Liana sat alone in the dimly lit room, the soft rustle of the wind outside the only sound that filled the space. The place felt emptier now, her thoughts consumed by the absence of Kael. She was sitting exactly where she had been moments before he left—by the small wooden table where they had shared a quiet meal. The air around her seemed heavy, as though the lingering presence of Kael still remained, though he was no longer there.
Her heart ached as she stared at the chair across from her, the place where he had sat only hours ago. His words were still fresh in her mind, and though she had tried to push them aside, they refused to leave her thoughts. Kael had said he would come back. He promised her. Yet, fear gripped her chest, and she couldn't push it away.
What if something happens to him?
Her hands clenched in her lap, nails digging into her palms. A wave of anger rose inside her, not at Kael, but at herself. She had always been weak—weak to help him, weak to protect him. She thought of the cold, empty streets where she had once been nothing but a dying orphan. She had been starving, shivering in the dark, without a single soul to help her. Then Kael had found her, broken and barely clinging to life.
He had saved her.
He had offered her not just food and shelter, but something more—hope. He had given her a reason to live, to believe that there was more to life than simply surviving. And now, when he needed her most, she felt powerless. All she could do was sit here, waiting for him to return, praying that he would make it through whatever danger he was facing.
Liana's eyes stung with unshed tears, but she didn't let them fall. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and steadied her breath.
She closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling with each shaky breath. He promised he would come back. He will come back, she thought desperately. She wasn't a hero like the others—like those with powers who could fight alongside Kael, those with abilities that put her own to shame. She was just a normal human, no rank, no magical potential. She didn't have the strength to fight.
But what she did have was faith.
Faith in Kael. Faith that he would not let her down.
She clasped her hands together in front of her chest and whispered a prayer, her voice barely audible. She didn't know to whom she was praying, but she offered her words to any god, any spirit that might listen.
Please... protect him. Watch over him. Keep him safe...
Her words were soft, but full of meaning. She didn't ask for anything more. She just wanted him to come back. She had no idea what lay ahead for him, what dangers he was walking into, but she prayed with all her heart for his success and safety.
As she prayed, something unexpected happened. She couldn't explain it—she didn't even feel it at first. But when her hands rested against her chest, a faint warmth spread beneath her fingers. Her breath caught in her throat as a small, flickering golden light danced beneath her skin, just over her heart. It was weak, barely noticeable, but it was there.
Her eyes opened in confusion. Her heart raced, and for a moment, she couldn't understand what had just happened. Had she imagined it? She blinked rapidly, but the light was already fading, as though it had never been there at all.
Liana stared at her hands, the sensation still lingering on her skin. It was as though something had answered her prayer—something... or someone. But who? And what was this strange warmth?
Before she could make sense of it, her thoughts were interrupted by a sound—a faint rustling from outside the room. She rose to her feet, her heart hammering in her chest as she instinctively moved toward the door. But no one came. The moment passed, and her nerves settled. She glanced back at the spot where the light had appeared, but it was gone.
What was that?
---
Meanwhile, in the dense woods far from the fortress, Kael sprinted through the underbrush, his breath ragged as blood poured from the wound on his side. He had been running for what felt like hours, the pain from the gash searing with every step. But he couldn't stop. Not now.
Behind him, the beast—a massive wolf-like creature—pounded after him, its sharp claws digging into the earth as it closed the distance. The creature's growls echoed in the woods, a chilling reminder that Kael's life was in imminent danger. His hand rested on the wound, trying to stem the blood flow, but it was no use. He had been hurt, but it wasn't the injury that worried him the most—it was the fact that he had no idea where he was going.
For the past two days, Kael had been wandering the wilderness, searching. He had no clear direction. No real clues. He had followed every potential lead, every piece of information that could have pointed him toward the dungeon, but it seemed to be a fruitless task.
He had scoured the areas surrounding the fortress, hopping between villages and hidden paths, but every place he visited yielded nothing. The dungeon he sought—mentioned only briefly in the novel—remained elusive. No one knew where it was, only that it had exploded some years ago, leaving behind a weakened mana field. If that were true, the area should have been flooded with monsters, and the sudden explosion should have attracted the attention of someone by now. But no one had ever reported anything unusual.
He cursed under his breath as he glanced behind him to see the beast drawing closer. It's not just the wild creatures I have to worry about... I need to find that dungeon before it's too late. The Dark Forces are likely involved in all of this. They must know something I don't.
His thoughts swirled as he pushed himself harder, ignoring the pain in his side. But there was no way he could outrun the beast for long. He needed to find cover, but the dense forest offered little protection. He scanned the area desperately. There had to be somewhere he could go—some place to catch his breath, even if only for a moment.
And then, just as he felt the heat of the beast's breath on his back, he saw it. A small cave nestled into the side of a rocky hill, barely visible behind a thick curtain of ivy. Without thinking, Kael bolted toward it, his legs screaming in protest, his wound still bleeding. He dove inside just as the creature lunged, its jaws snapping shut mere inches from his feet.
Inside the cave, Kael collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. His hand pressed against the wound once more, his mind racing. I can't afford to make mistakes like this...
The beast's growls echoed outside, but Kael knew he had only a brief respite. He needed to figure out what was happening, and fast. The dungeon, the Dark Forces, and now this strange creature—it was all connected, and he couldn't let it slip away. Not when everything depended on him finding the truth before it was too late.
And as he sat there, bloodied and exhausted, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that the answers he sought were closer than he thought—closer than even he realized.