The tremor grew into a low, guttural hum—one that seemed to rise not from the ground, but from the bones of the earth itself. Eldoria's lanterns flickered violently as the villagers gathered in worry, children clutching at their mothers, elders murmuring old prayers they had not spoken in decades.
Kai and Elara stood at the western ridge, the air colder than it should've been, heavy with an unfamiliar stillness.
The ground shuddered again.
This time, it wasn't subtle.
A jagged fracture tore across the soil, glowing with a faint violet light—unnatural, pulsing, alive.
Elara's breath quickened.
"That's not normal… that's a Shadow Rift."
Kai stepped forward cautiously, his hand on the hilt of his blade.
"It feels like it's breathing."
The old guardian who had followed them collapsed to his knees, dread carving deep lines into his face.
"No… no, it can't be…" He pressed his palm to the ground. "The prison beneath this ridge—the one holding the First Shadow's essence—it was never designed to withstand a summoner's call."
Elara turned sharply. "Summoner? You think someone is doing this deliberately?"
The old man nodded slowly, his voice trembling.
"Yes. Only a bearer of corrupted light can weaken ancient seals. Someone with power… but twisted."
Kai exhaled sharply.
"So we're not just fighting creatures. We're fighting whoever is controlling them."
Before Elara could respond, the crack widened with a violent burst of energy. A surge of dark mist shot upward—roaring like a beast freed from chains. Kai pushed Elara behind him on instinct as the ground split open further, sending shards of stone flying.
From the glowing rift came a deep, resonant sound.
A heartbeat.
Slow. Heavy. Ancient.
Elara grabbed Kai's arm, her voice barely a whisper.
"Kai… that's the pulse of the First Shadow."
Kai's jaw tightened.
"It's waking up."
The mist began to take form—no longer just a haze, but the outline of… something. Tall, thin, almost human-shaped, except its edges shifted like smoke and flame. Two hollow eyes opened within the darkness, their gaze cold and hungry.
But then—
The form flickered, unstable, as if held back by an invisible barrier.
Elara touched the amulet, which now pulsed with frantic bursts of golden light.
"The seal isn't fully broken yet," she said, her voice trembling with both fear and hope. "It's trying to emerge… but it's still bound. Barely."
Kai stepped forward, his voice steady despite the terror pressing in around them.
"Tell me how we stop it."
Elara swallowed hard. "We can't stop it. Not like this."
She looked toward the distant mountains.
"But we can strengthen the seals. There's one person who knows how—the one who created them."
Kai frowned. "You mean—"
"Yes." Elara nodded.
"The last living heir of the ancient guardians."
Kai's eyes widened.
"The one who vanished a decade ago."
Elara lifted the amulet, its light swirling in chaotic patterns.
"We need to find him before the seal cracks completely."
Behind them, the shadowy form within the rift slammed a spectral hand against the invisible barrier—sending a shockwave that knocked pebbles and dust into the air.
The seal shook.
A fracture glowed brighter.
Time was running out.