5: Secrets in the Shadows

The cold, mist-laden morning greeted them as Astra led Min Joon through dense woods toward the western fortress. Every step felt like a test. Min Joon struggled to keep pace with her, barely managing to navigate the undergrowth without tripping. Astra was silent, moving with the kind of practiced ease he envied but couldn't replicate. The gap in their skill and experience was all too clear.

"You're slowing us down," Astra said without looking back, her voice clipped. "If you keep dragging your feet, you'll be dead before we even reach the fortress."

Min Joon felt a pang of irritation but forced himself to swallow it. "I'll manage," he replied, trying to keep the defensiveness out of his tone. He knew better than to argue. This wasn't a game—it was life or death.

["A new mission has been activated: Survive and retrieve the artifact."]

The system's announcement brought a strange comfort. Though cryptic, it felt like an old companion, watching his back even in this unfamiliar world. He needed every advantage he could get.

As they moved, Min Joon noticed something strange about Astra's movements. She wasn't just leading him blindly—her head tilted subtly, her eyes shifting between shadows. She was scouting, searching for something, or someone.

"What are you looking for?" he ventured, trying to keep his voice steady.

She glanced over her shoulder, her expression inscrutable. "Eyes. Ears. We're not alone."

A chill ran down his spine, but before he could ask anything more, Astra raised a hand, signaling him to stop. She crouched low, drawing him down beside her. Her eyes narrowed on a clearing up ahead, where something glinted between the trees.

It was a set of runic symbols etched into the bark of a tree, shimmering faintly under the morning light. Min Joon recognized them at once. These were protective wards, used by certain cults to guard sacred places. They marked the edges of territory—a warning for those who dared to enter.

"We're close," she murmured. "Beyond this point, they'll know we're here."

"How do we get past them?" he whispered, trying not to let his nervousness show.

Astra's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "Who said we'd avoid them?"

Before he could react, she moved her fingers in a swift pattern, muttering an incantation under her breath. The air seemed to shimmer, and the wards in front of them flickered as if disturbed by her presence.

"They'll think it's a stray animal," she whispered, standing up. "But that won't buy us much time."

Min Joon followed her lead, his heart pounding. He hadn't expected Astra to know magic. In the story he'd read, mercenaries were rarely gifted with such skills. But Astra wasn't just any mercenary.

As they continued toward the fortress, Min Joon felt his pulse quicken. He was walking into the cult's den—these people didn't just worship power; they lived by it. They were rumored to perform rituals and sacrifices, using dark magic to bend their will to dangerous ends. In the original story, Cale had barely escaped with his life after crossing paths with them.

Soon, the dense trees opened into a cliffside, overlooking an eerie valley. The fortress stood below, a twisted amalgam of ancient stone and sinister charm. Dark turrets and battlements jutted up like broken teeth, casting ominous shadows on the valley below.

Astra handed him a pair of small, sharp daggers. "You'll need these."

He took them, feeling their weight in his hands. "And what exactly am I supposed to do with these? I've never fought anyone in my life."

She gave him a look that bordered on pity. "Stay close. Follow my lead. If someone corners you, aim for the throat." She turned back toward the fortress, her voice softening almost imperceptibly. "And if you're lucky, they won't see you at all."

Min Joon forced himself to nod, gripping the daggers tightly. He was about to say something when Astra held up her hand, her gaze narrowing. "Get down."

They dropped to their stomachs, lying hidden behind the tall grass as a group of cultists passed by below. Their robes were jet black, with silver masks concealing their faces. Each one carried a staff, adorned with strange carvings that glowed faintly in the dim light.

Astra's voice was barely a whisper. "Those are the High Attendants. The inner circle of the cult. They're not to be trifled with."

He could feel the gravity of her words pressing down on him. These were the people who held the true power within the cult. They weren't just guards—they were magicians, warriors, people who had sacrificed everything for dark power. And if they sensed him, he wouldn't stand a chance.

As the cultists moved out of sight, Astra rose, gesturing for him to follow. They crept through the tall grass, making their way closer to the fortress walls.

Finally, they reached a hidden entrance near the base of the fortress—a small, unguarded door half-covered by creeping vines. Astra pushed it open, and they slipped inside, swallowed by the shadows.

The interior was even more chilling. Dim torches cast flickering light on walls covered with murals depicting strange, otherworldly creatures. Symbols marked each door, each corridor. And the air was thick with a sense of foreboding.

"Do you know where the artifact is?" he whispered, trying to mask the nervous tremor in his voice.

"Yes," she replied, her voice cold and steady. "It's in the Sanctum, deep within the fortress. But we'll need to be careful—the place is littered with traps and wards."

They moved in silence, creeping through corridors and slipping past the occasional patrolling cultist. Min Joon's heart raced with every step. This wasn't the kind of adventure he'd ever imagined—his life balanced on a knife's edge with every move.

As they turned a corner, they stopped abruptly. A figure stood there, waiting as if they had been expected.

The figure was cloaked, and a low chuckle echoed from under the hood. "Did you think you could slip in so easily?" His voice was smooth, chilling, and edged with danger.

Min Joon instinctively raised his daggers, but Astra motioned for him to lower them.

The figure stepped forward, his face still hidden in shadow. "You must be Astra," he said, his tone casual yet unsettling. "The rogue mercenary. You're rather infamous among our circles."

Astra's eyes narrowed, but she remained silent, watching him with deadly calm.

"And you," the man continued, turning his attention to Min Joon. "The young lord, playing at being a hero. How quaint."

Min Joon felt his skin prickle. This man knew who he was—and that could only mean one thing. The cult had been expecting him. Perhaps they had known all along.

"Who are you?" Min Joon demanded, forcing himself to keep his voice steady.

The man chuckled again, raising a hand to pull back his hood, revealing a face lined with scars and dark, piercing eyes that seemed to look straight into his soul.

"My name is Kaelith," he said, his smile a blend of amusement and malice. "High Inquisitor of the Order of Shadows. And I must thank you for delivering yourselves to us so willingly."

Astra clenched her jaw, her eyes flashing with anger. "We're not here to play games, Kaelith. Hand over the artifact, and we'll leave."

Kaelith laughed, the sound cold and hollow. "Oh, you misunderstand, Astra. You see, the artifact… has already chosen its master." His gaze shifted to Min Joon, his smile widening. "And it's closer than you might think."

Min Joon's heart pounded as Kaelith's words settled over him like a dark cloud. He could feel the artifact's pull, a strange, inexplicable urge drawing him deeper into the fortress.

He met Kaelith's gaze, a spark of defiance igniting within him. "Then you'll have to deal with both of us," he said, surprising even himself with the strength in his voice.

Kaelith's eyes glinted, and he stepped back, motioning with his hand. Shadows seemed to gather around him, twisting and merging into strange, otherworldly forms.

"Very well," Kaelith murmured, his voice a low, deadly whisper. "Let's see what the young lord is truly made of."