The growl reverberated through the forest, low and guttural, sending a shiver down my spine. Moonlight barely pierced the canopy, casting jagged shadows that seemed to writhe with a life of their own. My Shadow Dominion pulsed in response, tendrils of darkness curling around my fingers, ready to strike. Riven, the thief, stood a few paces away, his dagger glinting as he shifted into a crouch, eyes scanning the trees.
"Stay sharp, princess," he whispered, his earlier smirk replaced by a grim focus. "That's no ordinary beast."
The system's warning flashed in my vision: [Unknown Entity Detected – Threat Level: High]. Great. Just what I needed.
"Who's summoning these things?" I hissed, keeping my voice low. "And don't call me princess."
Riven's lips twitched, but he didn't take his eyes off the darkness. "Someone with power. Old power. The kind that's been buried since the gods went silent."
That was new. The novel mentioned the gods' slumber but never tied it to shadow beasts. The plot was unraveling faster than I could keep up.
A shape emerged from the trees—massive, hulking, with eyes like burning coals. It was a shadow beast, just as Liora described: a wolf-like form made of smoke and darkness, claws dripping with that same black ichor I'd seen on the tree. But this one was bigger, its presence pressing against my senses like a storm about to break.
"Move!" Riven shouted, diving to the side as the beast lunged.
I threw up a wall of shadows, the darkness solidifying into a shimmering barrier just in time to block its claws. The impact rattled my bones, but the system pinged: [Shadow Dominion (Level 1) – Defensive Mastery: 10% Progress].
"Nice trick!" Riven called, rolling to his feet and hurling a dagger. It sank into the beast's flank, but the creature barely flinched, the blade dissolving into its smoky form.
"It's not physical!" I shouted, realizing the truth. "It's pure shadow!"
"Then fight fire with fire," Riven said, dodging another swipe. "Or, y'know, shadows with shadows."
I focused, channeling my power. The tendrils around my fingers thickened, forming a spear of pure darkness. I hurled it at the beast, aiming for its glowing eyes. The spear pierced through, and the creature howled—a sound that made my ears ring—before dissolving into a cloud of black mist.
Silence fell, broken only by my ragged breathing. Riven whistled. "Not bad, princess. You're more than just a pretty noble."
"Stop. Calling. Me. Princess," I snapped, but my heart wasn't in it. The system updated:
[Quest Progress: 90% – Shadow Beast Defeated]
[Bonus: Unlocked Shadow Sense – Detect hidden entities within 10 meters.]
I activated Shadow Sense immediately, and the forest lit up in my mind's eye. Threads of darkness wove through the trees, but one stood out—a faint trail leading deeper into the woods, pulsing with intent. Someone had been here. Someone who'd summoned that beast.
"We need to follow this," I said, pointing to the trail only I could see.
Riven raised an eyebrow. "You see something I don't?"
"Perks of being me," I said, already moving. He fell into step beside me, surprisingly quiet for a thief.
The trail led to a clearing where a stone altar stood, etched with runes that glowed faintly red. The air felt heavy, like the prelude to a lightning strike. Riven cursed under his breath. "Blood runes. Forbidden magic. Whoever's doing this isn't playing by court rules."
I reached out with Shadow Sense, and the runes flared in my vision, revealing a name: Valthorne. Not in the novel. A new player, then.
Before I could process it, footsteps crunched behind us. I spun, shadows ready, only to see a figure in a hooded cloak, her staff glowing with soft green light. A woman, tall and lithe, with dark skin and eyes like polished amber. She lowered her hood, revealing intricate braids and a wary expression.
"You're not the summoner," she said, her voice calm but firm. "But you're meddling in dangerous things."
"And you are?" I asked, keeping my shadows coiled.
"Sylvara, Keeper of the Grove," she said. "I track the corruption in these woods. That altar? It's one of many."
The system pinged: [Ally Scan: Sylvara Greenveil – Nature Affinity. Disposition: Neutral. Potential Ally Score: 70%.]
Riven snorted. "Great. A tree-hugger. What's next, a talking wolf?"
Sylvara's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tongue, thief. I know your kind."
"Enough," I cut in. "Sylvara, you know who's behind this?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "House Valthorne. They've been experimenting with forbidden rites, waking things that should stay buried. But I don't know why."
House Valthorne. The name sent a chill through me. "We need to stop them," I said. "Will you help?"
Sylvara studied me, then glanced at the altar. "For now. But don't expect blind loyalty."
[Quest Complete: Uncover the Truth Behind the Shadow Beasts]
[Reward: Shadow Dominion (Level 2) – Enhanced Range and Precision]
[New Quest: Infiltrate House Valthorne's Estate]
[Time Limit: 48 Hours]
As we left the clearing, Riven muttered, "You're trouble, you know that?"
I smirked. "Takes one to know one."
But deep down, I wondered: how far had the novel's plot diverged? And was Kael involved with Valthorne's schemes?