After a minute, she managed to get back on her hands and knees. Taking slow, deep breaths, she carefully peeked over a rock she had hidden behind earlier to look at her surroundings. There was nothing close by, but the quiet of the cavern made her uneasy. She slowly stood up and moved cautiously, just in case she was wrong about the path she had taken. This was the part she hated most about the Golem realm: the maze-like cave she had to pass through to find the ancient scroll. The scroll held knowledge about the Elemental Convergence, but the cave was filled with dangerous creatures, many of which weren’t friendly.

  She shook her head, trying to push away the memory of her run-in with the giant spider. She gently pushed open a small tunnel that led outside and looked around, hoping to find an exit. The entrance was blocked by huge boulders, forming a solid wall. Up ahead, at the end of the passage, she heard voices. Carefully, she peered around a rock, watching closely. A group of three men stood together on the path, all wearing simple black armor. One man stepped forward, holding a shield and sword in his hands. The other two followed, each with different weapons in hand. They seemed to be getting ready for a fight, but she knew that wasn’t the case. There was no need to get ready—they were already prepared.

  She watched as their eyes carefully scanned the area for any signs of danger. When nothing showed up, they turned to face the cave, waiting for something. She saw this as her chance to leave before they noticed her. She didn’t want to find out what they would do if they discovered she was there. They were the Old Soldiers, known as walking shadows in the Golem realm, sworn to protect their people. These warriors, once the fierce defenders of the realm, had been given a second chance at life through a mysterious device said to be made by the gods. With their bodies preserved by enchanted gears and magic, they now served as guardians against dark forces.

  The Old Soldiers lived in constant fear of an ancient curse—one that turned even the mightiest warriors into mindless shadows, lost to the darkness they once fought against. Legends told of the Waking Shadows, evil spirits that hunted the souls of the fallen, pulling them into an endless night. To avoid this terrible fate, the Old Soldiers followed a strict code:

  The first ceremony honored the fallen. Every month, on full moon nights, they gathered to remember their comrades who had died. They believed that honoring the dead kept the shadows away, as the spirits of the fallen would watch over and protect them. The people would meet at a sacred clearing in the forest, where the air was thick with a quiet reverence, and the villagers prepared for the ceremony.

  The second part of their code involved cleansing rituals. Using sacred herbs and chants, the Old Soldiers performed rituals believed to purify their spirits and protect them from the darkness. Every step of the rituals was done with care, each movement strengthening their bond to the light. The third was the Guardian's Mark. Every Old Soldier bore a unique symbol, marking their connection to the land and its magic. Under the full moon, they renewed this mark as a reminder of their purpose and a shield against the shadows. Finally, the last rule was to avoid temptation. They stayed away from places filled with sorrow and despair, knowing that the shadows thrived on fear and regret. They embraced laughter and camaraderie, seeing joy as a powerful shield against the darkness.

  Seren slowly stepped away from the opening and waited until all three soldiers were out of sight, disappearing into the cave. Once they were gone, she returned to the main cavern and began making her way back to the main passage. As she walked, her mind replayed the conversation from earlier that day. "What if I run into them again?" she thought, her eyes closing as a holographic screen appeared in the air, displaying the information she needed.

  Character Sheet:

  [Armor Class: 18]

  [Weapon(s): Sword]

  [Hit Points: 30]

  [Speed: 30 feet]

  Progression Stats:

  [Languages: Common, Infernal]

  [Damage Vulnerabilities: Psychic damage (assuming her fire powers made her weaker to mental attacks)]

  [Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened]

  [Challenge (s): 2 (for the three shadow soldiers)]

  Skills:

  [Acrobatics: +5 (DEX)]

  [Stealth: +5 (DEX)]

  [Persuasion: +4 (CHA)]

  [Insight: +3 (WIS)]

  [Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 12]

  Attributes:

  [Strength (STR): 12 (+1)]

  [Dexterity (DEX): 16 (+3)]

  [Constitution (CON): 14 (+2)]

  [Intelligence (INT): 10 (+0)]

  [Wisdom (WIS): 13 (+1)]

  [Charisma (CHA): 15 (+2)]

  Nimble Escape:

  [Could take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on her turn.]

  Actions:

  1. Firebolt (Ranged Spell Attack)

  Range: 120 feet

  Target: One creature

  Damage: 1d10 fire damage

  Casting Time: 1 action

  Duration: Instantaneous

  2. Sword Attack

  Range: Melee (5 feet)

  Target: One creature

  Damage: 1d6 + 3 (DEX modifier) slashing damage

  Casting Time: 1 action

  Duration: Instantaneous

  3. Flame Blade

  Range: Melee (5 feet)

  Target: One creature

  Damage: 3d6 fire damage

  Casting Time: 1 bonus action

  Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

  Strategy:

  [To avoid the shadow soldiers, Seren could use her Nimble Escape ability to quickly disengage from combat, giving her the chance to hide and reassess the situation. Her heavy armor offered solid protection against attacks, while her fire powers made her a force to be reckoned with offensively. With a combination of agility and strength, she could strike when the moment was right or slip away without leaving a trace. It was a careful balance—stay hidden, stay ready, and choose her actions wisely.]

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "I already made quite a mistake. Maybe I should just leave—" Seren’s thoughts were cut off by a loud thump from one of the entrances, followed by several shouts. She looked up, expecting to see the Ancient Soldiers returning, but instead, a figure appeared from the cave. Her eyes widened, and she quickly ducked behind the rocks, watching as the person stepped into the light, looking confused.

  "What the heck…" he muttered, pulling off his hood to reveal long, wavy brown hair tied in a ponytail, green robes, and a pair of golden bracelets. A silver belt held several daggers at his side. "What the hell is going on out here?"

  "Garrick," Seren whispered his name softly under her breath.

  Garrick glanced down at the floor, almost as if checking for something he might’ve dropped. His eyes, however, locked onto the large boulder in front of him. Stepping closer, he raised his arms above his head, extending his hands until they touched the boulder. His palms glowed a bright yellow, the same hue as the glow coming from his staff. With his eyes closed, he began chanting in a strange, rhythmic language, his lips moving quickly.

  Suddenly, a small stream of sparks shot from his hands, flowing upward toward the ceiling of the cave. After a few moments, Garrick opened his eyes and released the stream. He immediately jumped back, shaking his hands as if to rid them of an uncomfortable sensation. His gaze shifted to the ground, scanning for any traces of footprints. Finding none, he sighed and turned away, leaving the cave.

  "Garrick, down!" Seren's urgent voice cut through the air, and he turned around just in time. Before he could react, a firebolt struck him squarely. He fell hard to the ground, his head slamming against the stone. His eyes shot open, revealing a dull orange glow. Pain surged through his body, and before he could even gather himself, a massive explosion of light erupted behind him. Seren had used one of her spells—she was so close, and yet Garrick had missed his chance.

  "No!" Seren screamed, her voice filled with panic as she watched helplessly, her heart sinking, as Garrick crumbled to the ground, his eyes now lifeless.

  For a brief moment, Garrick lay there, dazed and disoriented. Then, slowly, he began to recover. With a groan, he pushed himself up and, without wasting another second, dashed toward his opponent. Seren, realizing what was happening, sprinted after him, grabbing his arm and dragging him away, her hands tight around his sleeve. "We need to go—now!" she urged, her voice trembling with fear.

  "What have you done?" Garrick yelled angrily, his voice filled with frustration.

  Seren glanced around the smoke-filled cave, her mind racing. "What happened?" she wondered, her eyes scanning the wreckage.

  "Why did you attack me?" Garrick growled, trying to free himself from her grip.

  "You weren't paying attention, and those walking shadows were about to attack you," Seren said proudly. "I just saved you."

  "By attacking me with your firebolt?" Garrick mocked sarcastically, his tone bitter as he looked around at the devastation. Flames still rose from the walls of the cave, adding to the chaos.

  "So? Did I win?" Seren asked, her voice laced with defiance.

  "Yes, you won," Garrick sighed, looking at his disheveled state, clearly irritated.

  "But now the guards will come and deal with us. Why didn’t you fight with your magic?" Seren's eyes softened as she looked at him, concern creeping into her voice. "Didn't you realize this was a trap? They’ll kill you."

  "Who cares? What does it matter if my life is forfeit?" Garrick replied with a hollow laugh. "We already lost everything. It doesn’t matter anymore."

  Seren's heart sank. "What are you talking about?" she asked, confused and worried.

  "This is the 110th time," Garrick said, his voice distant. "I tried to awaken my Golem, but it never worked. This is my fourth day in this cave."

  Seren stared at him, shocked. "Are you serious? I don't understand how you stayed here for four days," she said, disbelief written on her face. "Aren’t you worried about being caught?"

  "I didn’t think the guards would risk it, since we were clearly no threat," Garrick said with a bitter laugh. "And even if they did, what was the point? They already knew I was a sorcerer who was about to awaken a Golem."

  Suddenly, the sound of voices reached their ears. Garrick quickly pulled Seren behind a large rock, his hand covering her mouth to keep her quiet. The voices grew louder as two guards carrying torches walked into view.

  The guards stopped at the entrance of the cave, scanning the area with sharp eyes, looking for any signs of movement. After a tense moment, they continued their patrol, disappearing down a side path.

  "They were up to something that time," Garrick whispered, his voice low and cautious.

  Seren nodded in agreement, still trying to process everything that had just happened. It seemed like danger was closing in from all sides.

  "They probably returned later to check the area," Seren observed, her eyes scanning the shadows around them.

  "They better have gotten back early if they expected to get anything that night," Garrick chuckled darkly, his voice tinged with bitterness.

  "What did you mean?" Seren asked, confused by his tone.

  "When the sun set, there was no one left to protect us," he explained grimly, his eyes distant as if lost in thought.

  "How did you know?" she questioned, now more curious and concerned.

  "Didn't you know about Elemental Convergence?" Garrick asked seriously, leaning against the cave wall. His expression hardened as he spoke. "After the dawn of morning, there was nothing but emptiness, darkness, and hunger. No light, no heat. And when night fell… the only things left alive were the shadows that dwelled in the depths of the earth, where they remained until sunrise."

  Seren listened in silence, her mind racing as she processed his words. The stories the village Elders had spoken of, the dangers lurking outside the walls—they seemed to be coming true. This was what they had warned her about, the darkness creeping in, the end of everything they had known.

  But there was something more, something unsettling that gnawed at her. She realized with a sinking feeling that she was beginning to understand what was happening. Only she knew who was behind this, and why they were trying to destroy every living thing in this realm.

  Maybe, just maybe, there was a way to stop it. Maybe she could help.

  Garrick’s voice broke the silence, startling her. “You could stop hiding,” he said. “We’re safe here.”

  But that thought didn’t last long. As soon as they stepped out from behind the rock, one of the shadowy figures attacked. The guard reacted quickly, throwing his sword to block the strike, sending sparks flying. Garrick pulled out the dagger from his silver belt and used it to deflect some of the blows aimed at her. Still, one strike grazed her thigh, making her cry out in pain. Garrick slashed at the attacker’s face, forcing it to back away. Before he could finish the job, the other guard rushed in and slashed at the shadow’s chest, sending it to the ground.

  Seren tried to help, lunging forward to stab the soldier’s arm, but the guard blocked her attack and countered with a punch to her stomach, followed by a kick to her chest. The force sent her sprawling backward, landing on her hands and knees. “That one really hurt,” she groaned, clutching her stomach.

  Seren pushed herself up and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the guard’s next strike. Instead of attacking, she quickly summoned a fireball and hurled it straight into the guard’s chest, sending him flying backward. Once she was back on her feet, Seren darted around, trying to evade the remaining swordsman. The guard spun and swung at her, forcing her to leap back. A flurry of attacks followed, each one more forceful than the last, but Seren’s agility kept her safe. She dodged every strike effortlessly, almost without thinking, until she saw her chance. With a powerful uppercut, she sent the guard crashing to the ground.

  The guard scrambled back up and lunged at her again, but Seren sidestepped and delivered a sharp kick to his jaw, knocking him down once more. As the other guard began to recover, Seren glanced at Garrick. “Do you need healing? I don’t have many potions, but I can try to find some.” Garrick shook his head, gripping his staff tightly. He charged it up and pointed it at the remaining guard, unleashing a wave of thunder that surged toward the enemy. A flaming sphere erupted, engulfing the guard in flames and burning him to ash.

  With one enemy down, Garrick stepped back to the center of the room, his eyes locked on the last opponent. He glared fiercely, ready for whatever came next.