Jacob's body was aching, every muscle screaming for rest, but the guard wasn't giving him a moment's peace. The beast lunged again, the ground trembling with its weight as it rushed forward, its sharp claws ready to tear through him.
Jacob's breath caught in his throat. He dodged just in time, the beast's claws missing his side by inches, but he was slow—too slow. His legs faltered beneath him, and he nearly stumbled, barely managing to keep his balance. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum, each beat loud and insistent in his ears. His hands trembled as he gripped the stone tightly, the last feeble weapon he had. His body, unfamiliar with such intense strain, felt like it was running on fumes.
He could feel the crowd's eyes on him, feel their gazes burning into his skin. They were whispering, talking about him like he was already a dead man walking. He could hear their voices, faint but sharp:
"That kid's done for. No one challenges the Boru Clan and lives."
"Why did he even bother? He's just asking to get killed."
Jacob's stomach twisted at the words, the realization of how little hope they had in him making the weight of the situation hit even harder. They didn't care about him. No one here would. He was a stranger in a world he didn't understand, facing a beast that could crush him with a swipe of its paw. He was alone.
The guard sneered, watching Jacob struggle with amusement. "Pathetic," he muttered, raising his saber again. His beast let out a low, menacing growl, its muscles tensing as it prepared to charge once more.
Jacob's grip tightened on the stone in his hand, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. There was no way a rock could stop this. He wasn't some hero from a movie, and this wasn't some fantasy fight where he'd find a way to win through sheer determination. This was real. The pain in his body, the coldness of the sweat dripping down his back—it was all too real.
His eyes darted to Zuri. She was watching him, her face pale with worry, her hands trembling as she held them close to her chest. She had saved the little girl, but now there was nothing she could do for him. Her gaze shifted to the guard, her lips moving as she said something, but Jacob couldn't hear it over the roar of blood in his ears.
The guard raised his saber, a cruel smile twisting his lips as he prepared to strike. "Time to finish this," he growled.
Jacob's body tensed. His mind was racing, but he couldn't think of any way out. His legs were shaking, his breath shallow and ragged. He was out of time.
The guard kicked his heels into the beast's side, and it charged forward, its maw opening wide, ready to tear Jacob apart.
Jacob flung the stone with all the strength he had left, aiming for the beast's face. It hit the creature's snout with a dull thud, but it barely slowed the thing down. The beast roared in anger, shaking its head, but it kept coming.
The guard's saber swung down, glinting in the sunlight.
Jacob's heart stopped.
But before the blade could reach him, a ripple of force exploded through the air.
It was like the wind itself had shifted, turning into a sharp, cutting gust that sliced through the tension. The crowd gasped as the force hit the beast, making it stumble backward with a pained grunt. The guard jerked in his saddle, his eyes wide with shock as he was forced to pull his beast back.
For a moment, everything was still.
Jacob blinked, his breath caught in his throat. He hadn't moved. He hadn't done anything. But something had stopped the attack.
Slowly, he turned his head, following the gazes of the crowd as they parted, their whispers growing frantic and awed.
A figure stepped through the space that had opened up, their movements calm and deliberate. They were tall, draped in dark robes that seemed to flutter around them despite the lack of wind. Their face was hidden beneath a hood, but their presence was enough to send a chill down Jacob's spine. Whoever they were, they exuded power—something far beyond what Jacob had ever felt before. The air itself seemed to bend around them, charged with an invisible energy.
The crowd's whispers grew louder.
"That's—"
"Why would they be here?"
The guard's sneer faltered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to assess the situation. He straightened in his saddle, though his grip on the reins tightened. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice shaky despite his efforts to maintain control.
The cloaked figure didn't answer right away. They continued their slow, deliberate approach, each step filled with an authority that seemed to press down on everyone present. The beast beneath the guard shifted nervously, its growl dying in its throat as if it could sense the danger this newcomer posed.
Finally, the figure spoke, their voice calm but laced with an undeniable weight. "Enough."
It was just one word, but it carried such force that the guard's beast staggered back as though physically struck. The guard's face twisted in anger, but he didn't make a move.
Jacob stood frozen, his body still trembling from the adrenaline, but his mind was racing. Who was this person? And why had they intervened?
The guard's eyes narrowed in frustration, but there was no mistaking the apprehension in his expression. He clenched his jaw, gripping the reins so tightly his knuckles turned white. "You dare interfere with the Boru Clan's business?" His voice wavered, trying to sound authoritative, but it was clear the cloaked figure's mere presence was throwing him off.
Jacob's heart was still hammering in his chest, his legs weak, but something about this person made him feel a glimmer of hope. He didn't understand the words exchanged between the two, but the tension in the air was palpable.
The figure remained still, calm, unbothered by the guard's posturing. Slowly, they raised their hand, gesturing toward the guard's beast. As if on cue, the animal whimpered, its aggressive posture shrinking, and it took several nervous steps back, pulling its rider with it.
"I said… enough," the figure repeated, their voice steady yet carrying an undercurrent of menace. The sound of it reverberated through the square, as though the air itself was bending to their will.
The crowd, which had been murmuring in anxious whispers, fell completely silent. All eyes were on the cloaked figure.
The guard's face twisted with rage, but he didn't press forward. His beast was refusing to obey him, trembling under the weight of the figure's influence. It was as if the creature itself understood something that the guard did not.
"Damn you…" the guard muttered under his breath, but his eyes darted between the figure and Jacob. His pride as a Boru Clan member was in shambles, yet he couldn't afford to push this any further. With a final glare at Jacob, he spat on the ground. "You got lucky this time, kid."
He yanked on the reins, pulling his beast away from the confrontation, though not without throwing another venomous look toward the cloaked figure. Without a word, he turned and began retreating, disappearing into the bustling market with his guards following behind him.
As soon as the Boru guards left, the tension in the square lifted. The crowd began to murmur again, exchanging surprised glances.
Jacob felt his legs give out as the adrenaline drained from his body. He collapsed to the ground, his breaths coming in heavy gasps, sweat dripping down his face. His entire body was shaking, and he struggled to process what had just happened.
The cloaked figure remained silent, their hood still concealing their face, but they turned toward Jacob. Slowly, they walked over to him, each step light yet deliberate, until they were standing directly in front of him.
Jacob looked up, squinting through the sweat and the dirt on his face. He didn't know what to expect—punishment for causing trouble, or maybe they were from some powerful clan as well. His mind was racing.
Instead, the figure knelt down, extending a gloved hand. Their voice was low, almost soft. "You fought with courage, but do not act recklessly again."
Jacob blinked, not understanding the full sentence, but he caught enough of the meaning to realize this person wasn't a threat. Hesitating for a moment, he reached out and took their hand, feeling the strange warmth of their grip as they helped him to his feet.
Before Jacob could stammer out a broken "thank you," Zuri rushed over, her face pale with worry. She grabbed Jacob by the arm, looking him over frantically as if expecting to see some terrible injury.
"Jacob!" she cried out, her voice thick with concern. "What were you thinking?"
Jacob couldn't answer properly. His heart was still pounding, and his limbs felt like jelly. He managed a half-smile, attempting to reassure her, but the exhaustion was too much. His mouth moved, but only fragments of words came out, his broken language failing him.
Zuri bit her lip, understanding his struggle, but she looked at him with both frustration and relief. "You… idiot," she said, her voice softening. "Let's go."
The cloaked figure didn't say another word. They simply stood there, watching as Zuri helped Jacob steady himself. Then, as quietly as they had appeared, they turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving no trace of their presence behind.
Zuri guided Jacob back toward the cart, the tension finally easing from her face. She kept glancing back at him, as if making sure he wasn't about to collapse again.
Jacob was barely aware of the crowd around them anymore, too drained to care about the whispers and glances. He climbed back onto the cart with Zuri's help, resting his head against the wooden frame as she took the reins.
As they started moving toward the market stalls once more, Zuri shot him a worried glance. "You need to be more careful," she said quietly. "I don't know who that person was, but… you're lucky."
Jacob nodded weakly, though his mind was still foggy from the encounter. Who *was* that? And why had they saved him?
They reached a small, unassuming store tucked away between the larger buildings. Zuri steered the cart to a stop, tying the reins before helping Jacob down. He was still groggy, but he managed to walk on his own.
Inside the store, rows of shelves lined the walls, filled with all kinds of supplies—cloth, tools, food, and a few odd trinkets. Zuri started talking to the shopkeeper, who greeted her warmly, while Jacob wandered through the aisles, letting his eyes drift over the various items. His mind was still buzzing from the earlier fight, but something caught his attention.
On one of the lower shelves, half-hidden by rolls of cloth, was a small scroll. It looked old, its edges frayed and the ink faded. Something about it drew Jacob in, and without thinking, he reached out and picked it up.
The paper felt strange in his hands, like it was pulsing with energy. He couldn't read the words on it, but there was something unmistakably different about this scroll. Something… important.
He glanced toward Zuri, who was still talking to the shopkeeper, and then back at the scroll.
What had he just found?