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You’ve returned, said an ethereal, tinkling voice in my mind.
A stag as black as midnight stepped into view. He moved soundlessly across fallen leaves and twigs as if he wasn’t actually present but a mere shadow. A ghost. Starlight reflected from his eyes, and his antlers rustled the branches above, proving he was truly there.
Sharp intakes came from the others as they noticed the stag approaching. Not just any old stag, either.
This was the Keeper of the Forest.
You can release the Guardians, he said, and I swear he sounded amused. They will attack no more.
Without hesitation, I doused my flames and tucked my knife away. The others did the same with their weapons, and Kit released the vines. Lena remained leery of the trees, even though they had dug their roots back into the earth and returned to their unmoving state.
“Thank you for coming,” I said, bowing my head. “We’re hoping you can help us.”
The stag regarded me with his starlit eyes. I see you’ve found your rightful place in life. Do you plan to rid this world of the growing pestilence?
“If you mean Colin, then yes,” I said.
The stag chuffed and pawed at the ground. The fae risk the very balance of nature with their actions.
“It’s not just Colin, then?” Thane asked, confirming my suspicions that the others could hear the stag.
I wish it were, the stag said. Too many have forgotten the old ways.
“We believe one of the Daggers of Abaddon found its way here,” I said. “It’s the last of the three, and we need it to create Abaddon’s Last Hope, a weapon capable of stopping them.”
You are correct that it is here. Shortly after running through a portal from his realm, a foolish human mage dropped it. We were lucky to find it before anyone else. He tossed his head, knocking leaves loose with his antlers. It is a dangerous weapon that never should have existed. Its power is too great.
My shoulders drooped, defeated. Our entire plan had relied on getting that damn dagger.
I will take you to the dagger, the stag continued, but be forewarned: the Last Hope is a misleading name. As with its namesake, the weapon desires death above all else and will attempt to corrupt any who wields it. Few are strong enough to withstand its unquenchable thirst.
Nothing like a dire warning to accompany a weapon that could save us all.
“Kit, you’re the strongest here. Looks like you’ll be using it,” I said.
She shook her head. “Not the way he means. It’s hard enough not giving into my magic.”
Come. The stag turned back to the forest’s depths.
Casting quick glances at the unnerving trees, we followed the Keeper.
Despite the Guardians’ return to normal, the uneasy feeling of being watched lingered. Hairs rose along my neck as I walked, and I looked back every few feet.
“I still feel like we’re being watched,” I said as my apprehension thickened.
You are safe here. The Guardians will ensure we come to no harm. The stag’s voice remained calm and peaceful.
Despite his reassurance, I couldn’t shake the eerie sense of foreboding creeping through my senses. Every rustle and chirp had my head whipping around, expecting another attack.
The others were also on edge. Lena’s gaze shifted constantly, and she muttered under her breath more than usual.
Just when my imagination was getting the best of me, we broke through the trees into a clearing, and I breathed a sigh of relief. White and yellow flowers dotted the area, filling the air with a light floral scent, while butterflies fluttered among the petals.
A rough rock wall barred the way forward at the clearing’s far end, and a rumbling waterfall cascaded into a pool with soothing splashes. The water was so blue it was disorienting, like you would fall into the sky instead.
Lush vegetation and boulders bordered a sandy beach leading to the water’s edge. Birds swooped down for a drink or a bath, calling out to each other with curious tilts of their heads.
The dagger lies within. The stag tilted its antlers toward the waterfall. You may only retrieve it at dusk.
