Kian looked at a distant speck slowly putting his arrow on his bow before aiming at the speck. He nocked an arrow and loosed it. Slicing through the air and struck the strawman’s left eye, caving it inward from the impact.

  Hraban nodded, his weathered hands coming together in a slow, measured clap. ’Good job, boy. Fast learner, you are,’ Hraban said

  ′Better,′ Krahlik murmured, he just kept on looking at the target. ′But not perfect. Precision alone will not keep you alive. You must see beyond the target. Read the wind. Notice the trees. Listen to the silence itself. You can shoot, you can hide, but you still lack the observation to survive being a hunter.′

  “No one else would have noticed, but a faint smile tugged at Kian’s lips beneath his hood. It felt automatic, something he hadn’t meant to do, yet pride had found its way through. his hand trembled as he slowly moved it towards his mouth to hide his already hidden smile.

  A hooded figure passed by Krahlik, who rested silently against a tree. The man spoke. ’Kian right. Have you thought about staying here. With the rest of us or will you leave when Albaras has arrived here.’

  Kian scoffed aside. ’I will see when the time comes.

  ’Then,’ he continued. ’You have no need to see some light of truth then. To know what Albaras has done of what we know.’

  ‘No,’ said Kian. ’He saved me, underneath all that armor lies a good man.’

  The hooded man could not do anything to change Kian’s mind. ’Then there is some good news. Albaras is waiting for you out of the forest.

  Hraban and Krahlik remained silent for a moment, the small smiles they had shown vanishing in an instant. They watched him as if weighing a decision they might regret. Hraban could only think there was no other way for this to end. ′It would be rude to keep him waiting, then.′ He said, signaling Krahlik who said nothing. They both moved out.

  Before Kian could follow, the hooded man grabbed his shoulder. They stood still for a few awkward seconds. He let Kian loose when Hraban and Kralik were further in the distance and no one else was around. ’Let me help you get there, Kian,’ the hooded man said. While a lot was obscured by his cloak was there still one thing that stood out. His childish, innocently grin on that bleached white skin. Kian almost wanted to run away from him.

  ‘How long have you been a member here?’ Kian started. Out of interest or just to try and learn more of him hoping he wasn’t someone to be afraid of.

  He then started to walk in front of Kian to guide him toward the rest then he started talking. ’I was born here to my teens before I left with my friends. Until a few weeks ago I returned here to see what turned out to this place. It is just what I remember it to be and the moments when I was gone and thinking what I will miss. I regret it now to ever have left this place, where we can just be ourselves. Hidden yet acquainted with each other. It couldn’t be better.’ The entire trip was just him talking how much he missed this place and how his travels were a mistake. It sounded heartfelt. Glad that he had a place that felt like a home. Kian thought back to the lodges he’d shared with Rederick and Albaras. ’I miss my house as well,’ Kian said.

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  In the clearing ahead, Albaras leaned against Machi, his enclosed helm masking his features. While his eyes were cut off by the helmet it was still like it could see everything like an owl.

  ′I see you all, dear children,′ he called out in a singsong voice, lazily pointing toward several branches shrouded in thick green leaves. He chuckled. ′There are not many who can hide from me and you lot are not one of them.′

  Just as he finished, Hraban and Krahlik stepped forward from the shadows. ’Welcome, butcher of Braga.’ Hraban said with a mocking bow. Krahlik only stood there trying to challenge Albaras. ‘What are you two doing out of the forest.’ Albaras said playfully. ’And then speak to me in that tone.’

  Before Krahlik or Hraban could react, Kian stepped out of the forestthe other hooded man that led him to the place was nowhere to been seen. He saw Albaras. It was noticeablethat he wanted to join him right away starting to walk that tat bit faster.

  Albaras gave a loud laugh, a warm sound beneath his helmet, though his movements were slower than usual as he started to walk forward. It became apparent that something was wrong with him. Kian slowed down to see what was wrong. From a distance, only the purple stood out, but now,the bloodstains were seen covering his entire body. There were no visible wounds on the armor. No explanation on how they could have gotten there.

  ′Looking good, boy,′ Albaras said, his soft voice with the same familiar warmth as when they’d first met. ′How’s the training going? Was it worth all the sweat and bruises?′He took a step closer, his body stiff, but his smile evident in the way he spoke.

  Kian’s heartbeat pounded as he looked up at Albaras.eager to speak with him one-on-one. Questions racing through his mind about what had happened.′I’ve learned so much here. I’m stronger now, faster. I can finally help more. I...′ Was the only thing Kian had time to say for he noticed.

  That pride of overcoming something disappeared. The joy that had pounded in his chest vanished. There was no second person beside him.

  with throat tightening. Kian asked something he maybe didn’t even want to have answer for. But the need to know defeated the will to live in refusal.

  ′Where is Rederick?′

  Albaras glanced at the ground for a moment before meeting Kian’s hood. his expression unreadable, almost as if this, too, was just another joke to him. But this time, it felt like a sick one.

  ′Rederick? What about him?′ he said with a chuckle. ′He’s in Dunten... the capital of this land, searching for... mysteries. I, on the other hand, was hunting Drettius, That’s the mystery he seeks to uncover. Thought I noticed in the moment itself that I can not handle him alone. For some more fun, he has an old acquaintance with him that is I think keen on meeting us again.′

  He straightened his back, looking down at Kian, his words carrying a weight he tried to hide. Yet, his movements betrayed the effort. He had never tried to be intimidating before, yet here he was. His voice had changed just slightly. His laugh, just a bit harsher.

  Albaras had been in too many fights to count. Perhaps this is one that nearly ended him. A battle more brutal than he wanted to ever admit. Maybe he was even scared for it.

  Kian swallowed his words, unable to shake the creeping unease as all of these questions filled his head.

  Something was changing if Albaras needed to be like this, Kian thought,′Something will rise from the ground and the counties will no longer be safe.′

  Never was Albaras trying to intimidate at least not on purpose.

  Kian wondered what Rederick was doing. If finding Drettius was unnecessary, then what was he doing? Why didn’t he go with Albaras.