Despite his flight from his family and his father's authority, he was not alone on his journey. There was a select few of the monsters who saw in him more than just a rebellious prince... they saw in him the change their kingdom needed; they saw in him a chance to break free from being mere mindless instruments of destruction.
Like Zahreen, they were curious, eager to discover the forbidden magic, believing it was not just a base human power, but a gateway to limitless possibilities. Though few in number, their strength surpassed the imagination of most creatures. They lived in the shadows, disguised among humans, infiltrating worlds, collecting secrets, conveying news, and paving the way for Zahreen to achieve his goal.
But amidst all of them... there was one closer to his heart than anyone else.
Raven was Zahreen's only friend, the hand that never betrayed him, and the only one who stood by him when everyone else abandoned him.
Raven was not as powerful in magic as Zahreen, but he possessed another weapon: a sharp intellect, astonishing quick-wittedness, and a supernatural ability to infiltrate and disguise himself. He was the eyes that saw the unseen, and the ears that caught the whispers in the darkness. Because he was loyal to him, Zahreen taught him some incantations and talismans, secrets that might benefit him in the future... when the time was right.
When the catastrophe began, Zahreen was not in a position of strength.
He remained in hiding, out of sight, watching from afar as his father's army mercilessly swept through the human world. This was not what he wanted, but he could not stop it. His father was an unchallengeable force... at least, not yet.
As the sky darkened unnaturally, and the kingdom's knights began to tear apart and swallow cities, Zahreen was concealed in a deserted human city, inside an old building, when one of his followers rushed toward him, his face pale and his eyes full of terror.
"It has begun... The King has unleashed everyone. Humans are falling like flies."
Zahreen did not need to be told; he felt the destruction echoing in the air and heard the screams of the victims resonating in the desolate void. Was this his fault? Should he have intervened? No... the time was not right yet.
He made his decision quickly: he would take his followers and seek distant shelter, a place that would grant them some time to prepare. He chose a remote cave, sealing its entrance with powerful talismans to give them a chance to catch their breath away from prying eyes. In the depths of the darkness, where the sun could not reach, the only source of light was a few torches hung on the walls. Zahreen and Raven stood before a wall. Zahreen was muttering and drawing with his fingers on the wall, forming strange words that faintly shimmered beneath his touch, as if pulsating with life.
These caves were their last refuge after days of relentless pursuit, fierce battles, and traps that nearly cost them their lives.
Near him, Raven stood, watching Zahreen with eyes bright with interest. He was not as powerful as Zahreen, but he had learned much from him—the secrets of the talismans, how to control transformations, and other things that made him stronger than he was before.
As Raven wrapped his hands with leather strips torn from the last fight, he asked in a calm tone:
"How long will we stay here?"
Zahreen did not raise his eyes from the inscriptions:
"Until we find a safe way out... otherwise, we will be easy prey for them."
Raven looked at him, trying to read his expression, but it was not easy to know what was on his mind. After a moment, he murmured in a probing tone:
"You don't seem comfortable."
Zahreen pressed his palm against the wall; the talismans slightly trembled and emitted a faint glow. Then he said in a deep voice:
"These inscriptions I learned in the book of forbidden magic... I know some of them, but they are incomplete. I need time to analyze them."
Raven audibly exhaled, then sat on a flat rock and began cleaning his dagger, which was still covered with remnants of black, clotted blood.
"I trust you, but we can't stay here forever. We've thrown them off our trail, but they won't stop searching for us."
Zahreen finally turned his head, and his glowing eyes met Raven's:
"That is why we must be prepared when we find a way out. I have sealed the cave with powerful talismans; they will impede them for a while, and this gives us a chance to learn some talismans that will benefit us later."
Then he pointed to the ground and drew interlocking circles with his finger, muttering vague words. Immediately, the symbols briefly shone, and then a narrow crack opened in the ground, revealing a small pool of shimmering water.
Raven rose and looked at it with astonishment before murmuring in admiration:
"Amazing... but I don't just want to watch your magic shows. Teach me something I can use in combat."
Zahreen laughed softly, then gestured for him to come closer.
Raven approached, while Zahreen muttered a specific talisman and said:
"This is a simple defensive talisman, but effective. If you use it correctly, you will be able to fend off an attack for a few seconds, and then launch a counter-strike."
Raven frowned, unconvinced:
"Only seconds?"
Zahreen raised his gaze to look into his eyes and said seriously:
"In a battle, a single second can be the difference between life and death."
Then he began to chant the talisman slowly so Raven could memorize it. Raven hesitated for a moment, but he finally began to imitate his words, trying to feel the power that lay within them. Suddenly, he felt a slight warmth beneath his fingers, and the air in front of him trembled as if an invisible wall had formed in the void.
Raven looked at his hands in amazement and said in a low voice:
"This... this is strange."
"Because you are not used to it yet. You will need concentration. Talismans are not merely symbols that are drawn, nor letters that are spoken; they are a living energy that you need to understand and subdue to your will."
Raven laughed lightly, then said with slight sarcasm:
"You've always been fond of complicating things."
Zahreen answered him with a cold smile, full of confidence:
"That is why I am the strongest."
Before Raven could find a reply, their conversation was cut short by a muffled sound coming from the depths of one of the back tunnels. They exchanged quick glances, then cautiously crouched down together, straining their ears, staring into the darkness with the utmost concentration.
Raven whispered, his voice barely audible:
"Do you think they have found us?"
Zahreen replied, the cracks on his body beginning to faintly glow, a sign of his readiness to unleash his power if the need arose:
"I'm not sure... but be ready."
Heavy moments passed, and the darkness around them was still; the tongues of light swayed from the burning torches. Then, from the heart of the shadows, a man covered in a worn cloak emerged, panting heavily, as if he had run vast distances without stopping.
Zahreen needed no more than a glance to recognize him; he was one of his loyal followers, one of those he relied on to convey news and gather secrets. He signaled him to enter, and as soon as he approached, Zahreen asked him with a coldness that hid an attentive interest:
"What is the news?"
Zahreen's follower answered in a voice full of anxiety:
"My lord, your father is intensifying the search operations to an unprecedented level. They have brought down Rifaa'im—one of Zahreen's followers—and they are continuing to pressure him to reveal our location."
Zahreen raised an eyebrow, then said with complete confidence:
"Even if they brought down Rifaa'im, he will not reveal any of our secrets. Whatever means they use, no one will be able to extract these secrets from my followers."
Raven replied, smiling:
"Those wretches do not have the power to penetrate the minds of the loyal."
Zahreen smiled slightly:
"If they think they will win, it means they have not yet learned what loyalty is. It is not just a word that is spoken. It is a sincere commitment that is unaffected by the changing times, remaining steadfast in the heart of the one who lives it, no matter the circumstances. Even if they kill one of them, no secret will leave their mouths."
Zahreen continued in a firm tone, his eyes glowing with resolve:
"It does not matter what happens, or what their next steps are. I must find the person who carries the sorcerer's bloodline. He is the key to everything, and I will not allow anyone, whether it is my father or anyone else, to stop me from that."
He stated with a decisive tone:
"There will be no retreat. I will reach my goal whatever the cost, and no threat or obstacle will be allowed to stop us. It is time to complete what we have started."
Then he turned to his follower and said:
"Infiltrate and rescue Rifaa'im, whatever the cost, for I was not born to abandon one of our own!"
The follower bowed respectfully and said:
"Yes, my lord."