Azriel stood still, his breath coming in short bursts as he processed the leader's words. 'The key to everything that's coming?' His mind raced, each new piece of information only adding to the growing confusion. 'What does that even mean?'
The leader's smile deepened, his gaze never leaving Azriel. "You're not the first to come into contact with the Sigil, Azriel. But you may be the first who can actually use it."
Azriel clenched his fists, the Sigil still glowing faintly in his hand. It was pulsing, its magic humming beneath his skin, but it was different now. It wasn't just an artifact; it was a part of him, and its power had surged into him when he'd used it. But the overwhelming fear that had gripped him moments ago had subsided, replaced with something else—a growing awareness that he was standing on the precipice of something far bigger than himself.
'What have I gotten myself into?' he thought, trying to steady his breath. 'Why does it feel like I've just stumbled into a nightmare?'
The leader's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed Azriel's reaction. "You can't hide from this," the leader said, his voice low but firm. "The Sigil chose you, whether you wanted it or not. It's part of something much older than you realize."
Azriel shook his head, stepping back slowly, his mind a blur of conflicting thoughts. 'Chosen?' The word echoed in his mind. 'But I didn't ask for any of this. I was just trying to survive.'
His gaze flickered toward the two remaining hunters, who were still recovering from the shockwave he had unleashed. One of them was struggling to rise to his feet, his hand gripping a wound on his side. The other was on his knees, coughing, but he was already beginning to recover as well. Azriel knew he couldn't keep them all at bay for long, but he couldn't back down either.
'What are they after?' Azriel thought, his mind trying to focus. 'Why do they want the Sigil so badly?'
The leader took a step forward, his eyes not leaving Azriel for a second. There was no hostility in his expression, only a calculating interest. "You don't know what you're dealing with," the leader said quietly. "But you will. Soon enough. And when you do, you'll understand why we're after you."
Azriel's grip on the Sigil tightened. He could feel its power thrumming through his veins, urging him to act, to defend himself. But there was something unsettling about the way the leader spoke—something that felt like a threat wrapped in the guise of an offer.
'I don't trust him,' Azriel thought sharply, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. 'He's not here to help. He's just like the rest of them, trying to use me for their own gain.'
But then, something strange happened. The leader's voice softened, almost as if he were speaking to a child. "I didn't want this to happen," the leader said, almost to himself. "But the Sigil doesn't care what you want. It's been waiting for someone to wield it, and now, it's bound to you. There's no turning back."
Azriel's mind raced. The Sigil... waiting? But for what?
'What am I supposed to do?' Azriel's thoughts scrambled as the weight of his situation pressed in on him. 'I can't just hand it over. But I don't even know what it does...'
The leader seemed to sense Azriel's hesitation, his expression shifting. "Listen to me," he said, his voice hardening. "You don't want to make this more complicated than it has to be. The Sigil belongs to us. It always has."
Azriel's eyes flicked to the two hunters. They were standing now, more composed, though the man who had been wounded still staggered slightly. They were waiting for orders, their eyes cold, focused. It was clear they weren't going to let him leave this forest alive if they had their way.
'So this is how it's going to be,' Azriel thought, frustration building. 'They're not going to back down. And neither am I.'
He shifted his stance, raising the Sigil higher, its energy crackling in the air. A deep, throaty growl rumbled in his chest. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but the power inside him urged him forward.
"No," Azriel said through gritted teeth, his voice unwavering. "You're not taking it. Not today."
The leader's eyes flashed with something—surprise, perhaps—but he didn't step back. Instead, he motioned for the hunters to spread out, positioning them in a way that would cut off any escape route.
"You'll regret this," the leader warned, his voice colder now. "I'm not the one you need to fear."
'Who is he talking about?' Azriel thought, the words gnawing at his mind. 'Who is it I should really be afraid of?'
Before Azriel could respond, a piercing scream cut through the air, making everyone freeze. The sound was high-pitched, primal, and filled with agony. It came from deeper within the forest, and for a moment, no one moved.
Azriel's stomach churned. The scream sounded... familiar.
'No,' Azriel thought, his eyes widening. 'It can't be.'
Without thinking, he spun around, the Sigil's power flaring to life once more as he sprinted toward the source of the scream. He didn't know what he was running toward, but something deep within him told him that he couldn't ignore it. Not now. Not when there was a chance someone—or something—was in danger.
"Azriel!" The leader's voice rang out behind him, but Azriel didn't stop. He couldn't stop. His instincts were guiding him now, and they screamed that he needed to reach the source of that scream, no matter the cost.
'Please, don't be too late,' Azriel thought desperately as he ran, his feet pounding the forest floor beneath him.
The further he went, the stronger the sense of urgency became. The air seemed to shift, thick with tension, and Azriel's mind raced. Whatever was out there, whatever was waiting for him, it was connected to the Sigil. It had to be.
And he was running out of time.