorough application of his remedies. Alistairstill looked bad–he would have a nasty scar across his face when the skin healed so he needed plenty of rest as well. And besides, we all needed a break from the constant danger and uncertainty that seemed to follow us wherever we went.

  So we stayed in Harlan's cave, helping out where we could. Thalia and Alistair spent most of their time gathering information and supplies, while I helped out around the village that was next to the cave. I found myself enjoying the simple tasks, like helping out at the local bakery or tending to the fields. It was nice not to think about life and death every waking second of the day.

  Despite everything we did to prepare, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of my mind. I knew we couldn't stay here forever. The danger was still out there, waiting for us. Wherever we went, the danger was going to follow us.

  I tried to reassure myself that we were doing what we could. We were gathering information, preparing ourselves for whatever came next. But it didn't feel like enough. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were missing something, some crucial piece of information that could turn the tide in our favor.

  As the days passed, I found myself drawn to the Tree of Shadows in my dreams once again. Each time, the tree seemed larger, its branches longer and sharper. The darkness within me grew stronger, and I could feel it itching to be released.

  But each time, I was able to shake myself awake before the darkness could take over completely.

  One night, as I sat by the fire, lost in thought, Thalia came to sit next to me.

  "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

  I nodded, not wanting to burden her with my worries. "I'm fine," I said.

  Thalia didn't look convinced. "You know you can talk to me, right?" she asked, her voice a soft whisper. The fire crackled near us, embers falling at our feet.

  I hesitated before speaking, but the words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I keep having these dreams," I admitted. "About the Tree of Shadows. It's getting stronger, Thalia. I don't know if I can control it."

  Thalia placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We'll figure it out together," she said. "We're a team in this, Tristan. You don't have to face it alone."

  I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. We were in this together. We had to be.

  "Do you think this has anything to do with the prophecy?" I asked, sighing.

  She looked me in the eyes. "I don't know, Tristan. I know about as much as you do."

  I swallowed. "I really thought Harlan would be more help."

  She looked at her leg, now almost totally healed. "He's helped a lot."

  I shook my head. "That's not what I meant and you know it. I thought he would be able to provide more guidance."

  Thalia nodded in understanding. "I know, but sometimes the answers we seek aren't so easily found," she said. "We just have to keep searching and have faith that we'll find what we need."

  I nodded, feeling a sense of comfort in her words. Thalia always seemed to know what to say to make me feel better.

  But as the night wore on, the unease within me only grew stronger. I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out and that we needed to make a move soon.

  And then, in the middle of the night, we heard a loud banging on the cave entrance. We all jumped to our feet, weapons at the ready. Harlan hobbled towards the entrance, his face grim.

  "Who is it?" Alistair called out.

  "It's the villagers," Harlan said, his voice shaking. "They say they need our help."

  "Why?" I asked.

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  "A raid," he said. "Only some of them managed to escape."

  I felt a shiver go down my spine. We had waited too long and now the danger was here, right at our doorstep. Thalia and Alistair looked at me, and I knew that we had to act fast.

  "We have to go," I said, determination in my voice. "We can't let them face this alone."

  The three of us quickly gathered our weapons and supplies, ready to face whatever awaited us outside.

  "Send whoever is injured here," Harlan said. "I will help."

  "Thank you," Thalia whispered softly.

  But there wasn't much time for pleasantries. We needed to get to the village as soon as we could.

  As we stepped out of the cave, the cold night air hit us like a slap in the face. The stars overhead twinkled down at us, but there was no comfort in their light. We could hear the sounds of battle in the distance, screams and the clash of metal ringing out into the night.

  And we could smell the fire, smoke getting in our lungs as we got closer to the village and further away from Harlan's cave.

  We ran towards the sound, our hearts pounding in our chests. We found the village in chaos, buildings on fire and the villagers fighting for their lives.

  We joined the fight without hesitation, our weapons flashing in the moonlight. I could feel the darkness within me stirring, urging me to let it out. But I resisted, knowing that the consequences would be dire if I lost control.

  Thalia fought with grace and precision, her sword slicing through enemy after enemy. Alistair fought with brute force, his sword cleaving through opponents left and right as he swung it with great sweeping blows. And I fought with a combination of both, dodging and weaving through the chaos while striking with deadly accuracy.

  But despite our best efforts, the raiders seemed to be winning. They were better armed and better trained, and they outnumbered us ten to one.

  We wouldn't be able to save everyone, no matter how much we tried.

  Blood was everywhere, staining the snow and the ground beneath our feet. The screams of the dying echoed in my ears, drowning out all other sounds.

  But we didn't give up. We kept fighting until the very end, until there was no one left to fight. Blood was everywhere, the smell of death permeating the air.

  As we stood in the ruins of the village, panting and bleeding, I knew that we had failed. We had come too late, and too many had been lost.

  A figure–tall, barely human–approached a boy who was clearly exhausted, fighting on only adrenaline, blood staining his clothes as he stayed behind us. I had never seen or been around anything like it.

  The figure wore a cloak made of dark feathers and had eyes that glowed like embers in the dark. Its presence sent chills down my spine, and I instinctively tried to press through the rush of oncoming raiders to reach the boy before it was too late.

  The boy stood frozen, staring at the creature in terror. The figure raised a hand, and suddenly, the boy's body convulsed. He screamed in agony as his body contorted, bones snapping and flesh tearing.

  Thalia and Alistair rushed forward to attack, but their weapons seemed to pass right through the creature as if it were made of smoke.

  I felt a surge of anger and fear wash over me, and the darkness within me stirred once again. But this time, I didn't resist. I let it flow through me, allowing it to take over completely.

  I was only vaguely aware that I was putting myself in serious danger by standing between the Shade and the boy. I could feel it , the raw power of the darkness coursing through my veins. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

  The Shade turned its attention to me, its eyes blazing with fury. I could feel its power, threatening to consume me completely. But I stood my ground, my sword at the ready. My blade became wreathed in shadows as I moved to attack.

  We circled each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. The darkness within me was hungry, eager to unleash its fury upon the creature. And so, with a fierce battle cry, I charged towards the Shadow.

  Our swords clashed, the sound echoing through the ruins of the village. The Shade was a formidable opponent, but I was fueled by the darkness within me. Blow by blow, I fought against the creature, pushing it back further and further.

  Where my sword slashed through its smoky form, little pieces of its vaporous essence wafted away. Like every strike I landed was carving off another tiny slice.

  But just when I thought I had the upper hand, the Shade unleashed a devastating blow that sent me flying back. The impact was brutal, and I could feel my bones snapping under the force of the blow.

  I lay there, gasping for air and struggling to move. The Shade loomed over me, its eyes full of malice and hatred. I knew this was it. I was going to die here, in this ruined village, with nothing but darkness to accompany me.

  I gasped for air, my vision blurry and my body wracked with pain. The Shade loomed over me, its eyes glowing with triumph. But I refused to give up.

  With a fierce cry, I struggled to my feet, my sword held tightly in my hand. The darkness within me surged forward once again, and I channeled it into my strike. My sword pierced through the Shade's chest, and I drove the blade deeper, giving it a savage twist for good measure. The darkness left its eyes like sand trickling away in an hourglass. After a defiant few seconds, I felt its power dissipating as it let out a final, guttural shriek.

  And then it was over. The darkness within me receded, leaving me feeling drained and weak. My blade once again took on its normal hue. I stumbled over to Thalia and Alistair, who were both staring at me in shock.

  "Are you okay?" Thalia asked, concern etched on her face.

  I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "I'm fine," I said, my voice shaky. I didn't feel fine, but they didn't need to know that. "We need to get out of here.”