The world beyond the Threshold seemed both familiar and alien at the same time. Maerlyn stood at the edge of the clearing, gazing into the wilderness that stretched out before him. The archway behind him pulsed faintly, its light now dimming, its presence still like an echo in the air. It was as though the very fabric of reality had shifted, and he was standing at the edge of something greater, something ancient.
The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the Veil was far from defeated. It lingered in the shadows, waiting, watching, and Maerlyn could feel its gaze pressing down on him like a weight on his chest. Kaelen's words still echoed in his mind—the Veil could never truly be outrun. No matter how far he traveled, no matter where he hid, it would always find him.
But the Ashen Peaks... They were his only lead. If the Wakened truly existed, if they had the knowledge to combat the Veil, then Maerlyn had no choice but to seek them out.
Kaelen's words about allies weighed heavily on him. Trust had always been a fragile thing, something Maerlyn had learned to live without. But the path ahead was too dangerous, and he was too vulnerable to walk it alone. He needed help from people who understood the Veil, and who could stand against it. But who could he trust? Who would want to join him on this journey into the heart of the unknown?
The wind rustled through the trees, and Maerlyn shook his head, pushing the doubt aside. There was no time for hesitation. He had already crossed a threshold, both literally and figuratively, and there was no turning back now.
"Kaelen," Maerlyn called, turning toward the injured man who still leaned against the archway, his breathing slow but steady. Kaelen had been silent for several minutes, lost in his own thoughts, but now he lifted his head at the sound of Maerlyn's voice.
"What is it?" Kaelen asked, his voice thick with fatigue.
Maerlyn knelt beside him, examining his wound. It was a shallow gash, but it had bled profusely, and the blood had darkened around the edges, seeping into the torn fabric of his clothes. Kaelen had been lucky to survive the assault of the creatures, but Maerlyn knew that luck wouldn't last long in a world as unforgiving as this.
"You're not in any shape to travel," Maerlyn said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You need rest. I can't help you if you bleed out."
Kaelen grimaced but didn't argue. "I'll be fine," he muttered, his voice a little sharper. "But I'm not sure how much rest I'll get. The Veil has a way of… forcing its way in, even when you don't want it."
Maerlyn nodded grimly, understanding the weight of Kaelen's words. The Veil was more than just a force of darkness; it was a presence, a parasite that latched onto the mind, the soul. It twisted thoughts, feeding on fear, on doubt, on every weakness it could exploit. If Kaelen was right, Maerlyn couldn't afford to be unprepared for what was to come.
"We'll head toward the nearest settlement," Maerlyn said after a moment's thought. "It'll give us a place to rest and resupply before we go further into the wilderness. You'll need food, water, and medical supplies. I'll find help there."
Kaelen's brow furrowed. "You trust strangers in a place like this?"
Maerlyn shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice. The Veil is after me, and I need to find those who can help. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't survive this alone forever."
Kaelen studied him for a long moment, as if weighing the truth in his words. After a tense silence, he nodded. "Alright. But be careful, Maerlyn. Not everyone you meet out here is trustworthy, especially with the Veil stirring things up. There are those who are willing to do anything to keep its secrets hidden."
Maerlyn's eyes narrowed. "I'll keep that in mind."
With Kaelen's assistance, Maerlyn managed to get him to his feet, though the man stumbled slightly before steadying himself. His wound still bled, but it had slowed, and he seemed determined to keep moving. Maerlyn wasn't sure how long he would last, but he had to trust that Kaelen would be able to keep going. For now, they had to move.
The wilderness beyond the clearing was thick with overgrown vines and tangled underbrush. The air was cool and damp, the scent of moss and wet earth thick in their lungs. Every step felt heavier than the last, the weight of the unknown pressing down on Maerlyn's chest. He could feel the Veil's presence, like a shadow creeping at the edge of his mind, always there, always watching.
They walked for hours, the landscape shifting as they moved deeper into the wilderness. The trees grew taller, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blocked out the sun. The ground beneath them became uneven, the soil soft and treacherous with patches of moss that threatened to trip them at every turn.
Eventually, they reached a small settlement—a cluster of wooden huts surrounded by a rickety fence, the faint smoke of cooking fires rising into the air. The settlement was small, nothing more than a collection of people trying to survive in a world that seemed determined to swallow them whole. The people here were wary, their eyes darting to Maerlyn and Kaelen with suspicion as they approached.
"Stay close," Maerlyn muttered under his breath, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He could feel the tension in the air, the wariness of the people around them, and he knew that Kaelen's warning was right. Trust would not come easily here.
They approached one of the huts, where a woman with dark hair and sharp eyes watched them from the doorway. She didn't smile, but neither did she raise her weapons. Instead, she simply regarded them with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
"You're not from around here," she said, her voice low and guarded.
Maerlyn stepped forward, keeping his posture open but firm. "We're looking for supplies. Food, medicine. We're not here to cause trouble."
The woman studied him for a moment longer before nodding slowly. "You'll find what you need inside," she said, stepping aside to let them pass. "But don't think you're the only ones looking for something."
Maerlyn paused at her words, but Kaelen tugged him forward with a grimace. "You're going to want to keep your guard up here," Kaelen whispered. "These people may help you, but don't trust them all."
Maerlyn nodded, his hand still resting on his sword. He had learned the hard way that trust was a currency that didn't come cheap, and in a world as treacherous as this, it could get you killed.
As they entered the hut, the woman motioned to a small table covered with jars of dried herbs, bandages, and other supplies. "Take what you need," she said curtly, then added, "But don't stay too long. The Veil's grip is growing stronger. There are rumors of something… something moving in the woods."
Kaelen's eyes narrowed. "What rumors?"
The woman's gaze flickered to the door, as if she feared someone might be listening. "The creatures are only the beginning. There's something worse coming. Something more dangerous than any of us are prepared for."
Maerlyn stiffened. The weight of her words settled on him like a stone in his gut. The Veil was growing stronger, and the whispers of something worse in the woods confirmed the fears he'd been trying to ignore.
The path ahead was growing more perilous, and Maerlyn could feel it with every passing moment.
"We'll be gone before nightfall," he said, gathering the supplies he needed. "Thank you."
The woman nodded, her expression unreadable. "Just keep moving," she said, as if that was the only advice she could offer.
Maerlyn and Kaelen exited the hut, the weight of their supplies making their packs heavier, but the reality of what lay ahead pressing down on them even more. The Veil wasn't just a shadow in the distance—it was here, now, creeping into every corner of the world.
And Maerlyn knew that to survive, he would have to fight not just against the darkness, but against the very nature of the world itself.
The journey had only just begun.