The forest fell silent around them, as if the trees were collectively holding their breath. Elara gripped her dagger tightly, its blade looking almost pathetic next to the gleaming crimson sword of the noble. He moved with a casual confidence, a smirk on his face that spoke of a predator relishing the thrill of the hunt.
"Running away already, Princess?" His voice dripped with mockery. "Your father faced death with more courage than this. At least he confronted the flames directly."
Elara felt a tightness in her chest. Rage ignited within her, battling against the icy fear coursing through her veins. "You'll pay for what you've done," she spat on him, though the tremor in her voice gave her away.
The noble laughed softly. "You have no idea what's been done, child. But you will. Soon enough."
Kai stepped in, positioning himself protectively between them. His blade glinted in the moonlight, his posture tense yet unwavering. "You won't lay a finger on her."
"Ahhhn," the noble replied, his eyes scanning Kai with a hint of recognition. "So it's true. The ghost of the rebellion still walks among us. How interesting to see you at her side, Valen."
Elara froze, the name hitting her like a whip. Valen? She shifted her gaze to Kai, her mind racing. He had never shared his full name with her, nor his past. The noble's words slithered into her mind like venom.
Kai remained outwardly calm, but she noticed it, the slight tightening of his jaw, the flicker of something in his eyes. Guilt. Secrets.
Her heart raced, confusion swirling with anger. What does he mean?
The noble stepped closer, a grin spreading across his face. "So, you're playing the hero for the princess now? How noble of you, especially after all the blood on your hands. Tell me, has she figured out who you really are yet?"
"Kai," Elara whispered, her voice shaking. "What does he mean?"
"Not now," Kai replied, his voice tight. He stood firm between her and the threat, but the weight of those words felt like a heavy stone on her chest.
Not now… but if not now, then when?
The noble raised his sword, clearly amused. "It doesn't matter. She'll find out soon enough. Because she won't live long enough to care."
With that, he lunged. Steel clashed against steel, sparks flying into the night. Kai met the attack head-on, the sound of their struggle echoing through the trees.
Elara stumbled back with Seren, her heart racing. The fight unfolded in a whirlwind of movement, Kai parrying, striking, blocking with deadly accuracy. Yet the noble matched him blow for blow, his crimson cloak swirling like spilled blood.
For every hit Kai landed, the noble retaliated with a strike that was even more brutal and calculated. And through it all, Elara couldn't escape his taunts.
"You can't protect her forever. She's not meant to rise. She's meant to burn."
Those words gnawed at her, weaving through her thoughts like poison. Meant to burn…
Suddenly, the noble feinted left, then struck right. Kai barely managed to deflect the hit, but it sent him crashing to one knee, his sword digging into the earth. The noble raised his weapon high, poised for the killing blow.
"No!" Elara shouted. Without a second thought, she charged forward, dagger in hand. The noble's gaze flicked to her for just a moment, and that was all Kai needed. He slashed upward, steel meeting flesh. The noble cursed and staggered back, blood staining his arm.
Yet his smile didn't waver. If anything, it sharpened. "Interesting," he said, stepping back into the shadows. "You're more of a nuisance than I anticipated. But don't worry, Princess, I'll be seeing you again. And next time, there won't be a Valen to save you."
Then he was gone, disappearing into the forest as if the night itself had swallowed him whole.
The silence that followed was almost unbearable. Elara's chest rose and fell rapidly, her dagger trembling in her hand. She turned to Kai, her voice raw with emotion. "Valen?" she demanded. "What did he mean? Who are you really?"
Kai wiped his blade clean, his expression tight. "It doesn't matter right now."
"It does matter!" Her voice broke, heavy with fire and sorrow. "My family is gone, my kingdom has been ruined, and you expect me to trust a man whose enemy call him by another name?"
His jaw tightened yet again. "I kept you alive."
"And you've kept me in the dark," she shot back. "Why?"
Seren stepped in between them, her voice pleading. "Please, stop. We can't turn on each other. Not now."
Elara's hands shook. The forest loomed around her, thick with secrets, danger, and betrayal. She wanted to scream, to demand answers, to run away. But exhaustion held her down.
Kai finally let out a breath, lowering his blade. His stormy-grey eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw something raw, regret. "I will tell you everything," he said softly. "But not here. Not with shadows watching us. There are ears in this forest that belong to neither friend nor foe."
Elara stared at him, caught between anger and an unexplainable pull in her chest. She wanted to despise him for his secrets, yet she couldn't ignore the truth: he had risked his life for hers time and time again.
"Fine," she whispered. "But you will tell me."
He nodded solemnly.
The three of them moved deeper into the forest until they stumbled upon a clearing. In the center stood an ancient stone circle, covered in moss and etched with runes that glowed softly in the moonlight. Elara's breath caught in her throat. She had seen drawings of this place in her childhood lessons.
"The Circle of Ash," she murmured.
Kai's gaze shifted to her. "You know of it?"
"My mother told me it was the resting place of Eldoria's first queen," Elara replied softly. "And that the ashes here held…prophecies."
The runes began to glow softly, almost as if they were responding to her words. A low hum filled the air, and Seren gripped her arm, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Elara…" Seren breathed. "Look."
The central stone began to crack, a flicker of firelight spilling out from within. A voice, faint yet clear, resonated through the clearing:
"Child of ashes. From fire you were born, to fire you shall return. One path will burn a kingdom. The other will save it. Choose wisely."
As the glow dimmed, silence enveloped the circle.
Elara felt her knees buckle beneath her. Prophecy. The whispers her mother had spoken of… is real. Alive. And somehow connected to her.
She turned to Kai, whose face was shrouded in shadow, making it hard to read his thoughts. "What does it mean?" she asked, though a part of her dreaded the answer.
His silence spoke volumes, louder than any words could convey.