By 10pm, Eryndor, the 12 years old lad and his caretaker, Morgana departed from city to find a new place where their identity would be hidden. Kael had arranged a coach for them and got their luggage ready for departure. He had also entrusted Eryn into Morgana care, since she had been his caretaker since he was born, and also because she had grown to be a trustworthy maiden.
Kael wouldn't like his son, Eryn, to be far away from him. Yet, he wouldn't want his son to be endangered around his city.
It was a hard decision- but he had to ensure his son's safety.
By 12am, Morgana and Eryndor were already out of the city's borders completely. Moving in the darkness, they decided to make a camp and rest before resuming their journey the next day.
The morning came with the sun rising over the vast expanse of the land. The air was crisp and cool, with a hint of the previous night's campfire smoke still lingering. Morgana stirred, emerging from their tent to park up and resume their journey.
When Morgana got outside, Eryndor was already awake.
"You got up really early today, lad. Hope you slept well?" Morgana asked while her eyes shone, her admiration showing on her face.
Eryndor looked up, startled, and quickly pulled his sleeve down. "I slept fine, Lady Morgana. I just… couldn't stay in bed too long."
Morgana raised an eyebrow but didn't ask him anything. She began tidying up their campsite, shaking off the morning dew from the blankets and folding them neatly. As she worked, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Eryn had been unusually quiet, his usually bubbling personality subdued since the events of the previous day.
When she finished packing their belongings onto the coach, she turned to Eryndor, who was now fiddling with a stick, carving patterns into the dirt. "Eryndor, come here," she said gently but firmly.
He hesitated but obeyed, walking toward her. Morgana crouched to his level, placing her hands on his shoulders. "What's going on? You've been unusually quiet all morning."
"I'm fine," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
Morgana's eyes narrowed, and she gently tugged at his sleeve. "Let me see your arm." Eryndor resisted, but her persistence won out. Reluctantly, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing an intricate tattoo etched into his skin. The design was unlike anything Morgana had ever seen—shimmering faintly with a ghostly light, it appeared to shift and writhe as if alive.
"What… what is this?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I don't know," Eryndor admitted, his voice barely audible. "It appeared last night after… after the bandits."
Morgana's heart raced as she traced the lines of the tattoo with her fingers. It felt warm, almost pulsing beneath her touch. "This is magic, isn't it? Real magic," she said, her voice a mix of awe and fear.
Eryndor nodded slowly. "I didn't mean to use it, Morgana. It just happened. I was so angry, and then… everything started moving."
Morgana sat back on her heels, trying to process the revelation. She had always known there was something special about the boy, but this… this was beyond anything she could have imagined. "We need to be careful," she said finally. "If anyone finds out about this, they'll come after you again. We have to keep it hidden."
Eryndor nodded solemnly, pulling his sleeve back down. "I don't want to hurt anyone, Morgana. But I don't know how to stop it."
"We'll figure it out," she promised, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "Now let's get moving. We need to put as much distance as possible between us and the city."
****
Back in the city, Kael Darkfire was facing his own challenges. Word of his son's abilitieshad spread, and the townsfolk were growing restless.
A group of councilmen had gathered in his study, their voices raised in anger and suspicion.
"Where is the boy, Kael?" one of them demanded, slamming a fist on the table. "You can't expect us to believe he simply vanished!"
"He's a child," another added, his tone laced with accusation. "A child doesn't disappear without someone noticing." Kael remained calm, his expression unreadable. "I've told you everything I know. Morgana took him for a walk, and they haven't returned. I've already sent search parties out to find them."
"Do you think we're fools?" the first man snapped. "You're hiding something, Kael. And if it has anything to do with the rumours we've been hearing…"
"What rumours?" Kael interrupted, his voice icy.
The councilman hesitated, glancing at the others before speaking. "There are whispers, Kael. People are saying your son has… abilities. That he used magic to defeat five men in your house yesterday."
Kael's eyes narrowed, but his voice remained steady. "Rumors are just that—rumors. My son is a boy, nothing more. Whatever happened in my house was nothing extraordinary, nothing."
Before anyone could respond, the door burst open, and a frail-looking man stumbled into the room. His clothes were tattered, and his face was pale with fear.
"I saw it!" he cried, pointing a trembling finger at Kael. "I saw the boy! He used magic!"
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the newcomer. Kael's heart sank, but he forced himself to remain composed.
"You saw what?" one of the councilmen asked, his tone sharp.
The man nodded frantically. "I was passing by the vicinity when I heard screams. I hid behind the wall and saw them—five men surrounding the housemaid. And then… the boy appeared. He raised his hands, and the earth itself rose up to strike the men. Rocks, twigs, water—it was like the land was alive!"
Kael clenched his fists under the table, his mind racing. If this man's story spread, Eryndor would never be safe.
"That's enough," Kael said, his voice cutting through the man's frantic rambling. "You're mistaken. My son is just a boy. Whatever you saw, it wasn't him."
The man's eyes widened. "You're lying! I saw it with my own eyes!"
Before Kael could respond, one of the councilmen stood. "This is serious, Kael. If the boy truly has magic, he's a danger to all of us. We need to find him—before someone else does."
Kael's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "I'll do everything in my power to bring him back safely."
As the councilmen filed out of the room, Kael allowed himself a moment of despair. He knew the situation was spiralling out of control, and the more the rumours about Eryndor spreads, the more dangerous it would become.
But he also knew one thing for certain: he would do whatever it took to protect his son, even if it meant lying to the entire city.
Back at the camp, Morgana and Eryndor resumed their journey, their steps heavy with the weight of their secret. As they walked, Eryndor couldn't shake the feeling that they were in danger.
"Lady Morgana," he said quietly, glancing over his shoulder. "Do you think we're safe?"
She hesitated, her hand tightening on his shoulder. "We're as safe as we can be, Eryndor. But we can't let our guard down. Not for a second."
As the sun rose higher, casting its light over the vast expanse of land, Morgana couldn't help but wonder how long they could keep running. The world was vast, but Eryndor's power was even greater—and it would only be a matter of time before it drew attention once more.
For now, all they could do was keep moving.