Kael stood there, still catching his breath, as the woman wiped her bloodied axe on the fallen bird's feathers with casual ease. She turned back to him, her sharp eyes scanning him once more, as if trying to make sense of his very existence. Kael could only stare, still reeling from what had just happened.
The woman exhaled, the tension in her body easing now that the immediate danger had passed. She slung the massive double-bladed axe over her shoulder effortlessly, though it looked large enough to require two men to lift. The strength in her arms was intimidating, but her dark eyes carried a mix of curiosity and annoyance.
"Well?" she asked, her voice rough but not unfriendly.
"You gonna tell me what the hell you're doing out here? Or are you just gonna stand there like you're still trying to figure out how you're not dead?"
Kael blinked, trying to gather his thoughts. What am I doing here? That was a good question, but it wasn't one he had a straightforward answer for.
"I—" He hesitated, then tried to form a coherent explanation.
"I… ended up here after completing a trial."
"A trial?" The woman's eyebrow shot up. She tilted her head slightly, as though doubting what she'd heard.
"You? A challenger?"
Kael nodded, though inwardly, he felt a strange hesitation. He left out any mention of Seer—some instinct deep within him told him that speaking about that mysterious figure would be a mistake. Better to keep that part of the story to myself. Instead, he continued with a half-truth.
"I entered through a gate, got tossed into a trial, and somehow survived."
Elowen studied him for a moment longer, her expression one of candid surprise. She shook her head, laughing under her breath, though Kael wasn't sure if it was in amusement or disbelief.
"You're telling me you survived a trial? You look like you can barely swing that sword." She motioned toward the blade still clutched in his hand.
Kael grimaced, a flush of embarrassment creeping into his face. It was hard to argue when she was right. He had no real skill in combat, and the thought of how close he had come to dying in that forest—and how Seer had manipulated him into it—made his stomach turn. He tried to salvage the moment with a bit of dark humor, hoping to mask his discomfort.
"Yeah, well, I like to keep my survival tactics… unconventional."
The woman's gaze didn't waver, though the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
"Unconventional, huh?" She shook her head again, letting out a sigh.
"You've either got the worst luck or the strangest luck I've ever seen. Maybe both."
She stepped closer, her imposing figure towering over Kael for a moment before she offered her hand.
"Name's Elowen. Elowen, the Scarlet Lamb. I'm an Acolyte."
Kael blinked, confused.
"Acolyte? What does that mean?"
At that, Elowen's eyes widened, and for the first time, a genuine look of surprise crossed her face. She tilted her head slightly, scrutinizing Kael as if trying to decide whether he was messing with her or not.
"You don't know what an Acolyte is?"
Kael shrugged helplessly.
"I don't really know much of anything."
The sarcasm slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it, but it was true. All he knew was his name, the trial, and now, this strange world he had stumbled into.
Elowen ran a hand through her raven-black hair, clearly bewildered.
"Great. A clueless challenger who knows nothing about the world, wandering through a grey area like it's a stroll in the park." She muttered under her breath, exasperation seeping into her words.
"This is going to be a long conversation."
Kael scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit like a burden already.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm just… figuring things out as I go."
Elowen let out a heavier sigh, crossing her arms.
"Alright, listen. You've somehow made it this far without getting yourself killed, so I guess I'll help you—at least until you stop looking like a walking disaster."
Kael's mind spun with relief, though he wasn't exactly sure what he was signing up for by following her.
"Thanks… I think."
Elowen shot him a side-glance, clearly still trying to wrap her head around the situation.
"First things first, we're getting you out of here. You're in a grey area—places like these are crawling with creatures that could kill challengers ten times stronger than you. The fact that you've made it this far is… well, let's just call it impressive."
"Grey area?" Kael asked, unfamiliar with the term.
"It's a high-mortality area for challengers of your rank," she explained, her voice firm.
"A place where most challengers avoid unless they're looking for trouble or glory. How you ended up here without knowing that is beyond me."
Kael nodded, though the sinking feeling in his chest told him that maybe Seer had something to do with it. For now, though, he focused on Elowen.
"So, what's next?"
Elowen looked toward the horizon where the grand city sat, its spires glinting in the distance.
"Next, we head to the city. Feysreach, the capital of Ironshard's Domain."
Kael perked up at the mention of a city.
"Feysreach? That's where we're headed?"
"Yup. It's the closest place where you can at least not get eaten by wild beasts every five minutes. But don't expect it to be all friendly, especially not for a clueless newbie like you." She gave him a glance that was both amused and pitying.
"Come on. I'll explain more on the way."
They began their journey toward Feysreach, with Elowen leading the way. The towering city was still a couple of days' travel from their current location in the grey zone, and Elowen made it clear that getting there wouldn't be easy. As they walked, Kael followed closely behind her, trying to match her swift, confident pace. Every step made him more aware of just how little he knew about the world he'd been thrust into.
"I'm guessing you don't have any supplies?" Elowen asked after a while, her voice breaking the silence between them.
Kael shook his head.
"Nope. Just this sword. And my belt."
Elowen sighed.
"Figures. Well, try to keep up. The sooner we're out of this area, the better. This isn't exactly the safest place to have a casual stroll."
Kael's body still ached from the trial and the encounter with the giant bird, but he pushed on. The core inside him hummed with a subtle energy, giving him just enough strength to keep moving. His thoughts, though, were a mess. Everything around him—the Tower, challengers, Acolytes—felt like pieces of a puzzle he wasn't sure how to put together.
As they walked, Elowen occasionally glanced over her shoulder at him, clearly still processing how someone like him had survived in a place like this. She hadn't asked too many questions yet, but Kael could sense that she wasn't done being curious.
"So, what's your deal, really?" Elowen asked eventually, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"You're a Challenger, but you act like you've never even heard of the Tower or anything about the world."
Kael shrugged, still not knowing how to answer that without sounding completely insane.
"I don't know. I remember my name. I remember the trial. But everything else is… blank. It's like I woke up inside this world with no idea of who I am or why I'm here."
Elowen frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Amnesia?"
Kael laughed bitterly.
"Maybe. Or maybe something worse. I really don't know."
Elowen fell silent for a moment, her mind clearly turning over this new information.
"You're a strange one, Kael," she said finally.
"But whatever the reason, you're a Challenger now. That means you've got power inside you. You just don't know how to use it yet."
Kael didn't respond. He wasn't sure what to say. He had felt that power—the core pulsing with energy deep inside him—but it was still a mystery. He didn't know how to control it or what it truly meant.
They walked in silence for a while longer, the city of Feysreach far in the distance. Kael's mind raced with thoughts of what awaited him there. Would he find answers? Or more confusion? He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being pulled into something much larger than himself, something he didn't yet understand.
"Feysreach," Kael muttered under his breath, testing the name.
It felt strange and unfamiliar, but it was the first real destination he had since waking up in this strange world.
Elowen glanced back at him, her expression softening slightly.
"It's a long road ahead, but you'll see it soon enough. Let's just hope you can keep up."
Kael nodded, taking in the vast forest ahead of them. His journey had only just begun, and yet, it already felt like he was in way over his head.