The Obsidian Library held many secrets, but one of its most cryptic revelations was the mention of the Eclipsed Gate. After their tense encounter with the Keeper, Mary, Lela, and Loosie carefully left the library with the book, their minds heavy with the cryptic message they had received. The book contained nothing but riddles—each line more confusing than the last. It didn't seem to offer any immediate clues about the Eclipsed Gate, but something in its weight suggested there was more beneath the surface.
"Great," Loosie muttered, glancing over the pages. "A hundred-year-old riddle book. Just what we needed."
Mary, walking ahead with her sword Saber of Mist slung over her back, didn't respond immediately. Her mind was elsewhere, swirling with the implications of what the Keeper had said.
The Forgotten Hunters were not just the remnants of a betrayed order—they were something far darker now, hunting not for justice, but for vengeance. And they had been marked, without choice, to play a part in their downfall. The Eclipsed Gate could hold the key, but where was it? How could they reach it?
"Loosie," Mary said, halting for a moment. "Did you catch anything in there that might point to where the Eclipsed Gate is?"
Loosie flipped another page, eyes scanning it quickly. "Honestly, it's just more about the Hunters' origin—something about time itself, and the fall of an ancient order… Not exactly helpful."
Lela, who had been walking in silence beside them, spoke up. "It's a place beyond mortal reach… Beyond time itself. That doesn't sound like it's on any map we know."
Mary nodded slowly. "If it's beyond time, then it's probably not something we'll find through conventional means."
They continued on in silence, the road ahead twisting and turning through the dense forest. There was something unsettling about this journey now—something that lingered in the air, like a storm on the horizon. Their destination was becoming clearer, but it was also growing more dangerous by the hour.
An Unexpected Encounter
As they made their way through the woods, the temperature dropped suddenly, the once-soft wind now carrying an ominous chill. Loosie's eyes darted around nervously.
"I don't like this," Loosie muttered. "The air is thick. Something's coming."
Lela tightened her grip on Gáe Bolg, her body tensing in preparation. "We're being followed."
Mary felt it too. The prickling sensation at the back of her neck, the subtle shift in the shadows. She turned to look behind them. There was nothing—only the dense trees and the eerie quiet of the forest.
Then, in an instant, the ground beneath them trembled. It wasn't a typical earthquake or a shift in the land—it felt… wrong. Something dark. Something unnatural.
Suddenly, a shadow moved in the corner of her vision.
"Get ready!" Mary shouted.
From the darkness, figures emerged. They were tall, humanoid shapes, but with glowing, malevolent eyes and jagged black armor that seemed to shimmer with unnatural energy. Their movements were fluid, almost predatory, as if they had been stalking them for some time.
The Forgotten Hunters.
The air crackled with energy as one of them stepped forward, its voice a cold, rasping whisper. "You have ventured too far, blood of Heaven and Hell. The gate is closed to you."
"Not for long," Mary replied, drawing Saber of Mist with a flash of motion. The blade shimmered as it caught the faint light, a cool mist emanating from its edge.
The Hunter advanced, its hands raised as shadows swirled around it. "Your bloodline cannot save you. This world does not belong to those like you."
Before Mary could react, the Hunter's arm shot forward, a spear of pure darkness formed in its grasp. She barely had time to dodge, the shadowy lance grazing her arm as she sidestepped.
"Not today," Lela said from behind her, swinging Gáe Bolg. The spear sliced through the air with speed and power, but the Hunter parried with its own dark blade, sparks flying where the weapons met.
Loosie drew a dagger, their eyes flashing. "They're fast, but we're faster."
Mary's mind raced. The Eclipsed Gate wasn't just some mythical destination. It was a real place, and if the Forgotten Hunters were here—actively hunting them—then it was likely near.
"Split up!" Mary shouted. "Lela, Loosie—go left! I'll take the right!"
Lela nodded without hesitation, already charging at the nearest Hunter with the grace and deadly precision of a skilled fighter. Loosie darted to the side, using the cover of the trees to move with stealth, attacking from unexpected angles.
Mary faced off against the leader of the Hunters, the one who had spoken. Its glowing eyes narrowed in on her as it raised its blade. "You will not stop the inevitable.
Mary smirked, a chill running through her veins as she raised Saber of Mist. "The inevitable? You're about to learn that fate doesn't always go as planned."
With a flash, she struck. Mist Blade.
Three arcs of light, as if from three different realms, converged on the Hunter, cutting off its escape. The attack was so fast, so precise, that the creature barely had time to react. The first slash ripped through its armor, the second collided with its shoulder, and the third struck directly at its heart.
The Hunter screamed in pain as it collapsed, its body fading into shadows.
The Realization
The remaining Hunters retreated, disappearing back into the forest as quickly as they had appeared. The air around them lightened, the oppressive pressure lifting, but the fight had left its mark. Lela and Loosie regrouped with Mary, their expressions grim.
"They weren't just after us," Loosie said, breathing heavily. "They're guarding something."
Lela nodded, her eyes dark. "They're guarding the Eclipsed Gate."
Mary looked down at the book they had taken from the Obsidian Library. Something was stirring within it—a strange warmth radiated from the pages, and a faint light glimmered.
"We need to keep moving," Mary said. "They're just the beginning. The Eclipsed Gate is near, I can feel it. And now… we're closer than ever."