Chapter 5: Reckless Charge

The shardbeast lunged, its claws slicing through the air like jagged blades.

Kael barely had time to raise his spear before the beast was on him. Its glowing emerald eyes burned with raw fury, and its roar reverberated through the canyon like a thunderclap. He stumbled back, the weight of the creature's attack sending shockwaves through his body.

"Kael, are you trying to get yourself killed? Move!"

Tayo's sharp voice carried over the chaos, a mix of urgency and frustration. Kael's feet felt rooted to the ground, frozen as the shardbeast loomed over him, its crystalline scales refracting the sunlight into cruel, brilliant shards.

A blur of motion from the corner of his eye broke the trance—an arrow whizzed past him, striking the beast's flank with a loud clang.

"Get it together!" Tayo shouted, his voice trembling with anger as he nocked another arrow. "We can't do this if you freeze up!"

Kael sucked in a ragged breath, his chest tight with the weight of failure. The plan had been clear—steady, calculated teamwork. But now it was all unraveling, and he was at the center of the storm.

"Kael, take its left!" Lirien's commanding voice cut through the noise as she sprinted into position, her silver braids glinting in the sunlight. She twirled her spear with practiced ease, her movements fluid and precise. "We need you! Now!"

"Got it!" Kael called back, shaking the fear from his mind. He tightened his grip on his spear and forced himself forward, adrenaline surging as he joined the fray.

The canyon was chaos.

Tayo stood a short distance away, his bow drawn taut as he loosed arrow after arrow. Lirien darted around the shardbeast's massive claws, her spear striking at the softer points in its crystal-like armor. Frenna charged in from the side, her hammer raised high, her determination etched into every line of her face.

They weren't just warriors—they were his friends, people who had been by his side through every challenge, every moment of doubt. And now, they were putting their trust in him.

"Keep it distracted!" Kael shouted, trying to push the fear out of his voice.

Ryn let out a sharp whistle, signaling to Frenna. She swung her hammer in a wide arc toward the beast's hind leg, the impact sending cracks spidering through its crystalline scales. The shardbeast roared in pain, its tail thrashing wildly, and Frenna grinned despite the danger.

"Nice hit!" Lirien called out, her voice ringing with encouragement as she lunged toward the beast's flank. Her spear found a weak point in its armor, the tip embedding just enough to make the creature screech and twist toward her.

Kael spotted an opening—the shardbeast's neck, where the armor was thinnest. He gripped his spear tighter, determination flaring. "Cover me!" he yelled, charging forward.

"No! Kael, wait!" Tayo's voice rose in panic. "We need to regroup—"

But Kael was already moving. His focus narrowed to the vulnerable spot on the beast's neck, his pulse roaring in his ears. He could end this, prove he wasn't the liability everyone thought he was.

The shardbeast twisted at the last second.

Kael's spear glanced off its armor with a deafening clang, the impact jarring his arms. The beast reared back, enraged, and swung its tail in a wide arc.

Kael dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the spines, but the tail didn't stop with him.

It slammed into Frenna with brutal force.

Her scream tore through the air as the spines sliced into her side, sending her sprawling. Blood splattered across the dusty rocks, the deep crimson a stark contrast to the pale canyon floor.

"Frenna!" Lirien cried, her voice breaking as she rushed toward her fallen friend. She dropped her spear and knelt beside her, pressing her hands to the wound in a desperate attempt to stem the bleeding.

Kael froze, his breath catching as the scene unfolded before him. Frenna's face was pale, her breaths shallow as she clutched at her side. The sight of her blood pooling beneath her was like a knife to his chest.

"This wasn't... I didn't mean..." Kael's voice cracked, the words catching in his throat.

"This wasn't what?" Tayo snapped, spinning to face him. His bow was still in his hand, but his focus was on Kael now, his eyes blazing with fury. "Part of your plan? No kidding! What plan, Kael? Charging in and hoping for the best?"

Kael flinched under the weight of Tayo's anger. "I thought—"

"No, you didn't!" Tayo interrupted, his voice shaking. "You didn't think! And now Frenna's—" He stopped, his gaze flicking back to her pale face.

Lirien's voice cut through the tension, cold and steady. "We need to get her back to the tribes. Now."

Tayo hesitated, his hands trembling, but then he nodded. "You're right. Let's move."

Kael stood frozen, guilt and shame rooting him to the spot as Tayo and Lirien worked to lift Frenna between them. Her blood stained Lirien's hands, her silver braids darkened where they'd brushed against Frenna's wounds.

"Kael!" Tayo shouted, snapping him out of his daze. "Help us, or get out of the way!"

Kael moved, his limbs heavy as he grabbed Frenna's arm and helped steady her. Her head lolled slightly, her eyes fluttering open just enough to meet his gaze.

"You're... okay," she murmured, her voice weak but filled with warmth. "Good..."

Kael's throat tightened, the weight of her words crushing. "I'm sorry," he whispered, though he wasn't sure she heard him.

The group moved as quickly as they could, the shardbeast retreating into the shadows of the canyon after its final screech. The air was heavy with the tension of what had just happened, the silence broken only by Frenna's labored breathing and the shuffle of their footsteps.

As they neared the camp, Kael felt the stares of the others boring into him. Tayo's anger, Lirien's disappointment, Frenna's blood staining his hands—it all pressed down on him, suffocating.

The weight was unbearable. He had failed them all. His friends had trusted him, and he had let them down.

The thought clawed at his mind, relentless and unyielding. Marek's words whispered in the back of his mind:

"Step aside."

Wouldn't they all be better off if he did?