The morning sun filtered through the thick canopy above, casting fragmented beams of light across the forest floor. Azriel's eyes snapped open, his body still feeling the lingering effects of the night's strange encounter. He sat up slowly, his hand instinctively reaching for the Sigil, still bound tightly to his palm, the symbol glowing faintly in the dim light.
'That man… who was he?' Azriel thought, rubbing his temples as he tried to clear his mind. The stranger's words echoed in his ears: 'The Sigil is just the beginning.' What did he mean by that? What kind of power had he just unleashed?
He took a deep breath, pushing himself to his feet. The forest around him was eerily silent, the usual sounds of wildlife absent. Azriel's senses were on high alert, his every step cautious as he moved deeper into the woods.
'Where do I go from here?' Azriel wondered, scanning his surroundings. He had no clear direction. No plan. Just the Sigil—this cursed artifact that seemed to be pulling him in a thousand different directions.
Azriel's mind flashed back to the warrior's final moments. The dying man's words—'It's your burden now'—stung with new meaning. He hadn't asked for this power. He hadn't asked for any of it.
'But I can't deny it,' Azriel admitted to himself, glancing down at the Sigil. 'I feel... stronger. More alert. Something inside me has changed.'
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft rustling in the underbrush. Azriel froze, his muscles tensing. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. 'Is someone following me?' he thought, instinctively reaching for the dagger he'd scavenged from the warrior's belongings the night before.
The rustling grew louder, more deliberate this time. Azriel's heart raced. He tightened his grip on the dagger, ready for whatever threat might emerge from the shadows. But then, to his surprise, a small figure emerged from the trees—a girl, no older than sixteen, with a hood drawn over her head and a bow slung across her back.
Azriel didn't lower his weapon. He couldn't afford to trust anyone just yet. The Sigil pulsed in his hand, and he felt its energy stir, as though reacting to the presence of the stranger.
The girl's sharp eyes scanned him, and then her lips curved into a slight smirk. "You're a long way from home," she said in a voice that was both cautious and amused.
'She's not afraid,' Azriel thought, narrowing his gaze. There was no fear in her voice, no hesitation in her movements. This girl was no ordinary traveler. 'Is she a scout? A bandit?'
The girl tilted her head, clearly sensing his suspicion. "Relax, I'm not here to rob you," she said, raising both hands in mock surrender. "Name's Selene. I was just looking for someone who might be able to help me out."
Azriel didn't lower his weapon, though his grip on the dagger loosened slightly. "Help you with what?" he asked, his voice low and guarded.
Selene's smirk faded as she looked around, her gaze darting between the trees. She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "There are people looking for me. Dangerous people. And they'll stop at nothing to catch me."
Azriel's instincts flared. 'What kind of people?' he wondered, but he kept his questions to himself. The Sigil burned in his hand, its presence almost a constant hum at the back of his mind.
"You're being hunted?" Azriel asked, his curiosity piqued despite himself. "Why?"
Selene's eyes flashed with a mix of defiance and regret. "Let's just say I've made some enemies," she said, glancing over her shoulder again. "And I'm not the only one."
Azriel's brow furrowed. He didn't trust her, but he knew the wilderness was no place to make enemies if he didn't have to. "What's your story?" he asked, trying to gauge whether she was telling the truth.
Selene hesitated, her eyes flickering between Azriel and the trees around them. "I come from a small village, a little west of here. It was destroyed. My people..." She trailed off, her expression darkening. "I'm the last one left."
Azriel said nothing for a moment. There was something in her tone that made him pause. She wasn't lying, but there was a depth to her pain, something more than just the simple loss of her village. 'She's hiding something,' he thought, sensing an unspoken truth lingering behind her words.
"Why come to me?" he asked, his grip still firm on the dagger. "You don't even know me."
"Maybe not," Selene said with a shrug, her expression softening slightly. "But I know a survivor when I see one."
Azriel stiffened at her words. 'What does she mean by that?' His thoughts raced. 'Is she implying that I'm not alone in this fight? That others might be... like me?'
Before he could voice his questions, Selene suddenly raised her hand, signaling for silence. Azriel froze, straining to hear the faint sound of footsteps in the distance. His grip tightened on the Sigil, the artifact pulsing ever stronger, as though sensing the danger.
'Someone's coming,' Azriel thought, his pulse quickening. 'But who? And how do they know I'm here?'
Selene's eyes narrowed, her fingers reaching for an arrow in her quiver. "They're close," she whispered. "We need to move. Now."
Azriel didn't hesitate. He quickly followed her lead, darting into the underbrush. His mind raced with questions. 'Who are these people chasing her? And why do they want her?'
As they moved deeper into the forest, Azriel couldn't shake the feeling that he was being drawn into something far bigger than he could comprehend. The Sigil, the strange warrior's words, the sudden appearance of Selene—it all seemed connected somehow, but the pieces didn't fit.
'What have I gotten myself into?' Azriel thought, his mind spinning. 'Who can I trust?'
Selene glanced back at him, a determined look on her face. "Stick close," she said, her voice low. "We're not out of danger yet."
Azriel nodded silently, his senses on high alert. The Sigil in his hand felt heavier than ever, its power both a blessing and a curse.