They departed Wayfarer's Rest at dawn, eager to put distance between themselves and the mysterious stranger who had delivered the cryptic warning about the Black Robes. The rain had stopped, but a dense mist clung to the landscape, shrouding the forest ahead in an ethereal veil that Adrian found both beautiful and unnerving.

"The mist offers good cover," Carl noted as they followed a narrow trail leading away from the inn. "But it also limits visibility. Stay alert."

Adrian nodded, his hand resting lightly on his sword hilt. The memory-visions of Elenna still lingered in his mind, along with the implications of his connection to her in a past life. These thoughts, however, took a secondary position to their immediate concern: reaching Forest Star Village safely.

"The fastest route would be to follow the King's Road for another day," Carl explained as they walked, "but after that warning, I think we should take the forest path. It's longer, but less traveled."

"Agreed," Elarala said. "The forest will also dampen our energy signatures, making us harder to track magically."

They turned off the main road after about an hour's walking, taking a barely visible trail that plunged into the dense woodland. The forest seemed to swallow them whole, the canopy above filtering the morning light into a green-tinged twilight. Adrian immediately felt the change in atmosphere—not just the physical surroundings, but something more subtle, a shift in the ambient energy that made the Evermark on his chest grow warm.

"This forest feels strange," he said quietly. "Different from Elarala's valley."

Elarala tilted her head slightly, her blind eyes scanning their surroundings in that uncanny way of hers. "Yes. The natural flow of energy is disrupted here. Not corrupted, as with void influence, but... redirected."

"What could cause that?" Adrian asked.

"Many things," she replied. "Geological features, magical creatures, ancient rituals performed on the land. Or more recent intervention."

Carl had moved ahead slightly, his experienced hunter's gaze examining the path. He paused, crouching to study something on the ground. "Like this," he said grimly.

Adrian joined him, looking where Carl pointed. At first, he saw nothing unusual—just fallen leaves, damp earth, and twigs. Then, as his eyes adjusted, he spotted it: a thin strand of silvery material stretching across the path, suspended barely an inch above the ground. It gleamed faintly in a shaft of sunlight that penetrated the canopy.

"Tripwire?" Adrian asked, military instincts immediately assessing the threat.

"Of a sort," Carl replied, his voice low. He gestured for Adrian to look more closely, but was careful not to touch the strand. "But not mechanical. See how it catches the light? Almost like it's... alive."

Adrian studied the strand more carefully. It did indeed have an unnatural sheen, and as he focused on it, he felt a corresponding pulse from the Evermark. With sudden clarity, he realized he could actually see a faint purple glow surrounding the wire—energy his normal vision would have missed entirely.

"It's magical," he said with certainty.

"A runed trap," Elarala confirmed, moving to join them. She extended her hand, palm down, hovering it several inches above the wire. "Designed specifically to detect and drain magical energy. Anyone with active abilities who crosses this would trigger it."

"Trigger what exactly?" Adrian asked.

Carl carefully traced the wire's path with his eyes to where it disappeared into the underbrush. "Let's find out—carefully."

He moved into the brush with the silent grace of a lifelong woodsman, stepping with deliberate precision to avoid disturbing the trap mechanism. Adrian followed, equally cautious, while Elarala remained on the path, her attention apparently focused in multiple directions.

Pushing aside some ferns, Carl revealed what the wire was connected to—a small, intricately carved wooden box half-buried in the earth. Strange symbols were etched into its surface, some of which glowed with the same purple energy Adrian had sensed in the wire.

"Rune box," Carl whispered. "Haven't seen one in decades. When triggered, it would drain magical energy from anything within a ten-foot radius, leaving a magic user completely depleted and helpless."

Adrian examined the device with growing concern. "Who would set such a thing? The Obsidian Circle?"

"No," Carl shook his head. "This craftsmanship is different. These are drainer runes, not void symbols. This is the work of mage hunters."

"I thought they were disbanded after the Great Magic War," Adrian said, recalling fragments of history Carl had shared during their journey.

"Officially, yes," Carl replied grimly. "But some continued operating in secret, especially in regions where fear of magic runs deep."

"There are more," Elarala called softly from the path. "Many more. I can sense them forming a network throughout this section of forest."

Adrian rejoined her, a cold understanding settling in his gut. "It's not just a random trap. It's a net—designed to catch anyone with magical abilities trying to travel this way."

"Precisely," Elarala agreed. "And likely to alert the hunters to their presence as well."

"Can you sense them all?" Adrian asked her.

She shook her head. "Only generally. Their energy signature is designed to disrupt magical perception—they knew what they were defending against."

Adrian closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation he had experienced when detecting the energy in the tripwire. The Evermark responded, its warmth spreading through his chest and into his extremities. When he opened his eyes again, his vision had shifted subtly—the mundane details of the forest receding while energetic patterns became more pronounced.

With this enhanced perception, he could see faint purple lines radiating through the forest floor in a complex web—dozens of tripwires, all connected to buried rune boxes similar to the one they'd discovered.

"I can see them," he said, surprised by his own ability. "The energy patterns—they're everywhere."

Carl looked at him with newfound respect. "Your connection to the Evermark is growing stronger."

"Can you guide us through?" Elarala asked.

Adrian nodded slowly, still adjusting to this strange perception. "I think so. They seem to be arranged in a grid pattern, with some... concentration points where multiple lines intersect."

"Those would be the major trigger points," Carl theorized. "Likely with more powerful effects than simple energy draining."

"This way," Adrian said, moving off the path to the right. "There's a gap in the pattern about twenty yards ahead."

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

He led them carefully through the forest, navigating between the invisible tripwires that only he could perceive. The task required intense concentration—the purple energy lines sometimes pulsed or shifted slightly, as if the entire network were a living thing, breathing and adjusting to maintain its integrity.

Their progress was painfully slow. Twice they had to backtrack when Adrian discovered dead ends—gaps that appeared navigable but ultimately closed off. Once, Carl nearly triggered a trap when his pack brushed too close to a suspended rune box hanging from a low branch—Adrian spotted the danger just in time, pulling the older man back.

"That one was different," Adrian observed, studying the hanging box. "More... aggressive somehow."

"Offensive rather than defensive," Elarala agreed, sensing it as well. "Not merely designed to drain, but to attack. The hunters anticipated resistance."

As they carefully navigated the trap network, Adrian found himself drawing more deeply on the Evermark's power than ever before. Each use came more naturally, as if he were remembering rather than learning. The energy perception that had initially been so strange now felt almost intuitive, though maintaining it for extended periods left him mentally drained.

After what felt like hours of tense progress, they finally reached a small clearing where the network of energy lines thinned noticeably.

"We can rest here," Adrian said, his voice betraying his fatigue. "The trap density is much lower."

They settled in the clearing, Carl unpacking some provisions while Elarala helped Adrian sit against a tree trunk. His vision gradually returned to normal as he relaxed his connection to the Evermark, the purple energy lines fading from sight.

"That's a remarkable ability you've developed," Elarala commented. "Energy perception at that level of detail usually takes years of training."

"It doesn't feel like training," Adrian admitted, accepting a piece of bread and dried meat from Carl. "It feels like... remembering. As if I've done this before."

"In your previous life, perhaps you did," Elarala said. "The Evermark doesn't just preserve power—it carries skills, instincts, even muscle memory across lifetimes."

Adrian contemplated this as he ate. The implications were both comforting and unsettling—that he carried within him abilities and knowledge from a previous existence, emerging gradually as his connection to the mark deepened.

"These traps," he said after a while, returning to their immediate concern. "Why here? Why now?"

Carl exchanged a meaningful glance with Elarala before answering. "Mage hunters become active during periods of increased magical disturbance. With the burn lines appearing, void incursions increasing... those who fear magic grow more vigilant, more aggressive."

"But these traps..." Adrian frowned. "They're not targeting void energies specifically. They'd affect anyone with magical abilities."

"Fear rarely discriminates," Elarala said softly. "To those who fear magic in all its forms, there is no distinction between a helpful village healer and a void cultist. Both represent power they cannot control."

"And that fear is being manipulated," Carl added, the historian in him evident. "Throughout history, whenever void incursions have occurred, there has been a corresponding rise in anti-magic sentiment—sometimes encouraged by those with ulterior motives."

Adrian considered this. "You think the Obsidian Circle might be behind this? Encouraging witch hunters to eliminate potential opposition?"

"It would be consistent with their methods," Elarala acknowledged. "Divide potential allies, create chaos and distrust, then exploit the resulting confusion."

After their brief rest, Adrian stood and reconnected with the Evermark's energy, his perception of the trap network returning more easily this time. "The path ahead seems clearer," he reported. "The traps thin out toward the northeast."

"That matches our desired direction," Carl nodded. "Lead on."

They continued their careful journey through the trapped forest, Adrian guiding them between the invisible tripwires. The day wore on, shadows lengthening as the sun passed its zenith and began its descent toward the west.

As they emerged from a particularly dense thicket, Adrian suddenly halted, raising his hand in warning. His enhanced perception had detected something different ahead—not the purple energy of the mage hunter traps, but something darker, more ominous.

"What is it?" Carl whispered, crossbow at the ready.

"There's something ahead," Adrian replied softly. "Not hunter traps. Different energy. Darker."

Elarala extended her awareness. "Void energy," she confirmed after a moment. "Faint, but present. A residual trace, not active working."

"The burn lines?" Adrian asked.

"Similar, but not identical," she replied. "More like... a footprint. Something touched this place briefly but powerfully."

They proceeded with even greater caution. The forest had grown quiet around them, the natural sounds of birds and insects fading to an unnatural silence that raised the hairs on the back of Adrian's neck.

As they entered a small hollow between ancient oak trees, Adrian saw it—a patch of ground perhaps ten feet in diameter where the normally vibrant forest floor had been reduced to blackened earth. At the center of the patch was a symbol burned into the soil—a complex arrangement of lines and angles that made his eyes hurt to look at directly.

"Don't approach it," Elarala warned sharply. "Don't even look at it too intently."

"What is it?" Adrian asked, averting his gaze as instructed.

"A void sign," Carl answered grimly. "A message or marker left by the Obsidian Circle."

"For whom?" Adrian wondered.

"For others of their kind," Elarala said. "Or perhaps for something they're summoning."

Carl studied the surrounding area without approaching the burned patch. "Recent," he determined. "Within the last day or two. And look—" he pointed to the edge of the hollow, "—there's a gap in the hunter traps here. They specifically avoided this spot."

Adrian connected the implications immediately. "They know about each other. The hunters and the Obsidian Circle—they're not working together, but they're aware of each other's territories."

"An uneasy coexistence," Elarala nodded. "Both groups pursuing their own agendas, neither directly confronting the other yet."

They carefully circumvented the hollow, giving the void sign a wide berth. Adrian's perception showed him that the mage hunter traps indeed formed a perfect circle around the blackened patch, as if deliberately establishing a boundary.

"We need to move more quickly," Carl said as they left the hollow behind. "This forest has become more dangerous than I anticipated. Too many competing forces at work."

Adrian agreed, pushing himself to maintain his energy perception despite growing fatigue. The trap network continued, but its patterns had become more erratic after the void-touched hollow, as if the hunters had been rushed or disturbed while setting them.

As the afternoon waned toward evening, they finally reached what appeared to be the edge of the trapped zone. The purple energy lines thinned and then disappeared entirely, leaving only the natural energy flows of the forest.

"We're clear," Adrian announced with relief, allowing his enhanced perception to fade. The sudden return to normal vision left him momentarily disoriented, and he leaned against a tree for support.

"You've pushed yourself hard," Elarala observed with concern. "Your body is still adjusting to using the Evermark's power so extensively."

"I'll be fine," Adrian assured her, though the pounding headache behind his eyes suggested otherwise. "How much farther to Forest Star Village?"

"Still three days' journey at a good pace," Carl replied. "But we've avoided the worst of the hunter territory. That's a victory in itself."

They found a sheltered spot to make camp as twilight deepened into night. As they sat around a small, carefully screened fire, Carl studied the rough map he carried.

"Those traps weren't there when I last traveled this route," he said, tracing their path with his finger. "And they were specifically designed to catch magic users traveling toward Forest Star Village."

"Someone doesn't want people like us reaching the village," Adrian concluded. "Or the knowledge contained in the repository."

"The timing is significant as well," Elarala added. "These traps were recently set—within weeks, judging by their energy signature. The hunters are increasing their activities just as the Obsidian Circle becomes more active."

"And just as my mark awakened," Adrian noted grimly.

Carl rolled up his map, his expression thoughtful. "I've documented mage hunter activities for decades. This level of sophisticated trapping is unusual—beyond their traditional methods. Something has changed."

"Or someone is directing them," Elarala suggested. "Providing knowledge and resources."

Adrian stared into the small flames of their campfire, recalling the purple glow of the trap network he had navigated them through. "If we hadn't detected those traps..." he began.

"They would have drained your magic, leaving you helpless," Carl finished. "And likely alerted the hunters to our presence. Capturing an Evermark bearer would be a prize beyond their imagining."

"Then we were fortunate," Adrian said.

"Not fortune," Elarala corrected gently. "Your growing connection to the Evermark revealed them. The very power they sought to trap protected you from their snares."

Adrian considered this irony as he took first watch, gazing into the darkened forest while his companions rested. The Evermark on his chest pulsed with a steady warmth, comforting yet heavy with responsibility. Every challenge they faced—the Collectors in the valley, the mysterious stranger at the inn, the trapped forest—seemed to push him deeper into his connection with the mark, revealing new abilities along with fragments of his past life.

Tomorrow they would continue toward Forest Star Village and the ancient repository of knowledge that might explain his purpose in this strange, dangerous world. For now, though, he had proven himself capable of protecting his companions, navigating dangers that would have defeated them without his awakening abilities.

This, at least, gave him a measure of peace as he watched the night deepen around their small campfire—a tiny island of light in a forest full of hidden threats.