The forest rising from the ridges above the Lake of Destiny was more vibrant, almost aggressively dense, compared to the other side. But for Kael, this was merely an obstacle. His feet left almost no trace on the damp soil and rotten leaves. Beside him, two Ash Hunters glided silently, like his shadows. These were empty husks, devoid of their own will, moving only by the Void's command.
Kael reached for a broken branch on a bush. The branch had been snapped within the last few hours by a clean, sharp blow. He ran his fingertips over the broken surface. In the air, there was a tremor of energy, so faint it was almost imperceptible, but to him, it was as clear as a torch. One carried the delicate balance of light and shadow, the other... shone with a pure, purified will. This second trace stirred a feeling of nausea in his gut. Such sharp intent was an unbearable strangeness in this corrupted world.
"They are close," he whispered, his voice as quiet as a snake's hiss. The Ash Hunters grew even more rigid, as if swallowing the air to catch the scent of their prey.
This "purity," Kael thought to himself, following Sere's energy trail. This is the source of all pain. This blind faith, this hope... it makes one weak and foolish. It is what brings them pain. I will free her from that pain.
A few kilometers away, Moaito stopped abruptly. His back tensed instantly.
"Sere," he said, his voice low and filled with alarm. "Feel."
Sere touched the Threshold Stone on her chest. The stone wasn't warm; it emitted a strange, prickling coldness. And this coldness came from behind them, from the direction they had come.
"Someone..." Sere stammered, "someone is following us, aren't they?"
Moaito nodded, his eyes narrowed. "Yes. Cold. Determined. Just like in the root chamber, but much stronger. And... intelligent." He quickly scanned their surroundings. "We must lose our trail. Now."
Abandoning their short break like a sharp knife cut, they headed towards a denser, darker part of the forest. Moaito showed Sere how to pull branches back into place, how to step more lightly on the soft ground. They were no longer just travelers; they were prey.
Kael felt their desperate efforts like a seer. The faster they moved, the more distinct their trail of fear and unease became. They had played enough.
He stopped in the shadow of a tree, closed his eyes, and drove his mind like a dagger into the consciousness of the two fleeing hunters.
Sere suddenly saw her mother's smile in the kitchen. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her mother's face. She clung tightly to this memory. Then, her mother's face began to fade, to decay. Her eyes darkened, a black, sticky liquid oozed from her mouth. "Why did you leave me?" she heard a whisper, the voice not the one she loved, but like the sound of a thousand insect feet. "Was it because I loved you? That was my mistake."
"No!" Sere screamed inwardly, squeezing her eyes shut. "You are not real! I love you! And I do not regret it!" The Threshold Stone on her chest emitted a warm wave, dispersing the vile image.
At the same time, a silhouette appeared before Moaito. Elian. But his face was expressionless, his eyes utterly empty. On his skin, just like in the root chamber, black veins crawled. He said nothing, only stared. This silence was more devastating than a scream.
"You cannot strike me with my past," Moaito murmured, his voice hardening like steel. "His memory is not a tool for your ugly games. Begone!" His will burst outward like a shockwave, shattering the illusion created by the Void.
Feeling the mental attack had failed, Kael opened his eyes. A slight expression of surprise was on his face. He hadn't expected such resistance. There was no point in hiding anymore.
He sent the two Ash Hunters deep into the forest, in the direction Moaito and Sere had fled. He himself followed more slowly, with heavier steps. This wasn't a chase; it was a tightening noose.
Moaito felt the Ash Hunters approaching. Grabbing Sere's arm, he shouted, "Run!"
The two of them began to run wildly among the trees. Behind them came the rustle of leaves and the sound of lifeless breathing.
Kael watched their panicked flight. With a hunter's patience and coldness, he waited for their energy to wane, for their most vulnerable moment.
And in the depths of the forest, two wills—one to destroy everything, the other to save everything—began a deadly dance. The music of the dance was only the beating of hearts and the silence of a sharp hatred.