The forest embraced them with ancient silence, the dense canopy filtering the morning sunlight into scattered beams that dappled the undergrowth. Adrian led the way, his soldier's instincts alert to every sound and movement. The burning of the Evermark had subsided to a dull warmth, but the memory of the Collector's void-face remained vivid in his mind—that swirling nothingness speckled with distant starlight.

"We need to maintain this pace until nightfall," Carl whispered, his crossbow ready as he scanned the forest behind them. "Put as much distance between us and the valley as possible."

Elarala moved with surprising grace for a blind woman, her steps sure and silent as she navigated the uneven forest floor. She had been quiet since their escape, her silver hair occasionally catching the fractured light that penetrated the leaves above.

"How far to the nearest settlement?" Adrian asked, pausing briefly to check their direction against the position of the sun.

"A day and a half, perhaps two," Carl replied. "A small riverside trading post called Rivermeet. Not the friendliest place, but we might be able to replenish some supplies."

Adrian nodded, his mind working through their situation. They had escaped with little more than what they could carry—some food, basic survival gear, and the clothes on their backs. The hasty departure meant abandoning most of the preparations they'd so carefully made.

"The Collectors," he said after they had walked in silence for some time. "What exactly are they? That... thing I faced wasn't human."

Elarala's voice came softly from behind him. "They were human once. The Obsidian Circle transforms its most devoted adherents through a ritual that binds them to aspects of the void. They sacrifice their humanity to become perfect vessels for void energy—emptying themselves to be filled with something else."

Adrian thought of the swirling darkness where a face should have been. "Perfect vessels," he repeated. "The Collector mentioned vessels gathering."

"Yes," Elarala's tone grew grave. "They seek to gather special individuals—those with innate connections to primal energies. Like you, Adrian."

"For what purpose?"

"To open the Void Gates fully," Carl interjected. "From what we understand, they believe that by harnessing the power of elemental vessels like Evermark bearers, they can tear open permanent passages between our world and the void beyond."

"And what lies in this void?" Adrian asked, though he suspected he wouldn't like the answer.

"Entities," Elarala said. "Ancient and powerful. Some believe they're gods. Others, demons. The truth is likely more complex and terrifying than either."

They fell silent as they reached a small stream cutting through the forest. Adrian knelt to refill his waterskin while Carl checked for signs of pursuit. Elarala stood perfectly still, her head tilted slightly as if listening to something beyond normal hearing.

"We're not being followed," she announced. "Not directly. But they're searching. I can feel the void energy pulsing outward like ripples in a pond."

"Can they track us?" Adrian asked, securing his waterskin.

"Not precisely," Elarala replied. "Your containment technique is working well. They can sense general directions of power, but without active use of the Evermark, you're just a faint whisper among many forest sounds."

Adrian felt a small measure of relief. The containment training they had practiced now seemed providential rather than simply preparatory. Still, questions nagged at him.

"You never showed me that silver light ability before," he said as they resumed their journey. "All those months of training, and you held back your true power."

A ghost of a smile touched Elarala's lips. "A teacher reveals what a student needs to know, when they need to know it. Not all that a teacher can do."

"The silver light," Carl explained, ducking under a low-hanging branch, "is exceedingly rare. Elarala is one of perhaps five people alive who can manifest pure energy unbound by elemental constraints."

"Five?" Adrian's eyebrows rose. "And you're one of them?"

"Four now," Elarala corrected softly. "Varis was killed three months ago. I felt his passing."

The casual mention of sensing someone's death across great distances sent a chill through Adrian. Just how powerful was Elarala? And what else had she kept from him during their time together?

"Is that why they found us?" he asked suddenly. "Not because of my dreams or my mark, but because of you?"

Elarala stopped walking and turned to face him fully, her blind eyes somehow finding his with uncanny precision.

"The Obsidian Circle hunts all who possess uncommon abilities, Adrian. You. Me. Anyone who might oppose their plans. But yes, my power likely accelerated their discovery. I've remained hidden for decades, but when I chose to train you, I accepted the risk of exposure."

Something cold settled in Adrian's stomach. "So I was bait?"

"No," Carl said firmly. "You were a priority. Elarala risked everything to help you understand your power. The Collectors would have found you eventually, with or without her."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Adrian absorbed this, his emotions conflicted. Part of him wanted to be angry at the secrets kept from him, but another part recognized the strategic necessity. They had been preparing him, in their way, for exactly what had transpired.

"The path ahead narrows," Elarala said, changing the subject. "We'll need to go single file for a time. Adrian, take point. Carl, watch our backs."

They reorganized their formation, Adrian leading them deeper into the forest. The canopy grew thicker, casting the forest floor into deep shadow. Sounds seemed muffled here, creating an eerie sensation of isolation.

"The forest is unnaturally quiet," Adrian observed after they had walked for some time. "No birds, no insects."

"The land feels the approach of void energy," Elarala explained. "Living things sense the wrongness and flee before it. It's a warning we would do well to heed."

Adrian's hand drifted to his sword hilt. "You think they're closer than we thought?"

"Not the Collectors themselves," she clarified. "But their influence spreads. The burn lines I told you about—they're appearing more frequently, forming patterns across the land. Forest Star Village reported several such manifestations in the surrounding woods."

"These burn lines," Adrian said thoughtfully, "they match the sigil I saw in my dream, and again during our escape—those dark veins in the soil."

"Yes," Elarala confirmed. "They're ritual markings, preparations for something larger. Each line weakens the boundary between our world and the void."

The implications were disturbing. If these burn lines were appearing with increasing frequency, the Obsidian Circle's plans were accelerating. Their escape from the valley suddenly seemed less like a victory and more like the beginning of a desperate race.

As dusk approached, they found a small clearing protected by a semicircle of large boulders. It offered some shelter and defensibility—a suitable camp for the night.

"I'll gather firewood," Carl offered, setting down his pack.

"No fire," Adrian countered. "Not tonight. The light could attract attention."

Carl nodded in agreement. "Cold camp it is. I'll scout the perimeter instead."

While Carl disappeared into the gathering darkness, Adrian helped Elarala unpack the essentials for the night. They worked in companionable silence, the practiced efficiency of people who had shared space before.

"Why Forest Star Village?" Adrian asked as they laid out sleeping rolls. "Of all the places we could seek refuge, why there specifically?"

"Because it houses one of the last repositories of knowledge from the Silver Covenant," Elarala answered. "Ancient texts documenting the first appearance of the Evermarks, the early encounters with void energy, and possibly information about how to counter the Obsidian Circle."

"The Silver Covenant," Adrian repeated. "You mentioned them before, but never explained who they were."

Elarala settled herself onto her sleeping roll before answering. "They were an order of scholars, mystics, and warriors who studied the boundaries between worlds. They first identified the danger of the Void Gates and created the Evermarks as a defense."

"I thought you said the marks choose their bearers."

"They do now," she confirmed. "But originally, they were created deliberately—five marks for five champions, each aligned with a primal element. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Lightning. You bear the Mark of Eternal Flame, the first and some say the strongest of the five."

Adrian's hand unconsciously moved to his chest, feeling the warmth beneath his tunic. "And the others? Are there other bearers out there?"

"If they exist, they remain hidden, as you were until recently," Elarala said. "The Obsidian Circle has hunted Evermark bearers relentlessly. Many were captured or killed. Some may have lived their entire lives never knowing what they carried within them."

The thought was sobering. How many others like him had lived and died, never understanding the power they possessed or the cosmic game in which they were unwitting pieces?

Carl returned from his scouting circuit, moving silently through the darkness. "All clear for now," he reported, joining them. "But there's something... off about the forest to the northeast. A heaviness in the air, like before a storm."

"We'll adjust our route in the morning," Elarala decided. "Head more westward before turning south toward Rivermeet."

Adrian unsheathed his sword and laid it beside his sleeping roll, within easy reach. "We should set watches. I'll take first."

"Wake me for second," Carl said, settling down on his roll. "And Adrian... don't use the Evermark, no matter what. Even a small flare might be detected."

"I remember," Adrian assured him, moving to sit against one of the boulders where he could observe the approaches to their camp.

The night deepened around them, stars appearing between gaps in the canopy overhead. As Carl's breathing settled into the rhythm of sleep, Elarala came to sit beside Adrian, her movements silent as a shadow.

"You have questions," she stated simply. "Now is as good a time as any for answers."

Adrian glanced at her profile, silver-white in the starlight. "Why me? Of all the potential Evermark bearers, why was I chosen?"

"The mark doesn't choose randomly," she explained. "It seeks those whose essence resonates with its element. Your spirit has a natural affinity for fire—determined, consuming, capable of both creation and destruction."

"That describes many people," Adrian countered.

"Yes, but there's more. The mark also seeks those who can bear its burden without being consumed by it. Those with the strength of will to contain such power. Those who, when faced with immense ability, ask not what they can do with it, but what they should do."

Adrian considered this. "And what should I do with it? What's my purpose in all this?"

Elarala was silent for a long moment. "I cannot tell you your purpose, Adrian. That's for you to discover. But I can tell you what you're capable of becoming: a bulwark against the darkness that threatens to consume our world. A keeper of balance between order and chaos. A protector of boundaries."

"A heavy burden for one man," Adrian said softly.

"Yes," she agreed. "Which is why you were never meant to bear it alone." Her blind gaze turned skyward. "The five Evermarks were designed to work in concert, each supporting and amplifying the others. Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Lightning—together they form a perfect circle of balance and power."

Hope stirred in Adrian's chest. "You think we can find the others?"

"At Forest Star Village, we may find clues to their whereabouts," Elarala said. "The repository contains records that might help us locate other bearers, if they exist. But first, we must reach it safely."

They sat in silence for a time, the weight of destiny and duty settling between them. Adrian found himself staring at his hands, wondering at the power that now resided within him and the journey that stretched before him.

"Rest," Elarala eventually said, rising with fluid grace. "I'll keep watch for a while. My senses extend beyond the physical; I'll know if danger approaches."

Adrian wanted to protest, but exhaustion from their day's journey and the emotional toll of leaving their sanctuary suddenly caught up with him. He nodded gratefully and moved to his sleeping roll.

As he drifted toward sleep, his mind filled with images of fire and void, of four unknown faces bearing marks like his own, and of a circle unbroken. His last conscious thought was a prayer to whatever powers might be listening: Let me be worthy of this mark. Let me be strong enough for what's to come.

In the deepest part of the night, Adrian dreamed of a vast darkness split by five pillars of colored light—red, blue, green, white, and violet—holding back a tide of writhing shadows. As he watched, one of the pillars—the blue one—flickered and stabilized, growing stronger. In his dream, Adrian somehow knew that another Evermark bearer had awakened to their power.

He was no longer alone.