The cold night air hit me as soon as I stepped out of the fortress, carrying with it the acrid scent of blood and decay.
The fortress was behind me now, a crumbling monument to the battle that had raged within its walls. But there was no time to linger, no time to dwell on what had already happened. My mind was singularly focused on one thing finding Aeliana.
I paused just outside the fortress, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to catch any trace of her scent. The air was thick with the lingering stench of demonic energy, but beneath it, faint and almost elusive, was the scent of Aeliana's blood. My heart clenched in my chest. She was hurt, maybe badly.
I cursed under my breath, the sharp taste of fear mingling with my anger. But if there was one thing I knew how to do, it was how to track someone. Especially someone like Aeliana.
I took another deep breath, focusing solely on her scent. It was faint, nearly lost among the other smells that permeated the air, but it was there.
I could almost see it, like a thread leading away from the fortress, winding its way through the darkness. She was close. I knew it. And whoever had taken her, whoever had dared to hurt her they were going to regret it.
I started walking, at first slowly, trying to make sure I had the right direction. The scent was faint, mingled with the smells of the forest that surrounded the fortress, but it grew stronger as I moved away from the fortress and into the open air.
The night was cold, the moon hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, casting the world in darkness. My steps were quick, purposeful, every muscle in my body tensed and ready for a fight.
As I followed the trail, my mind kept racing, a jumble of thoughts and emotions that I couldn't quite control. I was worried, more worried than I'd ever been before. But I was also angry. Angry at whoever had done this, angry at myself for letting it happen. And angry at Aeliana for getting herself into this mess in the first place.
But underneath all that anger, there was something else. Something I didn't want to acknowledge, something that made my chest tighten in a way that had nothing to do with fear or anger. It was that damn girl.
Even now, when I should have been focused on the task at hand, my mind kept drifting back to her. To the way she looked at me with those defiant eyes, the way her scent lingered in my memory, the way she made me feel things I didn't want to feel.
"Fuck," I muttered to myself, shaking my head as if that would somehow clear my thoughts. This wasn't the time for that. I needed to stay focused. I needed to find her.
I quickened my pace, my boots crunching on the gravel as I followed the trail. The scent grew stronger, sharper, tinged with the unmistakable metallic tang of blood.
Aeliana's blood. I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar heat of my flames simmering just beneath the surface, ready to explode at a moment's notice. Whoever was responsible for this was going to pay. They were going to burn.
I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I picked up speed, my legs moving faster, my steps more urgent. The trail led me away from the fortress, down a narrow, winding path that cut through the dense underbrush.
The trees loomed overhead, their branches twisting together to form a dark canopy that blocked out what little light there was. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, but Aeliana's scent was stronger now, guiding me like a beacon.
As I reached the edge of the forest, I knew I'd have to leave the car behind. The trail was too narrow, too overgrown for the vehicle to pass through. I cursed under my breath, but there was no other option. I'd have to continue on foot.
I parked the car at the edge of the forest and stepped out, the cool air biting at my skin as I took a moment to orient myself. The forest was dark, almost unnaturally so, the kind of darkness that seemed to swallow up the light.
I could barely see a few feet in front of me, but that didn't matter. I didn't need to see. I could feel Aeliana's presence, could sense her energy, faint but unmistakable, calling out to me from somewhere deep within the forest.
I started moving again, my steps quick and sure as I pushed through the underbrush. The forest was dense, the trees packed tightly together, their branches snagging at my clothes and hair as I passed.
The ground was uneven, covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves and tangled roots that threatened to trip me up at every step. But I kept going, driven by a sense of urgency that I couldn't ignore.
As I moved deeper into the forest, the air grew colder, the darkness more oppressive. The trees seemed to close in around me, their branches twisting together in a way that made it hard to see the sky.
The scent of blood was stronger now, mingled with the unmistakable stench of demonic energy. My heart was pounding in my chest, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts as I pushed myself to move faster.
And then I felt it a presence. Multiple presences, dark and twisted, lurking in the shadows just ahead. Rogue demons. I could sense them, could feel their foul energy polluting the air, like a stain on the fabric of reality. I slowed my pace, my senses on high alert as I approached.
The first demon came out of nowhere, lunging at me from the darkness with a snarl, its claws outstretched, its eyes burning with malevolent intent. I barely had time to react, instinct taking over as I dodged to the side, my sword flashing out in a swift, deadly arc.
The blade sliced through the demon's neck with a sickening crunch, its head rolling to the ground as its body crumpled at my feet.
"Fuckers," I spat, my voice low and dangerous, my flames flaring up in response to the threat. "You picked the wrong day to mess with me."
Another demon came at me from behind, but I was ready this time. I spun around, my sword cutting through the air as I slashed at its chest, the blade sinking deep into its flesh.
The demon let out a gurgling cry as it staggered backward, its blood spraying across the ground in a dark, viscous spray. I didn't even wait for it to hit the ground before I moved on to the next one.
The fight was brutal, but I was relentless, my anger fueling every swing of my sword, every burst of flame that erupted from my hands. The demons were strong, but they were no match for me. Not tonight. Not with Aeliana's scent still fresh in my nostrils, driving me forward with a single-minded determination that bordered on madness.
By the time the last demon fell, its body a charred, smoking ruin at my feet, I was panting, my chest heaving with exertion. My flames flickered and died, leaving the forest in darkness once more, but I didn't stop to catch my breath. There was no time. I had to keep moving.
The trail led me deeper into the forest, the scent of blood growing stronger with every step. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, a mixture of fear and anticipation that I couldn't shake.
I pushed through the underbrush, the branches snagging at my clothes, tearing at my skin, but I didn't care. I could sense that I was getting closer, could feel Aeliana's presence, faint but unmistakable, like a beacon calling out to me through the darkness.
And then I saw it a clearing up ahead, bathed in the faint, pale light of the moon that had finally broken through the clouds. The sight made my heart skip a beat, a sharp pang of fear and hope surging through me as I pushed forward, my steps quickening in anticipation.
As I reached the clearing, the sight that greeted me made me stop dead in my tracks.
Four rogue demons lay dead on the ground, their bodies twisted and broken, their blood soaking into the earth. And beside them, bound and gagged, were two hunters a man and a woman.
The woman's eyes were wide with fear, her face pale in the moonlight, but there was something else in her expression too something that made my skin crawl.
I didn't know who they were, didn't recognize their faces, but something about them set off alarm bells in my head. Something about the way the woman looked at me, her eyes sharp and calculating, despite the fear that was so clearly written across her features.
"Who the fuck are you?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous as I stepped closer, my sword still at the ready. I didn't trust this. Not one bit.
The woman didn't answer, just stared at me with those sharp, calculating eyes, her expression unreadable.
But I didn't have time to deal with this. Not when Aeliana was still out there, still hurt, still in danger. I needed answers, and I needed them fast.
And I was willing to do whatever it took to get them.