I look ahead, a faint light streaming through the darkness of the tunnel. Raising my hand, a soft flame flickers to life in my palm, casting a low glow against the damp walls. The scent of mould and rusted metal hangs thick in the air, and somewhere nearby, water drips steadily, echoing like a clock counting down.
My enhanced vision catches a glimpse of a small tavern at the end of the tunnel, the very place. I had checked the place where she was reportedly last been seen But damn, she knew how to cover her tracks. Every lead, every whisper of her presence had led me here. Yet it feels… empty. Too empty.
Just as I'm about to turn back, my instincts scream at me. My left foot shifts, the scrape of my boot against stone sharp in the silence and a glint of metal slices through the air.
I catch the dagger with my palm. Pain explodes as the blade sinks in, crimson staining my hand. I don't hesitate. Yanking it free, I surge forward, tackling the attacker to the ground.
I pin him down with my left bloodied palm, pressing it against his abdomen. A soft fire blooms beneath his skin, searing him from the inside. The flicker of agony in his eyes satisfies me, but hardly, barely.
"What do you want from me?" I growl, my voice low and venomous.
He spits blood, a twisted grin curling his lips, that irritates me from within.
"You think we wouldn't notice? The second most powerful man, right here in the lands of Mondaline?" he coughs out more blood. "We felt it the atmosphere itself shifted when you arrived."
I narrow my eyes, my tone turning colder. "Do not take me for a fool. Who sent you?"
He only laughs, blood bubbling from his throat. It grates on my nerves, and my control snaps.
The flame in my palm intensifies. His body writhes as the fire consumes him from within, melting flesh, bone, and finally leaving only ashes.
I glance down at the charred remains. Useless.
Staying here any longer would draw too much attention. I decide to head back, fading into the shadows of the tunnel.
The next day, as I'm getting ready to head out for school, Thar comes running towards me, excitement plastered across his face.
"You won't believe what happened yesterday!"
"Tell me about it?" I say sarcastically, buttoning my cuffs.
He grins, leaning in like he's about to share the best piece of gossip in the kingdom. "A new girl showed up in class. Caused a whole damn scene. She's from Mondaline."
I raise an eyebrow, could it be... Thar quickly shakes his head, "She has brown hair" I relax slightly, of course it wouldn't.
"She threw a dart so clean, it skimmed Angelica's cheek and buried itself into the wall behind her. Best part? She didn't even blink."
I raise an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "And what's her ability?"
"Speed, fast reflexes," Thar says, smirking.
"And trust me, you need to see her for yourself. And get this, she's ridiculously smart. She understood everything we've been learning since we were kids in, like, an hour."
Suddenly, Thar's eyes dart to a woman walking past us, about ten feet away. My attention sharpens immediately, following his gaze. He calls out.
"Zeyrithia! HERE!"
The name hits me like a jolt, and my chest tightens. That name... it sounds so familiar, but I can't quite place it. I brush off the feeling, though it lingers in the back of my mind.
Just as she was about to tilt her head toward the direction Thar called her, a guard came up to me and whispered in my ear. Without a word, I walked toward the dim hall and turned left into a darker room, only able to see by the soft candles spread out across the walls. Skulls and stretched furs hung like trophies, their shadows dancing in the flickering light.
In the middle of the room stood a war table. My eyes darted to the man, already looking straight at me with his cold blue eyes.
"Father, you seek me?" I spoke, his eyes still locked on mine.
"Any progress with that white-haired lady?"
I finally lifted my head, locking my gaze with his. "No, Father. No progress yet," I replied calmly.
I watched as his gaze narrowed, the fire in his eyes sharp and unforgiving.
"You mean to tell me you can't find a common Mondaline? I trained you better than this."
I clenched my fist against the hilt of my sword, my eyes narrowing, my lips twitching. "She is anything but… normal," I finished, voice steady.
He stared me dead in the eye for a long moment before bursting out laughing.
"Well, we should give our prey a name, don't you think?" He looked down at a black checker and moved it forward. "Come. Play with me, won't you?"
I swallowed softly, moved my hand, and picked up a white pawn, capturing his piece.
"What is the situation that you still have me here for?"
He chuckled, tapping his finger against the table. Then he raised his head, his cold blue eyes glinting in the dim light. "Can't a father play a little with his son?"
My eyes darted to his for a moment. "Then I shall be dismissed."
The smile slowly slid off his face. "Very well."
I turned around and started walking away, my footsteps echoing behind me. As I stepped out of the dim room, the cold air of the hallway wrapped around me like an old, unwelcome cloak. The torches along the stone walls burned low, their flames twitching like nervous whispers in the dark. Every footstep echoed louder than it should've, the oppressive silence weighing down on me. This place had always felt like a prison more than a home. Heading back toward the school, my mind felt hopelessly blank. But one thought clung to me like a shadow.
What was he not telling me?