Aren moved deeper into the forest, each step taking him further from the flickering palace lights behind him. The night air wrapped around him like a cold cloak, but he didn't mind ; he felt more alive in the darkness than he ever did inside those heavy stone walls.
Every so often, he glanced at the dagger, as if waiting for it to whisper again. But for now, it was silent, content to rest in his hand like a loyal companion.
As he walked, Aren began to think back to all the times he had crossed paths with Amira. Her sharp eyes, the sly curve of her lips, her laugh that always seemed to echo in his head longer than he wanted.
"She really had me fooled," he muttered to himself, shaking his head with a half-smirk. "Guess the jokes were on me this time."
He pushed past thick branches, his cloak catching on twigs and thorns, but he hardly noticed. His mind was racing with plans ,new routes, new disguises, and above all, a new strategy to finally reclaim the Milu gems.
At last, he reached a small clearing, moonlight spilling down in silver puddles across the mossy ground. He stopped there and crouched down, using his dagger to draw lines in the dirt. It looked almost like a map, a tangled web of paths and secret entrances only he knew.
"Alright," he said quietly, studying the lines. "First, the north gate ;too heavily guarded now. The east wall... maybe. But that tunnel under the old well... that might just work."
The dagger gave a faint shiver in his hand, as if approving his thoughts. Aren looked at it and gave a lopsided grin.
"You agree, huh? Good. Then we're set."
He stood up, dusting the dirt from his gloves, and slipped the dagger back into its sheath. Above, the moon was beginning to slide lower, and the first hints of dawn hovered at the edges of the sky.
Aren knew he couldn't waste time. Once the sun rose, the palace would tighten its defenses even more. Every guard, every watchtower, every servant , all would be on high alert.
But instead of fear, he felt excitement thrum through his veins. The danger, the risk, the chase ;it was what he lived for.
He glanced back one last time in the direction of the palace, his eyes hardening.
"Next time, Princess," he whispered under his breath, "I'll get my gems. And you'll finally see who I really am."With that, he turned and vanished deeper into the forest, leaving only the soft rustle of leaves behind him.
Somewhere far away, a fox cried into the fading night, and the wind carried the echoes of a man who refused to be defeated — the Laughing Blade, already planning his next strike.
Aren moved carefully through the underbrush until he reached an old watchtower hidden deep in the forest. It was the same place where he had first discovered the Smiling Blade , the dagger that had since become his closest companion.
The watchtower was half-crumbled, its stones covered in moss and creeping ivy. But to Aren, it felt like home. A place no guard would dare check, a place that carried his scent and his secrets.
He pushed the creaky wooden door open and stepped inside. The air was damp and cool. He set his dagger down on a small table, then slumped into an old chair with a sigh, his body finally relaxing after the wild night.
His stomach gave a sudden, low growl. He reached for the apple Amira had thrown him, turning it over slowly in his hand.
"What if this apple was poisoned?" he muttered to himself, frowning. He sniffed it, then took a careful bite anyway.He chewed slowly, eyes narrowing as he waited for any strange reaction. But nothing happened.
"Ah, well," he said after swallowing. "Since I'm not dying… it's probably fine."
He finished the apple in a few more bites, tossing the core out of the small broken window nearby. He leaned back, stretching his arms over his head, feeling the weight of exhaustion finally hit him.
Outside, the sky was already turning pale, morning brushing gently against the tops of the trees. Birds began to call softly from their branches, welcoming the new day.
Aren glanced at his dagger, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"Tomorrow," he said, voice low and determined, "we start training. I haven't even seen your sword form… or the spear you keep whispering about."The dagger shivered slightly on the table, as though it was laughing.
"Yes," it finally answered, its voice soft but confident. "Tomorrow we begin. You'll see everything."Aren's eyes glimmered with excitement despite the weariness settling into his bones. He let out a quiet laugh, leaning forward to tap the dagger gently.
"Good," he said. "Then tomorrow, we become unstoppable."
With that, he slumped deeper into the chair, letting his eyelids fall shut. The whispering dagger glowed faintly beside him, almost like a guardian standing watch.
And as the first golden rays of the sun filtered through the cracks in the old tower walls, Aren drifted off to sleep, his mind filled with the promise of new power and the endless game still waiting beyond the trees.