Chapter 11

The wind howled as they scrambled over the rocky terrain, the jagged peaks of the mountains cutting into the gray sky like dark teeth. Ariella's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she forced herself to keep pace with Dorian. Her muscles screamed in protest with every step, but fear pushed her onward. The cloaked figures pursued relentlessly, the gap between them shrinking.

"We have to get off this ridge!" Dorian shouted over the wind, his voice strained with urgency. He glanced back, his sharp eyes locking onto the dark shapes moving quickly along the ridgeline behind them. "They're gaining on us!"

Ariella's stomach lurched as she cast a quick glance over her shoulder. The cloaked figures moved like shadows, slipping across the rocky ground with an unnatural grace. There were more of them now-far more than she'd seen before. Her pulse quickened. They weren't just hunting her anymore; they were closing in for the kill.

"Where do we go?" Ariella's voice trembled, her fear evident. The rocky path ahead was steep, and the ground beneath her feet was treacherous.

Dorian's eyes scanned the mountainside ahead of them, his expression hard. "There's a narrow pass further down. If we can make it there, we'll have a chance to lose them."

Without another word, he turned and bolted down the mountain, his steps precise and quick despite the rough terrain. Ariella followed, her heart hammering in her chest. Her feet slipped on the loose gravel, and she nearly lost her balance, but Dorian was already there, his hand gripping her arm and steadying her before she could fall.

"Stay close," he urged, his voice firm but not unkind. "We can't afford any mistakes."

Ariella nodded, the fear in her gut twisting tighter as they raced down the slope. The wind tore at her cloak, whipping her hair into her face, but she kept her eyes focused on Dorian's back, using his sure-footed movements as her guide.

The figures were still behind them, relentless in their pursuit. Ariella could feel their presence, a suffocating darkness pressing in on her as they drew closer. Her magic stirred wildly beneath her skin, begging to be unleashed, but she forced it down. She couldn't risk losing control-not now.

They reached the narrow pass Dorian had spoken of, a thin sliver of a path that wound between two massive cliffs. The walls of the mountains loomed high above them, casting long shadows over the trail. He slowed, his eyes scanning the entrance to the pass.

"We'll be more protected here," he said, his voice low. "But it's also a dead end if they catch up."

Ariella's throat tightened. "So what do we do?"

"We keep moving. Fast."

They plunged into the pass, the narrow walls of rock closing in around them. The path was uneven and treacherous, with sharp rocks jutting out from the ground at odd angles, making every step dangerous. The air grew colder as they moved deeper into the mountain, and the wind died down, leaving only the sound of their labored breathing and the echo of their footsteps.

Ariella's mind raced as they hurried through the narrow pass, the weight of the danger they were in pressing down on her. The cloaked figures had tracked them all the way to the mountains, and there was no doubt they would follow them into the pass. But what scared her more than their persistence was their silence-how they moved like shadows, never uttering a word, their faces hidden beneath dark hoods. What did they want? Why were they so intent on capturing her?

Dorian suddenly stopped, pulling her into the shadows of the rock wall. His eyes were sharp, his body tense. "Wait."

Ariella froze beside him, her pulse pounding in her ears. "What is it?"

He didn't answer at first, his attention focused on the path ahead. Then she heard it-a faint sound carried on the wind. Footsteps. Slow, deliberate, and far too close.

"They're in the pass," he whispered, his voice tight. He glanced at her, his expression grim. "We can't outrun them here."

Ariella's heart sank. "What do we do?"

Dorian's eyes flickered with a mix of frustration and resolve. "We fight."

Her stomach twisted with fear, but she knew he was right. There was no running from this, not anymore. The narrow path gave them no room to escape, and the cloaked figures were closing in. If they were going to survive, they would have to face the threat head-on.

He unsheathed his dagger, his grip steady as he positioned himself in front of her. "Stay behind me. If it comes down to it, use your magic. Don't hold back."

Ariella's breath caught in her throat. She had barely been able to control her magic the last time she used it, and the thought of relying on it again terrified her. But there was no time to argue, no time to doubt.

The footsteps grew louder, closer, until the first of the cloaked figures appeared at the entrance to the pass. Ariella's chest tightened with panic as the dark figure stepped into view, its hood casting a deep shadow over its face. Behind it, more figures emerged, their movements slow and deliberate as they fanned out along the narrow path.

He shifted, his body tense as he prepared to strike. But before he could move, the lead figure raised its hand. The air around them seemed to freeze, the weight of magic pressing down on Ariella like a vice.

"You can't run from us, Ariella," the figure said, its voice a low, menacing whisper that seemed to echo off the rock walls. "You belong to us."

Ariella's blood turned to ice. She had never heard this voice before, but the certainty in its tone sent a chill through her. They didn't just want her-they believed she was theirs.

"No," she whispered, her hands shaking. "I don't belong to anyone."

The figure tilted its head slightly, as if amused by her defiance. "We will see about that."

Before Ariella could react, the figure raised its other hand, and a surge of dark energy shot toward her. She barely had time to throw up her hands in defense, her magic reacting instinctively. A blinding light erupted from her palms, meeting the dark energy head-on and sending a shockwave through the pass.

The force of the collision knocked her off her feet, and she hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of her. Dorian was at her side in an instant, pulling her back to her feet, his eyes wide with urgency.

"Get up! We have to move!"

Ariella's head spun, her body aching from the impact, but she forced herself to stand. The cloaked figures were regrouping, their dark energy swirling around them like a storm. They weren't going to stop. Not until they had her.

With a surge of determination, Ariella pushed past the fear that had gripped her and let her magic flow. It surged out of her like a flood, wild and uncontrollable, but powerful. The ground beneath her feet trembled as the energy burst from her, sending cracks through the rock walls.

The cloaked figures faltered, their dark magic wavering in the face of her power. But Ariella couldn't keep it up. The magic drained her quickly, her vision blurring as the exhaustion took hold.

"We need to go-now!" Dorian shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her down the path.

Ariella stumbled after him, her legs barely able to support her weight. The pass was collapsing around them, the rocks crumbling as the mountain shook from the force of her magic.

But they had no choice. They had to run.