Villain's Last Chance
Chapter 38: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 38: Shadows of the Past

The wind howled through the trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. I pulled my cloak tighter around me as we rode deeper into the wilds, my body aching from the endless hours in the saddle. The further we traveled from the city, the more the weight of our departure settled on my shoulders.

I wasn’t just leaving behind a home. I was leaving behind certainty.

"You must master the Codex, or it will master you."

The Council’s decree had sealed my fate. No room for argument, no choice but to comply. The Codex was an ancient relic of power, its magic thrumming with something primal, something dangerous. And it had chosen me.

But why?

I wasn’t the strongest. I wasn’t the most skilled. I had spent my life surviving, not wielding untold power.

Yet the Codex had bound itself to me, and now I was expected to control it.

I adjusted my grip on the reins, feeling the leather bite into my palms. The Codex, strapped tightly to my side, seemed to pulse with each breath I took, like it was alive—watching, waiting.

Cairon rode beside me, silent as ever. His presence was steady, unwavering, but his eyes constantly scanned the darkened trees, always on alert. He hadn’t spoken much since we left, and I wasn’t sure if he was lost in thought or simply didn’t know what to say.

I wasn’t sure either.

The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken questions.

I was the first to break it.

"How much further?" My voice was quieter than I intended, swallowed by the rustling leaves.

Cairon didn’t answer immediately. His gaze flickered toward the darkening horizon. "Another hour. We need to put more distance between us and the main roads."

I sighed but nodded. He was right, of course. We weren’t safe yet.

I glanced over my shoulder, though I knew there was nothing behind us except shadows and fading memories.

We had left under the Council’s orders, but the truth was, I wasn’t just running toward something.

I was running from failure.

Because if I failed—if I let the Codex consume me—what would be left of me?

A weapon? A husk?

The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

I looked at Cairon again, his jaw set in quiet determination. He hadn’t hesitated to come with me, to leave everything behind. That should have reassured me. Instead, it only added to my guilt.

"What if I can’t do this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Cairon didn’t look at me. "You will."

"You don’t know that."

"Yes, I do."

I let out a bitter laugh. "You sound just like them."

His jaw tightened. "Because they’re right."

I turned away, frustration curling in my chest. He always made it sound so simple. As if mastering an ancient, cursed book was as easy as breathing. As if failure wasn’t an option.

But it was.

And it terrified me.

---

By the time we stopped for the night, the sky had darkened to a deep indigo, the stars scattered across the heavens like distant flames. We found shelter beneath the twisted roots of an old oak, its massive trunk shielding us from the wind. A slow-moving stream trickled nearby, the sound blending with the distant cries of night creatures.

Cairon dismounted first, moving with the effortless grace he always did. I followed, wincing as I stretched out my stiff limbs. My muscles ached from the long ride, exhaustion settling deep in my bones.

"We’ll rest here," he said, scanning the area with his usual sharp-eyed caution. "I’ll check the perimeter. Start a fire."

I didn’t argue.

We fell into our unspoken rhythm—him ensuring we weren’t followed, me handling the more practical tasks. It was familiar, this quiet dance of survival.

As I knelt to arrange the firewood, my eyes flickered toward the Codex.

It sat beside me, its cover gleaming in the firelight.

Just a book.

But I knew better.

I hesitated before reaching for it, my fingers brushing over the ancient leather. A chill ran through me, the magic pulsing beneath my touch. The Codex wanted to be opened.

"You haven’t touched it since we left."

Cairon’s voice cut through the night, quiet but edged with something unreadable.

I didn’t look at him. "I know."

"Why?"

Because I was afraid.

Afraid of what it would reveal. Afraid of what it would take from me.

Afraid that the more I understood it, the less of myself I would recognize.

I swallowed. "Because once I do, there’s no turning back."

A long pause. Then, softer than I expected, Cairon said, "There never was."

I exhaled. He was right.

But knowing that didn’t make it easier.

---

The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows along the forest floor. I lay on my bedroll, staring up at the vast expanse of sky, listening to the distant sounds of the night.

Sleep wouldn’t come easily.

Not with the Codex so close.

Not with the weight of expectation pressing down on me.

I turned onto my side, my fingers curling into the fabric of my cloak. The night was cold, but the chill that settled in my chest had nothing to do with the wind.

I reached for the Codex before I could stop myself.

The leather was cool beneath my touch, the golden etchings shimmering faintly in the firelight. My breath hitched as I flipped it open, the pages turning beneath my fingers as if guided by an unseen force.

The words shifted, rearranging themselves before my eyes. A whisper curled through my mind, soft as silk.

"You are not ready."

I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The pages glowed faintly, the ink swirling like liquid gold. The words twisted into something indecipherable—something watching.

Something waiting.

I snapped the book shut, my pulse roaring in my ears.

Cairon was watching me. He didn’t speak, but his body was tense, his fingers twitching slightly.

He didn’t ask what I had seen.

He didn’t need to.

We both knew this was only the beginning.

---

I sat up, my breathing unsteady, the weight of the Codex pressing against my lap.

"Cairon," I murmured.

He turned his head slightly, acknowledging me without looking away from the darkness beyond our fire.

I hesitated. "What if I fail?"

His gaze flicked toward me then, his eyes sharp and unwavering. "You won’t."

"You don’t know that," I whispered.

His expression darkened, something unreadable flickering across his face. "You think the Codex chose you by accident?"

I clenched my jaw. "Maybe it did."

Cairon scoffed. "You know better than that."

I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t. Because deep down, I did know better.

The Codex had chosen me. And whether I was ready or not, it wouldn’t let me go.

I exhaled slowly, my grip tightening on the book.

The Council had sent me away to master it.

But what if I never could?

What if the Codex mastered me instead?

Cairon’s voice was quieter now, almost too soft to hear.

"You don’t have the luxury of doubting yourself, Elara."

I swallowed hard.

He was right.

There was no turning back.

Only forward.