Chapter 16: Fear and nervousness
The morning sun barely pierced through the thick canopy as Maze trudged along, her bag slung over one shoulder and Vesper nestled securely in her other arm. The stillness of the mountain air only amplified the eerie rustling sounds that had been following her for miles. At first, she brushed it off as nothing more than wind or small animals, but the persistent sound seemed to grow louder and closer.
She paused mid-step, her heart pounding as she strained her ears. Silence. The kind that felt oppressive, making her skin crawl. With a nervous glance over her shoulder, Maze whispered to herself, "It's nothing. Just your imagination."
But as soon as she started walking again, the noise returned-this time unmistakable, like hurried footsteps. Maze's pulse quickened. Sweat dotted her brow, and she tightened her grip on Vesper.
The rustling grew into a frenzy. The sound of snapping twigs and crunching leaves filled her ears, sending a cold shiver down her spine. Panic took over, and she broke into a run, her breaths coming in short gasps.
"Who's there?" she shouted, spinning around abruptly.
Nothing. Just trees and shadows. Swallowing her fear, she forced her voice to steady. "You don't scare me, you know!" she called out, her tone defiant but trembling.
The forest responded with silence. Maze sighed with her shoulders dropping, was she just being overwhelmed by her own thoughts she thought to herself.
"Alright, you can stop playing tricks now!" Maze yelled into the emptiness. No response came, just the rustling of leaves. Her voice softened, muttering to herself, "It's probably just the wind. Or a squirrel… a very noisy squirrel."
As she turned back to continue, a figure loomed in front of her. She screamed and stumbled backward.
"For heaven's sake, stop screaming! It's me!" Kaelen's voice rang out, annoyed.
Maze froze, clutching Vesper tightly. "Kaelen? What in the name of all things sacred are you doing here?"
Kaelen sighed dramatically, leaning against a tree. "The woods are dangerous. I thought I'd accompany you."
"Accompany me? By stalking me like some kind of predator? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Maze snapped, glaring at him.
"I wasn't stalking you. I was… keeping an eye on you. Big difference," Kaelen replied with a grin.
Maze rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
Kaelen shrugged, unfazed. "You're welcome, by the way. If something had jumped out to attack you, I'd have been here to save you."
"Sure," Maze said dryly, resuming her walk. "You're a real knight in shining armor."
Kaelen jogged to keep up. "Wait! Don't walk off just yet. I brought my horse with me."
"And?" Maze asked, not breaking her stride.
"And it's faster than walking. You're heading back home, right? I can help you get there quicker," he said, falling into step beside her.
Maze stopped abruptly, spinning to face him. "You've been nothing but a nuisance today, scaring me half to death, and now you want to help? What's your angle?"
Kaelen raised his hands defensively. "No angle! I swear. I just… thought you could use some company."
"Company," Maze repeated, crossing her arms. "You've got a funny way of showing it."
"Okay, okay," Kaelen admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe I went a little overboard earlier. But I was only trying to lighten the mood! These woods can be creepy, and I thought… never mind. I'm sorry, alright?"
Maze studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious," Kaelen said, his tone softer this time. "Let me take you home. The road ahead isn't safe, Maze. You know that as well as I do."
Maze hesitated, glancing down at Vesper, who wagged his tail as if agreeing with Kaelen. "I don't need your help," she muttered, turning to walk again.
Kaelen groaned, grabbing the reins of his horse and following her. "Maze, please. I get it—you're strong and independent. But even the strongest people need help sometimes."
She stopped again, her shoulders slumping. "Fine," she said finally, her voice low. "But if you pull another stunt like that, I swear I'll—"
"No more stunts, I promise!" Kaelen cut in, a grin breaking across his face as he led his horse forward. "Come on, climb up. I'll walk alongside. Deal?"
Maze sighed, placing Vesper in the saddle before hoisting herself up. "Deal," she said, though her tone was reluctant.
As they started moving, Kaelen glanced up at her. "You know, for someone who pretends not to need help, you're awfully quick to accept it."
"Don't push your luck, Kaelen," Maze warned, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
Kaelen chuckled, walking beside the horse. "Noted."
~~~~~
Xandros stood before the towering gates of the vampire realm, his expression unreadable as memories of past animosities resurfaced. He had avoided the vampires for centuries, yet here he was, stepping into their domain. He watched the royal gates and sighed
"We're going to be alliances soon, if we've not become one already" he muttered under his breath and released a chuckle.
Inside, a guard hurried to Cassius, who sat at a grand table poring over an ancient scroll. "My Lord, there's a visitor at the gate," the guard announced.
"A visitor?" Cassius asked without looking up.
"Yes, my Lord. But he's an enemy, a lycan from the werewolf realm."
Cassius's head shot up. "An enemy, you say? From the werewolves?"
"Yes, my Lord," the guard confirmed cautiously.
"Let him in. Immediately," Cassius ordered, his tone firm.
The guard hesitated. "But my Lord..."
"There are no buts," Cassius interrupted, rising from his seat. "I'm aware of the current situation. Open the gates."
The guard bowed and left, with Cassius following close behind. Moments later, the gates creaked open, and Xandros stepped in.
Cassius greeted him with a polite nod. "Welcome to the royal house of the vampires."
Xandros responded with a curt nod. "Thank you, Cassius. I come in peace."
"Let's hope so," Cassius replied dryly, motioning for Xandros to follow. "This way. I'll inform Kairos of your presence."
As Xandros stepped into the opulent meeting room, his sharp eyes scanned the ornate surroundings. Cassius paused at the door.
"Wait here," Cassius instructed. "Kairos will decide what happens next."
Xandros smirked, his arms crossed. "He's not the only one deciding, Cassius. We both know this alliance is necessary."
Cassius glanced back, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps. But don't mistake necessity for trust."
With that, he left the room, leaving Xandros alone in silence.