The Demon king's Last oath

The forest gave way to rolling plains as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon. Caius rode in silence, the shard in his satchel pulsing faintly against his side. He felt its weight with every step of the journey, not just physically but in the growing unease that settled over him like a shroud.

Beside him, the stranger walked with an easy gait, their silver eyes scanning the horizon. Despite their calm demeanor, Caius noticed the faint tension in their movements, the way their hands occasionally drifted toward the faintly glowing runes on their arms.

"You haven't said much," the stranger remarked, their voice breaking the quiet.

Caius glanced at them. "There's not much to say."

The stranger smirked faintly. "You're brooding again, boy. If you keep that up, you'll end up with more wrinkles than sense."

Caius didn't respond. His mind was still on the masked figure from the night before, their cryptic words ringing in his ears.

"The shard is a key… but to what?"

By midmorning, the outline of a town appeared in the distance. It sat at the base of a rocky hill, its wooden buildings clustered tightly together as if for protection. A thin layer of mist clung to the streets, giving the town an eerie, almost dreamlike quality.

The stranger whistled softly. "Well, isn't this charming? Looks like the kind of place where secrets go to die."

Caius pulled his horse to a stop, his blue eyes narrowing as he studied the town. The pull of the shard had grown faint, but there was something about this place that made his skin prickle.

"Do you think it's safe?" he asked.

The stranger shrugged. "Safe is boring. Let's find out."

Caius sighed, urging his horse forward. "If this gets us killed, I'm blaming you."

The streets were quiet as they entered the town, the faint sound of their footsteps echoing against the wooden buildings. Most of the shutters were closed, and the few townsfolk they saw hurried past with their heads down, avoiding eye contact.

"Friendly bunch," the stranger muttered, their silver eyes scanning the surroundings.

Caius dismounted, tying his horse to a post near what appeared to be a small inn. The building was weathered but sturdy, its sign creaking faintly in the breeze.

"We'll start here," he said.

The stranger raised an eyebrow. "And do what, exactly? Ask the innkeeper if they've seen any glowing shards of doom lying around?"

Caius gave them a flat look. "We'll gather information. Quietly."

The stranger smirked. "Right. Because we're so good at keeping a low profile."

The inn's interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of damp wood and faintly stale ale. Behind the counter stood a wiry man with thinning hair and a weathered face. His sharp eyes flicked to Caius and the stranger as they entered, his expression unreadable.

"Travelers, are you?" the innkeeper asked, his voice rough but not unkind.

"Just passing through," Caius replied, his tone even.

The innkeeper nodded, wiping his hands on a rag. "Not many come this way. Most know to stay clear of Graythorn."

"Graythorn?" the stranger asked, leaning casually against the counter. "Interesting name. Got a story behind it?"

The innkeeper hesitated, his gaze flicking to the door as if to make sure no one was listening. Then he leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"This town wasn't always Graythorn," he said. "Used to be called Elder's Rest. A quiet place, peaceful. But things changed a few years back."

"How?" Caius asked.

The innkeeper's expression darkened. "Strangers started passing through. People with strange eyes, strange powers. Things started happening—storms that shouldn't be, shadows moving on their own. The townsfolk thought it was cursed, so they renamed it, hoping to drive the darkness away."

The stranger raised an eyebrow. "Did it work?"

The innkeeper gave a bitter laugh. "You tell me."

Caius's grip on his satchel tightened. "Have you seen anything… unusual recently? Anything that doesn't belong?"

The innkeeper studied him carefully, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Maybe. Depends on why you're asking."

Caius hesitated. He couldn't reveal too much, not yet. "We're just looking for answers."

The innkeeper grunted, leaning back. "Answers won't help you here, boy. If you're smart, you'll leave before the sun sets."

As they left the inn, the stranger tilted their head, their silver eyes glinting with curiosity. "Well, that wasn't ominous at all."

Caius frowned, his gaze fixed on the misty streets. "He knows something. They all do."

The stranger smirked faintly. "Of course they do. Towns like this are full of secrets. The trick is figuring out which ones are worth digging up."

Before Caius could respond, a faint sound caught his attention—a whisper, soft and fleeting, like wind through the trees.

He turned sharply, his eyes scanning the shadows. "Did you hear that?"

The stranger raised an eyebrow. "Hear what?"

Another whisper, clearer this time.

"Caius…"

His chest tightened, the pull of the shard flaring briefly before fading again.

"We need to move," he said, his voice tense.

The stranger's smirk faded, their expression turning serious. "What is it?"

Caius shook his head. "I'm not sure. But something's watching us."

As they made their way through the town, Caius couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The shadows seemed deeper here, the air heavier, charged with an energy that set his nerves on edge.

The whispers came and went, faint but insistent, like a voice just out of reach.

When they reached the edge of town, the stranger glanced back, their silver eyes narrowing. "We're not alone."

Caius followed their gaze. In the distance, near the inn, a figure stood in the shadows, their form barely visible through the mist.

It wasn't the masked figure from before, but something about their presence felt wrong.

"Friend of yours?" the stranger asked, their voice low.

"No," Caius said. "Let's keep moving."

The stranger hesitated, then nodded. "Agreed."

As they left Graythorn behind, the whispers grew fainter, and the weight in Caius's chest eased slightly. But the memory of the figure lingered, along with the innkeeper's warning.

"Graythorn isn't the only place like this," Caius said quietly.

The stranger glanced at him. "You think there are more towns dealing with this… curse?"

Caius nodded. "And they're all connected. Somehow."

The stranger smirked faintly, their silver eyes glinting. "Well, boy, looks like we've got a lot of ground to cover."

Caius's jaw tightened, his resolve hardening. "Then we keep going. Until we find the truth."

As they pressed on, the mist of Graythorn faded into the distance. But the shadows of the town clung to them, a reminder of the danger that lay ahead—and the secrets that waited to be uncovered.