Aelric’s mind was lost in darkness. The world around him felt distant, muted, as if he were submerged in water. His body was numb, floating in a void that stretched endlessly in all directions. There was no pain, no sound, just an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

But slowly, through the haze, something began to pull him back. A faint sensation, like the warmth of a flame flickering on the edge of his consciousness. He couldn’t grasp it, but it was there, drawing him closer to the surface of whatever place he had fallen into.

His eyelids fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was the soft glow of candlelight flickering against the wooden walls. His body felt heavy, every muscle aching as if he had been dragged through hell and back. He tried to move, but the pain in his side flared up instantly, a sharp reminder of the wound Calder had inflicted.

A groan escaped his lips, and the sound of footsteps hurried toward him. Elda appeared beside him, her face a mixture of relief and worry.

“Aelric,” she said softly, kneeling beside the bed. “You’re awake.”

Aelric blinked, trying to focus. He was lying in Elda’s home, tucked under blankets, the familiar scent of herbs and salves in the air. His mind struggled to piece together the fragments of what had happened. The fight, Calder, the fire… the footsteps… he had run, hadn’t he?

“You—” Aelric’s voice cracked, barely more than a whisper. “You opened the door…”

Elda nodded, her expression grim. “You collapsed right in front of me. You were bleeding badly, Aelric. What happened?”

Aelric winced as he shifted slightly, the pain in his side making him grit his teeth. He remembered the fight with Calder, the desperation in his eyes, the blade that had cut deep into his flesh. And then, the fire—the heat that had surged from within him, killing Calder before he could even think to stop it.

“Calder…” Aelric murmured, his voice barely audible.

Elda’s eyes darkened, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to stay still. “I know. I saw… the guards found him.”

Aelric’s heart sank. The guards had found Calder’s body. They knew what had happened. Panic surged through him, but his body was too weak to react. “What… what will they do?”

Elda sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t know yet. But for now, you need to rest. That wound was deep, and your magic couldn’t heal it fully on its own.”

Aelric looked down at his bandaged side, the faint glow of his magic barely visible beneath the wrappings. His power had been too weak to save him entirely, but it had kept him alive long enough to make it to Elda’s door. The thought made him shudder.

“You’re lucky I had the right herbs to stop the bleeding,” Elda continued. “But you need to be careful, Aelric. The town is already on edge because of everything that’s happened. If they find out you—”

“I didn’t mean to kill him,” Aelric interrupted, his voice hoarse. His eyes met Elda’s, and for the first time since the fight, the weight of what he had done crashed down on him. “I didn’t mean to…”

Elda’s expression softened, her hand resting on his arm. “I know. You were defending yourself. But that doesn’t mean they’ll see it that way.”

Aelric nodded weakly, the exhaustion weighing down his every thought. His mind was a blur of guilt, fear, and the lingering pain from his injury. He had killed Calder. Whether it was self-defense or not, it didn’t change the fact that he had taken a life.

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“I… I don’t know what to do,” Aelric whispered, his voice breaking.

Elda leaned closer, her voice gentle but firm. “For now, you need to recover. We’ll figure out what comes next when the time comes. But you can’t stay here much longer. It’s not safe.”

Aelric’s heart sank. He knew she was right. The town was already suspicious of him, and Calder’s death would only make things worse. He couldn’t stay in Delsworth. Not after this.

But where would he go?

The thought of leaving weighed heavily on him, but the fear of being caught—of being hunted—was even more terrifying. He had to leave, but he had no idea where to begin.

“I’ll help you,” Elda said, as if reading his thoughts. “But you need to stay hidden for now. I’ll figure out a way to get you out of the town when you’re strong enough.”

Aelric nodded, too weak to protest. His body ached, his mind spinning with too many thoughts to process. For now, all he could do was rest and trust that Elda would keep him safe.

She rose from his bedside and hesitated before speaking again. “I cleaned up some of the blood you left on the street, leading to my door,” she said, her voice low. “But the guards… they’re already suspicious.”

Aelric’s eyes widened, panic bubbling up again. “Why?”

“Because it was Calder who died,” Elda explained, her face grave. “Before the trial, he used to say that if anything ever happened to him, it would be you who did it. The guards remember that. And they saw Calder’s decline after the trial… they blame you.”

Aelric’s heart sank deeper. The guards had never been friendly toward him, but this was different. “What are they going to do?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Elda met his gaze, her expression solemn. “They’re looking for you, Aelric. And this time, it won’t be as kind as before. Calder was one of their own. They’re angry… and they’ll want answers.”

Aelric closed his eyes, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a boulder. He was trapped. The town was against him, and now, with Calder dead, there was no escaping their wrath. No matter what he did, he would always be the one they blamed.

“Stay hidden,” Elda urged, her voice steady but urgent. “I’ll find a way to get you out of here. But you can’t let them find you like this.”

Aelric nodded weakly, too exhausted to respond. His body ached, his mind was filled with guilt and fear, but for now, he had no choice but to rest.

...

Days passed, and Aelric’s strength slowly returned. Elda had done her best to tend to his wound, using her skills as a healer, but what truly helped was the slow, focused manipulation of his own mana swirling around the wound. His magic, though weaker than usual, had begun to mend the deeper damage. The pain had lessened, but the mark still lingered—a painful reminder of the night Calder had died.

The quiet had been both a blessing and a curse. Each day, Aelric felt stronger, but the growing tension in the town weighed on him. He hadn’t stepped outside since that night, hadn’t dared risk being seen. Elda kept him updated on the growing unease in Delsworth.

She entered the room hurriedly one morning, her face pale with worry. “Things are getting worse,” she said, her voice low but urgent.

Aelric sat up, wincing slightly as the wound pulled. “What’s happened?”

“The town… they’re in an uproar,” Elda explained, her hands wringing nervously. “They’re saying Calder was killed by magic. The way his body was found… they’re convinced it wasn’t a normal death. They’re afraid. And the guards, they’ve already broken into your home. They found nothing changed… no sign that you left town.”

Aelric’s heart raced. If the guards were searching his home, it meant they suspected him even more than before.

“They know you haven’t left,” Elda continued, her voice trembling slightly. “But they haven’t seen you for days, and now… they’re angry. The village guards, Calder’s friends, they blame you for what happened to him.”

Aelric’s breath caught in his throat. “What… what are they going to do?”

Elda’s eyes widened as a noise from outside broke the tense silence. Raised voices echoed through the street, and Aelric could hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps—heavy, determined—heading toward Elda’s house.

“They’re coming here,” Elda said, her voice frantic. “They must’ve figured it out.”

Aelric’s heart pounded. “What should I do?”

“Hide,” Elda urged, her eyes wide with panic. “Quickly!”

Aelric stumbled to his feet, his wound still aching but nearly healed. He could hear the guards shouting outside, banging on Elda’s door.

“In there!” Elda pointed to a small closet at the back of the room.

Aelric slipped inside just as the guards began yelling to open the door, threatening to break it down. His breath came in shallow gasps as he crouched in the dark, his heart racing. The pain from his wound throbbed dully, a reminder of how close he had come to death.

The door burst open.