Chapter 16: Journey Into the Shadows

The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled golden light over the village of Embershore. The air carried the lingering scent of smoke and iron, remnants of the brutal battle that had nearly destroyed them. But despite the scars, the village stood stronger than before.

Sorin sat at the council chamber’s long wooden table, flanked by Hashan, Korovh, and Cailean. Across from them sat the emissary from Chay, his deep blue cloak marked with the royal sigil. The tension in the room was palpable—they had survived the goblin warband, but the true threat remained unknown.

“We need to understand what we’re dealing with,” Sorin said, his voice firm. “That attack wasn’t just random. The goblins fought with coordination—purpose. Someone was pulling the strings.”

The emissary nodded gravely. “Our scouts have been combing the remnants of their camp. What they found… is disturbing.”

He placed a bundle of artifacts on the table—stones etched with dark runes, tattered parchment covered in an unrecognizable script, and blackened remnants of ritualistic markings.

Sorin’s Analyze skill flickered to life as he examined them.

<Corrupted Arcane Glyphs detected. Origin: Unknown.>

The air in the room grew colder.

“This isn’t just goblin magic,” Sorin muttered. “It’s something darker. Older.“

Cailean exchanged a look with Hashan and Korovh. “That confirms our fears,” he said grimly. “The goblins weren’t acting alone. They were being controlled.“

Hashan crossed his arms, his expression unsettled. “Then we start by investigating their camp. If there are more clues, we need to find them before it’s too late.”

Korovh tapped his fingers against the table. “And we still have prisoners from the battle. If they know anything, we’ll make them talk.”

Sorin nodded. They had to move fast.

---

Into the Goblin Camp

They split into teams.

• Sorin, the emissary, and a scouting team would return to the goblin camp, searching for more clues.
• Hashan and Korovh would interrogate the captured goblins, pressing them for any connection to the dark magic.
• Cailean remained behind, fortifying Embershore’s defenses in case of another attack.

As Sorin’s team approached the ruins of the goblin encampment, the forest grew unnaturally silent. The air was thick with unease, as if the land itself remembered the blood spilled here.

The remains of crude goblin huts were scattered and smoldering. Spears and shields, some still stained with dried crimson, lay discarded. But something was… wrong.

Sorin activated Analyze, his eyes scanning the wreckage.

<Residual dark magic detected. Source: Unknown entity.>

He shivered. Something powerful had been here.

“Spread out,” Sorin commanded. “Look for anything unusual.”

They combed through the remains, searching for answers. The deeper they pushed into the wreckage, the stronger the feeling of dread became. Then—

“Over here!” a villager called.

Sorin rushed over, finding the scout kneeling beside a concealed entrance—a tunnel buried beneath collapsed debris. Symbols carved into the stones glowed faintly, as if pulsing with unseen energy.

“This…” Sorin exhaled, heart pounding. “This wasn’t made by goblins.”

The emissary knelt beside him. “Then we need to see what’s inside.”

They cleared the entrance and descended.

---

The Underground Discovery

The air grew colder as they moved deeper underground. Sorin summoned a Weak Light Globe, illuminating the passage.

Ten floating orbs appeared, casting a ghostly glow over the damp walls. More runes, more sinister markings—a trail of darkness leading into the unknown.

“We need to be careful,” Sorin warned. “There could be traps or worse.”

As they pressed forward, the tunnel opened into a massive chamber.

At its center stood a stone altar, stained dark with dried blood. The air around it hummed with power, as if the very shadows pulsed with a malevolent presence.

Sorin felt it before he saw it.

Something was watching them.

His sword was in his hand before he even realized it, his breath shallow and controlled.

“We document everything,” he whispered. “And then we get the hell out of here.”

---

A Disturbing Revelation

Back in Embershore, Hashan and Korovh had made a chilling discovery of their own.

The captured goblins—even the fiercest among them—spoke with fear about a Master who had bent their will.

“They see everything,” one goblin had hissed. “They speak through the shadows. We are only… pawns.“

When pressed for more information, one goblin began convulsing, dark veins spreading across his body before he collapsed—dead.

A warning.

---

A Call to Chay

Sorin and his team returned to the village, shaken but resolute.

Gathering once more in the council chamber, they laid out everything they had found—the underground altar, the dark glyphs, and the goblins’ disturbing confessions.

Sorin’s voice was steady, but inside, his mind raced.

“We need to take this to Chay. The royal capital has resources and knowledge that we don’t. If anyone can help us understand what we’re dealing with, it’s them.”

The emissary agreed immediately. “I’ll arrange for an audience with the king. But we must act quickly. This isn’t just about Embershore anymore. If this magic spreads, the entire kingdom could be in danger.”

Sorin exhaled, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. This was only the beginning.

---

The Master Watches

Far from Embershore, in a vast cavern of endless shadows, two figures knelt before their unseen Master.

The air vibrated with unseen power.

“They found the tunnel, Master,” one of the creatures rasped.

A deep, rumbling laugh filled the chamber.

“Good,” the Master whispered. “Let them chase the truth. It will only bring them closer… to me.“

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The Road to Chay

With horses saddled and supplies packed, Sorin and his companions set out for the capital.

The journey ahead was uncertain, but one truth remained clear.

Something far greater than goblins was at work.