The battlefield still smelled of ash and burning flesh. Soldiers worked in silence, piling up broken weapons and tending to the wounded. Rihan watched them, guilt gnawing at his chest. Every scream, every drop of blood spilled — it all felt like his fault somehow.
But his gaze kept drifting to the dark-armored woman sitting apart from everyone else. Sirena Veyra.
She sharpened her blade silently, the silver runes glowing faintly even when untouched. The way the soldiers stole glances at her, whispering in awe, made it clear — she wasn't just another knight. She was a legend they thought had died years ago.
Rihan finally stood and walked toward her. "You saved us back there. Thank you."
Sirena didn't look up. Shhhk — her whetstone slid across the blade.
"I didn't do it for you."
Rihan frowned. "Then why?"
She stopped at last, raising her eyes. They were sharp, cold, but not cruel. "Because every beast they send brings Draemir's whispers closer. I won't let his corruption spread again."
---
🌌 On the Road
By dawn, the vanguard began moving again. Their destination: the ruined fortress of Orvand Keep, once a Moonblade stronghold, now rumored to be crawling with cultists.
The group rode on horseback through misty forests. Elira kept close to Sirena, asking quiet questions, while Kael grumbled about "mysterious knights with bad attitudes."
Rihan rode in silence for a while before finally speaking. "Elira said you were part of the Moonblade Order. What happened?"
Sirena's hands tightened on her reins. For a moment, she didn't answer. Then, her voice dropped low.
"The Moonblade were guardians of the old Eclipse seals. We swore to keep Draemir locked away, no matter the cost. But the cult… they knew how to break us from within."
Her gaze drifted to the trees, but her mind was somewhere far away.
---
🌑 Flashback: The Eclipse War
Sirena's memory painted a battlefield drenched in blood. Screams of knights echoed as black flames consumed the fortress walls.
"I was sixteen when I became captain. Too young, too proud. I thought discipline could keep us strong. But the cult planted spies among us. Friends I trusted turned their blades on me."
Her voice cracked for the first time, though she quickly steadied it.
"They captured my squad. I watched them sacrifice each one, their blood feeding Draemir's seal. And when I tried to stop them… they branded me with a mark. A curse that tied me to their whispers."
Rihan's eyes widened. "You have a curse mark too?"
Sirena glanced at him sharply, as if she hadn't meant to reveal that much. Then, slowly, she pulled back her gauntlet.
On her wrist burned a sigil — faintly glowing violet, the same as the serpent's.
Elira gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Sirena…"
Rihan's heartbeat quickened. The same mark… like mine when I hear Draemir's voice.
---
🌌 A Shared Burden
"I should have died that night," Sirena muttered. "But instead, I survived — cursed, hunted, hated by the very order I once led. The world believes I'm dead. Maybe that's for the best."
Rihan shook his head fiercely. "No. You're alive. And you're fighting still. That means something."
She studied him for a long time, her cold mask cracking just slightly. "…You sound like someone who hasn't seen what I've seen."
"Maybe," Rihan admitted. "But I've felt the whisper too. I know what it's like when his voice tries to pull you under. And if I can resist it, then maybe you can too."
For the first time, Sirena's lips curved — not a smile, but something close. "You're either foolish… or stronger than you look."
Kael groaned from the back. "Great, now the brooding knight is bonding with the brooding kid. Just what we needed."
Elira elbowed him, whispering, "Shut up, Kael."
---
🌲 The Forest of Whispers
By nightfall, the vanguard set camp in the Forest of Whispers. The trees here grew twisted, their branches curling like claws against the sky. Even the wind carried faint echoes — voices too soft to understand.
Soldiers huddled close to the fires. Many muttered prayers, clutching charms to keep away spirits.
Rihan couldn't sleep. The whispers in the forest gnawed at his ears, blending with the faint voice of Draemir at the back of his mind. Rihan… give in… unleash me…
He shook his head violently, gripping his sword. "Not now…"
Then he noticed — Sirena wasn't by the fire. She stood alone at the treeline, staring into the shadows.
Rihan walked up to her. "Can't sleep either?"
Her hand was already on her blade. "No. Because we're not alone."
---
⚔️ Cliffhanger – The Assassin
Before Rihan could respond, a silver dagger flew past his head, burying itself into the tree behind him.
From the darkness, a figure stepped out — cloaked in black, wearing a bone-white mask etched with runes. His voice rasped like stone grinding.
"Champion of Flame… Knight of the Moonblade… the Mistress sends her regards."
He drew twin curved blades, each dripping with violet energy. The forest fell silent, even the whispers holding their breath.
Sirena's eyes narrowed.
"Cult assassin."
Rihan raised his sword, fire igniting along its edge.
"Then let's end him."