Kael tossed and turned beneath the thin blankets, his mind a whirlwind of frustration and anger. Sleep eluded him, as the day's events replayed over and over in his thoughts. The image of his father, head bowed in shame, and the scornful sneers of the councilmen haunted him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the helplessness, the powerlessness that clung to his family like a curse. He hated it.
With a frustrated growl, Kael sat up, rubbing his eyes. It was late—far past the time he should have been asleep—but there was no way he was going to rest tonight. His chest felt tight with the pent-up frustration, the need to break free of the walls of their small home, of the village itself. He had to get out, clear his head, or he might go mad.
Quietly, Kael slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his parents or sister. He dressed quickly, the cool night air from the window offering some relief to his overheated skin. Without thinking, his feet carried him out of the house and toward the river—the same river where his family had thrown the cursed silver ring. The same river where he trained each day, trying to build himself into something stronger, something more than just a farmer's boy.
As he walked through the cool night, the sound of the river bubbling ahead brought a slight calm to his mind. The moon hung low in the sky, casting silver light over the village and the dark forest beyond. He could still feel the knot of anger in his stomach, but being here, away from everything, made it easier to breathe.
Suddenly, Kael froze. A sharp, eerie sound cut through the quiet night, carried on the wind from deep within the forest. His heart skipped a beat. It wasn't the sound of an animal or the usual rustling of the trees. No, this was something far stranger—clanging metal and shrill, inhuman screams.
"What in the world...?" Kael muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he glanced toward the treeline. His curiosity mixed with a sense of dread, but he couldn't ignore it. He had to know what was happening.
Steeling himself, Kael moved toward the forest. His steps were quiet, the grass wet beneath his bare feet as he slipped between the trees. The deeper he ventured, the louder the sounds became—a strange, guttural language that he couldn't understand, followed by sharp clashing sounds like swords colliding in battle. His heart pounded in his chest as he crept closer, his senses heightened by the eerie atmosphere.
The trees thickened around him, casting long shadows in the moonlight, and the sounds grew more distinct. He could hear voices now, seven of them, chanting something strange and unnatural. The language was nothing he had ever heard before, harsh and guttural, laced with a kind of malevolent energy that made his skin crawl.
Kael ducked behind a tree, his breath shallow as he peered around the trunk. What he saw sent a chill down his spine.
Seven figures stood in a clearing ahead, all dressed in long, dark robes that fluttered eerily in the breeze. Each one held their hands outstretched, a faint red glow radiating from their fingertips. They were arranged in a circle, each standing at the point of a massive star-shaped symbol carved into the earth. The symbol was stained with something dark—blood. The scent of it was heavy in the air, making Kael's stomach churn.
He had stumbled upon something dark, something dangerous. He wasn't sure what these people were, but one word echoed in his mind: mages. Dark mages, if the blood and the eerie glow of their hands was any indication.
Kael felt the bile rise in his throat as he watched the figures chant, their voices growing louder, more frenzied. He could make out shapes in the dirt, twisted bodies—animals, perhaps, or something worse. His mind raced with fear and confusion. He needed to get out of here, now.
Slowly, Kael began to back away, careful not to make a sound. His heart hammered in his chest, his legs trembling as he turned to slip away from the clearing. But just as he began to move, he stumbled over a root, his body crashing to the ground with a dull thud.
"Dammit," Kael cursed under his breath, scrambling to his feet. But it was too late.
Before he could make another move, he felt something heavy strike him in the back, sending him tumbling to the ground again. His face hit the dirt, and he groaned in pain, trying to push himself up, but a rough hand grabbed his shoulder, pinning him in place.
"Well, well," a low, mocking voice drawled above him. "Look who we found running around here."
Kael's heart skipped a beat as he looked up, his body going cold. The man who stood over him was dressed in the same dark robes as the others, his face partially hidden by a hood. But there was no mistaking the cruel smile on his lips or the dangerous gleam in his eyes.
Kael's blood ran cold. He had been found.