The air was thick with the scent of damp earth as the trio made their way through the dense forest. The trees, tall and foreboding, loomed overhead like silent sentinels, their branches creaking in the wind. The moon, now obscured by the cloud cover, cast only faint shadows over the path ahead. It felt as though the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something.

Kaelen kept his pace steady, though his muscles were still sore from the battle. He hadn’t had a chance to fully recover, but that was the life of a hunter. You didn’t stop for rest. Not when there were beasts to be killed.

Nessa walked beside him, her steps quieter than his. The glow from her magic had faded, but the strain on her face hadn’t. She was still recovering, her energy sapped by the powerful spell she had cast. Kaelen had seen magic users push themselves beyond their limits, but Nessa’s magic seemed different. It wasn’t just about power; it was like she was reaching into something older, something that could cost more than just physical strength.

Sigrid lagged a few paces behind, her expression unreadable. The fight had left its mark on her too, though she hid it well. Despite the coldness she projected, Kaelen could sense there was something more to her. Something buried deep. He’d seen that flicker in her eyes before, a fleeting moment of vulnerability. But she never let it show for long.

They walked in silence for a while, the sound of their footsteps the only noise in the otherwise quiet forest. Kaelen couldn’t help but glance over at Nessa occasionally. She wasn’t much of a talker, but there was an intensity in her that made him wonder what had driven her to learn such dangerous magic in the first place.

“How are you holding up?” Kaelen asked, his voice quiet but deliberate.

Nessa met his gaze, her expression guarded. “I’ll survive,” she said, her voice more detached than usual. “I’m used to pushing myself.”

Kaelen nodded, not wanting to press further. He could tell she wasn’t interested in discussing the toll her magic took on her. Instead, he turned his attention back to Sigrid, who had slowed even more.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Kaelen remarked, his usual sarcasm masking the concern he felt. “Did the fight get to you?”

Sigrid shot him a sharp look, but Kaelen saw the corner of her mouth twitch. It was the closest she ever came to a smile.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I’m fine,” she replied curtly. “It’s nothing I haven’t faced before.”

Kaelen raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He didn’t press further. He’d learned early on that there was no point in trying to get under Sigrid’s skin. She kept her emotions locked up tight, and the more you pushed, the more she pulled away.

After another hour of walking, the forest began to thin out. The dense trees gave way to a small clearing, where the remnants of an old stone wall crumbled in the distance. It looked abandoned, forgotten by time.

“This place feels... off,” Sigrid muttered, glancing around warily.

Kaelen nodded, his instincts telling him the same thing. There was something about the clearing that felt wrong. The air was too still, the silence too thick.

“We should camp here for the night,” he said, his voice low. “Keep watch. If there’s anything around, we’ll find out soon enough.”

Sigrid didn’t argue, though she still looked uneasy. Nessa, on the other hand, seemed to sense something as well. Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the clearing, her hands instinctively moving towards her spell components.

They set up camp quickly, keeping their weapons close. Kaelen remained on high alert, his senses sharpened by years of experience. Something was out there. He could feel it, a presence lurking just beyond the edge of the trees.

As night fell, the temperature dropped. The fire crackled, sending sparks into the dark sky, but it did little to ease the tension that had settled over them.

Kaelen sat a little away from the fire, watching the shadows dance in the flickering light. Sigrid and Nessa were on the opposite side, their eyes constantly scanning the perimeter.

“You know,” Kaelen began, breaking the silence, “this is the part where we start talking about the ‘why’ behind all of this. Why we’re doing this. But I get the feeling you two don’t want to talk about it.”

Sigrid’s eyes flicked up to meet his, and for a moment, Kaelen thought she might say something. But she simply shook her head, the cool indifference returning to her expression.

“No need to talk about it,” she said flatly.

Kaelen chuckled dryly. “Right. Guess I’ll just keep pretending I don’t know what it’s like to run from something.”

Sigrid didn’t respond, but there was a brief flicker in her eyes—a hint of something unspoken, something buried deep beneath her icy exterior. Kaelen didn’t press, though. He wasn’t in the mood for games.

Nessa, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke up. “You’re a lot more... human than you let on.”

Kaelen turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

She gave him a tired smile, but it was brief. “Maybe. Or maybe I just think you’re not as much of a bastard as you pretend.”

Kaelen snorted, leaning back against a nearby rock. “I’m definitely a bastard. But don’t get any ideas. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

“Right,” Nessa said, her tone dry. “A reputation of being a sarcastic ass.”

Kaelen grinned, the familiar feeling of camaraderie settling over him. It was strange, this bond forming between them. It was like they were all pieces of a broken puzzle, each of them carrying their own past, their own burdens. But together, they made something—maybe not whole, but functional.

Sigrid cleared her throat, breaking the moment. “We’re not here to make friends, Kaelen. We’re here to survive.”

“Surviving’s overrated,” Kaelen muttered, his grin fading as he returned his gaze to the shadows. “I prefer living.”

There was no answer to that, and no need for one. The night passed slowly, and Kaelen remained on edge, waiting for whatever was stalking them to make its move. The fire flickered and popped, but the forest around them remained eerily silent, as if waiting for the storm that was yet to come.

And Kaelen knew that storm would come, sooner or later. It always did.