The snapping of a twig echoed like a gunshot through the misty forest. Kaelen immediately pulled Elara behind a massive, moss-covered oak. Out of the shadows emerged a figure clad in obsidian armor, eyes glowing with a cold, violet light. This was a Shadow Hunter, the Council's most ruthless executioner.
"Hand over the girl and the stone, Kaelen," the Hunter rasped, his voice sounding like grinding metal. "You cannot hide the light from the Void."
Elara felt the crystal in her palm burn with a fierce, protective heat. She realized she couldn't keep running forever. "I won't let you take it," she shouted, her voice echoing with an authority she didn't know she possessed. As she spoke, a wave of golden energy erupted from her, pushing the darkness back.