The forest whispered with life, but its usual hum had turned somber. The sharp scent of blood still lingered in the air as the survivors gathered in the clearing, faces pale and silent. The loss of Rylan weighed heavily on them all. His sacrifice had been the spark to ignite their resolve, but the cost was undeniable.
Elena stood at the edge of the group, staring into the dying embers of their small fire. The grief in her chest was sharp, but she didn't let it show. She couldn't. They were looking to her now—to the girl who had walked through the trials, who had chosen to stand rather than break.
She couldn't falter. Not now.
"We keep moving at dawn," she said finally, breaking the silence. Her voice carried across the group, steady and firm. "Lucian will know what happened here soon enough. If we stay, he'll send more men—worse men. We can't give him that chance."
A murmur ran through the group. Some nodded, while others stared at the ground, exhausted and hollow. Maren stepped forward, her bow slung across her back.
"And where do we go, Elena? How do we keep running forever?"
Elena turned to face her, feeling every pair of eyes on her. "We're not running," she said. "Not anymore. We'll keep moving because we need to gather more people—fighters, allies—anyone who's willing to stand with us. But we're not hiding. We're building."
"And when Lucian comes for us again?" someone else asked.
Elena's grip tightened around the hilt of her sword. "Then we make him regret it."
Cassian stepped beside her, his presence steady as a stone. "Elena's right. Every day we grow stronger, and Lucian grows weaker. He's afraid of us—afraid of what we might become. And when we're ready, we'll take the fight to him."
The crowd stilled at that. Elena could see it in their faces—a flicker of hope, faint but growing.
By dawn, the group was ready. Packs were slung across shoulders, weapons secured at their sides. The forest stretched out before them, endless and shadowed, but Elena felt a strange calm settle over her as they began to move.
Cassian fell into step beside her, his silver eyes glinting in the early light. "You gave them hope back there."
Elena glanced at him, her voice quiet. "I don't know if hope is enough."
"It's more than they had yesterday," Cassian replied.
They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds the soft crunch of boots on the forest floor and the rustling of branches in the wind. But Elena couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
"You feel it too?" Cassian asked, his hand already drifting toward his sword.
Elena nodded, her fingers tightening around her blade. "Someone's following us."
They moved faster, Cassian leading them toward a stretch of rocky terrain that would be harder to track. The group moved as silently as they could, their movements tense and wary.
"Keep moving!" Cassian barked, his silver eyes scanning the treeline.
Suddenly, the whistle of an arrow split the air.
"Down!" Elena shouted, throwing herself to the ground as the arrow struck a tree just ahead of them.
Chaos erupted. Figures in dark cloaks emerged from the trees, their bows drawn and swords gleaming. These weren't Lucian's soldiers—they moved with precision and silence, their faces hidden behind masks.
"Bandits?" Maren hissed, drawing an arrow and loosing it in one fluid motion.
Cassian shook his head as he drew his sword, his voice low and tight. "No. These are mercenaries."
Elena gritted her teeth. "Lucian's hired men."
Before she could say more, a masked mercenary lunged toward her, his blade flashing in the dim light. She parried the strike, her sword ringing out in the still air. The force of the blow rattled her arms, but she didn't falter.
"Stay together!" she shouted over the clash of weapons. "Defend the group!"
The survivors fought desperately, their fear tempered by the battles they had already faced. Maren loosed arrows from the shadows, striking down mercenaries before they could reach the group. Cassian cut through the attackers like a storm, his blade a blur of silver and steel.
Elena moved through the chaos, her focus sharp. She ducked a swing, driving her sword into an attacker's chest. Another mercenary came at her from behind, but she spun just in time, slashing across his side.
Blood sprayed the ground, but Elena didn't stop. She couldn't stop.
"We're outnumbered!" Cassian shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.
Elena scanned the battlefield, her mind racing. Think, Elena. Think!
Her gaze fell on the rocky outcropping ahead. It was narrow—only a few men could cross it at a time.
"Fall back to the rocks!" she yelled. "We'll hold them there!"
Cassian turned to the group, his voice a sharp bark. "You heard her! Move!"
The survivors began to retreat, fighting as they pulled back toward the rocks. Elena covered them, her sword flashing as she struck down another mercenary.
Cassian stood beside her, his blade dripping red. "We can't hold them forever."
Elena nodded, her breath ragged. "We don't need forever. We just need enough time to get out of here."
The survivors reached the rocky outcropping, their backs to the stone. The mercenaries hesitated, their leader barking orders as they regrouped.
Elena wiped sweat from her brow, her chest heaving. "How many left?"
Cassian scanned the forest. "Too many."
The mercenaries began to advance again, slower this time, their swords raised. Elena gripped her blade, forcing herself to stand tall.
"We hold them here," she said, her voice steady. "We don't let them through."
Cassian looked at her, something flickering in his silver eyes. "You're ready for this."
Elena met his gaze, determination burning in her chest. "I don't have a choice."
The mercenaries charged.
The fight was brutal. Elena's arms ached, her movements slowing with every swing of her blade. Cassian fought beside her, his strikes as precise as ever, but even he was beginning to tire.
Just as Elena thought they might break, a horn sounded in the distance—a low, mournful note that echoed through the trees.
The mercenaries froze, their leader raising a hand to stop the attack.
"What's happening?" Maren asked breathlessly, her bow still raised.
Cassian narrowed his eyes. "They're pulling back."
The mercenaries exchanged glances before retreating into the forest, disappearing like shadows.
Elena staggered back, her chest heaving as she watched them go. "Why would they leave now?"
Cassian's expression was grim. "Because someone called them off."
"Lucian?" Elena whispered.
Cassian didn't answer. He looked out into the darkening forest, his hand still gripping his sword. "Whoever it is, they'll be back."
Elena turned to the survivors, who were slumped against the rocks, exhausted but alive. For now, that was enough.
"We keep moving," she said, forcing her voice to remain steady. "We don't stop until we find more allies."
Cassian nodded, his silver eyes scanning the horizon. "And when Lucian sends his next wave?"
Elena's jaw tightened. "Then we make him regret it."
As the sun dipped below the treeline, the group gathered themselves and moved on, their shadows stretching long behind them.
The fight wasn't over. It was only just beginning.