Egg Of Life

The Shadow That Knows

The voice from beyond the shattered gate rolled through the forest like distant thunder, causing the trees to shudder and the ground beneath their feet to pulse softly. Amara instinctively took a step back, her breath coming in uneven gasps. Kelechi moved closer to her, but even he couldn’t mask the fear that tightened his jaw. “Who… who’s there?” he called out, trying to sound brave. A long silence hung in the air. Then, the darkness between the cracked stone pillars seemed to shift. Something enormous stirred within it, unseen yet undeniably present. “You carry what does not belong to this world,” the voice said again, this time slower, as if it were studying her. Amara’s glowing mark flickered faintly in response to the sound. “I didn’t choose this,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “I don’t even understand what I carry.” A low hum resonated from the gate, as if the darkness were contemplating. “Yet it has chosen you,” the voice replied. The cowries in her hand suddenly stilled. The forest fell unnaturally silent. Then the voice whispered one last warning: “Step closer… and truth will not spare you.” The wind ceased entirely. And the broken gate began to creak open wider on its own.