Clear skies. Blue, endless, without a single cloud. The air was crisp and cool, carrying the faint scent of pine and wildflowers. The trees of the Evergreen towered on both sides of the path, swaying gently, their leaves whispering with every push of the wind.
We walked down a narrow dirt path, our footsteps soft against the earth. The silence between us wasn't heavy, but it wasn't comfortable either. Every step carried us closer to Elise's supposed haven. The Crusaders. That's what Uriel called them. Knights sworn to her. That was all she told me. No matter how many times I asked, no matter how I pressed, her answer never changed.
Trust me.
I tried. I really did. But the deeper we moved into Evergreen—a land infamous for the monsters that roamed its shadows—the harder that trust became to hold onto.
"Who exactly are these knights that serve an archdemon?" I asked finally, my brow raised.
Uriel didn't even glance back. She didn't answer. Her pace quickened, her steps sharp against the ground, leaving Elise and me trailing behind.
I let out a sigh.
"I thought you trusted her?" Elise's voice broke the quiet.
I turned, surprised. It was the first time she had spoken since we set foot in the forest. Her tone wasn't accusing, but it wasn't soft either.
"Uh… yeah. I do," I stammered, fumbling with the words.
She studied me in silence, her eyes calm but sharp, as though weighing me, measuring my words against something I couldn't see. Then, with a small nod, she walked ahead.
"What was that about?" I muttered to myself.
I watched as she caught up to Uriel. She grinned, threw an arm over Uriel's shoulders like they'd been friends for years, and leaned in close, whispering something I couldn't catch. They laughed together. Uriel, who rarely smiled, let out a quiet chuckle.
They had grown close. Too close.
I picked up my pace until I was just near enough to hear them.
"Don't mind Arc," Elise said lightly. "He's cautious about trusting people. For good reason too."
"I know," Uriel replied. "Still, I thought he'd trust me more. I did save his life."
She paused a moment, her voice lowering. "Doesn't matter. His trust isn't what we need. Your safety is."
Her words stung, but before I could dwell on them, everything changed.
The forest shifted.
The air thickened, heavy, pressing down on my chest. Birds scattered from the trees. The underbrush stilled. A rustle came from a bush to our left. My instincts roared to life.
I lunged forward without thought, my body moving before my mind could catch up. In a blink, I was in front of them, muscles tensed, feet dug deep into the dirt. My arm shot forward, fist driving into the air before me.
Crunch!
Agony ripped through my bones. The sound of shattering echoed in my ears. I had struck something unseen—something solid, stronger than stone. The force of my own punch surged back into me, tripled, crushing bone, tearing through muscle. My body was hurled backward like a ragdoll.
I slammed into a tree trunk with a sickening crack. Bark split. Air burst from my lungs. Pain flared, white-hot, tearing me apart from the inside.
I dropped to the ground. My vision spun. My arm hung limp, useless, throbbing with each beat of my heart.
But then I saw it.
The empty space before us warped, rippling, and then took shape. My breath caught in my throat.
A dragon.
It wasn't massive, not the towering legends carved into stone or sung in tales. But it was no less real. Its scales gleamed a deep steel-blue, each plate like a shield of armor catching the sunlight. Cold, predatory eyes locked onto us, glowing with malice. Its claws, long and jagged, dug into the ground, tearing through earth as though it were nothing. A beast of majesty and terror both.
It opened its jaws and roared.
The sound shook the Evergreen to its roots. Trees shuddered. Birds fled in frenzied flocks. The ground itself trembled beneath our feet. The roar ripped through me, rattling my bones, freezing the blood in my veins.
My body screamed in pain, but I forced myself to rise. Every movement burned. Every breath sent knives tearing through my ribs. The sickening snap of bones knitting themselves back together echoed inside me. My body repaired itself, slowly, brutally. I bit down hard, grinding my teeth, refusing to scream.
I pushed the agony aside. I planted my feet. The earth cracked under my weight. My muscles coiled, ready to launch.
"Stop!"
Uriel's voice tore through the air.
In an instant, my body was crushed by an invisible weight. My limbs locked. My chest collapsed under the pressure. I hit the ground face-first, pinned. No matter how I strained, I couldn't move.
"Will you stop diving in headfirst?" she snapped, her steps calm, measured, as she walked past me.
Her eyes locked on the dragon.
"It's been a while, Lancelot."
The beast stilled. Its cold gaze softened. Slowly, it lowered its massive head. From atop its neck, a figure stirred.
A knight.
He wore armor black as night, the kind that devoured light itself. A crimson cape trailed down his back. At his hip rested a sheathed sword, runes glowing faintly along its edge. His presence was suffocating, more imposing than the dragon beneath him.
"Do I know you?" His voice was deep, commanding, each word carrying the weight of authority.
Uriel smiled.
Her form shifted. Skin paled. Her hair darkened. Horns curved from her skull. In a blink, she stood revealed as her true self.
The knight's eyes widened.
"My lady!" he exclaimed.
He leapt down from the dragon's back, landing with a thunderous clang. His knees hit the earth. His head bowed low. One arm crossed his chest in salute.
"My lady, forgive me. I did not recognize your form."
Uriel stepped forward. Her body shimmered back to its human guise. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her tone soft.
"Don't trouble yourself. I almost forgot myself as well."
"Rise, knight."
The armored figure obeyed, towering over her once more. His presence loomed, his aura thick and calm, the kind that pressed against your skin and made your blood race.
The invisible weight lifted from me. I staggered to my feet, brushing dirt from my robe, eyeing him carefully. Something inside told me plain and simple—I wasn't beating him. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Uriel glanced my way, rolling her eyes. "Sorry about my kin. He's a hothead."
The knight chuckled. "It's fine. I have one like him back at base."
"They let you train cadets?" she teased.
"Of course. Who else would shape them into warriors?"
"Anyone but you," she shot back. "You'd kill them before they even finished their first drill."
They both laughed. A sound free, light, familiar. For the first time, I saw Uriel unguarded, happy, almost human.
Elise stood beside me, her eyes wide in wonder. She leaned closer, whispering, "Arc… who is he?"
I had no answer.
The knight straightened, his tone sharp once again. "Follow me. I'll lead you to base."
And just like that, the dragon turned, wings folding neatly against its body, waiting. The knight gestured forward, and Uriel followed with a small smile. Elise trailed close behind.
I hesitated, my gaze lingering on the black-armored figure, on the dragon's gleaming scales, on the weight of a world I didn't yet understand pressing down on me.
Then I stepped forward, following them into the unknown.