I followed Liz as she walked ahead, her red hair glowing faintly in the strange light. It shone like fire in the darkness, making it easy not to lose her even though the world around us seemed to move with every step.
My legs shook as I tried to keep up. I couldn't tell if it was fear or the strain from our last encounter with those creatures, "the Hunters," as she called them. My chest ached, and every breath felt heavy, but I kept forcing myself to move. Stopping wasn't an option.
"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice coming out weaker than I wanted.
"To a safe place," Liz said without looking back. Her tone was calm but firm. "The Hunters can't enter there."
"Hunters…" I repeated softly. The word alone made me scared. I remembered their glowing eyes like burning coals in the dark and their teeth, sharp and endless. The way they moved still haunted my mind, so fast and unnatural. I didn't know what they were, only that they were hunting me.
The narrow, broken path we walked on finally opened into a wide, flat way. The ground was dark and cracked like dry earth in some part of the desert, but strange lights flashed between the cracks, tiny blue sparks that looked alive. Above us, the sky wasn't black or blue but tinted gray, filled with thin cracks that glowed with white light, as if they had been shattered.
A small glowing light floated in the air around us. They were round and soft, glowing like lanterns moving in slow circles.
"What are those lights?" I asked, staring as one floated near my hand. It flashed faintly, almost like it was breathing.
"Fragments of lost souls," Liz said, still walking forward. Her voice was quiet, almost respectful. "They drift here until someone takes them in… or until they fade."
I shivered. The glowing light near me gave off warmth, but knowing what it was made my stomach twist.
"And me?" I asked after a pause. "What am I?"
Liz stopped. She turned her head slightly, her grey eyes lit as they met mine. For a moment, she didn't say anything. Then softly, she answered, "You're a soul too. But you're different. You don't feel like the others."
"What do you mean?" I pressed.
Instead of answering, she began walking again. "You'll see soon enough."
Her reply didn't comfort me. It only made me feel more uneasy. Still, I followed.
As we crossed the path, I began to notice faint shapes moving far away like shadows crawling under the mist. The wind carried whispers that didn't sound human. I hugged myself and tried not to look.
Liz walked with steady steps, her sword strapped across her back. It was long and silver, with strange markings carved into the blade. Even in the dull gray light, it shimmered faintly, like it had its own light.
"How long have you been here?" I asked after a while.
"A long time," she said. "Longer than I can remember."
"Then… are you dead too?"
She didn't answer right away. The silence stretched between us until I almost regretted asking. Then she said, "I suppose I am. But not the kind of dead you're thinking about."
I frowned. "What other kind is there?"
"The kind that fights to stay alive," she said simply.
Her words confused me, but I didn't push further.
We reached a narrow valley where tall, dark stones came out of the ground. The wind whistled between them, carrying faint cries that made my hair stand on end. Liz slowed her pace and motioned for me to follow quietly.
"What's this place?" I whispered.
"The Edge," she replied. "We have to cross it before nightfall."
"Nightfall?" I looked up at the strange sky. It was always gray, no sun, moon, or stars. "Does night even exist here?"
"You'll know when it comes," she said. "You'll hear it before you see it."
That didn't make me feel any better.
We walked in silence for what felt like hours. My feet ached, and the air grew colder. Now and then, I thought I saw something moving between the rocks, a flash of black mist, a shadow that shifted when I wasn't looking directly at it.
At one point, Liz suddenly stopped and raised her hand.
"Don't move," she whispered.
I froze. My breath caught in my throat.
Something was crawling across the rocks ahead, slow, deliberate, and heavy. I could hear the sound of claws scratching stone. Then a low growl echoed deep and rumbling.
A shape emerged from the shadows, a tall, hunched creature with a face hidden behind a bone mask. Its body was thin but twisted, and its arms stretched too long. It sniffed the air like a wolf.
A Hunter.
Liz's hand moved to her sword. The silver blade slid free with a soft metallic whisper.
"Stay behind me," she said calmly.
The creature turned sharply toward us. Its eyes lit up, glowing red through the cracks of the bone mask. With a snarl, it moved.
Everything happened so fast. Liz stepped forward and swung her sword in one smooth motion. The blade cut through the air, glowing bright as it struck the creature. It let out a piercing scream, dissolving into black smoke that faded into the wind.
I stared, frozen. My hands and feet were shaking uncontrollably.
"Is it… gone?" I whispered.
"For now," Liz said, wiping the blade on her sleeve. "But where there's one, there are more."
My knees nearly gave out. "Then why stop here? Let's go!"
She shook her head. "If we run blindly, we'll draw them faster. They hunt by sound and fear. You need to calm yourself."
"How can I calm myself when those things are…."
"Breathe," she said sharply, turning toward me. Her gray eyes locked on mine. "Breathe slowly. Don't feed them."
I swallowed hard and tried to steady my breath. Slowly, the trembling in my hands and feet kept reducing.
"Good," Liz said softly. "You learn fast."
"I don't feel like it," I muttered.
She almost smiled. "That's how everyone feels in the beginning."
As we continued, I noticed the air growing lighter. The cracks in the sky glowed more brightly, and I could hear a faint humming sound, like music carried on the wind.
"Are we close?" I asked.
Liz nodded. "Almost. The safe place is near."
"What is it?"
"A temple. Or what's left of one. The old ones built it to hide from the darkness."
"Old ones?"
"Souls who learned to fight the Hunters. Some say they were the first to ever awaken here."
"Awaken?"
She glanced at me. "Like you did."
I didn't know what to say. My mind was still trying to make sense of everything. The souls, Hunters, lost fragments, strange skies, I felt small in this vast broken world.
Finally, we reached a hill where stone ruins stood. Half-buried pillars rested at odd angles, covered in faint glowing symbols. In the middle was an open gate made of pure light. The air around it felt warm and calm, like a gentle breeze after a storm.
Liz slowed down and turned to me. "We're here."
I stared at the gate. "What is that?"
"The Threshold," she said. "It keeps the darkness out. Only those with a soul can enter."
"Then we're safe?"
She hesitated. "For now."
We stepped through the gate, and the moment I crossed it, I felt everything change. The air was warmer. The ground beneath my feet felt solid, real. There were trees here, tall silver trees with leaves that shines like the stars. A clear stream ran nearby, its water glowing faintly blue.
I breathed deeply for the first time in what felt like forever.
"It's beautiful," I said quietly.
Liz nodded, but her face stayed serious. "Don't let it fool you. Beauty can fade here too."
She led me toward a stone platform surrounded by carved figures—statues of men and women holding swords, their faces calm but strong.
"Who are they?" I asked.
"The first Hunters," she said. "But not like the ones we fought. They were protectors once."
My eyes widened. "Protectors? But"
"They fell," she said simply. "The darkness changes everything it touches. Even them."
We sat by the stream. I was exhausted, both in body and mind. My reflection in the glowing water looked strangely faint, transparent, like I wasn't fully here.
"What happens to souls here?" I asked softly. "The ones that fade?"
"They forget," Liz said. "First their names, then their faces, then everything. They become the lights you saw floating."
"And the ones that survive?"
"They fight."
I looked at her sword. "Like you?"
She nodded. "Like me."
I was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Why did you save me?"
Liz looked up at the cracks in the sky, as if remembering something far away. "Because once, someone saved me too."
Her voice was softer now, almost sad.
I wanted to ask more, but something in her expression stopped me. Instead, I asked, "You said I'm different. What did you mean?"
Liz studied me for a long time before answering. "You're not just a lost soul. You have something inside you, something strong. I felt it when I found you."
"Strong? Me?" I laughed weakly. "You saw me back there. I could barely walk."
"Strength doesn't always show on the outside," she said. "Sometimes it sleeps until the right moment."
"And what moment is that?"
She smiled faintly. "When the world needs it."
A long silence passed between us. I watched the glowing water ripple while Liz cleaned her sword with slow, practiced motions. Despite her calmness, I could tell she was tired.
"Do you ever rest?" I asked.
"Sometimes," she said. "But not for long."
"Why?"
"The darkness doesn't sleep."
Her words kept re-echoing in my mind.
Later, as the light above dimmed, a low hum began to rise. It wasn't the same calm sound as before it was deeper, colder. Liz stood up immediately.
"It's starting," she said.
"What's starting?"
"Nightfall."
The air outside the gate began to shimmer. Black mist gathered at the edges of the light, moving like a living storm. I could hear faint screams within it.
"Will they come here?" I asked, backing away.
"They'll try," Liz said, her hand on her sword. "But the gate will hold."
I looked at her, then at the darkness pressing against the barrier. It felt endless. "Is this what happens every night?"
"Yes," she said quietly. "Every night until the sky heals."
"The sky?" I glanced up at the cracks of light. "Can it be fixed?"
"No one knows," she said. "But some still try."
"Do you?"
Liz's gaze met mine. "That's why I fight."
Her words carried weight, like they came from years of struggle.
As the night deepened, the mist outside increase and lashed against the gate, but it couldn't break through. I sat near the stream, hugging my knees, trying not to look.
After a while, Liz spoke again. "You should rest. Tomorrow we move deeper."
"Deeper? Into where?"
"The Heartlands," she said. "That's where answers wait."
"Answers to what?"
"To who you really are."
I looked at her, unsure whether to feel afraid or hopeful.
"Liz…" I said softly. "Will you stay with me?"
She looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. "Until you can stand on your own."
That promise comforted me more than anything.
I lay down near the glowing stream. The soft hum of the light around the edge made me feel safe. My body relaxed, though my mind still raced with questions.
What was I? Why was I here? What did Liz mean when she said I was different?
As my eyes grew heavy, I saw one of the floating lights drift near me again. It floated above my chest, glowing softly, and then without warning it sank into me.
I gasped, but there was no pain. Only warmth. For a brief moment, I heard a whisper not words, just a feeling. A memory. A face I almost recognized.
Then it was gone.
I turned toward Liz, who was keeping watch with her sword resting on her knees.
"Liz…" I murmured sleepily. "I think… one of those lights just entered me."
She didn't seem surprised. "Good," she said quietly. "It means it chose you."
"Chose me for what?"
"You'll find out when it's time."
Her voice was distant, calm, and for some reason, it made me feel safe enough to finally fall asleep.
When I woke, the gray sky had brightened again. The air was still and quiet. Liz stood at the edge of the gate, watching the horizon.
"Morning?" I asked.
"As close as it gets," she said with a small smile.
"What now?"
She turned to me, her red hair glowing again in the strange light. "Now," she said, "we begin your journey."
"My journey?"
She nodded. "To remember who you were… and to learn what you're meant to become."
She adjusted her sword and started walking toward the far side of the temple.
I followed her, still unsure, still afraid, but something inside me felt different now. Stronger. Warmer. Like that light from the night before had awakened something deep within.
And as we walked into the mist, I realized that whatever this world was dead, broken, or lost I wasn't alone anymore.
Not as long as Liz, the girl with the sword, walked beside me.