I stood in the clearing, the dust settling from our brief but intense clash. The sting of a fresh cut burned on my left arm, but I ignored it, eyes locked on Augustus. His chest rose and fell with each breath, his blade dripping with sweat and dirt, not blood—thankfully. This was the third time we'd crossed paths, and each encounter felt like a bitter reminder that neither of us would relent.
"Why do you keep showing up?" I spat, tightening my grip on my weapon.
He smirked, wiping his brow. "I could ask you the same."
The tension crackled in the air between us, neither willing to strike first but both ready to end the standoff. I hated how calm he looked. Even as blood trickled from a shallow cut on his cheek, he stood there like this was some casual game. A game I wasn't interested in playing anymore.
"Enough," I growled. "I'm not interested in playing anymore."
I raised my weapon, but I wasn't aiming to kill—at least not yet. I had one question that mattered. "The badges. Do you have them?"
His expression shifted, just slightly, but it was enough to tell me he knew exactly what I was asking.
"Badges?" Augustus echoed, tilting his head as if the question amused him. "What makes you think I'd tell you?"
I stepped forward, ignoring the ache in my legs from our earlier skirmish. "Because if you did, you wouldn't be here wasting time with me. So?"
For a moment, he said nothing, but then he chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're too clever for your own good, Orion."
He spread his hands wide, weapon still in one, but the gesture felt disarming. "No. I don't have any of the badges." His voice was calm, deliberate, and his eyes never wavered from mine. "Satisfied?"
I studied him, searching for any sign of a lie, but there was none. He was telling the truth. The badges were still out there, scattered, waiting to be found.
"And what about you?" Augustus asked, stepping forward slightly. "Do you have them?"
"No," I said quickly, too quickly. He caught it, the smirk returning to his face.
"Interesting," he said, voice low, almost a purr. "Neither of us has what we want, yet here we are."
I clenched my jaw, knowing this conversation was going nowhere. "Enough."
Turning on my heel, I scanned my surroundings, noting what I needed. Vines hung from the trees overhead—strong, thick. They'd be useful. The small pool of water to the side glistened, clean enough to drink. A pile of dried food I had gathered sat under a rocky overhang, barely enough to last a few days, but it would do.
"You're running, aren't you?" Augustus called after me.
I didn't respond, instead stalking toward Elara, who had stayed hidden behind a cluster of rocks. Her wide eyes met mine, a silent understanding passing between us. The adrenaline from our fight still pulsed through my veins, but I knew we had to leave before Augustus decided to follow.
"We're leaving," I said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet.
"Now?" she whispered, glancing nervously at Augustus. "But he—"
"I said now," I snapped, harsher than I intended. She flinched, but she didn't resist.
Augustus chuckled behind me, a sound filled with mockery. "Running suits you, Orion."
I shot him a glare over my shoulder. "Stay out of my way."
With Elara in tow, I grabbed what I could—vines, water, the dried food. We didn't have time for more. Augustus watched us, amused but not moving to stop us. I hated that smug look on his face, the way he seemed to know more than he let on.
As we disappeared into the forest, the trees swallowing us whole, Elara finally spoke, her voice trembling. "He let us go."
I didn't answer, focused on putting as much distance between us and that place as possible. But deep down, I knew she was right. He had let us go. And I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the last time we'd meet. Not by a long shot.
For now, survival was all that mattered. We moved swiftly through the dense forest, the branches clawing at us like skeletal fingers, and I could feel the weight of every second we spent running. Elara kept pace beside me, silent except for the steady rhythm of her breath. The fight, the tension—it all clung to my skin, like I could still feel Augustus' blade grazing my arm. But we had no time to dwell. We needed to be far away before night swallowed the last traces of light.
As the last of the fading twilight dipped behind the horizon, I found a small hollow beneath an ancient, gnarled tree. Its roots twisted like serpents, forming a makeshift shelter. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. We couldn't risk traveling through the dark for much longer; our bodies were bruised, bloodied, and exhausted.
"Here," I said, guiding Elara to sit. Her face was pale, her arms trembling, and the blood from a shallow cut on her shoulder stained her sleeve. The sight of it made my stomach turn, but there wasn't much I could do for her now. We had to focus on getting through the night first.
"We need to clean that," I muttered, pulling a small pouch from my pack. The water was barely enough, but I poured a bit over the wound, watching the dirt and dried blood wash away. She hissed softly, the pain evident on her face, but didn't complain. I didn't need to hear her words to know she was just as exhausted as I was.
"Let me do yours," she said, reaching for my arm, but I shook my head.
"Later. You first."
The silence settled over us as I worked, the forest alive with the hum of insects, the distant hoot of an owl, and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was calming, in a way, but I couldn't allow myself to relax just yet. I needed to stay alert. Our lives could still depend on it.
After binding her wound with a strip of cloth, I leaned back, exhaustion clawing at me. I felt my eyelids growing heavier, my body begging me for rest. But there was too much at stake.
"We'll rest here," I said, more to myself than to her. "Just for tonight."
Elara nodded, curling up against the tree's roots. "Do you think he'll find us?"
I glanced toward the darkened forest, narrowing my eyes. "No," I lied. "Not here."
The truth? I wasn't so sure. The forest was dense, but not impenetrable. We had barely escaped him this time, and I knew that if he wanted to, Augustus could find us again. I could feel it in my gut—the calm before the storm.
Elara was asleep within minutes, her breathing soft and steady. I stayed awake, my eyes scanning the shadows, my ears straining for any sign of danger. Every crack of a twig made my pulse race. Every rustle of leaves seemed louder than it should have been. But all I heard was the wind rustling through the leaves, the distant chirp of crickets.
Just as I began to relax, a scent hit me—faint but unmistakable. Smoke.
I bolted upright, my heart pounding in my chest. It was barely noticeable at first, just a faint, tingling scent on the breeze, but it grew stronger, undeniable. Smoke. Someone had made a fire.
I scanned the horizon, eyes searching through the trees for any sign of movement. There, in the distance, beyond the canopy of trees, a thin wisp of smoke curled into the night sky, barely visible against the stars. Someone else was out here.
And they weren't far.
I grabbed my pack, fingers brushing against the vine coils and dried food. My breath was shallow as I carefully shifted, careful not to wake Elara. She needed rest. But I couldn't shake the feeling that we weren't alone anymore. And I didn't want to find out who else was out here in the dark, especially not after the encounter with Augustus.
The smoke was faint, but it was real. My thoughts raced. If it was another survivor, we could be in trouble. If it was someone like Augustus… I didn't want to think about it.
With Elara still sleeping, I moved toward the edge of our makeshift shelter, crouching low. The wind was on my side tonight. I could smell the smoke, but it was still distant. It might be a small camp, or it could be someone who hadn't seen us yet.
But whoever it was, we couldn't afford to let them know we were here