CHAPTER 7: Fugitives of Fate

Aeon

we arrived at Artou’s hideout and as soon as i entred he declared “Aeon, there’s something I need to tell you,” Artou called to me, his voice heavy with something I couldn’t quite place.

I turned to him, wary.

“I was an adventurer once,” he continued. “I fought, struggled, and clawed my way up, building a reputation, gaining strength—until I hit a wall. No matter how hard I trained, my human body had limits. My magic—weapon enhancement—was weak compared to other magics out there, I was stuck. And then I realized something.” He paused. “The only way forward was to find another human. Not for companionship. For power.”

I stiffened, the weight of his words crashing down on me. “Is that why you saved me?”

“At first… yes,” he admitted, avoiding my eyes. “I thought that by using another human’s life energy, I could break my limits. I even put a charm on you—to make sure you wouldn’t question me, wouldn’t turn against me. But then…” He exhaled, shaking his head. “You ended up with no magic. The whole point of draining a human’s life essence is to absorb their magic, and you had none. My disappointment got the better of me.”

He hesitated, then sighed. “Honestly… I wasn’t even going to save you from Zasz. Fighting him was a bad idea from the start, and you—” he let out a dry chuckle “—you just had to start a fight with the biggest asshole in that village.”

Finally, he met my gaze. His voice was raw, filled with something I hadn’t heard from him before—shame.

“I know this might sound like an excuse,” he continued, “but deep down, I think I wasn’t really looking for power. I was looking for a friend. And I realized that when I saw Zasz about to kill you.” His voice faltered for a moment, then steadied. “There’s no easy way to say this, Aeon. I’m sorry.”

Anger boiled in my chest. I had trusted him. He had guided me, saved me, given me shelter—and all the while, I had been nothing more than a tool, a sacrifice waiting to happen.

I turned away, stepping outside to clear my head. The cold air did nothing to ease the storm inside me. Yes, he had saved my life. Yes, he had been my only anchor in this world. But if I had been different—if I had magic—would he have killed me without hesitation? Or would he spare me a try to be a friend? I shook my head trying to get my thinking straight ‘maybe the charms he gave me still in effect and he is just trying to play a game on me again.’

A part of me wanted to walk away. But another part knew I stand no chance alone.

Artou followed me out. “We need to leave. It’s only a matter of time before they find us.”

“Go where?” I asked, still unsure if I could trust him.

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“There’s a rumor—about a place beyond the guild’s reach. A realm outside their control.”

I frowned. “I don’t know anything about this world, let alone where to run. And why would I trust you?”

Artou hesitated. “Aeon… I know I betrayed your trust. But I saved your life, too. We’re all we’ve got. Everyone else sees us as prey—something to kill, something to harvest.” His voice wavered. “I regret what I planned to do to you. If I could take it back, I would. So please, let’s start over.”

I studied him for a long moment. The regret in his eyes was real I sighed. “Fine. I will come with you but that doesn’t mean I will forget this.”

Before he could respond, shouts echoed from the distance.

“They should be around here!”

Artou swore under his breath, rushing back inside to grab what he could. I stayed frozen, watching shadows move between the trees.

“Come on,” Artou ordered, shouldering a packed bag. “The guild is tracking us.”

“Do you even know where to go?” I asked, following him into the forest.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “But there’s a portal in a nearby town. If we can reach it, we can escape this region for now.”

We moved swiftly, keeping low to avoid detection, the sun had set made tracking us harder. The settlement was close, and so was our way out.

We sneaked to the portal, such portal was used by adventurers to fast travel but it was open to use by anyone, “how do we turn it on?” I asked confused. The portal was made of wood, branches loomed in circle pinned to the ground with decorated bricks. The portal shimmered before it opened. “Well done its open.” I said congratulating Artou. “Eeeh it wasn’t me who opened it!”

Two figures stepped out, blocking our path, Artou tensed beside me. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t try to fight.”

The first figure was tall and lean, an elf with flowing black hair. His shirt left his abdomen exposed, but his arms and legs were clad in armor. The second was another elf, towering over both of us, covered in fur, its massive hands flexing with barely restrained power.

Elves were rare. Reclusive. They didn’t mingle with other races, but they were united serving a king of elves, yet some chose to follow their own paths.

Artou told me about them and how they had claimed what was formerly the northern continent of America as their kingdom.

The elf’s piercing eyes locked onto me. His voice was smooth, confident. “This must be my lucky day, you’ve come to us. That saves us the trouble of finding you ourselves.”

My grip tightened. “Who are you?”

The elf’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “I am Ziyong. The gods have seen my strength, and I am blessed with their power.” His confidence showed in his eyes as they flicked to me, and something in his expression shifted. “And you… it seems the gods favor you too.”

Artou’s posture stiffened. “He’s a divine blessing holder,” he murmured. “That makes him… dangerous.”

I frowned. “Divine blessing? What does that even mean?”

Ziyong smirked. “It means the gods have chosen me to grant me their blessing. And now, I am here to escort you, human.”

My blood ran cold. How did he know what I was?

I leaned toward Artou, whispering, “do you know what they are talking about?”

“No,” he whispered back, his face grim. “I don’t know either.”

Behind us, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. The guild warriors arrived at the scene, “Halt for the murder of a …” his voice cut. Ziyong With a flick of his wrist, a bolt of lightning ripped from the sky, striking the town behind us. Buildings exploded into flames. Guild members scattered, screams filling the air. They recognized Ziyong and he stroke fear in them.

The elf turned back to us, his gaze now on Artou. “What to do with you?” his hand in his chin analyzing Artou “You’re human too. That crazy women might find some useful thing to do with you, come along. We’re heading to the Elf Kingdom.”

Artou’s hand clenched and his eyes dark with fear and resolve.

“We have no choice,” he whispered. “We’re going with them.”