Shadow of the Forgotten A Mythic Vanguard Spin-Off a Fantasy Short Story

Kayla and Orion Fighting the Monsters

Prologue – The Forgotten Name

The flames of the oracle’s brazier flickered unnaturally, casting elongated shadows across the ancient temple’s marble walls. At the heart of the chamber, an elderly seer knelt before the fire, eyes glazed with divine sight. Her voice trembled as she spoke the prophecy aloud:

"The warrior lost, the name unspoken, In chains of time, their fate is broken. A path once bright, now veiled in night, Shall rise again through trials of fight."

Beyond the temple’s cracked columns, a figure listened from the darkness, shrouded in a cloak that concealed their form. They waited just long enough to hear the seer whisper one final name—before slipping away into the night.

Chapter 1 – A Call to Action

Kayla ran her whetstone along the edge of her sword, the rhythmic scrape filling the quiet of the temple courtyard. The battle against the Void had left her drained, both physically and mentally. Though the Vanguard had prevailed, they had lost much—too much.

Alex and the others were preparing for whatever trial the gods would set before them next, but Kayla felt restless, as if something was pulling her away from Olympus. That feeling crystallized into certainty when a messenger arrived.

“The Oracle of Pythis requests an audience,” the young acolyte announced.

Kayla sheathed her sword. “What does she want with me?”

“She says a warrior must be found. One that even time itself has tried to forget.”

Curiosity flared in Kayla’s chest. A warrior erased from history? That wasn’t something she could ignore.

Chapter 2 – The Search Begins

Following the oracle’s guidance, Kayla set off for the ruined city of Deymos, a once-great stronghold now reduced to rubble. It was said that Deymos had been destroyed in an ancient battle, its people scattered, its heroes lost.

The journey was not without peril. As she neared the ruins, shadows flickered in the corners of her vision. Bandits or something worse? She tightened her grip on her sword.

A lone figure emerged from behind a broken statue, clad in worn armor and bearing the insignia of a forgotten age. Their face was hidden by a battle-scarred helm.

“You shouldn’t be here,” the warrior said, voice rough as gravel.

“Neither should you,” Kayla countered, stepping forward. “Who are you?”

The figure hesitated. “No one.”

But Kayla had spent too long on battlefields not to recognize a warrior when she saw one. And she wasn’t leaving without answers.

Chapter 3 – The Warrior’s Curse

The warrior led Kayla into the ruins, revealing a hidden chamber beneath the collapsed remains of Deymos’ great hall. Inside, torches sputtered against damp stone walls, illuminating carvings of battles long past.

“My name was once Orion,” the warrior finally admitted, removing his helm. His eyes were haunted, burdened with more years than his youthful face should have carried. “I was a champion—until I failed my people.”

Kayla frowned. “The oracle sent me here because she believes you are key to something greater. What happened?”

Orion hesitated before gesturing to the markings on his arm, glowing faintly. “A curse. When Deymos fell, I was struck down by a power I did not understand. It did not kill me, but it erased me. The world forgot me. Even the gods turned away.”

Kayla’s breath caught. A warrior erased from history, cursed to wander alone. It was no accident that she had been sent to find him.

Chapter 4 – A Battle for the Past

Before Kayla could press Orion for more, the chamber trembled. The entrance collapsed, sealing them inside as a chill filled the air.

“They’ve found me,” Orion murmured, reaching for his sword.

Dark shapes coalesced from the shadows—specters wrapped in tattered armor, their hollow eyes burning with unnatural light. They moved with silent precision, their very presence leeching warmth from the chamber.

“Who are they?” Kayla asked, already moving into a defensive stance.

“The remnants of those who fell with me,” Orion said grimly. “But they serve another now.”

A familiar voice echoed through the chamber. “You should have remained forgotten, Orion.”

Kayla’s blood ran cold as a figure stepped forward—one she knew all too well. Draven’s lieutenant, Malek, grinned at her, dark energy curling around his fingers.

“This warrior belongs to my master now.”

Kayla raised her sword. “Like hell he does.”

Chapter 5 – Breaking the Chains

The battle was brutal. The specters moved with deadly speed, their ethereal weapons clashing against Kayla’s blade. Orion fought alongside her, his skills still sharp despite his years of exile.

Malek focused on Kayla, his dark energy twisting into whips that lashed toward her. She dodged, but he was relentless. “You always throw yourself into lost causes, Kayla,” he sneered. “But this one was lost centuries ago.”

“Then I’ll rewrite history,” she shot back.

Orion let out a battle cry and drove his sword into the heart of the nearest specter. The creature let out a ghastly wail before dissolving into mist. But the victory was short-lived—Malek’s magic surged forward, wrapping around Orion like chains of pure darkness.

“No!” Kayla lunged, but Malek merely smirked and tightened his grip.

“You can’t save him.”

Kayla gritted her teeth. “I can. And I will.”

Calling on the strength that had carried her through every battle, she struck at the chains binding Orion. Sparks flew, and the moment the metal shattered, Orion roared as his curse lifted. The shadows that had clung to him burned away, and for the first time in centuries, the weight of the past was gone.

Malek’s smirk faded. “That’s not possible.”

Kayla smirked. “Guess history had a different ending in mind.”

With one final strike, Orion and Kayla sent Malek crashing against the chamber wall, his form dissolving into smoke. The remaining specters vanished with him.

The silence that followed was heavy. Orion turned to Kayla, gratitude in his eyes. “I owe you my freedom.”

Kayla sheathed her sword. “Then make it count.”

Epilogue – A Name Remembered

When Kayla returned to Olympus, she carried with her more than just another victory. She carried a name that had been erased, a warrior who had been lost but was now found.

As Orion stepped into the light of the gods once more, Kayla knew this was only the beginning. The battles ahead would be fiercer than ever, but now they had one more warrior on their side.

And history would remember his name.