The two-day journey to Eldwyn was quieter than Adam expected, especially after the ambush on the road. Seren had taken the lead for most of the trek, her green eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of trouble, though they encountered little beyond a few skittish forest creatures. Still, the tension between them lingered—not from the bandits, but from Adam's powers.
Seren had been uncharacteristically quiet since the fight, and Adam could feel her eyes on him whenever she thought he wasn't looking.
Finally, as the city's walls came into view, she broke the silence.
"You didn't say anything about… heat vision," she said, her tone casual but pointed.
Adam glanced at her, his expression neutral. "You didn't ask."
Seren raised an eyebrow. "Right. Because most people casually shoot beams of molten energy out of their eyes."
He smirked faintly. "It's not something I do often."
"That's reassuring," she muttered, though the edge in her voice had softened. She hesitated, as if considering her next words, before finally saying, "Back there, you didn't use it to kill him. You could have burned a hole through his chest, but you didn't. Why?"
Adam's smirk faded, replaced by a more thoughtful expression. "Because I didn't need to," he said simply. "Killing someone like him—especially in front of his men—wouldn't have proved anything. They already knew they were outmatched."
Seren studied him for a moment, her gaze unreadable. "So, what? You're one of those 'mercy is strength' types?"
"No," Adam replied, his tone firm. "But I do believe in control. Power without control is just destruction."
That seemed to strike a chord with her. She didn't respond immediately, instead turning her gaze back to the path ahead.
"Control, huh?" she murmured under her breath, almost too softly for him to hear.
Eldwyn: A City of Contrasts
By midday, they reached the gates of Eldwyn. The city loomed large against the rolling hills, its stone walls tall and weathered, crowned with jagged iron spikes to deter climbing. Watchtowers dotted the perimeter, manned by guards clad in dull iron armor. A pair of gates stood open, allowing a steady stream of travelers, merchants, and farmers to pass through.
As they approached, Adam took in the sight of the bustling city. It was a stark contrast to Greystone's quiet simplicity. The streets beyond the gate were lined with vendors shouting their wares, carts rattling over cobblestones, and people hurrying about their business.
"It's bigger than I expected," Adam admitted, his gaze sweeping across the scene.
"Eldwyn's one of the smaller cities," Seren said, her tone matter-of-fact. "Still, it's got its share of problems. Stay close, or someone might pick your pockets before you know what's happening."
Adam smirked. "Good advice. Should I be worried about you, too?"
She rolled her eyes. "If I wanted your coin, you wouldn't have even noticed it was gone."
They made their way through the gates, the guards giving them only a cursory glance. Inside, the streets were packed with people from all walks of life—merchants haggling over prices, beggars sitting on the street corners, and adventurers clad in mismatched armor exchanging loud boasts over mugs of ale at a nearby tavern.
Despite the liveliness, Adam couldn't help but notice the underlying tension. There were more guards than he would have expected, their expressions grim as they patrolled the streets. The people, too, moved with a nervous energy, as though trying to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves.
"What's with the atmosphere?" Adam asked, his voice low.
"Eldwyn's been on edge lately," Seren replied, her tone quieter than before. "Rumors of cult activity. Strange disappearances. And a few weeks ago, a caravan was found burned to ash just outside the city. No one knows who or what did it."
Adam's expression darkened. "The cult?"
"Probably," Seren said. "This is their style—strike from the shadows, spread fear, destabilize."
An Unexpected Offer
As they navigated the crowded streets, a voice called out to them from the side of the road.
"Hey, you two! You've got the look of adventurers."
Adam turned to see a grizzled man standing beside a wooden stall cluttered with an odd assortment of trinkets, maps, and tools. His face was weathered, and his eyes gleamed with the shrewdness of a man who had seen his fair share of trouble.
"What gave it away?" Seren asked dryly.
The man chuckled. "The swords, the armor, the general air of 'we just survived something nasty.' Call it experience."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
The man leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "Word's been going around about a group of travelers heading into the Wyrmwood Forest and stirring up trouble. Something about monoliths and strange beasts. That wouldn't happen to be you two, would it?"
Seren's hand drifted to the hilt of her sword, her eyes narrowing. "What's it to you?"
"Relax," the man said, raising his hands. "I'm not looking to cause trouble. In fact, I might be able to help you."
Adam folded his arms, his expression skeptical. "Help us how?"
The man gestured to his stall. "Information. Maps. Supplies. Whatever you need to survive in this world. For a price, of course."
Seren scoffed. "Let me guess—your price is 'everything we have.'"
"Not everything," the man said with a grin. "Just enough to make it worth my while. But I'll make it worth your while, too. I've heard things—things about the cult you're after. And if you're planning to go up against them, you'll want to know what you're dealing with."
Adam exchanged a glance with Seren. The man's offer was suspicious, but if he really did have information about the cult, it might be worth the risk.
Hints of the Cult's Creations
After some haggling (mostly from Seren), they paid the man a small sum and walked away with a crude but detailed map of the Scarred Hollow and the surrounding forest. The man's parting words lingered in Adam's mind:
"The cult's been experimenting. I've heard rumors about what they're making out there—things that aren't natural. Hybrids, they call them. Part beast, part man. Strong, fast, and damn near impossible to kill. If you run into one, pray it doesn't notice you."
Seren frowned as they left the stall. "Hybrids," she muttered. "That's new."
"Not just hybrids," Adam said, his voice grim. "They're testing the limits of power. I've seen what people like that can do. They're not just trying to win—they're trying to change the rules of the game."
The Calm Before the Storm
The two found an inn for the night, a modest place tucked away on a quieter street. As Adam lay on the cot in his room, staring at the wooden ceiling, his mind churned with thoughts of what lay ahead.
The cult wasn't just a threat to the village, or even to Eldwyn. They were playing a much bigger game, one that could tear this world apart if left unchecked.
And if they were interested in Adam's nuclear core… it meant he was already part of that game.
"I'll stop them," he murmured to himself, his fists clenched at his sides. "No matter what it takes."