Volume 2 - Chapter 12 – Journey Through Shadow and Stone

The core’s light poured down upon a battlefield drenched in blood. Ash, Karna, and Xanathis stood among the writhing corpses of the swarm they had stumbled upon—a horde of Corpse Eaters feasting upon the body of a massive abomination. To the beasts, the intruders were threats, rivals for their meal, and so they had descended in a frenzy.

Ash’s polearm flashed, slicing through the air and severing the head of one Corpse Eater that lunged at him with its barbed legs. Blood spattered across his coat as the monster’s body writhed in its death throes. Behind him, the ground erupted with an explosion as Karna launched herself upward, her gauntleted fist cocked back. Earth gathered around her knuckles, swelling larger and denser with every heartbeat until her arm seemed to wield a mountain itself. She plummeted down with meteoric force, her strike flattening a Corpse Eater into a bloody crater. Bone shards and gore rained outward as she pivoted, her greave flaring with frost. A spike of ice shot from her boot, spearing another Corpse Eater through the torso.

Another lunged at her back, only to be cleaved in two by Xanathis. Her blood-forged blade swelled longer and heavier with every kill, greedily drinking the crimson spray of her victims. She spun, slashing two more in half before their shrieks could even reach the air. More surged forward, and with a smirk she lifted her weapon. “Blood Sword.” A wide arc of condensed blood tore outward, ripping through a cluster of the swarm in a single motion.

A whistling sound cut through the chaos—Ash’s polearm hurtled past her shoulder, impaling a Corpse Eater mid-pounce. It shrieked once before going limp, its body sagging against the steel. Ash strode forward, wrenching his weapon free, and Xanathis gave him a sharp-toothed grin before pivoting to skewer another attacker.

The swarm seemed to break, twitching and writhing as their numbers dwindled—but one last Corpse Eater suddenly charged from the side, its worm-like body propelling it forward. It sprang toward Ash, legs stabbing like spears. Ash twisted, his polearm flashing low, severing its right legs in a single sweep. The beast collapsed onto its side, thrashing in pain before he finished it with a precise bisecting strike. Blood poured across the ground as silence finally settled over the battlefield. Ash exhaled, blood dripping from his weapon. He glanced at the green glow of his soul capacitor—the once-fragmented crystal now solid, pulsing faintly. Stronger… he thought, flexing his grip. I can feel it in every motion, every strike. Stronger with each soul fragment.

Karna approached, eyes scanning the carnage. Her stomach twisted at the gore but she forced herself to speak. “Looks like that’s the last of them.” Her gaze drifted to the massive carcass of the abomination. “Are mutants like that common? It looks… dangerous.” What if more like that exist? Would we even survive? she wondered silently.

Ash rested his weapon on his shoulder. “Abominations are strong, yes. But stupid. At least… they used to be. My friend Toby recently told me they may be changing. Still, they mostly appear in the southwest. This one must have lost its way. Either way, we don’t have time to linger. Ren shouldn’t be far ahead.”

They pressed onward until the Fallen Forest loomed before them. A crowd had gathered, merchants and travelers murmuring uneasily. Ash pushed his way forward. “What’s going on?”

A woman, her face pale with shock, turned to him. “The bridge—it collapsed. There was an explosion. Many fell to their deaths.”

Ash forced his way to the front and saw the truth: the massive stone bridge lay in ruins, its shattered remains plunging into the dark abyss of the Darklands below. “Did anyone see what happened?”

A middle-aged woman nodded grimly. “A cloaked man crossed first. He threw something back onto the bridge… then it exploded. The whole span collapsed. We lost dozens.”

Ash’s jaw tightened. Jack’s cursed orbs again. He turned aside, gathering Karna and Xanathis. “It was Ren. He’s ahead of us. We need another way.”

Karna frowned. “Why not go around?” There must be some safer path, she thought desperately.

Ash shook his head. “They don’t call it the Fallen Forest for nothing. The ground here is hollow, riddled with chasms. Vines cover the surface, hiding holes that lead straight to the Darklands. One wrong step and you vanish forever. This bridge was the only safe crossing.” His gaze hardened. “But we have no choice. We’re going through. Follow at your own risk.”

Xanathis smiled slyly. “You’ll never be rid of me. Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Karna nodded. “I promised to see this through. I’ll keep my word.”

They entered the forest. Every step was cautious, tested before committing. The ground depressed slightly underfoot, soft earth sagging with hidden instability. Roots and vines groaned with each movement, and sometimes the floor itself shuddered as if warning them that the next misstep might be their last. The canopy above blotted out the sky, leaving only threads of core-light glowing through tangled vines. The air was thick with the scent of moss and rot. The silence was suffocating, every rustle of leaves sounding like a predator waiting to pounce.

Then Karna screamed—her foot plunged through, and she fell into darkness. She caught a dangling vine, then a tree root, her body swinging over a yawning chasm. Above her stretched a nightmare lattice of roots and vines, a fragile net barely holding the landmass together. Her heart pounded. One slip and I’m gone.

“Karna!” Xanathis peered down. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine!” she called back, though her knuckles whitened as the vines strained beneath her weight. Fine? I’m barely holding on…

A strand of blood slithered down into the hole, wrapping her arm like a vine. It hardened, pulling her upward. With Ash anchoring Xanathis by his polearm hooked into a tree, they hauled her free just as the ground split wider, tearing open a massive void.

Before they could catch their breath, movement stirred in the branches above. From the shadows, creatures crawled forth—beasts with spider‑like legs sharp as blades, their bulbous bodies glistening with chitin, and jaws lined with vicious pincers. Their eyes gleamed with unnatural darkness. Ash realized with a chill that shards of black crystal jutted from their forms—Dark Shards embedded within them. That’s how they move so easily in this cursed place.

The shadow beasts leapt, vanishing into darkness, only to reappear from tree to tree. They struck from every angle. Ash parried a set of slicing legs, his boots slipping as the ground beneath him cracked ominously. Karna smashed one with her gauntlet, but held back her magic, knowing the unstable floor could collapse if she unleashed too much. Xanathis’s blade split another in two, spraying black ichor, but more came, crawling from every corner.

“Damn it—careful where you step!” Ash barked, cutting another that lunged from a tree trunk.

The fight was chaos. Every blow sent tremors through the woven roots beneath them, widening cracks, tearing holes open into the Darklands below. Twice, Ash nearly lost his footing as soil sheared away into nothingness. Karna drove her boot into a beast’s thorax, frost crackling around the impact, then yanked herself back as the ground gave way beneath the corpse.

“They won’t stop coming!” Karna shouted, bleeding from shallow cuts across her arms.

Xanathis narrowed her eyes, noticing how the beasts flinched when sparks of light flickered from broken vines above. “They fear light… Ash!”

As if answering, Lumin burst free from Ash’s body, a radiant glow spilling through the suffocating shadows. The shadow beasts shrieked and recoiled, skittering back into the dark as the light washed over the forest floor.

Ash exhaled, chest heaving. “So that’s it… they can’t stand against Lumin.”

With the path clear, they continued forward, wounded but alive, moving more carefully than ever. It felt like hours of tense navigation before at last the trees thinned and they emerged on the far side of the forest. Westward they went—only to stumble upon a massacre. Merchants lay scattered, butchered and bleeding, their lifeless bodies strewn across the dirt.

Ash crouched beside one man, blood bubbling on his lips. “Beastman?”

The man coughed. “Yes… asked for food… clothes… we had none that fit. He killed us. Took Randy’s clothes. Then—magic. He became human. Fled northwest.” He spasmed, coughing blood again.

“Thank you,” Ash said quietly. Without hesitation, he drove his polearm through the man’s chest, granting a swift end.

Karna gasped. “You—! You just killed him!” Her heart screamed in outrage. How can he be so cold?

“He was suffering,” Ash replied flatly. “I gave him peace.”

“You didn’t even try to heal him!” Karna’s voice rose in outrage. Doesn’t he realize every life deserves a chance?

“There was no point.” His eyes were cold. “He was too far gone.”

Xanathis chuckled darkly. “Little hero… do you think your master chose Ash for righteousness? Mercy won’t win wars. Good people hesitate, and that hesitation can mean their death—or the deaths of those they’re trying to protect.” Memories of her own countless kills flickered through her mind, and she allowed herself a thin, cold smile.

Karna turned on her. “But aren’t you—aren’t you good?” Her voice cracked with desperation, as if begging for someone to prove her ideals weren’t foolish.

Xanathis laughed. “Good? I’ve killed more than I can count. I’m kind only to those I like. The rest… meat.” Her eyes glinted. “What about you, Ash?”

He shrugged. “I’ve killed… twenty, thirty people. Maybe more. But she’s right. Learn to kill, or you’ll regret it. Never show mercy to an enemy.” Better she learns now than later.

Karna shivered. “What was Master thinking…” She clasped her hands tightly infront of her chest, doubt gnawing at her resolve.

Ash stood, ending the discussion. “Enough. We’ve wasted time. Let’s move.”

They followed Ren’s trail northwest, quickening their pace. “There’s a river ahead,” Ash explained. “Only one bridge to cross. He’ll have to pass there.”

The river itself was enormous, stretching so wide it looked more like an inland sea than a river. A massive metal bridge arched across it, its girders black with age but still sturdy enough to span the torrent below. In the rushing waters, the remnants of an older world could be seen—eroded pillars rising like broken teeth, jagged mounds of carved stone blocks jutting through the current, and scattered ruins half-swallowed by the river. All of it looked as though it had fallen here during the great shattering, now reduced to skeletal remains poking through the waves.

By the time they reached it, smoke curled beneath the bridge. Ash descended, finding a crude campfire. On it, charred meat roasted. Nearby lay a woman—her body mangled, her legs severed, blood soaking the dirt. Somehow, she still breathed.

Karna rushed to her side. “Leave it to me.” She placed her hands on the woman’s body. “Healing water.” Streams of liquid light flowed from her palms, closing wounds, knitting flesh. But the woman’s eyes remained shut. Karna bit her lip, frustrated. Why isn’t it working?

“She needs blood,” Xanathis murmured, kneeling. She gathered a sample, analyzed it carefully, then gave a sharp nod. “Her blood type. I’ll need to separate the correct one. The old blood can’t be reused—I’ll have to give her some blood.” Blood poured from the gem in her blade, condensing into a sphere. The sphere then split into several smaller orbs, each tinted with subtle shades. She studied them, dismissing some with a flick of her fingers back into the gem until only one sphere remained, refined to match the woman’s type. She cut the woman gently, then fed the chosen blood back in, thread by thread, until color returned to her cheeks. There, that should keep you alive, Xanathis thought.

“She’ll wake soon,” Xanathis said.

Ash prowled the camp, eyes narrowing. “Ren’s only about an hour ahead from the look of it.”

Karna tilted her head, puzzled. “You can tell that so quickly?”

Ash nodded toward the fire pit. “See the firebox? The shard fueling it still has plenty of power left, barely used. That tells me he hasn’t been gone long. It’s only an estimate, but when you’re tracking, every small detail helps form the bigger picture.”

Karna turned to the fire—then gagged, running to the bushes to vomit. Ash and Xanathis exchanged glances and approached. On the spit lay a human leg, blackened and half-eaten.

Ash’s brow arched. “You’re sick over a foot?”

“That’s disgusting!” Karna gasped. “He… he ate her…” How twisted can one being be?

Xanathis smirked. “Is human flesh good, I wonder? Perhaps I should try a bite.” She leaned closer, then wrinkled her nose. “Too burnt. No flavor left.” Shame, I might’ve actually tried it.

Karna’s face twisted in horror. “You… you were actually considering it?”

Xanathis only grinned. “Survival teaches strange appetites.”

Before Karna could reply, a weak voice whispered, “Who… who are you?” The woman stirred, eyes glassy with tears.

Ash knelt beside her. “We’re hunting the beastman who did this. Tell me about him.”

She swallowed, trembling. “I came from Highcliff… I saw him limping across the bridge. missing one arm… injured. When I approached, he turned. A beastman. He attacked, dragged me here. Ate my food… then my legs…” She broke down, sobbing. “Not sure why I’m still alive.”

Ash’s eyes hardened. “What did he look like in human form? His clothes?”

“Brown hair. Yellow eyes. Brown jacket. Black pants…”

“Thank you,” Ash said. “That’s enough. He won’t escape us now.”

Karna stepped forward. “But what about her? We can’t just leave her.” Her heart ached, torn between compassion and fear.

Ash’s voice was cold. “She’s crippled. Showing mercy would mean ending her suffering—” He raised his polearm.

Karna leapt between them, furious. “I won’t let you! You monster!” Her whole body shook, but she refused to back down.

Ash’s eyes glared at karna. His weapon steadied. Karna’s heart hammered—she gulped, glancing toward Xanathis for help, but the other woman only smirked wider, clearly entertained by the tension.

Ash lifted his weapon high, the blade glinting as if he truly meant to strike. Karna’s breath caught in her throat, her whole body trembling. Then, just as suddenly, his shoulders shook and he burst out laughing. “Ahahah! Enough. Calm yourself, little hero. I was joking. We’ll leave her by the bridge. A merchant will pass by.”

Karna, still pale and trembling, helped the woman to the crossing. Sweat clung to her brow, her hands shaking from the crushing tension of moments before. Relief washed through her chest now that it had only been a cruel joke, though her stomach still churned with unease. “Here is some of my food. Someone will come. If not, I’ll return.” I won’t abandon you, no matter what he says.

The woman, tears streaking her cheeks, whispered to Ash. “Kill him. Please… kill that bastard for me.”

Ash’s mouth curved into a grim smile. “Oh, I will. After I torture him and wring every scrap of information from him.”

They left her behind, crossing the bridge. Ash knelt, pointing at fresh tracks. “He went to the mountains. Across the plains seems like he was in a hurry then ash noticed tracks of a beast seemed to be after ren.”

Ahead stretched vast plains, windswept and broken. Ruins jutted from the earth like the bones of a dead giant, half-buried in rubble and shadow. Shattered walls and crumbled towers dotted the horizon, while scattered debris lay across the plains as if the land itself had been torn apart. The group followed Ren’s tracks across this desolate expanse, eyes fixed on the distant mountains that loomed like jagged teeth. Their quarry was close.

As they pressed across the ruined plains and neared the looming mountains, Ash slowed. A carcass lay sprawled in the dirt—a beast’s body, riddled with cauterized holes, its hide burned and scarred by beam wounds. He crouched, studying it. Someone else had fought here.

More concerning, the trail had changed. The prints were no longer Ren’s alone. Three sets of boot tracks led onward toward the mountains.

Ash returned to Karna and Xanathis. “Ren met up with others. Whoever killed that beast is with him now. Three of them are headed toward the mountains, about an hour ahead.”

Karna quickened her pace, worry flashing in her eyes. “Then we’d better hurry. Otherwise, two more people might become his victims.” If Ren turns on them, it’ll be a slaughter.

Xanathis smirked faintly. “Or they’re his allies. Never blindly trust what you see. Doubt until proven otherwise. The world is full of liars who’d stab you the moment you lower your guard.”

A crackling noise suddenly burst through the stillness.

“Keeeer… kar… Karna, you there?”

Ash’s grip tightened on his weapon, scanning the ruins, but Karna quickly raised a hand to calm him. “Don’t worry. It’s safe. This is a device made by someone we met before you. He’s clever—able to create gadgets and machines even with his memory in shambles.”

Ash frowned. “So what is it?”

“A communicator,” Karna explained. “The range is poor, and it’s unreliable, but it works well enough.” She pulled a small metal box from her pouch, pressed a button, and spoke into it. “This is Karna. How are you doing? Luke, did you find anything to jog your memory?”

The reply came through in bursts of static. “Krrr… nothing yet. Sorry I didn’t contact you sooner—I traveled out of range. I’m at a place called the Lower Grand Lift. I’ll stay here for a day, then head to Evergreen City. Krrr… how about you? Did you find the one you were looking for? Krrr…”

Karna smiled faintly. “Krrr… Yes. He’s with us now. Anyway, I’ll contact you later—we’re in a hurry. Krrr…”

“Krrr… Alright. Take care. Krrr…” The device went silent in her hands.

Ash glanced at her, then at the mountains ahead. Allies, enemies, or something else entirely—the path was growing more uncertain with every step.

They eventually crossed the plains and reached the base of the mountains. Following the tracks, they came to a cave entrance, the group emerged into a massive tunnel that clearly wasn’t natural—its walls smooth, carved as if by tools long forgotten. As they stepped inside, Ash felt something strange: the darkened air seemed to soothe him, cool and refreshing, as though the shadows themselves welcomed his presence. He felt more comfortable here than he cared to admit, a flicker of ease that hinted at some affinity buried deep within him. Along the sides glowed faint mana stones, still faintly powered. Stalactites hung like jagged fangs from the ceiling, dripping water that echoed through the chamber. The air was damp and carried a metallic tang, as if the stone itself still remembered the magic that shaped it. Far ahead, a massive door loomed—its towering surface carved with ancient symbols, glowing faintly with residual mana. Intricate designs spiraled across its frame, depicting scenes of forgotten civilizations and battles long lost to time. Broken pillars and scattered rubble ringed its base, remnants of some collapsed antechamber.

Karna’s eyes widened. “What is this place? It doesn’t feel like a normal cave… the lights on the walls radiate mana.”

Ash brushed a hand across the stone. “I’ve never heard of this place. Must be an undiscovered ruin.”

They pressed deeper. Voices echoed faintly up ahead.

“?? And this is the last symbol—you find it yet in the book?”

“? Already on it. Give me a bit of time… hmm… it says all people regardless of status will be thoroughly searched before access to the city is granted.”

“??? So this is an entrance to one of the ancient cities. Now we just—”

Rocks shifted underfoot, echoing down the hall. The voices stopped. “Who’s there?” one demanded. Weapons rasped free.

Ash stepped forward, hands raised. “Don’t worry. We’re not here to harm you. We just have a question.”

Two figures stood near the massive stone door—siblings in their early twenties. A woman with shoulder‑length red hair and striking green eyes leveled a cannon‑like arm at Ash, while a tall man with short red hair and green eyes lifted a massive shield. Both looked wary.

“What is your affiliation?” the man demanded.

Ash noted their caution. “I’m from the Adventurers Guild. If you like, I’ll show you my ID.”

“Show it,” the woman said sharply, the weapon steady on him.

Ash handed the card to the man. He inspected it, then returned it. “Alright. We believe you. I’m Ernest—and this is my sister, Emma.”

Ash nodded. “It’s safe—you two can come out now.”

Xanathis and Karna stepped from behind the rocks. Xanathis smirked, resting her blade on her shoulder. “You’re lucky. If you’d tried to attack Ash, I’d have killed you both.”

Ash’s voice cut in, serious. “We’re looking for the man you brought with you. Where is he?”

Emma lowered her cannon slightly. “He’s resting at the end of the tunnel, where we set up camp. Why? What do you want with him?”

Ash’s eyes hardened. “That man has killed many in the past few days. He aided in abducting innocents, and before you found him he butchered a woman—cut off her legs and ate them. He isn’t human. He’s a beastman.”

Emma paled, horror washing across her face. She glanced at her brother, realizing how close they had been to becoming his next meal.

Emma pointed down the shadowed tunnel where Ren was resting. “He’s through there—our camp is at the end.”

“We’ll be on our way then,” Ash said as they turned toward that direction

The trio advanced down that tunnel. The siblings split as Emma trailed after Ash’s group. Xanathis’s ears twitched—she spun, her blade’s edge pressing to Emma’s throat. Emma froze, panic in her eyes.

“Sorry!” Emma stammered. “I was just curious!”

Xanathis’s grin widened. “Next time ask before following. Sneak around again, and you’ll die. We don’t know if you’re his ally or his enemy.”

Emma swallowed hard and nodded, silently.

They soon entered a medium‑sized cavern where a camp was set. Leaning against the far wall was Ren, in his human guise. Ash stepped forward, his gaze locked on him.

Ren’s eyes flicked to Emma. “Ahh, Emma. Who are your guests?”

Emma hesitated. “They’re adventurers. They say they have business with you.”

Ren looked at them, confusion feigned across his face. “You must be chasing that beastman. Good—he took my arm. I barely escaped. Emma and Ernest found me, saved me from a beast that had been chasing me, and let me tag along until I recover.” He raised the stump of his forearm for them to see.

Ash advanced, eyes narrowing. “Let me see your wound.”

As Ren lifted the severed limb, Ash barked, “Do it!”

Xanathis taped her foot, ice sealing around Ren in a jagged prison. But in an instant his form warped, body swelling. The ice shattered as his beastman nature surged forth. He pulled free another Fire Soul Orb, its glow casting ominous shadows.

Karna lunged, fist cocked. “I’ll—”

“Stop, Karna!” Ash shouted. “If he throws that, the whole cavern collapses!”

Her gauntlet froze inches from Ren’s face. Ren smirked. “Hahaha… looting from shard hunter caches has proven useful. Now back up.” He eased toward the door, suddenly seizing Emma by the throat. “I’ll be taking her with me.”

Before Ash could react, a searing beam lanced into Ren’s back. He staggered forward, dropping the orb. Karna leapt, snatching it before it struck the ground. Ren snarled, darting for the exit. Ernest rushed from the shadows, shield braced, blocking his path. Ash and Xanathis pressed in from behind—Xanathis flicking her fingers, sending shards of ice that impaled Ren’s back. He roared but leapt, vaulting Ernest’s shield and sprinting for freedom.

“He’s slippery,” Xanathis hissed. “But those ice spikes will slow him. We can catch him.”

They gave chase, bursting from the cave mouth—only to halt in shock. Outside waited a wagon, and beside it a hooded beastwoman with a glowing staff. Around her clustered nearly thirty beastmen. Ren collapsed at her feet. She raised her staff, channeling light that sealed his wounds.

The beastmen closed in, claws gleaming.

“There are too many,” Karna whispered. “What do we do?”

“Back into the cave!” Ash commanded.

They retreated, forcing the enemy into the bottleneck. But the beastwoman raised her staff, chanting. “Light’s Blessing.”

Radiance engulfed the beastmen, their muscles swelling, speed and strength surging. One darted forward faster than Ash’s eyes could track—only just blocked by his polearm. The clash drove him back, his arms trembling from the force.

The battle raged. Ren was dragged toward the wagon. Xanathis slammed her boot to the ground, ice snaked forward lancing upward. A spike pierced the wagon’s wheel, shattering it, but the vehicle lurched onward. A beastman slashed her arm, crimson blood spraying. Ash intercepted, his weapon clashing against the beastman’s blades, but the foe withdrew before he could counter.

“Damn it!” Ash cursed.

Karna panted, blood dripping from her shoulder. “What do we do? We’ll be overrun!”

“Give me that orb!” Xanathis snapped.

Karna thrust the Fire Soul Orb into her hand.

“Back up!” Xanathis hurled the orb into the cavern ceiling. The detonation ripped through stone, collapsing the entrance in a thunderous avalanche. Dozens of beastmen were crushed beneath falling rock.

Dust billowed, choking the air. The group staggered back, coughing.

Karna glared. “Why would you do that? Now we’re trapped!”

Xanathis wiped blood from her cheek and grinned. “That just bought us time. And you don’t know everything about me. My nonhuman half were cave dwellers— If there’s a city down here, there will be ventilation shafts so there will allway's be another way out.”

Ash steadied himself, voice low. “Then we move. If they dig through, we’ll be slaughtered.”

The group retreated deeper, back toward where Emma and Ernest had remained.