The forest loomed thick and wild around Kael as he sat slumped against the old oak, the weight of his emotions bearing down on him like an invisible force. His chest still heaved with the remnants of sobs, and his cheeks were damp with tears he hadn't bothered to wipe away. The cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead, whispering secrets Kael couldn't understand. But beneath the tranquility, something changed.
A scent drifted through the air—sharp, metallic. The distinct scent of blood.
Kael froze. His breath caught in his throat as a wave of fear washed over him. He quickly scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding against his ribs. Blood meant danger, and he wasn't ready to face anything out here alone. Without thinking, Kael turned on his heel and began to run back in the direction he thought he had come from. The dense foliage blurred as his feet pounded the forest floor, the thudding in his chest matching the rhythm of his racing footsteps.
But the trees began to look unfamiliar. The path, once clear in his mind, was gone. Panic clawed at him as he realized he was lost.
"Dammit," he muttered under his breath, glancing over his shoulder. He was deeper in the woods now, surrounded by towering trees that all looked the same. Every step took him further into the unknown, and the scent of blood only grew stronger, a sickening reminder that something was terribly wrong.
As he stumbled through the underbrush, his foot caught on a twisted branch, sending him tumbling forward. He hit the ground hard, his hands scraping against the dirt and rocks, the air rushing out of his lungs. Groaning, he pushed himself onto his knees and that's when he saw it—a dark shape just ahead of him, half-hidden among the fallen leaves.
It was a corpse.
Kael's breath hitched as he stared at the body lying sprawled across the ground. The man had been horribly mutilated, his body torn apart by something savage. His clothes were soaked with blood, and the smell was overwhelming, making Kael's stomach churn. The man's chest was gashed open, his arms twisted at odd angles. Blood soaked the ground beneath him, glistening darkly in the fading light.
Kael scrambled backward in horror, bile rising in his throat. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the gruesome sight. The man had clearly been attacked by an animal—maybe a bear, Kael thought, his mind racing as he fought to comprehend what he was seeing. His chest tightened as fear squeezed his heart. He doubled over, retching violently, emptying the contents of his stomach. The bitter taste of his breakfast porridge lingered on his tongue as he spat on the ground, trembling with revulsion.
For a long moment, Kael just knelt there, shaking. He didn't want to look at the body, but something kept his gaze locked on it. His eyes roved over the corpse, taking in the shredded remains of what had once been a man. And then, through the haze of his shock, he noticed something that didn't fit with the rest of the scene.
The man's coat—despite the blood and the gashes across his chest—was richly made, far too fine for a common villager. The deep blue fabric, though stained, was clearly tailored from expensive materials, and the edges were embroidered with intricate golden thread. Kael had never seen anything like it in Eldenwood. It was the kind of coat that belonged to nobility or wealthy merchants from the distant cities, not to someone who would be wandering in these woods.
Kael's mind spun. Who was this man? What was he doing here in Eldenwood, so far from the nearest city? And how had he met such a terrible fate? Kael's fear deepened, but so did his curiosity. If someone this wealthy, someone who clearly had resources, could die so brutally out here, then what chance did Kael have?
He backed away slowly, his pulse still racing, but a new thought crept into his mind. That coat... that fine coat... it could be worth something. Maybe not to him, but to his family. His father might sell it for good coin, enough to help with their struggling farm. And in that moment, practicality overtook his fear.
With trembling hands, Kael crept closer to the corpse, swallowing back the revulsion rising in his throat. He kneeled next to the man, careful not to look at the gory details of the mutilation. His fingers fumbled at first as he touched the coat, the fabric surprisingly soft despite the stains. He tugged gently, lifting the edge of the sleeve. The coat itself had suffered less damage than the man wearing it—the arms were torn, but the rest of it remained mostly intact.
Kael worked quickly, trying to focus on the task rather than the corpse. His hands shook as he unclasped the fastenings at the man's chest, feeling the slickness of blood on his fingers. He shuddered, trying not to gag as he pulled the coat free. It was heavy, its material fine and well-made, far better than anything Kael had ever worn. He draped it over his arm, staring at it for a moment before his eyes drifted down to the man's hands.
The man wore a silver ring, glinting in the dimming light. It was simple but unmistakably valuable, its surface engraved with delicate patterns. Kael's breath hitched. He wasn't a thief. But the man wasn't going to need the ring anymore. It could be sold, too, maybe for enough to help his family even more than the coat.
Hesitantly, Kael reached down and slid the ring off the man's cold, stiff finger. The metal felt heavy in his palm, far too large for his slender fingers. He slipped it onto his thumb, where it fit loosely, and stared at it, a mix of guilt and pragmatism churning in his gut.
The coat and the ring were all he found. No purse, no weapons, no clues as to who the man had been. Kael looked down at the corpse one last time, and a shiver ran down his spine. Whoever this man was, his wealth and status had not saved him from a brutal end. In that moment, Kael's earlier frustrations seemed small and foolish. This man had likely come from a life of luxury, yet here he lay, alone and broken in the woods.
Kael stood, clutching the coat in his arms and wiping his hands on his trousers to rid them of the bloodstains. The forest seemed darker now, the shadows lengthening as the sun began to set. He turned and started walking, desperate to find his way back to the village, but the underbrush seemed thicker now, the trees closer together. Each step felt heavier than the last, the silence of the forest pressing in on him.
As night fell, the world around Kael shifted into an eerie twilight. The sky above the trees turned deep purple, with streaks of orange clinging to the horizon. The sounds of nocturnal creatures began to stir, but Kael barely noticed. He felt numb, his mind reeling from the day's events. His hands were cold, the ring still too big on his thumb, and the heavy coat draped over his shoulders made him feel like a ghost, wandering lost in the woods.
When he finally emerged from the forest, hours had passed, and the village of Eldenwood was bathed in the silvery light of the moon. Kael walked slowly, his body aching, the weight of the coat dragging behind him. His clothes were smeared with dirt and blood, and the ring glittered faintly in the moonlight, far too large for his thin fingers. He was an odd sight—an ordinary boy in an extraordinary coat, walking alone through the darkened village streets.
As he approached his home, the night was eerily still, with only the rustle of the wind through the trees to accompany him. The familiar path felt strangely distant, as if it belonged to someone else. Kael paused for a moment, his fingers brushing the soft fabric of the coat, unsure of what he had truly brought back with him from the forest.