The Thorned Sisters trudged through the dense forest, their breaths visible in the cold air. The silence between them was as oppressive as the shadows
around them, the weight of the artifact and their recent battle pressing heavily on their minds.
Nala walked near the rear, her hand resting uneasily on the hilt of her short sword. The encounter with the armored hunters had shaken her more than she
wanted to admit, and the thought of what might come next sent a chill down her spine. Yet she refused to let her sisters see her fear. She had something
to prove—to them and to herself.
Ahead, Rhea pushed forward with grim determination, her grip tight on her greataxe. She had always been the pillar of strength for her daughters, but now
even she felt the strain. The vision she’d experienced in the ruins haunted her, a constant reminder of what was at stake.
“We need to stop soon,” Nyssa said quietly, falling into step beside her. “The girls are tired. Eira’s limping, and Zarya hasn’t said a word since the fight.”
Rhea glanced back. Eira was walking stiffly, favoring her left leg, and Zarya leaned heavily on her staff, her face pale. Even Vira, who usually carried
the weight of battle without complaint, looked drained. Lira, ever restless, prowled the edges of the group, her movements more subdued than usual.
“Fine,” Rhea said, her voice low. “We’ll stop when we reach higher ground.”
---
#### The Clearing
They found a small clearing nestled on a ridge, the view stretching out over the forest. In the distance, dark clouds gathered on the horizon, streaked
with flickers of lightning. The Cursed Spire loomed faintly in the distance, its jagged peak barely visible through the haze.
“This’ll do,” Rhea said. “Set up camp. Keep it small—we don’t want to attract attention.”
The sisters moved wordlessly, their motions automatic as they prepared the camp. Eira started a fire, her spear resting against a nearby rock. Nyssa
scouted the perimeter, her bow slung across her back. Vira and Lira set up a makeshift shelter, while Zarya sat by the fire, her eyes closed in concentration.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Nala lingered near the edge of the clearing, staring out at the storm. The low rumble of thunder echoed in her chest, and she felt a strange pull in her
gut, as though the storm were calling to her.
“You alright, little one?” Eira asked, coming up behind her.
Nala stiffened, then nodded. “I’m fine.”
Eira studied her for a moment, then smiled. “You fought well back there.”
“I almost got killed,” Nala muttered, her cheeks burning. “If Zarya hadn’t stepped in, I’d be dead.”
“And yet here you are,” Eira said. “We all stumble, Nala. It’s how we get back up that matters.”
Nala looked away, the weight of Eira’s words settling over her. She wanted to believe them, but the doubt in her heart was hard to shake.
---
#### The Artifact’s Influence
As night fell, the sisters sat around the fire, eating in silence. The storm on the horizon had grown closer, the lightning illuminating the forest in
brief, blinding flashes.
The artifact, wrapped tightly in cloth, rested near Zarya’s side. Its hum had grown louder, vibrating faintly against the ground. Even covered, its blue
light seeped through the fabric, casting eerie shadows across the camp.
“We should take turns keeping watch,” Rhea said, breaking the silence. “Two at a time. No one touches the artifact unless absolutely necessary.”
“I’ll go first,” Zarya said, her voice quiet. “I can keep it under control.”
“You’re exhausted,” Rhea said. “Rest. I’ll take the first watch with Nyssa.”
Zarya opened her mouth to argue but closed it again, nodding reluctantly. The others settled into their bedrolls, the tension in the air making sleep elusive.
---
#### The Dream
In the quiet hours of the night, Nala dreamed.
She stood in a vast, empty plain, the ground beneath her feet cracked and dry. The sky above was a swirling mass of black and blue, the storm churning
endlessly. In the distance, the Spire rose like a jagged wound in the earth, its peak shrouded in darkness.
The artifact hovered before her, its light pulsing in time with her heartbeat. She reached out, her hand trembling, but the moment her fingers brushed
its surface, a voice whispered in her ear.
“Power is yours to take.”
The voice was low and seductive, promising strength, control, purpose. Images flashed before her eyes—herself standing tall, wielding the artifact’s
power, her sisters kneeling at her feet. The vision shifted, and she saw destruction: forests burning, rivers drying, the Spire crumbling into the earth.
She pulled her hand back, gasping. The voice grew louder, more insistent. “Take it. Or lose everything.”
---
#### Waking Chaos
Nala woke with a start, her heart pounding. The camp was in chaos.
The artifact had slipped free of its wrappings, its light blazing like a beacon. Zarya knelt beside it, her staff glowing as she chanted, trying to
contain its energy. The others stood at the edge of the clearing, weapons drawn, their eyes fixed on the shadows beyond the firelight.
“They’ve found us,” Nyssa said, her bowstring taut.
Shapes moved in the darkness—twisted, unnatural figures, their glowing eyes cutting through the gloom. The hunters were back, and they weren’t alone.
“Form up!” Rhea shouted, grabbing her axe. “Protect the artifact and each other!”
The sisters moved into position, their exhaustion forgotten as adrenaline took over. Nala stood near the center, her sword in hand, her dream still
echoing in her mind.
The first of the creatures charged into the light, its claws extended, and the battle began.
