The boy sat quietly by the fire, the heat flickering across his pale face. His breathing had steadied, and Arden waited a mont longer before speaking.
"I’m Arden," he said simply. "And you?"
The boy hesitated, still unsure, but he finally answered. "Rael. From Velridge."
"Small town?" Arden asked.
Rael gave a slight nod. "Barely known. We don’t even have a mage academy."
"You awakened as a battle mage, right?" Arden continued, casually, as he sorted through so gear beside him.
"Yeah... with Lightning and Ice," Rael muttered. "Didn’t matter, though. They saw as a danger. Sa day I awakened, they exiled ."
There was no bitterness in his voice, just exhaustion. But Arden could tell there was more buried under the calm.
"How long were you out there before they found you?"
Rael’s jaw tensed. "Not long. A few weeks, maybe. I thought I’d finally be left alone, just survive out there sohow... but the Creed found . Like they already knew."
Arden didn’t respond imdiately. He just looked at him, watching the weight return to Rael’s eyes as he spoke.
"They acted friendly at first," Rael continued. "Said they had a way to help . That they could stabilize the affinities... even make stronger. I believed them.. I wanted to."
His voice hardened. "But they never explained anything. Always hiding things and whispering when I wasn’t around. I started asking questions they didn’t like."
He glanced up, eyes flickering with guilt and sothing darker. "When I refused to follow them anymore, I lost control. The storm ca again, but I fought, and took so of them down. But they didn’t stop though. They just kept hunting."
Arden leaned back slightly, arms crossed. "So they were tracking you from the beginning."
"Yeah," Rael said. "They knew exactly what I was. I think they know what Nyra is too."
Across the fire, Nyra stayed silent, but Arden saw the look in her eyes. She understood every word. Not just the aning, but the feeling.
Rael added, "I don’t know what they’re planning, but they’re organized. I’ve seen things in that cave, so equipnts and tools. This isn’t so small band of freaks experinting. They’re building sothing."
"They’ll co again," Arden said, not doubting him for a second. "You’re right about that."
Zephyra, lying by the shadows, lifted her head at the tone in his voice. Arden stood slowly, scanning the dark beyond the camp.
"Get ready," he said. "They’ve followed you before. They’ll try again."
Panic flashed across Rael’s face before he struggled to regain his composure.
"We’re not running?" he asked.
Arden smirked faintly. "No. Let them try."
He continued to Rael. "You’re not their property, and this ti... they’ll learn that the hard way."
The fire cracked, and silence returned for now.
Rael’s panic had settled, but the suspicion hadn’t. He kept glancing at Arden, then at Nyra, and finally at Zephyra, who sat quietly like a statue, her beastly eyes reflecting the low fire.
"How did you even know they were coming?" Rael asked, cautious but curious. "You said it like you were sure, but then why this calm?."
Arden didn’t answer right away. He leaned back against a rock, raised his waterskin, and took a slow sip before speaking.
"I’m special," he said with a shrug. "And they’re just a bunch of weak asses playing hunter in a forest they don’t understand."
Rael blinked. "That’s not... an answer."
Arden pointed lazily toward the east.
"There’s seven of them. Moving slow, thinking they’re clever. Three circling wide, four inching closer. Nearest one’s crouching behind a tree, probably regretting life choices already."
Nyra looked up, already focused, no words needed.
"I don’t get it," Rael muttered. "You’re this calm? There’s seven of them."
"Why panic?" Arden said, setting the flask down. "They can’t ambush us if we hit them first."
"But how are they tracking us so fast?" Nyra asked, finally voicing what Arden had been thinking.
He nodded slightly. "That’s the real problem. We’ve covered our tracks well, and this part of the outlands isn’t exactly a straight path."
He paused, thinking.
"Either one of us got careless, or they’re keeping track on us in a way we can’t yet understand."
His eyes narrowed, and sothing darker passed through them. It didn’t sit right, and he wasn’t going to ignore it.
"Perhaps it’s ti to use my ruin properly."
He stood and looked at them, his tone shifting.
"Zephyra, intercept the wide flank. Clean and quiet. Nyra, I want you upfront. Keep their attention. Don’t hold back."
She nodded once, her eyes already glowing faintly.
"And ?" Rael asked.
"You?" Arden smirked. "You’re on standby. Watch, learn, don’t fry ."
Rael frowned. "I wasn’t planning to."
"I’m serious. Keep that storm of yours in check until I say so."
Arden didn’t wait for more questions. He moved, fluid and focused. It wasn’t about pride or proving anything. This was about control, and making sure the Creed didn’t start thinking they had any.
Nyra followed, her pace steady but sharp. She didn’t speak, but Arden could tell she was itching to strike. He didn’t bla her. This was personal.
Rael stayed back as told, eyes darting from one shadow to another. He watched them lt into the dark with ease, coordinated without needing to shout. Even Zephyra moved like she knew exactly what to do, without waiting for a second order.
Rael exhaled, not even realizing he had been holding his breath.
"What kind of freaks did I end up with?" he whispered to himself.
But for once, that question didn’t scare him. It felt good. Like he might finally belong sowhere.
He glanced in the direction Arden had pointed earlier, and almost felt sorry for the n coming their way.
Almost.
A/N:
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