As Kael continued his way through the deserted forest, his mind began to fill with past memories. As he took his steps carefully, the days when he was an ordinary guard came back to his mind.
While the cold winds were blowing in the palace courtyard, Kael continued to sharpen his sword silently. His job consisted of being a young guard whose job it was to ensure the safety of the princess. For him, life consisted only of orders and sword strokes. However, that day, the princess suddenly appeared before him.
"Do you have to look so serious?" said the princess, smiling slightly. Even then, her voice left a strange echo in Kael's heart.
When Kael looked up, he saw the princess standing in front of him with an elegant but mischievous smile.
"My duty is to be serious, your majesty," Kael replied, looking away.
The princess laughed slightly and handed him the handkerchief in her hand. "You need to take care of these wounds. How will you protect others if you don't take care of yourself?"
Kael didn't know what to say at that moment. It was unusual for a princess to show such affection towards an ordinary guard. But the princess's words as she took the handkerchief were more like a favor than an order. From that day on, the princess's existence turned into a purpose in Kael's heart: to protect her and one day pay her debt.
Throughout the journey, as Kael remembered this memory, his ambition grew even more. The princess was not just a would-be ruler; She was the person who changed Kael's life, the first person who cared about him.
As Kael sat under the roots of a tree deep in the forest and took a breath, he felt the faint trace of the handkerchief still in his pocket under his armor. That handkerchief was the memory of those soft hands that once touched his life. And for Kael, this journey isn't just a mission; It was the payment of the most important debt in his life.
Day 1: First Step into the Unknown
Kael's footsteps echoed over the land. The moonlight filtered through the branches of the huge trees and fell on the forest floor in thin lines. Every time he took a breath, the smell of moss in the air filled his lungs, which gave him an unfamiliar uneasiness even in the first moments of the journey. The disappearance of the princess left Eldoria's heart shattered. And now, Kael was trying to find the right path through this chaos.
At that moment when he left the palace, what he felt was anger and guilt rather than a sense of duty. He couldn't protect the princess. Now he set out into the unknown to make up for this mistake. But as he progressed through this forest, the silence hiding in the darkness made him feel like something else was whispering to him: You are alone.
Kael took one last look back before disappearing into the shadows. The stone towers of Eldoria were like faint ghosts in the moonlight. "Princess," he muttered to himself. "Wherever you are, I will find you." At that moment, this promise he made was like a flashlight thrown into the darkness of the journey. But it was not yet clear how long the lighthouse would last.
Kael had walked almost all night, following the moonlight until he reached the edge of the forest. As the first light of the morning began to rise, a small village appeared before him. A crumbling farmhouse appeared on the edge of the village. The thin smoke rising from the chimney of the house was a sign that someone was awake.
Kael approached the door and knocked hard several times. The wooden door opened slightly and the tired eyes of an old man appeared from inside. The man's gaze scanned Kael from head to toe. His traveling clothes, his sword and his stance… It was not difficult to understand that he was a soldier or a nobleman.
"What do you want, kid?" the man asked, his voice old but attentive. Kael took a deep breath and spoke, trying not to show his tiredness.
"I'm looking for someone. Princess... Has anything caught your attention here lately? Strangers, strange events?"
The old man looked at Kael's face suspiciously and remained silent for a few seconds. Finally, with a slight nod of his head, he began to speak.
"Last night I saw a group of strangers on the hill outside the village. I couldn't make out their faces, but they were horsemen. Not many foreigners come here. "I don't know if they are the people you are looking for, but... After saying this, I want you to leave."
Kael accepted this information as a clue. The man's worried expression clearly showed the impact the strangers had on the village. As he thanked him and left the house, he did not refuse a small bag of bread and water that the old man offered him. Kael's eyes stared at the distant hills. There was something there. The first step of his journey became clearer.
Towards Noon: Uncertain Paths
Kael continued his walk with the food he bought from the farm. The sky was clear and the chirping of birds was echoing deep into the forest. But Kael couldn't calm down. His eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings, and his ears did not miss even the slightest rustle. He didn't have the luxury of losing track of the princess' kidnappers.
After a while, he reached a thin path. This path led towards the hills that the old man of the village had mentioned. The trunks of the trees were denser and thicker here, and the road was getting narrower. Kael felt for the sword at his waist; He had to be ready for an attack at any moment.
End of First Day
Kael reached the end of the trail as the sun began to set. On the horizon, bushes and a rocky hill were visible, gently swaying in the wind. He was tired and sleepless, but he couldn't stop. His instincts were telling him something wasn't right. Kael lowered his eyes down the hill as he hid behind a rock and gnawed on the bread he took from his bag. There, he saw a faintly burning fire and silhouettes.
"So you are here…" he whispered. Kael was now sure. This journey would be much more dangerous than he thought. But there was no turning back for him.
The first step into the unknown was completed.
Day 2: Quiet Town and First Trap
Kael set off with the first light of the sun. As soon as he emerged from the depths of the forest, the dirt road he encountered led him towards an old town. This town, which seemed quiet and abandoned, caught Kael's attention. The few tracks he saw on the road indicated that someone had passed here recently.
When Kael arrived at the entrance of the town, he was met with an odd silence. As the wind wandered among the abandoned houses, the subtle hums coming from the broken windows seemed to whisper. The town's sign was covered in moss, but the faint shadows of the letters were still readable: Velmora Town.
After taking a few steps through the town, Kael came across an old inn. When the wooden door creaked open, the empty tables inside and the rusty daggers hanging on the wall caught his attention. There was no one inside, but it seemed like someone was still living here. Suddenly, Kael's attention was caught by the footprints on the ground. These tracks looked fresh and went straight into the inn and then disappeared.
Kael straightened his waist and grasped his sword. "Someone is here... He must be watching me," he thought.
Just as he was thinking this, he was startled by a clicking sound echoing behind him. Turning around quickly, he noticed one of the shadows quickly disappearing from the window, holding an old bow in his hand. Kael immediately took action and rushed out, but the town's maze of narrow streets slowed him down. With every step, a different shadow appeared and disappeared.
"They're luring me into a trap…" Kael realized.
At that moment, an arrow quickly hit the bottom of his feet. It was a warning. Hiding in the shadows, several people with their faces hidden surrounded Kael. They were all carrying rusted weapons and makeshift armor.
Kael's eyes narrowed menacingly as he drew his sword. These people must have been bandits; They must have wandered here after losing track of the princess and were waiting for the opportunity.
"What are you doing here, young man?" asked one of those whose face was covered.
Kael replied in a calm but determined voice:
"I'm looking for the princess. Someone who disappeared like a shadow... It's none of your business, but stay out of my way."
His words echoed like a threat. The bandits responded with laughter. But Kael knew not to underestimate the power of these men. Although he was tired and hungry, he was determined; He wasn't going to give up.
With one small move, Kael went on the offensive. He deftly parried the first bandit's ax and slammed his sword into the back of his knee. The man collapsed to the ground. Although others tried to surround Kael, his movements were fluid and deadly. Every move was a testament to his years of training and instinct.
The silence of the town was broken by the echoes of this conflict. When Kael neutralized the last bandit, he took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. Clouds settled over the town like a gray blanket, and the weather became even darker.
He found an old scroll with a red seal on one of the bandits. When Kael opened the scroll, he recognized the symbol on it: *One of the old seals of the Royal Palace*. This proved that there was a bigger plan behind the kidnapping of the princess.
"This isn't just a kidnapping…" Kael muttered. Even though he was tired and injured, this clue took him one step further.
Kael decided to spend the night in an old barn before heading away from town. He lit a small fire, cleaned his sword and bandaged his wounds. That night was cold and lonely. However, the seal he found gave him new hope.
"Princess... I will find you. No matter what it takes..."