Kael stood in the clearing while Lysaria's presence was burning away like the fading glow of an aftershock. The flames she'd conjured still flickered in the distance, crackling like a cruel reminder of the choices they were facing.
The crimson hue on Kael's hands pulsed faintly, as if the curse itself had reacted to Lysaria's presence. It always did—whenever the dark touched the world, the red deepened, the burn spread, the memory of what he carried refusing to let him forget.
Aurenya's face was pale, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and determination. She still held the girl in her arms, but Kael could see the doubt creeping into her expression. Lysaria's words had done more than just strike fear into their hearts—they had planted a seed of uncertainty, a question that echoed in the silence.
Would they really be able to save her?
Kael turned away, his jaw clenched. He needed to be strong—for them, for the girl. For Aurenya.
"Let's keep moving," he said, his voice cold and steady, though the fire that raged within him burned hotter with every passing second. He didn't wait for a reply before he started walking, pushing past the remnants of the burnt trees and into the thickening woods.
The cursed red of his hands throbbed against the fabric of his gloves, as though the curse could feel the weight of what lay ahead.
Aurenya caught up to him quickly, the girl still nestled against her chest. Her magic flickered weakly, but it was enough to keep the girl from slipping any further into unconsciousness. It was enough to keep her alive.
But for how much longer?
Kael didn't speak as they walked, the air thick with the weight of unanswered questions. They needed to make it to the next town—maybe it was the City of Ashes, maybe another refuge—but wherever it was, they needed answers. They couldn't keep running forever. They couldn't keep fighting blindly. They needed to find a way to protect the girl and stop the Hollow King from taking her.
The girl shifted in Aurenya's arms, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked a few times, confused, before her gaze settled on Kael. For a moment, he thought she might speak, but instead, she simply reached out with a trembling hand, her fingers brushing against his.
Her skin met the cursed heat of his, even through the thin cloth of his gloves. She recoiled slightly, not in fear, but from the unnatural warmth—the kind of warmth that didn't belong to the living.
"Kael..." Her voice was weak, barely a whisper, but the name sent a shock of warmth through his chest.
He knelt in front of her, his expression softening. "You're still with us," he said, his voice low, almost a murmur. "We'll get you somewhere safe. Just hold on."
The girl nodded slowly, though her eyes betrayed the uncertainty that gripped her. She knew what was coming. They all did.
Aurenya watched them closely, her eyes filled with the same kind of pain that Kael felt in his gut. She was torn—he could see it in the way her lips quivered, in the way her hand clenched around the girl. Aurenya was scared, but she wasn't ready to give up. Not yet.
The silence stretched out for what felt like hours as they continued their journey through the woods, the path growing steeper and more treacherous with each step. The girl's breathing was shallow, and Aurenya's magic flickered like a candle in the wind. Kael felt it too—the pull of something ancient, something dark, drawing nearer with each passing moment. It was the Hollow King, and he was coming.
And with each step closer, Kael's hands tingled—hot, raw, cursed. As though the Hollow King's influence stirred something foul inside him.
"Kael," Aurenya spoke suddenly, breaking the silence. Her voice was raw, strained, like she was holding back something. "What if we can't save her? What if the Hollow King really does have control over her?"
The question was a knife to Kael's chest. He wanted to say something, anything, to reassure her, but he couldn't. Because deep down, he was afraid too. He had been afraid ever since they had found the girl. He had been afraid ever since the Hollow King's shadow had begun to loom over them.
He flexed his fingers slowly. The red glow beneath the skin seemed to pulse with dread.
"We will save her," Kael said, his voice firm despite the uncertainty gnawing at him. "We have to. We're not giving up, not now."
Aurenya didn't say anything, but Kael could see the doubt in her eyes. The doubt that mirrored his own.
They reached the edge of the forest by evening, the first signs of the City of Ashes barely visible on the horizon. The city was nothing like Kael had expected—it was a crumbling ruin, a wasteland of shattered stone and empty streets. The city had once been a place of great power, a place where gods had walked. Now, it was nothing more than a graveyard.
But it was their only hope.
They walked through the broken gates, the air thick with the stench of decay. The city was eerily silent, the only sounds their footsteps on the cracked cobblestones. The streets were empty—no signs of life, no sign of the Hollow King's forces. It was as if the city itself was holding its breath, waiting for something.
Kael's heart was pounding in his chest. They were so close now. Just a little further.
Aurenya stopped beside him, her hand gripping his arm. She didn't speak, but Kael could feel the tension in her touch. The girl was fading faster now, her aura flickering like a dying star.
Kael turned to her, his voice low. "We'll find a way. We'll get you help."
The girl looked up at him, her eyes wide with something like fear—but it wasn't just fear of the Hollow King. It was fear of something far worse.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely audible.
Kael's heart clenched. "What do you mean?"
But before the girl could respond, the ground beneath them rumbled. Kael's eyes shot up as a figure emerged from the shadows. Tall, cloaked in darkness, with eyes like burning coals—Lysaria.
She stepped forward, her lips curling into a smile. "You thought you could escape, didn't you?"
Kael's fists clenched, the curse glowing bright along his knuckles. "What do you want now, Lysaria?"
She laughed, the sound echoing in the silence of the city. "I told you. The Hollow King is coming. And he won't be pleased you've made it this far."
Aurenya stepped forward, her eyes burning with defiance. "We're not afraid of him."
Lysaria's smile grew wider, more dangerous. "You should be."
Her eyes flickered to the girl in Aurenya's arms. "And you're too late. The deal is done. The Hollow King has what he wants."
Kael could feel the heat in his chest rising, the familiar sting of his red hands returning full-force. The curse responded to danger, to fear, to fury—and all three surged through him like wildfire.
"Stay away from her," Kael growled, stepping forward.
But Lysaria's laugh filled the air, dark and mocking. "There's nothing you can do, Red Hand. The girl is his. And so are you."
A cold wave of dread washed over Kael as he realized—he had already been marked. His destiny had already been sealed.
And the curse that bled beneath his skin—the burning red that haunted his every step—was only beginning to show its true cost.