The Gnarled Tree

I exhaled, letting out a long, frustrated breath, feeling the weight of the encounter settle onto my shoulders. The courtyard was silent now, the sounds of the city muffled and distant, as if I had stepped into another realm—a quiet, forgotten pocket where time moved slower.

I looked up at the twisted tree, its gnarled branches reaching upward like skeletal fingers. The dark bark was weathered and cracked, and something about it felt wrong. It had a presence, as if it had witnessed too much, absorbed too much of the city's secrets. It felt like Elyndra's exit was almost theatrical, like she knew the effect it would have.

'Great, now I'm thinking trees have feelings. Just fantastic.'

The voice that had guided me here remained silent, as if content to watch me stumble through this bizarre encounter. I had followed it, expecting answers—or at least a hint about the relic's nature. Instead, I got riddles and a woman who seemed to know too much about me and my situation. It was maddening.

I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe the building headache. 'Seek the one who walks between shadows,' the voice had said. Well, I found her, but all I had to show for it were more questions. Questions that seemed to multiply every time I thought I was getting closer to understanding anything about this damned city or the relic—or even myself.

I glanced back at the twisting alleys that led me here. The city was waiting, its maze-like streets beckoning me to return to its chaotic embrace. I had to keep moving; standing here would only draw more attention, and if Elyndra knew who I was, who else might be watching?

As I turned to leave the courtyard, a rustling sound caught my ear. I paused, listening. It came from the tree—the dry creaking of wood shifting. I glanced back, half expecting it to have moved somehow, but it remained rooted in place. Yet, as I stared at its twisted branches, I couldn't shake the feeling that it was watching me, its dark bark etched with countless eyes, hidden among the knots and cracks.

'Right, just another day in Harmony. Creepy trees, mysterious women, and voices in my head.'

I picked a direction and began to walk, keeping my steps light and quick. The narrow alleys seemed to close in on me, the shadows stretching and lengthening as I moved further away from the courtyard. The city's sounds gradually returned—distant chatter, the clatter of hooves on cobblestone, the occasional shout or whistle.

But despite the return of the city's familiar noise, I felt a chill run down my spine. Something had shifted. I could feel it—a tension in the air, a subtle change in the way the city's rhythm pulsed around me. I wasn't sure if it was Elyndra's words or something else, but Harmony felt different now, like it was watching me more closely than before.

I needed to regroup. I needed to think. The Oswin estate wasn't too far away from here. I could hole up there and figure out my next steps. Maybe I could dig through some of the old family records or question someone who might know more about this so-called "conduit" and these "old covenants."

As I rounded another corner, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder—nothing but empty street. Still, I couldn't ignore the prickling sensation at the back of my neck.

'Stay alert, Aric. Or Elijah. Or whoever I am today.'

I kept walking, but my hand moved to the hilt of the dagger hidden beneath my cloak, fingers curling around the cool metal. The weight was reassuring, a reminder that not everything in this world was as intangible and vague as the riddles I kept encountering. Some things were simple. Steel, for example. Steel was straightforward. It cut, it killed, it ended mysteries rather quickly when needed.

A soft whisper of movement behind me sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins. I spun around, dagger drawn, eyes scanning the shadows. For a moment, I saw nothing—just the empty alley. But then a figure stepped out from the darkness, moving with a fluid grace that was almost too smooth to be natural.

"Looking for something, friend?" A low voice, almost playful.

A man stood before me, wrapped in a dark cloak that blended seamlessly with the shadows. His face was mostly hidden beneath a hood, but I caught a glint of something metallic—a smirk, perhaps? His eyes were sharp, too sharp, and they locked onto mine with a predator's focus.

'And here I thought I might actually get a break.'

I tightened my grip on the dagger, my heart pounding in my chest. "Depends," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Are you offering help or looking for trouble?"

The man chuckled softly, a sound that echoed unnaturally in the confined space of the alley. "Help? Trouble? They're the same thing in this city, aren't they?" He tilted his head, studying me with a curiosity that felt almost invasive. "Word is, you're asking questions about things that are better left alone. Things that people don't take kindly to being asked about."

My eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

"Just a concerned citizen, like yourself," he said, taking a step closer. "But unlike you, I know how to keep my head down and my nose out of places it doesn't belong."

"Funny," I replied, not lowering my dagger. "I didn't realize this alley belonged to anyone."

He smiled, a slow, deliberate motion that showed teeth. "Everything belongs to someone in Harmony. Even the shadows."

His cringe words hung in the air, and for a moment, I thought about testing his resolve, seeing just how committed he was to his vague threats. But something in his eyes warned me that he wasn't bluffing—he had the look of someone who had seen his fair share of fights and walked away from them all.

"Fair enough," I said slowly, taking a step back. "I'll remember that."

The man's smile widened. "You do that, friend. And remember—curiosity can be deadly in a city like this. Ask too many questions, and you might find answers you don't like."

With that, he turned and melted back into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he had appeared.

I stood there for a moment longer, my heart still racing, trying to process what had just happened. More riddles. More warnings. It seemed like everyone in this city spoke in circles, hiding behind cryptic words and veiled threats. But one thing was clear: I needed to be more careful.

Harmony was a city of secrets, and I had a feeling I had just scratched the surface. I had to figure out who was watching me and why—and most importantly, what Elyndra's warning truly meant. But first, I needed to get out of these alleys and back to somewhere safe.

Tucking the dagger back under my cloak, I turned and continued on my way, senses on high alert, every nerve buzzing with anticipation.

Behind me, almost swallowed by the dark, a soft mumble lingered, just beyond the edge of perception. "Welcome to Harmony, Aric. You're in for one hell of a ride."

The words were barely more than a breath, a wisp of sound carried away by the wind, lost to the city's symphony of distant clatter and murmurs. Unheard by me, but hanging in the air like a ghostly echo—a warning, a taunt, or perhaps just a cruel amusement from the shadows that cloaked Harmony.

....

The country road wound through the hills, flanked by dense forests on either side. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the sky was now a deep shade of blue, tinged with the last remnants of twilight. The Oswin estate lay nestled deep within the countryside, away from the bustling city of Harmony. Isolated and grand, it was both a fortress and a sanctuary, surrounded by expansive grounds that stretched far beyond what the eye could see. Here, the whispers of the world grew faint, replaced by the rustling leaves and the distant cry of night birds.

My feet moved swiftly, crunching the gravel underfoot as I neared the estate's outer gates. Elyndra's cryptic words from earlier still reverberated in my mind. "A conduit to the old covenants." I didn't know what it meant, but it sounded like something I should have known. Her interest in me was unnerving. She could have had me killed—no, she had other plans. A bait? A warning? Both?

'Think, Aric. She wants you alive for a reason. You're being maneuvered like a piece on a chessboard.'

My pulse quickened as I approached the iron gates of the Oswin estate, guarded by a pair of silent sentries who gave me only the briefest of nods. They were familiar with my comings and goings by now, even in the dead of night. The family crest—a coiled serpent entwined around a sword—glimmered in the moonlight, a stark reminder of the legacy I was supposed to inherit.

Inside, the estate was a quiet labyrinth of old stone and shadow. The servants, moving like phantoms, barely acknowledged my presence. I made my way to the library, a place where I often sought refuge from the complexities that surrounded me. The doors groaned as I pushed them open, and the familiar scent of aged parchment, ink, and leather filled my nostrils.

The library was cavernous, with towering shelves crammed full of ancient tomes and manuscripts. Each volume held a piece of history—secrets, stories, and knowledge that had been guarded by generations of Oswins. I headed to a secluded corner, my usual spot, and pulled out a chair. Tonight, I needed answers—about the Oswin family, the old covenants, and Elyndra's vague warning.

Inside, the estate was as silent as a crypt. The servants moved like shadows, accustomed to staying out of sight and mind. The grand stone manor was dark, with only a few flickering lanterns casting weak light against its ancient walls. I made my way to the library, a place I had come to think of as my sanctuary. The massive doors creaked as I pushed them open, the scent of aged parchment and leather filling my nostrils.

Rows upon rows of ancient tomes lined the walls, each filled with the knowledge and secrets of generations of Oswins. I moved to a secluded corner, pulling out a chair and settling in. I needed to dig deeper—into the history of this estate, the family, and the relic itself. There had to be something in here that could shed light on what Elyndra meant by "old covenants."

I reached for a volume that seemed older than the rest, its spine cracked and faded. _The Covenant of Eldric_—a family chronicle that was often dismissed as a mere fable for children. But I knew better; much of what was written in it was truth. The Oswin family had taken great pains to destroy any records related to the relic's past, deeming them too dangerous. However, some books had survived the purges. Those that couldn't be destroyed entirely were relegated to obscurity, labeled as fables to obscure their true significance. This was one I had skimmed before but never read deeply. I opened it to the first page, the text scrawled in archaic script:

"To bind the fates of men and gods, to hold power over the realm beyond, is to accept the burden of both knowledge and madness."

A shiver ran down my spine. I continued reading, my eyes scanning the pages filled with tales of Eldric Oswin, the founder of the family—one of the four who had made a contract with the gods. The book spoke of a pact, an agreement between Eldric and forces that existed beyond the Veil. Power, granted at a terrible cost. I had heard the stories growing up, of course, but now, with everything I had witnessed and learned, they took on a far more sinister tone.

My finger traced the worn text, and something caught my eye—a sketch on the margin of a page. It was of a tree, twisted and gnarled, much like the one in Elyndra's courtyard. Below it, a single line was scribbled hastily:

"Where the roots touch shadow, the path to the forgotten is revealed."

A cold sensation spread through my veins. Was it coincidence? Or was this another piece of the puzzle? I flipped the page, finding more references to shadows, to the "forgotten." It wasn't just about the relic—it was about something older, something buried deep within the estate itself.

Suddenly, I felt a presence—a tingling at the base of my skull. I glanced up, my hand instinctively moving toward the dagger at my side. There was someone else in the library. I hadn't heard the door, hadn't sensed their approach. The shadows between the shelves seemed to shift.

"Who's there?" My voice was steady, but wary.

A figure emerged from between the rows of books. A young woman with dark hair cascading over her shoulders and a white band covering her eyes—Liora. My sister.

Despite her blindness, she moved with a confidence that spoke of years spent memorizing every inch of this library, every shift in its air. Her head tilted slightly in my direction, her expression a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Aric?" she called softly, her voice gentle but searching. "I knew I'd find you here."

I relaxed. "Liora," I replied, keeping my tone even. "What are you doing here so late?"

She stepped closer, her footsteps soft against the stone floor. "I could ask you the same," she said with a small smile. "You've been… different lately. I wanted to see if you're all right."

Different. Of course she would notice. Liora may have lost her sight, but she was always perceptive, able to sense shifts in people's demeanor and mood. She couldn't see my face, couldn't see the person who now inhabited Aric's body—but she could sense that something was off.

I cleared my throat, attempting to sound like the brother she knew. "Just doing some reading. There's… a lot on my mind."

She moved closer, her fingers brushing along the edge of a table for guidance. "You're not the only one. Ever since Father left for the capital again, there's been talk in the city—rumors of changes coming. And now, you're spending more time in the library than usual." Her tone turned more serious. "I worry about you."

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I've been trying to understand more about our family—about the relic and the things our ancestors did. There's a lot that doesn't make sense."

Liora nodded, her expression thoughtful. "The old covenants… The price they paid. I've heard some of the stories, but they were always shrouded in mystery. They never tell us everything."

Her words struck a chord. The old covenants—the very thing Elyndra had mentioned. Did Liora know more than she was letting on? "Have you ever heard about a tree where 'the roots touch shadow'?"

Her brow furrowed slightly. "A tree? No… but I've heard the phrase 'touching shadow' before. It's something to do with the old wards of the estate, I think. Places where the Veil is thin."

The Veil—the barrier between the material world and the eldritch realms. If there were places on the estate where the Veil was thin, it could explain Elyndra's words. A way to access power, or perhaps… knowledge.

Liora's face grew more concerned as she sensed my silence. "Aric… you're not thinking of going to those places, are you?"

I forced a smile, even though she couldn't see it. "I'm just reading, Liora. Nothing more."

She seemed to weigh my words carefully, then nodded. "Be careful, brother. Whatever you're looking for, don't lose yourself in it. The shadows are not kind to those who wander too deep."

I watched as she turned and slowly made her way back toward the exit, her steps light, as if she were afraid to disturb the quiet of the library. I waited until she was gone, the heavy doors closing softly behind her.

Turning back to the book in front of me, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was on the verge of something—something that could either reveal the truth or destroy me in the process. I had to know.

My fingers traced the sketch of the tree again, I had to read more to understand what this all meant.

I look at the shelves filled with books.

"This is going to be a long night...." 

....