Dawn filtered through the dense forest canopy, casting long, pale rays onto the forest floor. The mist clung stubbornly to the ground, curling around tree trunks and underbrush like ghostly fingers. Kael moved cautiously, every step measured, boots squishing through damp leaves and soil. His hand hovered over the cursed sword's hilt, feeling its faint pulse as though it were a heartbeat responding to the presence of the mercenary somewhere out there.
"Elara," Kael whispered, leaning slightly forward to peer through the mist, "he's close. I can feel it… he's watching, like he's playing with us."
Elara, staff raised and eyes scanning, nodded slowly. "Yes. The mercenary isn't just following us. He's… toying with us. He wants to test our resolve, our patience, and our fear. Every sound you hear, every shadow you see—he knows you'll react."
Kael swallowed hard, his knuckles whitening around the sword. "I… I thought I could fight him if it came to it. But… I don't know if I can… not yet."
Elara glanced at him sharply. "Kael, look at me. Fear is not weakness. It's a warning. Use it. Don't let him control your mind. You control your strength, your blade, your instincts. He wants to see you hesitate."
Kael's jaw tightened. "I know… I just—he's so fast, so precise. He's not like any of the bandits or wolves I've fought."
"No," Elara said quietly, her gaze distant. "He's different. Experienced. A hunter… and we are prey."
A soft rustle came from the mist. Kael froze. "Did you hear that?"
Elara's hand moved to his shoulder. "Stay calm. It could be anything… or him. We must be ready, Kael."
The mercenary's voice suddenly echoed from somewhere deeper in the fog, cold and taunting. "You're diligent, boy, I'll give you that. But diligence will not save you. Not in this game. Not from me."
Kael's chest tightened. "Show yourself!" he demanded, voice cracking from fear and anger.
The mercenary's shadow emerged briefly from the mist, then vanished again. "Patience, boy. Every good hunt requires patience. But soon… soon, your little companion will see the consequences of recklessness."
Kael turned to Elara, tension coiling in his muscles. "He's not bluffing… is he?"
Elara shook her head. "No. And he enjoys this—the chase, the fear. He's testing you, Kael. And me, too. But you must remember, he's not invincible. We need strategy, not just strength."
Kael's fingers tightened on the cursed sword. Strategy… yes. But my strength alone may not be enough.
A sudden snapping of a twig made him spin around. "There! Behind that tree!"
Nothing. Only mist curling eerily around the trunks. Kael's pulse quickened. "He's here. He's… always just out of reach. Watching."
Elara exhaled slowly. "Exactly. That's why you need to remain calm. Let him reveal himself. Don't rush. Don't let anger guide your blade."
Kael shook his head slightly. "I can't just… wait. Not if he hurts you."
Elara's hand gripped his arm. "Kael, listen to me! I can handle myself for a while. But your sword… your power is what will stop him. Trust it. Trust yourself. And trust me."
A laugh slithered through the fog. "Trust? Such a fragile thing, boy. How quaint." The mercenary's tone dripped with mockery. "Tell me, boy… do you really think you can save her? After days of running, dodging, hiding? She's weak, fragile… and yet you cling to her as though she is the world."
Kael's teeth clenched. "She is! I… I won't let you hurt her!"
"Bold words," the mercenary hissed. "But words won't save her when steel meets flesh."
Elara stepped forward. "Kael, don't respond to him! That's what he wants—to make you reckless. Focus on the moment, the ground beneath your feet, your breathing, your sword."
Kael exhaled sharply. "I… I know. I just… I hate feeling so powerless."
"You're not powerless," Elara said softly. "You have strength you don't even understand yet. But you will. We will. Together."
The mercenary's laugh echoed again. "Together, yes… for now. But soon, only one will remain standing. Only one will leave this forest alive. And when that time comes… will you have the courage to claim it?"
Kael's hands trembled slightly. "I… I will. I swear it."
The mist shifted. Shadows stretched and twisted as if alive. The mercenary's voice came again, closer this time, teasing, almost intimate. "You think you can defend her, boy? Such courage… and yet, foolishness. I could end this with a single stroke. But… I enjoy seeing you struggle. Watching your mind race. Watching your fear…"
Kael clenched his teeth. "You… you won't win."
"Perhaps not today," the mercenary drawled, "but someday… perhaps. Until then, I watch. I wait. And I toy with you, because I can. Because that is the way of the world. The strong test the weak. And the weak… survive if they are clever enough."
Elara's eyes narrowed. "He's right. Survival isn't just strength. It's patience, timing, awareness. Kael, remember what I taught you. Focus. Not anger, not pride."
Kael's stomach churned. Anger… yes. Pride… yes. But patience? I've never had it. Not for someone I care about.
"Kael," Elara said, placing a hand over his. "We're not just running. We're learning. Every step, every sound… it teaches us. It strengthens us. Don't waste this."
The mercenary's voice floated through the mist again, mocking. "Clever words from a child… do you really believe you can teach him to survive me? No, he will stumble. He will bleed. And I will watch it all."
Kael's eyes flared. "He's… he's enjoying this too much! He's playing with us like we're animals!"
Elara's gaze softened, though her hand remained firm on his arm. "Yes… he is. But that's why we must stay sharp. That's why we survive. He won't do it for our mistakes, only because of our resolve."
Kael clenched the hilt of the cursed blade, feeling it pulse like a heartbeat. I… I must be ready. I cannot fail her. I won't fail her.
Hours dragged on. Mist turned to drizzle. Each snap of a twig made Kael flinch. Each rustle of leaves sent adrenaline surging through him. And all the while, the mercenary's presence lingered, unseen but palpable, taunting them with invisible hands.
Suddenly, a note pinned to a tree with a dagger caught their attention. Kael read it aloud, voice trembling:
"She's yours to save… if you can survive me."
Elara's eyes darkened. "He's serious. Kael, he's not bluffing. This is a final warning. He's giving you the rules. And yet, there are none. Only the hunt."
Kael's chest heaved, the cursed blade whispering urgently in his mind. Yes… the hunt begins. The prey becomes predator.
He swallowed hard, forcing his trembling hands to steady the sword. "Then… we prepare. Whatever it takes, I will survive this. For her."
Elara gave a small nod, her eyes glinting with determination. "Together, Kael. Always together."
The mist shifted, curling around the trees like living smoke. The mercenary's laughter echoed faintly through the forest, a dark promise that the true battle—the final, merciless game—was about to begin.
Kael gritted his teeth, and the cursed sword thrummed in his hand, as though urging him forward. Yes… let it come. I will not falter. I will not fail her.