The air had grown colder as the group moved deeper into the hills, their path winding through rugged terrain and dense forest. Kael led them in silence, his eyes scanning the trees, always alert. The days had blended into one another. an endless march through hostile territory, with only the faint hope of finding Kerric driving them forward.
Around him, the others moved with the heavy weight of exhaustion. Harlan had grown quieter, his face pale, while Veyron continued to nurse his wounds. Even the youngest of the group, a boy barely old enough to carry a sword, looked worn down, his eyes hollow. They were all running on fumes, and Kael knew it.
"We'll stop at the next clearing," Kael said over his shoulder. His voice was rough, worn from days of shouting orders and suppressing his own exhaustion. "Rest for an hour, then we move again."
Veyron grunted in response, though Kael could see the weariness in his eyes. They hadn't stopped for more than a few hours at a time since leaving the town. Kael knew that pushing them like this was risky, but he also knew what was at stake. If they didn't find Kerric soon, the Iron Circle's noose would tighten around them.
As they trudged forward, the trees began to thin, giving way to open ground. The faint scent of smoke hung in the air, and Kael's stomach twisted. He motioned for the group to stop, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon.
"What is it?" Veyron asked, his hand moving instinctively to the hilt of his sword.
Kael didn't answer right away. The wind shifted, carrying with it a stronger smell of burning wood. His heart pounded in his chest. Slowly, he crept forward, signaling for the others to stay behind. As he approached the ridge, the source of the smoke became clear.
A village lays in ruins below them, its buildings reduced to ash and rubble. Bodies littered the streets, some burned beyond recognition, others lying in pools of dried blood. The sight of it brought an icy chill to Kael's spine. It was a familiar scene, one he had seen far too many times.
Harlan cursed under his breath, coming up behind Kael. "The Iron Circle?"
Kael nodded grimly. "Looks like their work."
"They're moving faster than we thought," Veyron muttered, his voice tense. "We'll be next if we don't keep moving."
Kael's jaw clenched. They were running out of time. The Iron Circle was hunting them, and they weren't far behind.
The group descended into the ruined village cautiously, stepping over the charred remains of what had once been homes. The air was thick with the smell of death and smoke. Kael knelt beside one of the bodies, inspecting the wounds. Clean cuts—no sign of a struggle. Whoever had done this had been efficient, methodical. This was no random raid. It was an extermination.
"They're leaving nothing behind," Harlan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Why wipe out the whole village?"
"To send a message," Kael replied, standing. "They want to make sure no one gets in their way."
The group moved through the village in silence, their eyes scanning the rubble for any sign of survivors, but there were none. It was as if the entire place had been wiped from existence, leaving only ashes and broken memories.
As they reached the far edge of the village, Kael spotted something unusual—tracks leading away from the village, deeper into the hills. They were fresh, too fresh to be from the raid.
"Someone survived," Kael said, his voice low.
Veyron knelt beside the tracks, inspecting them closely. "Not many. Maybe a handful."
Kael's mind raced. If someone had survived the attack, they might have information, information about the Iron Circle's movements, or even about Kerric. Without a word, Kael began following the tracks, his pace quickening as the group moved into the trees.
As they followed the trail, the mood in the group grew darker. The sight of the destroyed village had rattled them, and the weight of the journey was beginning to take its toll.
"We can't keep this up," Harlan muttered, his voice tight with frustration. "We're running ourselves into the ground."
Kael stopped, turning to face him. "What's your suggestion? We stop and wait for the Iron Circle to catch up?"
Harlan's eyes flashed with anger. "We don't even know if Kerric's alive! For all we know, we're running blind. What if this is a trap?"
Kael's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. "Kerric's alive. And we're not stopping until we find him."
Veyron stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "Kael's right. If we stop now, we might not get another chance."
Harlan clenched his jaw, but he said nothing more. The tension in the air was thick, but Kael pushed forward, leading them deeper into the hills. He knew they were all at their breaking point, but there was no room for hesitation. Not now.
The tracks led them to a small, abandoned outpost nestled in the hills. The structure was old, its walls cracked and crumbling, but it was intact. Kael motioned for the others to stay back as he approached, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of movement.
The door creaked as he pushed it open, the inside dimly lit by the last rays of the setting sun. The outpost was empty, but there were signs of recent use—scattered supplies, footprints in the dust. Someone had been here recently.
"Whoever was here left in a hurry," Veyron said, stepping inside behind Kael.
Kael's gaze fell on a table in the center of the room. A map was spread across it, marked with symbols and notes. He stepped closer, inspecting the writing. It was a map of the region, with several key locations marked—including one that was circled in red. A fortress to the north.
"This is it," Kael said, his voice barely above a whisper. "This is where they're heading."
Veyron looked over his shoulder. "You think Kerric's there?"
Kael didn't answer. The fortress was isolated, a stronghold known to few. If Kerric had gone to ground, it made sense that he would go there. But the fact that it was marked on the map meant the Iron Circle knew about it too.
"We have to move," Kael said, rolling up the map. "They're ahead of us, but if we move now, we can reach the fortress before them."
The others nodded, though Kael could see the doubt still lingering in their eyes. They were exhausted, pushed to their limits, but they knew as well as he did that stopping now would mean certain death.
As the group set off toward the fortress, the weight of their journey pressed down on them. The Iron Circle was closing in, and the path ahead was fraught with danger. But Kael knew there was no turning back.
Kerric was out there. And Kael would find him, no matter the cost.