The wind had changed.
It wasn't something visible.
Not something one could point to and say there—
But everyone felt it.
The forest, once filled with the quiet rhythm of nature, had grown… distant.
Birds had stopped singing.
The leaves no longer rustled.
Even the sunlight filtering through the branches felt dimmer, colder.
Kael slowed his steps.
Nyx noticed immediately.
"You felt it too… didn't you?"
He nodded.
"Yeah."
Behind them, Lyra instinctively moved closer.
Her fingers lightly gripped the edge of his sleeve.
Not out of weakness—
But instinct.
Something deep inside her whispered:
Stay close.
Fufuin stopped walking.
That alone was enough to freeze the group.
The small wolf lifted his head slowly.
All four of his eyes narrowed.
"…Master."
His voice was different.
Gone was the playful sarcasm.
Gone was the casual pride.
What remained…
Was something ancient.
Something that remembered war.
"She is close."
Nyx's expression darkened instantly.
"…No way."
A distant sound echoed through the forest.
Hooves.
Not one.
Not two.
Dozens.
The ground trembled faintly beneath them.
A rhythm.
Heavy.
Unstoppable.
Lyra's grip tightened.
"…Kael…"
And then—
The trees ahead parted.
A figure emerged.
A white warhorse stepped forward, its armor gleaming faintly beneath the filtered light.
Atop it—
A woman clad in white and gold armor.
A crimson cape flowed behind her like a living flame.
Her long red hair danced gently with the movement of the wind.
Seraphine Drakmor
She didn't rush.
Didn't draw her weapon.
Didn't even speak.
She simply looked at them.
And in that single gaze—
The pressure fell.
It wasn't mana.
It wasn't killing intent.
It was authority.
Lyra's knees trembled.
Nyx instinctively took a step back.
Even the air itself felt heavier.
Harder to breathe.
Fufuin growled.
Low.
Dangerous.
"…So it is you."
Seraphine's eyes shifted.
Slowly.
Landing on him.
For the first time—
Her expression changed.
"…Interesting."
She dismounted.
The moment her boots touched the ground—
The pressure increased.
Behind her, armored soldiers began to emerge from the forest.
One by one.
Dozens.
The group was surrounded.
Nyx clicked her tongue.
"…We're screwed."
Kael didn't respond.
His eyes never left Seraphine.
Something inside his chest pulsed.
Warm.
Alive.
Watching her.
Seraphine stepped forward.
Each step measured.
Precise.
"You."
Her voice was calm.
But it carried weight.
"The one summoned by mistake."
Silence.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"…Looks like I'm famous."
Nyx almost laughed.
At a time like this?!
Seraphine stopped a few meters away.
Her golden eyes studied him carefully.
Not like prey.
Not like an enemy.
Like a puzzle.
"The king gave me a simple order," she said.
"To eliminate anything connected to you."
Lyra's heart skipped.
Her grip on Kael tightened.
Nyx's hand moved subtly toward her staff.
Fufuin's body tensed.
And yet—
Seraphine did not draw her sword.
Instead—
She tilted her head slightly.
"…But I prefer to understand what I kill."
Silence.
Kael smiled faintly.
"…That's reassuring."
Nyx whispered sharply.
"Are you insane?!"
Seraphine's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Your composure is unusual."
A pause.
"Most would already be begging."
Kael shrugged.
"I was already discarded once."
The air shifted.
For a brief moment—
Seraphine's eyes flickered.
Something there.
Gone just as quickly.
"…I see."
She stepped closer.
Closer.
Too close.
The soldiers behind her did not move.
Did not interfere.
They didn't need to.
She alone was enough.
Lyra's heart pounded violently.
Nyx held her breath.
Fufuin's growl deepened.
And yet—
Kael did not step back.
Their eyes met.
And then—
Something happened.
Not visible.
Not loud.
But undeniable.
A pulse.
From his chest.
A wave that didn't spread outward—
But inward.
Seraphine froze.
For the briefest second.
Her breath… hitched.
"…What… was that?"
Nyx's eyes widened.
She felt it too.
But faintly.
Lyra—
Felt it clearly.
Warm.
Pulling.
Like her heart was being gently drawn toward something.
Fufuin's eyes sharpened.
"…Master…"
Seraphine took a slow step back.
Her expression…
For the first time—
Was not calm.
"…You."
Her voice lowered.
"…What are you?"
Kael didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
But his body—
His instinct—
Did.
The mark on his chest burned.
Desire.
Not lust.
Not emotion.
Something deeper.
Something that connected.
Something that reached.
Seraphine's hand moved.
For a second—
It seemed she would draw her sword.
The soldiers tensed.
Nyx prepared a spell.
Lyra held her breath.
Fufuin's body began to grow—
But—
Seraphine stopped.
Her hand lowered.
"…No."
Silence.
She turned slightly.
"…Not here."
Nyx blinked.
"…What?"
Seraphine looked back at Kael.
Her gaze was different now.
Not just interest.
Something more dangerous.
"I will not kill you."
Shock.
"…Yet."
The word lingered.
"But understand this," she continued.
"From this moment on…"
She stepped back toward her horse.
"You are mine to hunt."
Her crimson cape flowed as she mounted again.
"No one else will take that right from me."
Nyx whispered.
"…She's claiming you."
Lyra's grip tightened.
Fufuin's eyes narrowed.
Seraphine turned her horse.
The soldiers followed.
But just before disappearing into the forest—
She glanced back.
At him.
"…Grow stronger."
A faint smile.
"So that I may enjoy it."
And then—
She was gone.
Silence returned.
But it was no longer peaceful.
Nyx collapsed onto the ground.
"…I almost died."
Lyra slowly released Kael's sleeve.
But didn't move away.
Fufuin shrank back to his smaller form.
"…She is far beyond what you can face now."
Kael remained still.
His chest still burning.
His mind racing.
"…She felt it too."
Nyx looked up.
"…Felt what?"
He placed a hand over his chest.
"…Something."
Lyra looked at him.
Softly.
"I felt it as well."
Nyx frowned.
"…You two are starting to scare me."
Fufuin looked at the horizon.
"…This changes everything."
And far away—
Seraphine rode in silence.
Her hand rested lightly over her chest.
Her heart…
Was beating faster than it should.
"…What was that…"
Her lips curved slightly.
"…Interesting."
The hunt had begun.
But no longer as a simple mission.
Now—
It was personal.