As they moved deeper into the forest, Kael led the way with a surefootedness that spoke of years spent navigating its treacherous terrain. Ren stayed close, his eyes darting nervously to every shadow that flickered in the moonlight. Kael moved with an eerie silence, his patchwork armor making only the faintest rustle. Ren, by contrast, felt every step he took was a noisy announcement of his presence.
"You'll want to step lighter," Kael muttered without turning his head. "Sound travels far out here, and there are worse things than wolves listening."
Ren gritted his teeth and tried to follow Kael's example, placing his feet carefully on the uneven ground. His arms ached from gripping the stick so tightly, but he refused to lower it.
The forest seemed to close in around them, the ancient trees leaning like silent giants, their gnarled branches clawing at the night sky. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on Ren, but Kael moved with a purpose, never pausing or second-guessing his route.
"Where are we going?" Ren finally asked, his voice low.
Kael glanced back, his eyes catching a sliver of moonlight. "Somewhere safer. There's an old ruin not far from here. It'll give us shelter until morning."
Ren's brow furrowed. "A ruin? You mean abandoned?"
"Mostly," Kael said with a wry grin. "But don't worry. The things that haunt it are less persistent than the ones out here."
Ren wasn't sure if he found that reassuring.
After what felt like an eternity, the forest began to thin. The dense canopy gave way to an open clearing, and there, silhouetted against the starry sky, stood the ruin. It was a crumbling stone structure, overgrown with ivy and moss. What remained of its walls jutted upward like broken teeth, and a single arched doorway yawned open like the mouth of a waiting predator.
"Here we are," Kael said, motioning toward the ruin. He stepped forward without hesitation, his movements confident as if he'd been here many times before.
Ren hesitated. Something about the place felt...wrong. The air seemed heavier, colder. But the forest behind them was no safer, and he had little choice. Steeling himself, he followed Kael inside.
The interior was as foreboding as the outside suggested. Moonlight filtered through cracks in the stone, casting long, jagged shadows across the floor. The remnants of ancient carvings adorned the walls, though their meaning was lost to time. Kael moved to the center of the room and knelt, pulling a small pouch from his belt.
"Why this place?" Ren asked, his voice echoing softly in the cavernous space.
Kael shrugged as he began assembling a small fire pit. "It's defensible. Only one entrance, and the walls are thick enough to keep most things out. Plus..." He gestured to the carvings. "The old ones who built this place knew how to ward against the things that roam these woods."
"Ward against them?" Ren frowned, glancing at the carvings. He couldn't decipher their intricate patterns, but they radiated a faint sense of unease.
"Not perfectly," Kael admitted, striking flint against steel to ignite the fire. "But better than nothing." A spark caught, and the small flame flickered to life. "Sit. Eat. Rest if you can. We move at first light."
Ren hesitated but eventually sat opposite Kael, the warmth of the fire easing some of his tension. He took another sip from his flask, his thoughts racing. He had so many questions—about the forest, the creature, the stranger sitting across from him—but Kael didn't seem the type to answer without reason.
"You said you're going to Arendale," Kael said, breaking the silence. He leaned back, his sharp eyes watching Ren over the flickering flames. "What's there for you?"
Ren hesitated. "Answers," he said finally. "And...a chance to fix things."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Cryptic. You'll fit right in." He poked at the fire with a stick, sending up a shower of sparks. "Arendale's not what you think it is. Most people who go looking for it don't come back."
"I don't have a choice," Ren said firmly.
Kael studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough. Just don't expect any warm welcomes. The city's as dangerous as the road you're taking to get there."
Ren shivered, though not from the cold. He stared into the fire, its dancing flames offering a momentary distraction from the weight of Kael's words. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to wonder if he was in over his head. But then he remembered the elder's warnings, the cryptic clues that had led him here, and the stakes of his journey.
There was no turning back now.
As the fire crackled softly, a distant sound reached Ren's ears—a low, mournful howl that echoed through the night. Kael's expression darkened, his hand instinctively moving to the knife at his belt.
"Get some rest if you can," Kael said quietly, his voice tense. "The night's not over yet."