The road beyond Ember Hollow was darker than Kael expected.
The village lanterns had faded behind them long ago, swallowed by distance and thick forest. Now the only light came from the moon drifting between clouds and the faint glow of small lanterns hanging from the saddles of the Crimson Ash riders.
Hooves thudded softly against the dirt road.
Branches rustled overhead.
Somewhere far off, an owl called into the night.
Kael shifted slightly on the horse's back, trying to get comfortable.
He had ridden horses before—but not like this. Not for hours, not through a forest that felt like it was watching him.
Mira rode beside him with surprising confidence, sitting straight in the saddle as if she had done this her entire life.
"You're bouncing too much," she said without looking at him.
"I'm trying not to fall off."
"That's not encouraging."
Kael frowned.
"You're supposed to be supportive."
"I am supportive."
"How?"
"If you fall off, I'll laugh first and then help you up."
Kael sighed.
"Great."
Ahead of them, Valen Drax rode at the front of the formation. His long coat shifted with the wind, and his golden eyes scanned the forest constantly.
The Crimson Ash warriors rode in silent formation behind him—disciplined, alert.
No one spoke much.
Even the forest seemed quiet.
Too quiet.
Kael eventually leaned toward Mira and whispered,
"So… where exactly are we going?"
She shrugged.
"Probably wherever he says."
Kael looked ahead again.
"Comforting."
As if hearing them, Valen spoke without turning around.
"The nearest outpost of the Crimson Ash Order."
Kael blinked.
"Oh. You heard that?"
"Yes."
Mira smirked.
Kael cleared his throat.
"So… how far is this outpost?"
"Three days by road."
Kael groaned softly.
"Three days?"
Valen finally glanced back at him.
"You expected the world to be small?"
Kael rubbed his face.
"I was hoping it might be."
Mira laughed quietly.
"You wanted adventure."
"I wanted manageable adventure."
The group continued riding deeper into the forest.
The trees grew taller.
Older.
Their trunks twisted toward the sky like ancient pillars.
The moonlight barely reached the ground now.
Instead, faint blue mushrooms and glowing insects created scattered pockets of light along the forest floor.
Kael stared down at them in fascination.
"Okay… that part is actually pretty cool."
One of the warriors riding behind them spoke for the first time.
"Mooncap fungi."
Kael turned.
The speaker was a young man with short black hair and sharp eyes. His armor bore the same crimson insignia as the others.
"They grow only in places where natural magic gathers," the warrior continued.
Kael blinked.
"So… magical mushrooms."
The warrior nodded.
"More or less."
Mira leaned closer to examine them.
"They glow brighter when someone with strong elemental energy passes nearby."
Kael immediately looked down at the ground again.
The mushrooms along the path were glowing slightly brighter as their horses passed.
"Oh."
Mira grinned.
"Congratulations. You're a walking lantern."
Kael groaned.
"I'm starting to see why hunters might track me."
Valen's voice drifted back again.
"They will."
Kael winced.
"Yeah, I figured."
For a while, the road continued peacefully.
But something in the air began to change.
At first it was subtle.
A faint tension.
The horses grew restless.
Their ears twitched.
One of them snorted quietly.
Kael noticed.
"Uh… is it just me, or are the horses acting weird?"
The young warrior behind him answered.
"They sense something."
Kael looked around quickly.
"What kind of something?"
The warrior's hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
"That is what we are about to discover."
Valen raised one hand.
The entire formation slowed immediately.
Then stopped.
The forest fell completely silent.
No wind.
No insects.
Nothing.
Kael whispered,
"…That's not creepy at all."
Valen dismounted slowly.
His boots touched the ground without a sound.
"Stay alert."
Several warriors dismounted as well, drawing weapons.
Mira slid off her horse and landed lightly beside Kael.
He followed her a bit less gracefully.
"Okay," Kael whispered. "What's happening?"
Mira scanned the dark forest.
"Ambush… maybe."
Kael swallowed.
"Already?"
Valen crouched near the edge of the road, examining the dirt.
After a moment, he spoke.
"Tracks."
One of the warriors approached.
"What kind?"
Valen's expression darkened slightly.
"Wolves."
Kael exhaled in relief.
"Oh good. Just wolves."
Valen looked up at him.
"Dire wolves."
Kael paused.
"…What's the difference?"
Before anyone could answer—
A low growl echoed through the forest.
Deep.
Heavy.
Not normal.
The trees around them rustled violently.
Then something massive stepped out of the darkness.
Kael's relief vanished instantly.
The creature looked like a wolf.
But it was easily the size of a horse.
Its fur was black as night, streaked with faint silver lines that glowed in the moonlight.
Its eyes burned with cold blue light.
And behind it—
More shapes moved between the trees.
Kael counted quickly.
"…That's a lot of wolves."
Mira whispered,
"Dire wolves hunt in packs."
The first beast stepped closer.
Its claws dug into the dirt road.
Its breath fogged the air.
Kael muttered,
"Why does everything in this world come in giant sizes?"
Valen stood slowly.
His hand rested on the hilt of his blade.
"Because the wild places are still powerful."
One of the warriors spoke quietly.
"Commander… there are at least twenty."
Kael nearly choked.
"TWENTY?"
Valen nodded once.
"Yes."
Kael stared at the massive wolves surrounding them.
"That's not great."
Mira cracked her knuckles.
"We've handled worse."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"When?"
Mira gestured behind them.
"The flaming mountain monster."
"Oh right."
The lead wolf stepped forward.
Then it howled.
The sound tore through the forest like thunder.
And the pack charged.
Everything exploded into motion.
The Crimson Ash warriors moved instantly.
Blades flashed.
Arrows flew.
Two wolves leapt forward—and were cut down midair by Valen's sweeping strike.
His sword burned with crimson energy as it sliced through the creatures.
Kael stared.
"Okay that was cool."
But there were too many.
The pack flooded onto the road from both sides.
Claws scraped against armor.
Teeth snapped in the darkness.
One wolf lunged toward Mira.
She rolled aside and slammed her fist into its jaw.
The beast staggered.
"Kael!"
"Right!"
Kael raised his glowing hand.
The Fire Leaf inside his chest stirred.
Warm energy surged through his arm.
Flames ignited in his palm.
The nearest wolf lunged—
Kael panicked slightly.
"Sorry!"
A burst of fire blasted forward.
The wolf yelped and tumbled backward into the dirt.
But the blast also scorched a nearby tree.
Mira shouted,
"Watch the forest!"
Kael winced.
"Working on it!"
Another wolf leapt from the side.
Kael ducked.
Its claws barely missed his head.
"Okay nope!"
He thrust his hand forward again.
A smaller burst of fire struck the wolf's chest.
This time he aimed better.
The beast skidded across the road and didn't get back up.
Nearby, Valen moved like a storm.
Every swing of his blade cut down another dire wolf.
His movements were calm.
Precise.
Efficient.
Within seconds, several wolves already lay dead.
But the pack leader remained.
The largest wolf stepped forward slowly.
It was bigger than the others.
Much bigger.
Silver scars ran across its muzzle.
Its glowing eyes locked onto Kael.
Kael noticed.
"Oh great. The boss wolf likes me."
Mira glanced at the creature.
"That's the alpha."
"Fantastic."
The alpha wolf growled low in its throat.
Then it lunged.
Faster than the others.
Kael barely raised his arm in time.
Fire erupted outward—
But the wolf crashed through the flames.
Its massive body slammed into Kael and knocked him to the ground.
The air rushed from his lungs.
Claws pinned his shoulders.
Hot breath filled his face.
"…Uh oh."
The wolf opened its jaws.
Rows of sharp teeth gleamed in the moonlight.
Kael tried to summon fire again—
But panic made the flames flicker weakly.
The wolf prepared to bite.
Then—
A red flash cut through the air.
Valen's blade struck the wolf across the side.
The alpha roared and leapt back.
Kael gasped and scrambled to his feet.
"Thanks!"
Valen didn't look at him.
"Control your power."
"Trying!"
The alpha wolf circled slowly now.
Blood dripped from its wound.
But its eyes burned even brighter.
It wasn't afraid.
It was angry.
Kael took a deep breath.
He remembered what Valen said earlier.
The Fire Leaf responded to calm.
Not panic.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
The warmth inside his chest pulsed.
Steady.
Like a heartbeat.
Kael raised his hand again.
This time the flames formed smoothly.
A controlled sphere of fire.
The alpha wolf charged again.
Kael waited.
Closer.
Closer.
Now.
He thrust his palm forward.
A focused blast of fire struck the wolf directly.
The creature crashed backward across the road.
Flames scorched its fur.
It tried to stand—
But collapsed.
The forest fell quiet again.
The remaining wolves hesitated.
Then they retreated into the trees.
Within seconds they were gone.
Only the sound of heavy breathing remained.
Kael slowly lowered his hand.
"…Did we win?"
Mira wiped wolf blood from her sleeve.
"Looks like it."
Several Crimson Ash warriors checked the area.
One of them nodded.
"The pack has withdrawn."
Kael exhaled deeply.
"Okay… I officially hate the forest now."
Valen sheathed his sword.
His golden eyes moved toward Kael.
"Better."
Kael blinked.
"Better?"
"Your control."
"Oh."
Kael scratched his head.
"I almost got eaten."
Valen shrugged slightly.
"You did not."
Mira laughed.
"High praise."
The warriors began dragging the wolf bodies off the road.
Kael watched them.
"Do you guys harvest these too?"
One warrior nodded.
"Dire wolf fangs and pelts are valuable."
Kael shook his head.
"Everything is valuable to you people."
Valen mounted his horse again.
"The world wastes nothing."
Kael climbed back onto his horse with a groan.
"I miss quiet village life."
Mira smirked.
"You lasted one hour."
"Technically less."
Valen turned his horse toward the road again.
"We continue."
The riders moved forward once more.
But this time Kael noticed something strange.
The small red pendant Bran had given him was glowing faintly beneath his shirt.
He pulled it out carefully.
The metal leaf pulsed with dim warmth.
"…Uh."
Mira noticed.
"What is it?"
Kael held up the pendant.
"It's glowing."
Valen turned slightly in his saddle.
His eyes narrowed.
"Interesting."
"That's all you have to say?"
Valen looked ahead again.
"It seems the journey has already begun revealing its secrets."
Kael sighed.
"I really wish people would explain things."
The road stretched deeper into the Whispering Forest.
And somewhere far ahead…
Something ancient had begun to stir.