The room was quiet, save for the faint crackling of the candle on the wooden table. Shadows danced lazily along the stone walls, their movements slow and rhythmic, as if caught in a silent conversation. The air was still, the warmth of the meal before him untouched, its aroma lingering but failing to stir his appetite.
Darian sat in his chair, unmoving. His fingers rested lightly against the rim of his cup, but he made no move to drink. His thoughts churned, circling Marie's words, their weight settling upon him like an unseen force.
"Perhaps… you must first determine what it is that you truly lack."
A simple statement, yet one that refused to leave him. What did he lack? He had always thought strength was about power, about wielding a blade with enough skill to cut down whatever stood in his path. But Marie had spoken as if it were something more. Something beyond mere combat.
The candle flickered, casting a brief shimmer across the surface of the water in his cup. The silence stretched, pressing upon him, urging him to break it.
He lifted his gaze, his voice quiet yet firm. "How?"
Marie, who had remained still, studying him with an unreadable expression, did not answer immediately. Her eyes searched his face, as if weighing something unspoken, considering whether to offer her knowledge or hold it back.
Her hands, folded neatly before her, remained motionless. Yet, in her silence, there was something deliberate—an assessment, a test.
Then, finally, she exhaled, her voice as composed as ever, but carrying an unmistakable certainty
"Veilshroud Forest"
Darian's brow furrowed slightly as he repeated the name under his breath. "Veilshroud Forest?"
His confusion was evident, his gaze fixed on Marie as if expecting further explanation. The name was unfamiliar, yet something about it carried a weight he couldn't ignore.
Marie remained composed, folding her hands neatly before her as she spoke. "It is a place shrouded in mystery, my lord. Few dare to enter, and even fewer return unchanged."
The candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows across the room as she continued.
"The forest is ancient—far older than the kingdoms that now stand. It is said to be filled with creatures unknown to men, both perilous and… perhaps, enlightening. Those who seek strength often find themselves drawn to it, whether by fate or by folly."
Darian listened intently, his earlier doubts fading into contemplation. If the forest was as dangerous as she described, then surely it was the kind of trial he needed—real danger, real stakes. And if it truly held secrets lost to time, then perhaps within its depths, he could find what he lacked.
Marie studied him for a moment longer before rising gracefully to her feet. "The choice, of course, is yours." Her voice remained neutral, offering neither encouragement nor dissuasion. "But should you go, tread carefully. The forest does not easily reveal its secrets… nor does it welcome all who enter."
With that, she turned and exited the room, leaving Darian alone with his thoughts.
The silence returned, heavy yet expectant. His decision had already begun to take shape.
By morning, he would leave.
Aldric would never permit such a reckless venture, but a simple excuse—a sudden illness—would be enough to grant him a few days' absence. It was a small deception, but necessary. If he wanted to break free from the limits imposed upon him, he had to act beyond convention.
His path was set.
Tomorrow, he would enter Veilshroud Forest.