Kael jolted awake with a start, his chest heaving as if he’d just surfaced from drowning. The world around him was no longer the ruined remnants of his town but a damp and dark cave. The earthy smell of rain filled the air, and faint light filtered in through the cave’s entrance.Disoriented, Kael blinked several times, his breath ragged. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried to piece together what had just happened. His body felt heavy, his limbs sluggish as he pushed himself upright.A sharp sting on his wrist made him wince. He glanced down and froze. Blood trickled from a jagged cut on his wrist, staining the fabric of his sleeve. His head swam as flashes of the illusion he had been trapped in resurfaced—the dagger, the woman, the lies whispered to him.“What…” he muttered, his voice hoarse.His gaze shot upward, and there she was. A tall, fierce-looking woman stood over him, her arms crossed, her sharp features illuminated by the dim light. Her expression was stern, but th

Victor lunged forward with the power of a battering ram, his axe slicing through the air with deadly precision. Kael sidestepped just in time, the blade missing him by inches and shattering a jagged rock behind him.The force of the blow sent tremors through the cave floor, but Kael didn’t falter. He darted back, his knife flashing upward in a counterstrike aimed at Victor’s exposed side.The hulking man spun with surprising agility, blocking the attack with the shaft of his axe before slamming his boot into Kael’s chest. Kael staggered, gasping for air, but he didn’t have time to recover. Victor was already charging again, the ground trembling beneath his heavy steps.Lirien, moving like a shadow, intercepted him. Her twin daggers sliced in a blur of motion, forcing Victor to pause and defend. She ducked and weaved with almost unnatural speed, her attacks relentless as she targeted his joints and weak points.“Not bad, little girl,” Victor sneered, deflecting another blow with his ax

The morning came reluctantly, sunlight breaking through the canopy of trees in fragmented beams. The group stirred slowly, their bodies aching and their minds heavy from the trials of the previous day.The air was tense as Kael rolled up his makeshift bedroll, his eyes darting to Calla, who sat quietly against a tree. Though her face was pale and her movements sluggish, her stubborn resolve was written all over her features. Aerin fussed over her, checking her bandages, while Lirien kept a sharp eye on the surroundings, her dagger always within reach.Kael stretched his sore limbs and moved toward the edge of their campsite, gazing down the narrow path ahead. It wound deeper into unfamiliar terrain, splitting off into multiple routes, each one looking more treacherous than the last.“We can’t stay together,” Lirien said abruptly, breaking the silence. She stepped forward, her voice steady but firm. “The routes ahead are too narrow. If we’re attacked while moving as one group, we’ll be

Kael staggered through the dense underbrush, his legs feeling like they were made of lead. The skirmish with the contenders from District 5 had been brief but brutal, and Kael could feel the poison coursing through his veins with every step he took. His vision blurred, and he fought to keep his balance as his body fought against the venom.“Kael, wait!” Calla’s voice barely reached him, but he heard the urgency in her tone. She was walking beside him, but Kael could tell by the way her footsteps wavered that she, too, was injured.Despite her own wounds, she was trying to keep up with him, her eyes focused on his deteriorating condition.His hand shot out, grabbing onto a tree to steady himself, but his grip was weak. The familiar sting of dizziness washed over him again, and he collapsed onto one knee.“Kael, you’re burning up,” Calla said, her voice trembling. She crouched beside him, her hands hovering over his face. “You’re going to make it, just hold on.”He wanted to reassure he

The sun was starting to dip below the horizon as Aerin and Lirien finally reached the riverbank, their breaths coming in sharp gasps. The air had grown heavier with each passing moment, and every step seemed to weigh on them.Time was running out. Kael was still suffering from the poison, and every minute they wasted could be the difference between life and death for him.Aerin’s heart pounded in her chest, her hands trembling as she surveyed the riverbank. The plants they had been looking for—the rare herbs with healing properties—were essential for Kael’s antidote. But as she scanned the area, her heart sank. The riverbank was empty, the very plants they had sought out completely absent.“What…?” Aerin whispered to herself, her mind racing. “Where are they?”Lirien stepped forward, her gaze sharp as she looked over the area. “Something’s wrong.”Aerin turned to her. “The plants are supposed to grow right here. They should have been abundant. Where did they go?”The weight of the sit