The air was thick with anticipation as Azriel and the woman—whose name he had yet to learn—trudged through the dense forest. The shadows of night had deepened, and the forest had grown quiet, almost unnaturally so. Azriel felt the weight of every step, as though the ground itself was pressing down on him. The Sigil, still glowing faintly in his hand, pulsed with an energy that seemed to resonate with the trees around them, like a silent echo in the air.
'What is this place?' Azriel thought, his eyes scanning the thick underbrush. 'It's too quiet. It feels wrong... like something's watching us.'
He glanced at the woman walking beside him, trying to read her expression. She was focused, her eyes scanning the path ahead, but there was something about the way she held herself—an edge of readiness, like she was preparing for something to jump out at any moment.
'She's definitely not normal,' Azriel mused. 'I don't know if I can trust her, but I have no choice.'
"You're wondering why I didn't tell you my name," the woman said, breaking the silence. She didn't even glance at him as she spoke, her voice steady but quiet. "I understand. But it's safer this way. In times like these, names can be weapons. If I tell you mine, you become a target."
Azriel raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. 'Weapons? Targets? What the hell is she involved in?'
"I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're worried about," the woman continued, her voice almost amused. "But trust doesn't come easy for me either. We're both in this together, for better or worse."
Azriel hesitated, weighing her words. Trust? It seemed impossible. They'd only just met, and already, he was tangled up in a web of strange occurrences and hidden dangers. But there was something about her—a quiet confidence that made him want to believe her, even if only for a moment.
'I'm getting in way over my head,' Azriel thought, his hands tightening around the Sigil. 'I've never wanted to be part of anything like this. I just wanted to survive...'
The path ahead seemed to stretch into infinity, the dark forest growing denser as they moved forward. Azriel had no idea where they were going, or what they would find, but something in the pit of his stomach told him they were approaching something important.
'There's no going back now,' Azriel thought grimly. 'Whatever happens next, I have to face it head-on. There's no room for hesitation anymore.'
The woman paused abruptly, and Azriel almost ran into her. She turned to him, her eyes intense.
"We're close," she said quietly. "The hidden city is just ahead. But we need to be cautious. This place isn't as safe as it seems."
Azriel nodded, his senses on high alert. 'What does she mean by "not as safe as it seems?"' he wondered. 'How much danger are we really in?'
They continued, each step taking them deeper into the heart of the forest. The trees seemed to close in around them, their branches twisting into grotesque shapes, casting long, dark shadows across the ground. Azriel's heart raced in his chest, the pulse of the Sigil matching his rapid heartbeat. He could feel the energy building inside him, like a pressure that threatened to burst at any moment.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, the forest began to open up. The trees parted, revealing a vast clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a massive stone archway, ancient and weathered. Vines and moss covered the stones, but the archway remained intact, its surface etched with strange symbols Azriel couldn't understand. Beyond the archway, the faint glow of light flickered.
Azriel's breath caught in his throat. 'This is it. The hidden city. But how... how is this possible?'
"It's not what it seems," the woman said again, her voice soft but full of warning. "This is a place out of time. Its power doesn't obey the same rules as the world outside."
Azriel narrowed his eyes, taking in the sight of the archway. "A place out of time?" he repeated. "What does that mean?"
The woman sighed, as though preparing herself to explain something far too complex. "This place exists in a realm between realms. It's hidden from the rest of the world, shielded from those who would misuse its power. Only a few know how to find it, and even fewer are allowed to enter."
Azriel could feel the weight of her words sink into him, but he didn't fully understand. What was this place? And what was he supposed to do here?
"What happens if we enter?" Azriel asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"We either gain what we need," the woman said, her eyes glinting with resolve, "or we never leave."
Azriel felt a chill crawl up his spine at her words. It was as though she was hinting at something far worse than he could imagine. 'Never leave?' His mind raced with the possibilities. 'What could be so dangerous in there that people don't come back?'
Before he could ask another question, the woman moved forward, stepping toward the archway. "Stay close," she warned, her voice low.
Azriel followed without hesitation, his instincts telling him this was a decision that would change everything. The moment he stepped under the archway, a wave of energy hit him, like a jolt to his system. The air felt different, charged with an ancient, almost suffocating power. It was as though the very fabric of reality had shifted, and they had crossed into another world entirely.
Azriel swallowed hard. 'What the hell did I just walk into?'
The woman walked ahead, her form almost swallowed by the shadows of the archway. She seemed at ease, as though this place was familiar to her. Azriel, on the other hand, couldn't shake the feeling that he had just crossed a line he could never uncross.
A soft hum echoed through the air, vibrating deep in his chest. The Sigil in his hand pulsed harder, responding to the energy in the air. Azriel felt a surge of power, not from his own body, but from the very atmosphere around him.
'Is this... what the Sigil was meant for?' Azriel wondered. 'What am I supposed to do here?'
The path ahead was shrouded in mist, the ground uneven beneath his feet. Each step seemed to take them deeper into a world that didn't belong in his. Azriel could only follow, trusting the woman's words and the strange pull of the Sigil that guided him forward.
'I have no idea what awaits me here,' Azriel thought, 'but there's no turning back now. I'm in this for good.'