The Demon king's Last oath

The journey stretched into the late afternoon, the sun hanging low in the sky as Caius and the stranger continued across the plains. The land had grown harsher, the rolling fields giving way to jagged rocks and dry, cracked earth.

The shard in Caius's satchel pulsed faintly, but it wasn't the same pull that had drawn him to the ruin. This was weaker, like a distant echo.

"Feeling anything yet?" the stranger asked, their silver eyes scanning the horizon.

Caius shook his head. "Not like before. It's faint… like it's being muffled."

The stranger frowned, their hands resting on their belt. "That's not a good sign. If something's hiding it, there's a good chance it's not friendly."

"It never is," Caius replied, his voice calm.

The stranger smirked faintly. "Fair point."

As the sun dipped closer to the horizon, they stumbled upon the remnants of an old encampment. The tents were torn and weathered, their once-bright colors faded to dull grays. Weapons and armor lay scattered across the ground, rusted and broken.

Caius dismounted, his blue eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene. "This wasn't abandoned recently."

The stranger crouched near a broken shield, their fingers brushing over the cracked metal. "No. But whatever happened here, it wasn't pretty."

Caius knelt near a pile of ash, his hand brushing over the charred remains. "Fire… but not normal fire."

"Yours?" the stranger asked, raising an eyebrow.

Caius shook his head. "No. This was different."

The shard in his satchel pulsed faintly, a rhythmic beat that matched his heartbeat. He stood, his gaze fixed on the distance.

"It's close," he said.

The stranger straightened, their runes glowing faintly. "Then we'd better be ready. If this camp was after it and failed, there's no telling what's guarding it now."

The shard's pull grew stronger as they pressed on, leading them toward a series of jagged cliffs that loomed like broken teeth against the evening sky. The air grew colder, and the faint hum of magic began to pulse through the ground beneath their feet.

Caius paused, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. "Do you feel that?"

The stranger nodded, their silver eyes narrowing. "Something's here."

As they reached the base of the cliffs, a low growl echoed through the air.

Caius tensed, his flames flickering faintly around his hand. "Not Shadowborn," he murmured.

"No," the stranger agreed, their glowing runes lighting the shadows. "This feels… older."

From the shadows of the cliffs, a massive creature emerged. Its body was covered in jagged, stone-like scales that shimmered faintly with an inner light. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural blue hue, and its movements were slow but deliberate, each step shaking the ground beneath it.

"That's not good," the stranger muttered, their tone unusually serious.

Caius stepped forward, the flames around his hand flaring brighter. "It's guarding the shard."

The creature snarled, its jaws opening to reveal rows of jagged, crystalline teeth. It let out a deafening roar, and the air around it shimmered with a faint distortion, as if reality itself was bending.

"Got a plan, boy?" the stranger asked, their runes flaring to life.

Caius's blue eyes burned with determination. "Keep it busy. I'll find the shard."

The stranger smirked. "Always the bold one. Fine. Let's see if we can knock some of those rocks loose."

The creature lunged, its massive claws swiping toward them with terrifying speed. The stranger moved quickly, their glowing energy forming a barrier that deflected the blow. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, scattering loose rocks.

Caius darted to the side, his flames flaring as he struck at the creature's leg. The fire seared through its stony exterior, but the creature barely flinched.

"This thing's tougher than it looks," the stranger called, their voice strained as they dodged another attack.

"It's tied to the shard," Caius replied, his tone calm. "We have to sever that connection."

"And how do we do that?"

Caius's gaze darted to the cliffs, where a faint blue glow pulsed from within the rock. "There."

The stranger followed his gaze, their silver eyes narrowing. "You think that's it?"

"I know it is," Caius said.

As the stranger kept the creature occupied, Caius climbed the cliff, his flames illuminating the narrow path. The pulsing glow grew stronger, the shard's presence pulling at him like a magnet.

When he reached the top, he found a small alcove carved into the rock. Inside, the shard rested on a pedestal of jagged crystal, its surface shimmering with an unnatural light.

Caius stepped forward, his hand trembling slightly as he reached for it. The shard's energy surged through him, and for a moment, the world around him blurred.

He stood in a ruined battlefield, the ground beneath him scorched and broken. Shadowy figures moved in the distance, their forms flickering like smoke. At the center of the chaos stood the Demon King, his crimson eyes blazing as he raised his hand.

"This is what will happen," a voice whispered, low and haunting. "The shards will awaken, and the balance will shatter. You cannot stop it."

Caius clenched his fists, his voice steady. "I will stop it."

The vision shattered, and he gasped as he returned to the present.

Caius grabbed the shard, its energy pulsing violently as he tucked it into his satchel. Below, the creature let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing as the connection was severed.

The stranger leapt back as the creature collapsed, its stony form crumbling into dust. "Took you long enough," they called, smirking.

Caius descended the cliff, his blue eyes glowing faintly as he joined the stranger. "I have it."

The stranger nodded, their expression serious. "Good. Let's hope it was worth the trouble."

As they left the cliffs, Caius's thoughts drifted briefly to the life he had left behind—the estate, his family, and the promise of an arranged marriage he had tried not to think about.

"I can't go back. Not yet. But how long can I run from that life?"

The shard pulsed faintly in his satchel, and he pushed the thought aside. There were bigger threats to face now.