Chapter 30: Shadows Return

The journey back to Elanor felt heavier than Aelric expected. The encounter with the cloaked figure in the woods lingered in his mind. The words it spoke, "The darkness is eternal", echoed over and over, like a warning he couldn't shake.

When they finally arrived at the city gates, the mood had shifted. The people were still rebuilding, and laughter occasionally broke out among workers as they shared stories. But for Aelric, there was no peace. The figure's dark magic had been real, and it meant danger still loomed over Eldoria.

Lyra noticed his silence as they dismounted. "You're worried about what we saw."

Aelric nodded. "I thought defeating the Shadow King would be the end. But what if his darkness still lingers? What if we didn't stop it completely?"

Lyra put a hand on his shoulder. "We knew rebuilding Eldoria wouldn't be easy. Darkness leaves scars, but scars don't mean we're defeated. You've already proven we can overcome anything."

Her words gave him some comfort, but the unease didn't fade entirely.

Later that night, in the council hall, Aelric shared what had happened in the forest with the council. The room was tense as he described the figure, its magic, and its warning.

"We need to be prepared," Aelric said, looking around at the leaders gathered. "I don't know how strong this new threat is, but we can't let our guard down."

Aldric, the elder councilor, stroked his beard thoughtfully. "If the Shadow King's magic still lingers, it may take root in places we least expect. We should investigate."

Seraphina stood, her voice sharp. "Then we don't wait. We take the fight to it before it grows stronger."

The council agreed, and plans were made to send scouts to the surrounding regions. Aelric knew that this was only the beginning of a new battle.