Kael sat there for a few moments, staring blankly in the direction the three Luminaires had gone. His expression was unreadable, his thoughts running beneath the surface.

Then, without a word, he rose to his feet, brushing off the dust that had clung to his clothes from the ground. His movements were slow, deliberate. Without hesitation, he turned and started walking in the same direction as the others, his footsteps light, his presence barely noticeable against the wind.

As he walked, Kael’s mind sifted through everything he knew about the wildlife in the forest. The higher the altitude, the harsher the conditions—freezing winds, thin air, and scarce food sources. Only the most resilient creatures could survive here, their bodies adapted to endure what few others could.

Most were small, relying on stealth and endurance rather than brute strength. Rodents, scavenger birds, and hardy insect-like creatures clung to the rocky landscape, eking out an existence in the unforgiving terrain.

Larger beasts were rare, and true predators even rarer. Anything hunting this high up was either desperate or powerful.

Moving swiftly between rocks and weaving behind trees, he closed in on the Luminaires. The mountain peak loomed ahead, partially veiled by a massive cloud drifting over it like a slow-moving wave rolling over stone.

As the mist swallowed the peak, moisture clung to the air, soaking into Kael’s clothes until they were damp against his skin. Yet, despite the discomfort, the cool humidity was a welcome change from the dry, dust-filled air that had scraped against his throat with every breath.

The dense cloud obscured the landscape, drastically shortening visibility. But rather than seeing it as an obstacle, Kael saw an opportunity.

Over the past few days, he hadn’t simply been walking idly—he had been testing. Every chance he got, he pushed the limits of his new mote’s abilities. He would stand silently against a tree as the others passed, watching to see if they noticed him. More often than not, they didn’t.

Whenever the group engaged in conversation, he remained quiet. The fewer words he spoke, the less attention he seemed to draw. Fewer questions were directed at him, and at times, they didn’t even glance his way, as if he wasn’t there at all.

They obviously knew he was with them, yet it was as if the thought to acknowledge him never fully formed in their minds, like some subconscious force nudged them away from noticing his presence.

He hadn’t even activated the mote, yet its mere presence within his soul was already yielding results. This pleased Kael immensely.

This was the power of a rank two mote. It was only a single rank higher than his soulbound motes, yet the difference in strength was incomparable.

It was also the reason Kael felt confident in his ability to follow the Luminaires unnoticed. He was already highly skilled at moving undetected. This mote only amplified that ability, making his presence even harder to perceive.

Three silhouettes emerged in the distance, faint and shifting through the thick mist. The mountain’s summit wasn’t vast, yet the dense fog made it feel endless, stretching beyond sight.

Kael moved with practiced ease, resting one hand lightly against a nearby tree as his sharp gaze locked onto the figures ahead.

The three Luminaires were kneeling at the edge of a small drop, their attention fixed on the open area just a few dozen meters below. One of them gestured subtly toward the ground, his hand moving in small, deliberate motions as if explaining something. A raven perched on his shoulder, its head tilting slightly as if listening.

The other two remained still, their focus solely on him, unmoving and intent.

Time passed slowly, with nothing significant happening, yet Kael kept his eyes fixed on the three Luminaires, not letting them out of his sight for even a moment.

Then, without warning, the three stood up and leaped down. Their coats and hair fluttered in the wind as they descended, disappearing below.

Kael waited a moment before lifting his hand from the tree. Moving with quiet precision, he stepped forward, approaching the spot where they had stood just moments before. Lowering himself onto one knee, he rested an arm on his leg and peered down at the area below.

It was an open clearing, much like the one where they had rested earlier, but larger. The ground was uneven, and towering trees rose from it, their massive trunks stretching high above him.

Kael’s eyes narrowed as he looked ahead.

The three Luminaires were moving swiftly, their strides steady but urgent, heading toward a fixed direction.

He followed their line of movement, his gaze stretching further into the mist, and that’s when his expression darkened slightly.

Far in the distance, at the very edge of his vision, a massive silhouette loomed.

It walked on two legs, its sheer size making the giant trees around it seem normal. Even through the thick cloud cover, Kael could tell, it was easily over forty meters tall.

It moved slowly, each step deliberate, gripping onto nearby trees as it walked, as if steadying itself.

And on its broad shoulders, something strange extended outward—a cluster of small, jagged shapes, like a miniature forest growing out of its body.

Without hesitation, Kael rose to his feet and jumped down. He needed to get closer. There was no way he was missing this fight.

Moving carefully, he closed in, stopping just close enough to the Luminaires without risking being noticed. His attention shifted forward, locking onto the massive figure ahead.

Now that he was closer, he could finally see it clearly.

With every slow, deliberate step, deep thuds echoed through the forest, sending small vibrations through the ground beneath Kael’s feet. Its skin was a faded blue, rough and cracked like dried leather, covered in scars of varying severity. Some wounds were long and deep, while others were jagged tears where flesh had been ripped away.

Its shoulders were covered in patches of green moss and clusters of rock. Small trees had taken root in its massive frame, somehow clinging to life as it moved.

Its face was eerily human-like. A crooked nose stood out above thick lips, and a pair of brown eyes stared forward, unreadable.

A mountain troll.

Kael’s brows furrowed slightly. Mountain trolls were rare. Their skin was incredibly tough and highly valued for making durable leather armor. Their bones were harder than iron, often used to craft arrowheads and spear tips.

Kael scoffed softly as he pieced together Torin’s reasoning. The mountain troll was rare and valuable, but that wasn’t the real reason behind his actions.

Mountain trolls weren’t just any beasts. They were dreadborns—creatures with near-human intelligence and, more importantly, an extreme sense of territoriality. Their presence was always marked on maps as soon as they were discovered.

At first glance, this might seem odd from an economic standpoint. Something so valuable should be kept secret, not revealed for everyone to see. But there were valid reasons for it.

For one, mountain trolls were incredibly powerful. A group of rank one Luminaires wouldn’t stand a chance against one without suffering casualties. There was little fear of someone attempting to steal the valuable leather, as few had the strength to claim it.

The other reason was just as important. Mountain trolls were highly efficient at keeping their territory free of other beasts and dreadborns. But what they were even better at was holding grudges.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

With their superior sense of smell, they could track anyone who trespassed in their domain. To them, it wasn’t just a simple intrusion—it was a spiteful offense, one that had to be answered.

If someone unknowingly crossed into their territory and managed to leave without being confronted, the troll wouldn’t forget. It would follow them, no matter how far they traveled, until it had finished what was started.

And if that person unknowingly made their way into a city?

The consequences would be devastating.

A mountain troll blindly rampaging through streets, driven only by the urge to eliminate a single target, would cause destruction on a scale far beyond the value of its hide or bones. That was why marking their locations was necessary.

Torin had realized they had crossed into such a territory and had chosen to confront the inevitable battle here ,on the flat mountain peak ,rather than on the treacherous mountainside, where the terrain was unforgiving and unpredictable.

It was a decision made with cold logic. The right decision.

Kael would have done the same if he were in Torin’s position.

The three Luminaires now stood in front of the mountain troll, yet it hadn’t noticed them. From a distance, it looked like they exchanged a few words before Selene suddenly took a few steps back. Without hesitation, she sat down cross-legged and closed her eyes.

Malric and Torin remained beside her, neither making a move.

‘What is she doing?’

Kael couldn’t help but ask himself the question as he observed her strange actions.

After a short while, Selene stood back up. The group began speaking again, but this time, it was her leading the discussion.

Kael’s gaze turned cold.

‘An information pathway Luminaire.’

He cursed inwardly. There were many pathways, some more common than others. The information pathway was among the most widely used. Luminaires who followed this path had motes which enhanced abilities to process and consume information, making them invaluable for strategizing in battle and gathering intelligence on beasts and dreadborns.

Every noble family and hunting party ensured they had at least a few Luminaires dedicated to this pathway. It was simply too useful to overlook.

Kael took a moment to re-evaluate Selene, making a mental note of her abilities. Among the three, she now posed the greatest threat to him.

As soon as they finished listening to Selene, Torin and Malric began moving toward the mountain troll, while Selene stayed back, observing and analyzing the battle, just like Kael.

As they advanced, the raven perched on Torin’s shoulder suddenly disintegrated into golden particles, scattering into the wind. The moment it vanished, a new transformation took its place.

With a sudden burst of motion, two massive wings shot out from Torin’s back.

They were breathtaking—long and sleek, extending far beyond his own height. The feathers were raven black, gleaming with an almost unnatural luster, as though absorbing the light around them. Each individual feather was perfectly aligned, their edges sharp, layered in a way that made the wings look both graceful and lethal.

The sheer size of them was overwhelming, a stark contrast to Torin’s usually composed figure. They gave him an almost otherworldly presence, a force beyond ordinary Luminaires.

Then, with a single, powerful flap, the wings erupted with force, launching Torin skyward in an instant. The gust they generated sent dust and loose stones scattering beneath him, his ascent so swift it left only a blur in Kael’s vision.

In mere moments, he was high above the troll, suspended in the air like a shadow watching from above.

Kael’s eyes widened.

“A rank three Luminaire.”

Torin was no longer making any effort to suppress his aura. The moment his wings unfurled, Kael was drowned in a wave of immense pressure.

The rank three aura bore down on him like a mountain, an overwhelming force that refused to yield. It was unyielding, absolute, as if it could devour the earth itself.

Kael had suspected that Torin might be a rank two, just one step above himself. But rank three? That was something else entirely. For the first time since joining them, he felt something stir beneath his usual calm, something dangerously close to unease.

A rank three Luminaire was rare, rarer than any mountain troll. Reaching such a level required not only talent but an unwavering commitment to mastering one’s pathway. Few ever managed to climb that high, even if they dedicated centuries to the pursuit.

For the Eirendaile family to send a powerhouse like him on a mission like this made it clear just how much they valued the mission’s final outcome.

Kael analyzed the battle even more intently now, not willing to miss a single detail.

As Torin hovered in the air, Malric had already summoned a bow, the string pulled tight with a stone-like arrow ready to fire. His back muscles tensed in perfect symmetry, the effort visible as he held his aim steady. It was obvious now, Malric was taking a support role in this fight.

Torin stayed suspended, his wings completely still, almost as if they were nothing more than decoration. Without hesitation, he raised his hand.

A faint shimmer appeared in the air above him, small sparkles flickering into existence in a streak, in an instant, a black javelin formed in his grip. Seemingly forged from polished black marble, sleek and sharp, exuding a quiet but undeniable sense of power.

Below, the mountain troll finally took notice of them. Its eerie, deep-set eyes slowly turned upward, locking onto Torin. For a brief moment, it just stared.

Then, it roared and thrust its arm upward, reaching for Torin as if trying to snatch him from the air.

The sound was deafening, a deep, guttural roar that rattled the very air. The ground trembled beneath its weight, trees shuddering, leaves shaking loose from their branches as if the entire forest reacted to its fury.

Selene instinctively raised a hand to her ear, flinching slightly, though her attention never left the unfolding battle.

Torin’s expression remained indifferent as he reached his arm back, as if grasping something behind him, his gaze never leaving the mountain troll.

The moment his hand reached its furthest point, his body twisted sharply, his motion fluid yet powerful. With a sudden burst of force, he hurled the javelin forward—fast. Too fast for even Kael to track.

In an instant, the weapon was gone. Torin’s arm came to a stop in front of him, but this time, his hand was empty.

The mountain troll's arm shuddered violently as it reached for Torin, its massive hand clawing at the air.

The javelin struck with perfect precision, piercing straight through the center of its palm before continuing its devastating path. It tore through the length of its massive arm, ripping through muscle, crushing bone, and leaving a deep, mangled wound in its wake.

The force carried it all the way through the troll’s shoulder, where it finally exited from the back, tearing a clean hole straight through.

But what emerged from the other side was not the black javelin that had been thrown.

Instead, a cascade of golden particles burst from the exit wound, swirling and dancing beautifully in the air. They scattered like embers in the wind, flickering softly before fading into nothing.

High above, Torin hovered effortlessly, his hand raised once more as another javelin materialized in his grasp.

Before the first javelin had even exited the mountain troll’s body, he had already dismissed it. In the same instant, he had summoned it again, ready to strike again without pause.

Below, the mountain troll stood frozen, its massive frame trembling. Its injured arm now hung limp at its side, rendered useless by the devastating attack.

Then, it screamed.

The sound was far worse than before. It wasn’t just a roar—it was a deep, guttural cry of pain and frustration, a sound that reverberated through the forest like a twisted echo of agony.

Selene instinctively raised her hands to her ears, wincing as the piercing wail tore through the air.

But before the troll could even finish its cry, arrows were already flying toward it. Malric’s shots sank deep into its flesh, embedding themselves in its massive torso.

And then, another javelin.

It tore through the air, striking the troll with unerring precision, piercing its thick hide with ease and passing clean through, leaving another devastating wound in its wake.

From his vantage point, Kael watched the battle unfold, his expression calm, his mind sharp.

He wasn’t here to gawk at the display of power like some awestruck spectator. His eyes tracked every movement, every reaction, taking in the full scope of the fight.

Torin’s attacks were overwhelming. Precise. Unrelenting. Efficient. There was no wasted movement, no hesitation—only absolute control. His javelins struck with impossible speed, bypassing the troll’s thick hide as if it were paper.

Malric’s role was just as clear. Support. His arrows weren’t just meant to injure but to restrict movement, exploiting the troll’s pain and forcing it into a defensive state, making it easier for Torin to land fatal blows.

Selene, though not actively engaged in combat, was still part of the fight. She was analyzing, just like Kael—but her role was different. She wasn’t just observing, she was likely providing crucial information, predicting the troll’s movements, ensuring the battle played out in their favor.

Kael’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before returning to the fight.

It was a near-perfect execution of a coordinated hunt. Each person knew their role, and they played it well.

Kael took note of every motion, every tactic, every strength and weakness they might have.

He watched for a moment longer before turning away, slipping back into the shadows of the trees. There was no point in staying any longer.

The fight had played out faster than he expected, but it didn’t matter, Kael had learned what he came for, more than he had even hoped for.

There was no need to linger. He needed to get back before they did, back to their resting spot. If they found him missing there would without a doubt be questions he needed to answer.

Without hesitation, he moved, his steps light and precise, fading into the mist before the battle had even finished.