Next, the Stone Pact's land. The land stretched before them like a jagged wound in the earth, marked by towering cliffs and sharp crags that seemed to pierce the sky. The air was dry, biting, and thick with the scent of old earth. For miles, the landscape was unyielding, unforgiving. This was a place where survival was a ritual, and weakness was a death sentence.
Kael had known what to expect. He had heard tales of the Stone Pact before—of their warriors, their brutality, and their unwavering belief that magic was a disease, something to be purged from the world. The Stone Pact was a tribe forged in the heart of war, their hearts steeled by countless battles, and their loyalty bound to an ancient, unspoken code.
But now, as they walked toward the heart of their domain, Kael felt a tension that he hadn't expected. The very earth beneath his feet seemed to pulse with an energy that was as ancient as it was hostile.
"Welcome to the Stone Pact," Silas said dryly, his voice carrying a note of weary humor. "It's not exactly a place for tea and cakes."
Kael could feel Aurenya tense beside him, her eyes scanning the craggy landscape. The girl, as always, was ahead of them, her strange, silent presence a constant reminder of the mysteries they still hadn't unraveled.
"Are we sure they'll let us through?" Aurenya asked, her tone betraying a hint of doubt.
Kael didn't answer immediately. The Stone Pact's people did not welcome outsiders. They viewed magic as a curse, something that needed to be controlled or destroyed. And Aurenya's magic... well, it was a force of nature itself. It was the kind of power that the Stone Pact feared, despised, and most of all, sought to eliminate.
"I'm sure they'll let us through," Kael said finally, though there was a hardness to his voice, something that spoke to the weight of his own past dealings with the tribe. "But there's a price."
As they neared the center of the Stone Pact's territory, Kael could see the first of the warriors. They were clad in rough, stone-colored armor, their faces grim and unyielding, their weapons gleaming with the sharp, deadly edge of experience. These were people who had seen countless wars, and they had learned long ago that trust was a luxury they couldn't afford.
"Kaelion," one of the warriors spoke, his voice as cold as the stone beneath their feet. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and scarred—his face a map of battles fought and won. "You come to our land seeking something. But do you know what you must give in return?"
Kael stepped forward, meeting the warrior's gaze with the same unflinching resolve. "I seek passage. To protect her." He gestured to Aurenya, though his eyes remained fixed on the warrior. "But I must earn it. I understand the rules."
The warrior's lips curled into something like a smile, though it was more a baring of teeth than anything resembling warmth. "You understand the rules. Then you understand what's required of you."
Aurenya glanced at Kael, her eyes wide with concern. "Kael... what's going on?"
Kael didn't answer. He had known this moment was coming. It was the cost of passage through the Stone Pact's lands—a trial by combat. He was no stranger to such challenges, but this would be different. He wasn't just fighting for himself anymore. He was fighting for them all.
The warrior stepped aside, and Kael found himself face to face with a hulking figure, the very image of a Stone Pact warrior. The man was massive, his muscles bulging beneath his armor, and his eyes burned with a fiery intensity that spoke of an endless thirst for battle.
"The duel begins," the warrior announced, his voice carrying an authority that made Kael's chest tighten.
There was no room for words here, only action.
Kael drew his sword.
The warrior lunged first, his enormous sword crashing down with a roar that shook the ground beneath them. Kael barely had time to react, raising his own blade just in time to deflect the blow. The sheer force of the strike pushed him back a step, and the warrior pressed the attack, his movements fluid and relentless.
Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he fought to keep pace, his red hands crackling with the energy of his magic. The familiar warmth of the curse, of the burning blood coursing through his veins, flared up inside him. His hands, stained by the red glow of his power, seemed to burn with an intensity that mirrored the storm inside him. His hands were a constant reminder of his curse, and every time he called upon the magic, he felt the heavy weight of its price.
But there was a restraint in his movements—something holding him back. He wasn't just fighting for himself. He wasn't just fighting to survive. He was fighting for Aurenya, for the girl, for their future.
And the weight of that responsibility pressed down on him.
The warrior's sword came down again, and Kael barely managed to duck in time, the blade scraping the top of his shoulder as it passed. The force of the blow left a deep cut, blood dripping down his arm, but he barely felt the pain. His focus was sharp, his mind racing through every move he'd ever learned in battle. But this was different. This fight wasn't just about strength; it was about control.
Kael's magic surged through him, the familiar heat of it coiling in his veins. His red hands crackled with the power of the curse, making his fingertips burn as though they were alive with flame. He needed to end this quickly, before he lost himself again, before the fire inside him consumed him entirely.
With a sudden, brutal movement, Kael twisted his body and struck with precision, his blade carving a shallow wound along the warrior's side. The man howled in pain, stumbling back for a moment, but he was relentless, his own rage driving him forward.
Kael's thoughts flickered to Aurenya. He couldn't afford to lose control here. He couldn't afford to give in to the anger, to let the blood-burning magic take over. Not again.
The warrior came at him again, but this time, Kael was ready. He dodged the incoming strike, spinning behind the man, and in a fluid motion, he drove his sword into the warrior's back, ending the fight in an instant.
The warrior collapsed to the ground, his body twitching as it hit the earth. Kael stood over him, breathing heavily, his sword still in his hand, his red hands glowing faintly in the dim light.
The other warriors stood in silence, their gazes fixed on Kael, as if waiting for something more. Kael wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving with the effort.
The silence stretched on before the first warrior spoke again, his voice grudgingly admiring. "You've earned your passage, Kaelion."
Aurenya, who had been watching from a distance, rushed to his side. "Kael, are you all right?" Her voice was tight with concern, her eyes scanning his injuries. The cut along his shoulder had already begun to heal, but the look in her eyes was still one of worry.
Kael gave her a faint smile. "I'm fine. We're through."
But the moment was short-lived, interrupted by the shrill scream of the girl. They turned to find her standing near the edge of the stone circle, her eyes wide with fear.
"I didn't want to leave you," the girl whispered, her voice trembling. "But you lied. You said you wouldn't leave me."
Kael's heart skipped a beat. "What—"
But before he could reach her, the ground trembled beneath their feet, the stone beneath them shifting as though alive.
Something had changed. Something dark.