The days bled into each other like dark ink soaking into parchment. The world seemed to grow quieter the further they traveled, the forest dense and oppressive, the sun barely making its way through the thick canopy. But with each step, something unspoken lingered between Kaelen and Sigrid. Their conversation was scarce, but there was a shift—a subtle understanding that neither had expected.

They encountered no more beasts for a time, though the land remained unsettled. It felt as though the air itself was waiting for something to break, a tension coiled tight and ready to snap. The trio moved cautiously, setting up camp in quiet places, rarely staying in one spot for too long. Kaelen found himself watching Sigrid out of the corner of his eye, as though expecting her to crack or break, but she never did. She remained the cold, hardened woman she had always been.

And yet, there were moments. Small, fleeting moments that Kaelen couldn’t ignore. A glance that lingered too long, a subtle shift in her posture when their paths crossed, the faintest trace of something softer in her voice. It was almost imperceptible, but it was there.

The night had settled in, dark and thick, with only the faint flicker of their campfire breaking through the shadows. Kaelen was sharpening his blades when he noticed her staring at the flames, her gaze distant.

"You're not one for sleep, are you?" Kaelen said, his voice low, his tone more playful than usual.

Sigrid didn’t answer immediately. She stared into the fire as if it held some secret, something that made her hesitate. Finally, she spoke, but her words were a little slower than before.

“No,” she said, “I don’t trust sleep. It’s a trap.”

He cocked an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "A trap, huh? I always thought sleep was a necessity, not a threat.”

She finally turned to look at him, her expression unreadable. “You ever close your eyes and feel like you’re not in control anymore? Like the world could swallow you whole while you’re unaware? Sleep’s a dangerous thing. It makes you weak.”

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Kaelen studied her for a moment. It was rare for her to open up, to reveal any piece of herself beyond the mask of cold professionalism. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for him to understand that there was something more to her fear than just a reluctance to sleep.

"I don’t sleep much either," he admitted, breaking the silence. "But not because I think I’ll be eaten alive in my dreams."

Sigrid raised an eyebrow. "Then why?"

He looked away, the edge of his blade catching the firelight. “Because, when you close your eyes, everything comes rushing back. The things you can’t control. The things you’ve lost. So it’s easier to stay awake.”

Sigrid’s gaze softened for a brief moment, though it quickly faded. “That’s one way to look at it.”

They were both silent for a while, the crackling of the fire filling the space between them.

Then, unexpectedly, Sigrid stood up, her movement fluid and quiet. "I’m going for a walk," she said abruptly, and before Kaelen could respond, she vanished into the night, her figure swallowed by the dark trees.

Kaelen didn’t try to stop her. He knew she needed the space. But part of him felt a strange pull, a curiosity about what drove her to constantly distance herself, to bury every part of herself under layers of cold detachment.

He stayed by the fire for a while longer, mulling over the night’s conversation. It was rare for her to say anything that didn’t have a sharp edge, and yet, something in her tone had shifted. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to her than the warrior who chased beasts and collected pay.

The sound of footsteps broke his thoughts, and Kaelen immediately stood up, hand resting on his sword. But it wasn’t Sigrid—this time, it was Nessa, emerging from the shadows, the relic clutched tightly in her hand.

"Kaelen," she said, her voice low, almost urgent. "I need to talk to you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is it about the relic again? What’s the situation now?"

She shook her head. "No. It’s... it’s something else. Something’s coming."

Kaelen frowned, the casual tone gone from his voice. “What do you mean, ‘something’s coming’?”

“I’ve been getting visions," Nessa continued, her voice trembling slightly. "Faint ones. At first, they were just flashes, like broken pieces of a puzzle. But now... they’re clearer. Something’s out there. It’s watching us.”

Kaelen exchanged a glance with the dark forest behind him. "Something... what?"

Her eyes widened, the glow of the fire illuminating the fear in her face. “I don’t know, but it’s coming. And I don’t think we’ll be ready when it does.”

Kaelen’s mind raced. He had a feeling that they were no longer just traveling in search of monsters. The shadows around them were thick with an unfamiliar sense of danger, something deeper than just the creatures they hunted. He had a bad feeling that this wasn’t just another job. It was a warning.

"Pack you stuff," he said finally, his tone sharp. "We need to move. Now."

But as he turned to go find Sigrid, he couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever was coming—whatever Nessa had seen—was going to change everything.