A chilly breeze swept through the Forest of Ishael as Kael moved deeper into the trees. The sun was beginning to rise, but the light barely cut through the thick canopy above. It was eerily quiet—too quiet. Even the birds seemed to have abandoned this part of the forest.
He tightened his cloak around himself. His instincts screamed at him that he was being followed.
The watcher's voice from the night before still rang in his ears:
"The mark is not just a burden. It's a map... to war."
He didn't know what that meant, but he couldn't shake the weight of it.
A sharp clang rang out ahead. Kael ducked behind a mossy boulder and peeked through the foliage.
Two figures clashed in a narrow clearing—a man and a woman, both dressed in flowing dark armor that shimmered with unnatural energy. Their blades sang through the air with such speed that Kael could barely follow.
Then he noticed: the blades… they were glowing faintly. Whispering. Like they were alive.
He leaned closer, trying to catch their words.
"Kael..."
His name?
He stumbled back, stepping on a branch that cracked beneath his foot.
The fighters froze.
"Who's there?" the woman called out. Her voice was sharp but laced with curiosity.
Kael hesitated, then slowly emerged, hands raised.
"I'm… just a traveler."
The man kept his blade raised. "No one travels this far into the forest by accident."
Kael opened his mouth, but the woman lowered her weapon and stepped forward.
"He bears the mark."
Kael flinched. "You… know what this is?"
"We do," she said softly, walking closer. "And if you value your life, you need to come with us. Now."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Because," she said, "we're the only ones who haven't tried to kill you yet."
Kael's heart raced. A thousand thoughts collided in his mind, but above them all, one thing was clear—these two knew something. And he was tired of being in the dark.
He nodded.
The man reluctantly lowered his weapon. "Name's Deyric," he said. "She's Seris."
As the three of them began walking deeper into the forest, Seris explained, "You're marked by the Thread. That makes you a threat to more than just your village. There are forces out there hunting you, Kael—forces that want what's hidden in your blood."
Kael's steps faltered.
"What do they want?"
Seris gave him a sad look. "They want to awaken something that should never be touched."
Kael swallowed hard, his mind spinning.
And somewhere, far beyond their path, a pair of glowing eyes watched through the trees—eyes that belonged to something old… and hungry.