A growl reverberated through the forest, a sound so deep it seemed to come from the bones of the earth itself. The ground beneath the nymphryn’s paws vibrated faintly, the delicate moss trembling as though recoiling from the disturbance. The nymphryn crouched low, its fur bristling, and its silver eyes darted to Kaelen.


    Kaelen stood still, his posture unnervingly calm as the sound echoed through the trees. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his blade, a slender weapon that gleamed faintly with the same otherworldly light as the stars above. His sharp silver eyes, burning with a quiet intensity, scanned the shifting shadows of the forest.


    “Well,” Kaelen said calmly “it seems we have stirred something best left undisturbed.”


    The nymphryn didn’t react outwardly, but its tail flicked once, betraying its unease. Kaelen’s calmness in the face of danger was annoying, but it also admirable. He was a tether to sanity in moments like these, though the nymphryn often wondered if his sanity was simply madness in disguise.


    The growl came again, louder now, and closer. The air grew heavier, charged with an oppressive energy that made the nymphryn’s fur prick uncomfortably. The ground beneath the nymphryn’s paws felt colder now, as if the forest itself recoiled. The trees around them seemed to lean inward, their glowing leaves dimming as though the forest itself was bracing for what was to come. The stars above flickered faintly, their light momentarily eclipsed.


    The nymphryn flicked its tail, narrowing its eyes at Kaelen. Its silver-white hair stood on end and it arched it’s back in preparation. Whatever it was, it had no intention of facing this threat unprepared. Its sharp claws flexed against the moss, and the magic of the Court seemed to respond, a faint shimmer of light tracing along the edges of its fur.


    From the shadows between the trees, a massive form began to take shape. At first, it was only darkness—a deeper black against the already shadowed forest. But as it moved, the outlines of its form became clear: an enormous feline creature, its body sleek and muscled, with fur that shimmered like liquid obsidian.


    Kaelen’s sharp gaze shifted, fixing on a deep shadow between two towering trees. “It’s not random,” he said softly, as if piecing something together aloud. His expression darkened, the faint amusement gone. “No... this isn’t chance.”


    The nymphryn’s ears flattened, its body sinking lower to the ground as its claws flexed against the moss. Something moved within the shadow, a form so dark it seemed to devour the faint light around it.


    From the darkness emerged a shape that sent a chill rippling down the nymphryn’s spine. It was massive, its body sleek and muscled, moving with the fluid grace of a predator. Its fur shimmered like liquid shadow, rippling as though it were both substance and void. When it moved, the light dimmed around it, as if the creature pulled the very essence of brightness into its depths.


    Its eyes were two orbs of molten gold that burned like twin suns in the inky blackness of its form, radiating a heat that made the air around them waver. They locked onto Kaelen with a predatory focus, unblinking and unnervingly intelligent.


    The nymphryn gave a long, slow blink, hoping to avoid another confrontation. It let out a friendly chuff in greeting. Neither blink nor chuff was returned. Not looking good the nymphryn though. Then, the massive cat growled in response.


    The creature stepped forward, its heavy paws silent against the moss. The glow from its fur shifted as it moved, creating the illusion that it was both solid and shadow, as though it could dissolve into the darkness at will. Around its neck was a collar of silver and gold, etched with runes that pulsed faintly, their light flickering in rhythm with the creature’s growl.


    Kaelen’s voice broke the tense silence. “A Shadowstalker,” he said quietly, his tone edged with recognition and something deeper—regret. His silver eyes flicked to the collar that encircled the beast’s neck, a band of silver and gold etched with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. The runes pulsed, their rhythm matching the low growl that emanated from the creature’s chest.


    The nymphryn bristled as it caught sight of the collar. The craftsmanship was ancient, the runes unmistakably tied to magic. Shadowstalkers were beasts of legend, said to have been bound to the will of the Lord of Night during the height of his power. These creatures had been his assassins—silent and deadly instruments of his wrath.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Kaelen stepped forward slightly, his posture shifting into a defensive stance. “Someone sent it,” he murmured, his voice tight. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, the blade gleaming faintly as though it, too, sensed the danger. “And I think I know who.”


    The nymphryn hissed low, its body coiled like a spring ready to pounce. It wasn’t excited to fight this thing, but if it had to, it would. The Shadowstalker tilted its massive head, its golden eyes narrowing as if in recognition of the challenge. The runes on its collar flared brighter, and the air around it shimmered with heat.


    Kaelen drew his blade in a single fluid motion, the sound of the unsheathing faint but sharp. The weapon caught the light of the forest, its silver edge gleaming with an inner brilliance. “I don’t suppose you’re in the mood to negotiate,” he said dryly, his eyes never leaving the creature.


    The Shadowstalker responded with a roar—a sound that tore through the forest like a storm, shaking the ground and scattering the glowing leaves above. The stars themselves seemed to dim as the creature surged forward, its massive body moving with the speed and precision of a predator born to hunt.


    Kaelen moved like lightning, stepping aside just as the Shadowstalker’s claws raked the space where he had been standing. His blade flashed, striking the creature’s flank, but the runes on its collar flared, absorbing the blow. The creature barely flinched, its molten eyes now locked on both Kaelen and the nymphryn.


    Kaelen’s blade gleamed as though catching the essence of the stars above, its edge radiating a faint, otherworldly light. “You don’t have to do this,” he said, his voice calm but firm.


    The Shadowstalker’s growl deepened, and the nymphryn’s stomach sank. Whatever vestige of reason might have existed within the creature had been buried beneath the magic that bound it. The collar’s runes pulsed again, and the air grew hotter, the oppressive heat radiating outward in waves.


    Kaelen’s silver eyes hardened. “Very well,” he said.


    The Shadowstalker moved first, its massive form a blur of shadow as it lunged toward Kaelen. Its claws raked through the air with terrifying speed, slicing through a tree trunk as though it were paper. Kaelen sidestepped the strike, his movements impossibly fast, and his blade flashed as he struck at the beast’s flank. Sparks flew as the blade met the runes on the collar, but the blow was deflected, absorbed by the ancient magic that protected it.


    The nymphryn darted forward, its sleek body moving with practiced agility. It aimed for the Shadowstalker’s throat, its sharp claws flashing in the dim light. But the creature twisted mid-lunge, its molten eyes locking onto the nymphryn as its massive paw swept through the air. The nymphryn barely dodged, landing lightly on the moss and circling back, its movements calculated and precise.


    “Good instincts,” Kaelen called, his tone light despite the tension. “But watch the claws. They’re faster than they look.”


    The nymphryn shot him a glare, but it was too focused on the Shadowstalker to spare him more than that. Its claws scraped against the moss as it shifted position, looking for an opening.


    The Shadowstalker snarled, its molten eyes flicking between its two opponents. The runes on its collar pulsed again, brighter now, and a wave of heat rippled through the clearing, distorting the air. The nymphryn crouched low, its fur bristling as the heat rolled over it.


    “That collar—it’s not just a restraint.” Kaelen said grimly. “I’d rather not fight something controlled by a collar. We need to get that off.”


    Kaelen darted forward, his blade flashing again, this time striking the collar directly. The runes sparked and hissed, and the Shadowstalker roared, rearing back in pain. But the collar remained intact, its light now pulsing erratically.


    Kaelen’s voice rang out, sharp but steady. “The collar—focus on the collar!”


    The nymphryn didn’t need the instruction. It leapt again, its claws striking the enchanted band. This time, the blow cracked one of the runes, and the Shadowstalker howled, its golden eyes flaring with pain. For a fleeting moment, the creature hesitated, its molten gaze flickering with something almost... human. Recognition? Regret?


    But the reprieve was short-lived. The collar’s magic surged, the runes flaring violently as they reasserted control. Its molten eyes burned brighter, and the collar’s runes flared with a surge of power. The Shadowstalker roared, and the ground beneath them trembled, cracks spreading outward like spiderwebs.


    The ground beneath them trembled, and the air grew heavier, the magic of the Court shifting uneasily. The nymphryn landed lightly on the moss, its ears flattening as the tremor grew stronger. Kaelen stepped back, his blade held at the ready, his expression grim.


    The Shadowstalker roared again, its massive body bristling with energy. The runes on its collar flared one last time, and then the ground beneath them cracked.


    The forest seemed to shatter around them. The ground beneath the nymphryn’s paws gave way, and it yowled as it tumbled into the abyss, its claws scrabbling at the crumbling edges of the clearing.


    Kaelen’s voice rang out above the chaos. “Hold on!”


    The nymphryn stomach dropped as it fell. Its heart pounded, the darkness swallowing the light of the stars above. The last thing it saw before the darkness swallowed it whole was Kaelen’s silver eyes, blazing like twin stars as his hands reached for it.


    “Not this again.” it sighed.


    And then there was nothing.