Kael’s hands still tingled from the power he had unleashed.
The Alpha Hound remained where it had fallen, buried in the shattered remains of a stone pillar. It wasn’t dead. But it wasn’t attacking.
It was watching him.
The woman’s voice cut through the silence. "We need to leave."
Kael exhaled, steadying himself. The Mark was still pulsing beneath his skin, as if waiting for him to call on it again. He didn’t want to.
The Alpha shifted, its skeletal maw parting slightly. It made no move to lunge, no attempt to chase them down. It only stared.
Kael clenched his fists. Why?
For the first time since this hunt began, the hunter was afraid of him.
"Move," the woman urged.
Kael hesitated a moment longer, then turned and followed her beneath the broken archway, vanishing into the shadows.
Behind them, the Alpha let out a low, guttural growl—but it did not follow.
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They walked in silence.
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The tunnels beneath Vael’Thalos were ancient, their walls carved with forgotten symbols, eroded by time and neglect. Stale air filled Kael’s lungs as he moved deeper into the underground labyrinth.
The woman’s pace never slowed. She knew exactly where she was going.
Kael’s mind, however, raced.
He had seen the fear in the Alpha’s hollow sockets. The Hounds were Imperium weapons. They were trained to kill without hesitation, without mercy.
So why had it stopped?
Kael’s voice was low when he finally spoke. "What did you mean when you said I shouldn’t be able to do that?"
The woman didn’t stop walking. "Exactly what I said."
"Explain."
She exhaled. "The Mark shouldn’t awaken this fast. It takes time—weeks, months. But you… you’ve only had it for days, and you’re already using it instinctively."
Kael frowned. "I didn’t—"
"You did," she cut in. "The Mark reacts to your will, even before you realize it. That’s not normal."
A cold weight settled in his stomach.
The Mark wasn’t just unlocking power—it was accelerating.
Changing him faster than it should.
Kael kept his expression unreadable, but inside, his thoughts churned. If he was already this strong, then how much worse would it get?
Would he even still be himself when it was over?
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They emerged into a cavern, vast and echoing, its ceiling stretching high above. A dim, flickering light came from torches lining the stone walls.
Kael’s eyes locked onto the figures waiting for them.
A group of cloaked individuals stood in a semi-circle, their faces shadowed beneath hoods. Silent. Watching.
The woman stepped forward. "He made it."
A figure stepped out from the group—a tall man, his face lined with age, his eyes sharp with knowledge. His gaze lingered on Kael for a moment, then he nodded.
"Welcome, Forsaken."
Kael’s pulse slowed.
He had been called many things in the last few days. Traitor. Heretic. Monster.
But this?
This was new.
And he didn’t know if he liked it.