Azriel's chest heaved as he sprinted through the dense underbrush, the sound of heavy footsteps echoing behind him. His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out everything else as he pushed himself harder. The Sigil pulsed with an eerie warmth in his hand, urging him forward, but also reminding him of the weight he now carried—he had no choice but to fight, even if he didn't know how to wield the power inside him.
'Why are they after me?' Azriel thought, his breath ragged as he ducked under a low-hanging branch. 'Why does it feel like I'm the target, even though I barely know what's happening?'
The forest around him was a blur of trees and shadows, but Azriel barely registered the scenery as his thoughts swirled. All he could focus on was the chase, the immediate danger that seemed to grow with every step. He had to escape. He had to survive. But he didn't know how long he could keep running. His body was starting to burn with exhaustion.
He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widening as he saw the hunters closing in, their heavy boots crushing the leaves beneath them. The leader was in front now, his face an emotionless mask, but his eyes—those cold, calculating eyes—were fixed on Azriel.
'He's getting closer,' Azriel thought, panic rising in his chest. 'I need to lose him, but I can't keep running forever.'
With every step, Azriel's mind raced, searching for a solution. He was faster than them, that much was clear, but there was something about the leader's demeanor that unnerved him. He didn't feel like just another enemy to be outrun—this man felt like a predator. And Azriel was the prey.
'Selene—where is she?' Azriel thought desperately, his eyes darting around. 'She's not behind me. She—she's still back there.'
His thoughts stumbled as he realized just how alone he was. She had given him a chance to escape, to survive, but now, he was no longer just a bystander in her struggle. He was in the thick of it, caught between the hunters and the hunted. And every instinct in his body told him he was not ready for this.
The Sigil burned hot in his palm again, and Azriel couldn't ignore it any longer. The relic was a part of him now, and its power, though raw and untamed, was calling to him. He could feel it pulsing, waiting for him to make a move.
'What do I do?' Azriel thought, his desperation growing. 'I can't keep running. I have to fight back.'
Azriel stopped suddenly, his boots skidding on the forest floor as he planted his feet. The hunters hadn't expected it. They were still charging toward him, believing he would continue to flee.
'Now!' Azriel thought, drawing on every ounce of willpower he had.
He turned on his heel and faced the approaching leader, who was still a good distance away. But now, Azriel could feel the weight of the Sigil. It wasn't just a passive thing—it was his weapon, his tool. He didn't need to understand it to use it.
"Azriel!" the leader's voice rang out, and for a moment, Azriel froze. There was something unnerving about the way the man said his name, as if he had been expecting him all along.
'What does he want from me?' Azriel thought, his hands shaking as he gripped the Sigil tighter. 'What does he know that I don't?'
The leader stopped at a safe distance, his stance cautious but ready. The two other hunters fanned out behind him, encircling Azriel like a predator cornering its prey. But Azriel didn't move.
'Don't show fear,' Azriel told himself, his breath steadying. 'This is my chance.'
The air around him seemed to crackle with energy. He could feel the Sigil responding to his thoughts, to his fear, to the uncertainty building inside him. But that was the key, wasn't it? He didn't need to understand it all. He just needed to act.
Azriel raised his hand, the Sigil glowing faintly, and suddenly—without warning—the world seemed to shift. The ground trembled beneath him as though the forest itself recognized the power he was tapping into. The leader's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't back down.
"What is that?" the leader asked, his voice sharper now. There was fear in his words, but it was controlled, like a man trying to hide his uncertainty.
Azriel didn't answer. He couldn't. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he knew one thing: he wasn't going down without a fight.
The Sigil burned with intensity, and Azriel felt a surge of power course through him. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpening. For a moment, everything around him seemed to slow—his every movement, every breath was clear and controlled.
'Focus,' Azriel thought, the adrenaline pumping through his veins. 'This is it. I can't let them take me. Not like this.'
Without thinking, he thrust his hand forward, the Sigil flaring to life. A shockwave of energy erupted from it, knocking the nearest hunter off his feet and sending the other two stumbling back.
Azriel's breath caught in his throat as he watched the scene unfold before him. He had done it. He had attacked. And it had worked.
But as the dust settled, Azriel's chest tightened. There was no time to celebrate. The leader's eyes were now locked onto him, and despite the momentary setback, there was something about his expression that didn't quite fit. The man wasn't angry. He was… intrigued.
'What the hell?' Azriel thought, his mind racing again. 'Why isn't he reacting the way I expected?'
The leader took a step forward, his hands raised in a non-threatening manner. "Interesting," he muttered, almost to himself. "You have no idea what you've just done, do you?"
Azriel's heart skipped a beat. 'No idea?' he thought. 'What the hell does that mean?'
He wasn't prepared for what came next. The leader spoke again, his voice quiet but filled with authority. "You've just unlocked the power of the Sigil, haven't you? I didn't think anyone would find it."
Azriel's eyes widened. 'He knows?'
The leader's grin was slow and deliberate, but there was no kindness in it. "I've been searching for you. You're the key to everything that's coming."