The morning sun barely touched the forest when Kael finally crossed the last line of trees.
Silence.
For weeks, the suffocating shadows of the Ancient Forest had been his entire world. But now, the horizon stretched before him, vast and unyielding.
Distant mountains rose like jagged teeth. Rolling fields sprawled endlessly. The open sky seemed impossibly large, its blue expanse a stark contrast to the darkness he had left behind.
He was free.
But freedom didn't mean safety.
The real fight was just beginning.
The First Obstacle
Kael followed a dirt path, the weight of the dagger Shen had given him pressing lightly against his makeshift belt.
He had no destination in mind.
But he knew what he needed:
Information. He didn't know where he was or who ruled this region.Resources. Food, shelter, something to trade.Identity. He couldn't walk the world as a nameless wanderer.
His first stop would have to be a village.
He needed to understand this world before he could conquer it.
Then, he felt it.
Eyes on him.
Movement up ahead.
Six men emerged from the trees, their clothes rough and plain but their weapons sharp and ready.
Bandidos.
And Kael was an easy target.
He kept walking, his posture relaxed. He didn't care about them.
But they cared about him.
The leader, a one-eyed man with a massive axe strapped to his back, stepped forward with a grin.
"Well, well. What do we have here? A kid walking out of the forest all alone?"
The others laughed, their voices sharp with mockery.
"You either got guts, boy, or the worst luck in the world."
Kael stopped, his cold gaze locking onto the group as if they were little more than specks of dust.
They were used to victims begging for mercy.
But Kael wasn't a victim.
The leader drew his blade, its edge jagged and rusted.
"Hand over everything you've got, and maybe we'll let you walk away."
Kael breathed deeply.
He didn't need to fight.
He could hand over the dagger, move on, and avoid the trouble.
But then, he looked into their eyes.
And he knew.
Even if he gave them everything, they would kill him anyway.
He had seen those eyes before.
Eyes that killed for sport.
Kael's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
The bandits exchanged glances.
"The kid thinks he's got a choice!" one of them sneered.
The leader laughed, raising his blade.
"Guess I'll carve that smile off first."
It was the last thing he said.
The First Kill
Shadow Steps: Activated.
Kael moved faster than they could track, slipping past the leader's blade as it came down.
Before the first bandit could react, Kael's dagger slashed across his thigh.
The man screamed, collapsing to the ground.
The others froze, caught off guard.
A second too long.
Kael didn't stop.
He lunged forward, the dagger slicing cleanly across the throat of the next bandit.
Blood sprayed through the air, hot and crimson.
Two down.
Four to go.
The leader's single eye widened in shock.
"WHAT THE—"
Kael was already on him.
Abyssal Claws: Activated.
Black energy engulfed Kael's free hand as he grabbed the man by the throat.
The air around them trembled as Kael's power seeped into the bandit's body.
The leader struggled, his skin paling as Kael drained the spiritual energy from his body.
He tried to scream, but his voice caught in his throat.
A moment later, he was dead.
The remaining three bandits stood frozen, their weapons shaking in their hands.
They weren't looking at a boy anymore.
They were staring into the eyes of a monster.
Kael turned to them, his expression cold and empty.
"Run."
They ran.
Kael looked down at the fallen bodies.
The first deaths in this new life.
But he felt nothing.
He wiped the blood from his blade onto one of the corpses and began searching the bodies.
A few copper coins. A water flask. A crumpled, weathered map.
It wasn't much.
But it was enough to start.
Kael pocketed the map and slung the flask over his shoulder. Without sparing a glance back, he continued down the path.
The village awaited him.
And with it… the true beginning of the game.