Ashar felt a coldness settle over him as he trudged through the snow, the icy wind biting through the layers of his cloak. The mountains loomed ahead, their jagged peaks veiled in thick mist, casting long, threatening shadows across the barren landscape. The further they moved from the city walls, the more the land seemed to close in on them, the silence growing heavier. After their brief and awkward encounter with Benji, Ashar couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something even darker—something far more dangerous.

Benji, who had been walking beside them ever since their brief clash, was quieter now, though Ashar noticed the lingering nervous energy in his stance. The apology from earlier had seemed genuine, but the weight of his words had carried a hidden warning. This world was cruel, unforgiving, and the Echo wasn't just a power to be learned, but something that would consume those too weak to control it.

Kaelen, walking ahead, was as unreadable as ever, his gaze fixed on the path before them, his steps sure and steady. Despite the calmness in his outward demeanor, Ashar could feel the tension building around him like an invisible storm.

"So, Benji,"

Ashar said, attempting to break the growing silence,

"how long have you been... you know, marked like us?"

Benji glanced at him, his eyes flickering for a moment before settling back on the road ahead.

"A few years now,"

He replied, his voice steady but tinged with something Ashar couldn't quite place.

"Long enough to know that the Echo isn't something you can just shake off. It doesn't care if you're ready for it. It'll take you anyway."

Ashar raised an eyebrow. "So, the Seekers, they're the ones who—"

Benji cut him off, his tone darker now.

"The Seekers?

They're not the worst of them, Ashar. They may hunt us, but there are worse things in this world than being hunted. The Seekers don't control the Echo. They just want to use it for their own ends." He paused, letting the words sink in before adding, "But it's not just the Seekers we need to worry about. Not by a long shot."

Ashar felt a tightness in his chest. It was the same feeling he'd had when Kaelen first spoke of the Echo, when he'd said that it wasn't just a tool—it was a force. Something ancient, and if left unchecked, it could consume him.

Kaelen turned back slightly, his expression unreadable. "It's true. The Echo may be the most dangerous thing we'll face, but there are other forces at play. Forces that are older and far more powerful than even the Seekers realize." His voice dropped to a low murmur, almost as if speaking to himself, "And there are people out there who would kill to control it."

Benji let out a quiet chuckle, but there was little amusement in it. "You're not the first to say that. I've seen what it does to people. How they change. The Echo doesn't just twist your body—it warps your mind, your soul. It makes you believe you're in control, even when you're not."

Ashar nodded slowly, feeling the weight of their words pressing down on him. The power within him stirred, a familiar hunger rising as if in response. It was a constant companion now, a force that had been with him since the moment he was marked. It hadn't been easy to control, and the more Kaelen had pushed him, the more he had felt the dark hunger grow. Each time he resisted, it fought back harder.

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Suddenly, Kaelen stopped. The sharp movement broke Ashar's concentration, and he looked up quickly, his senses immediately alert. Benji's hand hovered near the hilt of his sword, his stance tense. They were not alone.

Kaelen's gaze was fixed on the shadowed ridge ahead, his posture rigid with alertness. "We're being watched," he muttered. "I can feel it."

Benji gripped his sword hilt with both hands, his body coiled like a spring, ready to react at the slightest provocation. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Kaelen didn't answer right away. He took a step forward, scanning the mountain pass in front of them. The air felt thick with something unspoken, a pressure that seemed to weigh down on Ashar's chest. The presence—whatever it was—was close, far closer than Ashar had expected.

Before Ashar could react, a figure emerged from the shadows of the mountain pass, tall and imposing. They were cloaked in a dark, weathered mantle, their face obscured by a hood that cast their features in shadow. But the gleam of steel from a sword caught Ashar's eye, and for a moment, his breath hitched. Whoever this was, they were armed—and dangerous.

Kaelen's voice was a sharp command.

"Stay back."

Benji's eyes narrowed as the figure approached, his hand still hovering near the sword. Ashar stepped back, instinctively wanting to get behind Kaelen, who was already facing the new arrival with a dangerous calm.

The figure halted several paces away, their head turning slightly, as if studying each of them in turn. There was an unsettling aura about them, a coldness that sent a shiver down Ashar's spine.

"You guys are?" the woman asked, her voice sharp and cold as steel.

Kaelen didn't flinch. "None of your business" he said, his voice even, but there was an edge to it now.

The woman's eyes flicked to Benji, then to Ashar, her gaze lingering longer on the mark that burned faintly beneath Ashar's cloak. "You guys are cute" she muttered, more to herself than to them. Her sword gleamed in the dim light, and Ashar noticed the way she held it, not in a defensive stance, but ready for a strike. She was no stranger to combat.

Benji let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "Aren't we all a little lost in this world? You're not one of them, are you?"

The woman's lips twisted into something that could have been a smile—if it hadn't been so cold. "You're lucky. I don't have time to waste on the likes of you."

Her eyes narrowed at Kaelen.

"But you—I've been hearing whispers of you. The Echo's chosen." Her voice held a hint of challenge.

"So, what is it you want?"

Kaelen's eyes hardened, and Ashar could feel the change in him. The air around them grew tense, and he instinctively moved closer to Kaelen, the weight of his mark burning against his chest.

"We want nothing from you,"

Kaelen replied.

"I am dangerous for you, disappear before i make you."

The woman's lips curled into a sneer.

"I'll decide what's dangerous for me."

She lifted her sword, the edge catching the faint light, and Ashar felt the air crackle with tension. A fight was imminent.

But just as the blade flashed through the air, Kaelen moved with lightning speed, his hand intercepting the strike with his own sword. The clash of steel rang out, echoing through the mountain pass. The force of the strike sent a shockwave through Ashar, and he stepped back instinctively, watching as Kaelen and the woman engaged in a brutal exchange.

The woman's strength was impressive, but Kaelen's control was unmatched. The fight was over quickly, but the tension between them was far from gone. As the woman's sword dropped to the ground, Kaelen stepped back, his face unreadable.

"You still deciding?" Kaelen asked, his voice cold as the winds around them.

The woman hesitated, her breath ragged, but she finally lowered her sword.

"Not today,"

She said, her voice tinged with grudging respect.

"But you'll be seeing more of me."

She turned to leave, disappearing with no trace.

Kaelen didn't relax, but Ashar could feel the tension lifting slightly. The woman was no ally, but she wasn't an immediate threat, either.

Ashar swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. He hadn't expected such an encounter, but he was starting to realize just how many dangers lay ahead of them.

Kaelen turned to face the group, his eyes heavy with something Ashar couldn't place.

"Stay alert. There are more forces at play than we can see."

And with that, the three of them moved onward, deeper into the unknown, as the weight of their journey and the Echo hung over them like a dark cloud.