**Chapter 2: A Desperate Encounter**

As Sir Valoric continued along the winding stream, the fading light of day casting long shadows across the forest floor, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The trees seemed to loom over him, their branches creaking ominously in the gentle breeze. His injured side ached with every step, but he pressed on, driven by a desperate need to escape the Black Swan's agents. The forest grew denser, the underbrush thicker, and Sir Valoric had to push aside branches and fight his way through thorny thickets. He was so focused on his surroundings that he didn't notice the figure cowering behind a tree until he almost stumbled upon him. The man was a knight, dressed in armor that was dented and battered, his sword lying on the ground beside him. He looked up at Sir Valoric with a mixture of fear and desperation in his eyes. "Please," the knight said, his voice shaking. "You have to help me. They're after me, just like they were after you. I can see it in your eyes, you're a knight, just like me." Sir Valoric approached the knight cautiously, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Who are you?" he asked gruffly. "I-I'm Sir Edward," the knight stammered. "I was a member of the guard from a neighboring kingdom. We were ambushed by the Black Swan, and I...I ran. I'm all that's left." Sir Valoric's expression softened slightly as he took in Sir Edward's pitiful state. The man was clearly traumatized, and his armor was battered and dented. "Get up," Sir Valoric said finally, offering Sir Edward a hand. Sir Edward took it, and Sir Valoric pulled him to his feet. The man's legs seemed to buckle beneath him, and he would have fallen if Sir Valoric hadn't caught him. "I'm sorry," Sir Edward whispered, his eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so sorry. I'm a coward. I shouldn't have run." Sir Valoric's grip on Sir Edward's arm tightened. "You're not a coward," he said firmly. "You're alive, and that's all that matters. Now, we need to get out of here before the Black Swan finds us." Sir Edward nodded, still sniffling. "I have my sword," he said, picking it up from the ground. "I'll follow you, Sir...?" "Valoric," the knight replied, sheathing his own sword. "Sir Valoric. And we'll travel together, for now. But we need to move quickly. The Black Swan won't hesitate to kill us if they catch us." Sir Edward nodded, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Sir Valoric. I won't let you down." Sir Valoric studied Sir Edward's face, searching for any sign of deception. But all he saw was desperation and a deep-seated fear. Together, the two knights set off into the unknown, their footsteps quiet on the forest floor. They walked in silence, the only sound the rustling of leaves and the distant call of a bird. As they walked, Sir Valoric couldn't help but wonder if he'd made a mistake. Could he trust Sir Edward? Or would the man's cowardice be their downfall? Only time would tell. For now, they had to keep moving, had to find a way to escape the Shadow of the Black Swan. And as they walked, the darkness seemed to close in around them, like a living, breathing entity.