They left before dawn , No farewell..No witnesses Only silence… and the weight of what lay ahead , The city behind them was still breathing faint lights flickering through the early fog, distant sounds of life echoing like memories already fading.
Ahead?
Nothing.
A long, broken road stretched into a landscape that felt… abandoned by order itself , Jacob walked beside Alaric, his steps steady—but his mind anything but.
"…It feels different," he said quietly."
Alaric didn't look at him.
"It is."
A pause.
"The further we go… the less control the organization has."
Jacob frowned slightly.
"And that's a bad thing?"
Alaric finally glanced at him.
"…That depends on what you think control is protecting you from."
The road disappeared Nature took over Dead trees twisted toward the sky like reaching hands. The wind carried whispers that didn't belong to it. Even the ground felt unstable like it was remembering something violent.
Jacob's breathing grew heavier.
"Alaric…"
A pause.
"…I feel something."
Alaric stopped instantly Not hesitation.
Instinct.
"…Where?"
Jacob closed his eyes Trying to focus.
"It's not… a direction," he said slowly. "It's like"
His voice tightened.
"it's everywhere."
A sharp sound cut the air.
{ WHISTLE }
Alaric moved Fast Too fast for Jacob to fully see A blade of condensed aura passed through the space where Jacob had been standing a second earlier silent, invisible until it struck the ground and carved it open like paper.
Jacob stumbled back.
"What was that—?!"
"Stay behind me."
Alaric's aura ignited gray, unstable, but alive His eyes sharpened.
Scanning.
Calculating.
Silence.
Then , Another strike And another.
This time from different angles , Alaric moved through them not reacting, but anticipating. Each step precise. Each motion minimal.
Like he wasn't dodging…But already knew where death would be Jacob watched, heart pounding.
"…This isn't normal."
"No," Alaric replied calmly.
A pause.
"…This is a test."
Then Everything stopped No attacks., No sound Even the wind died Alaric didn't lower his guard.
"…He's here."
Jacob's breath caught.
"…Who?"
A voice answered Not from a direction But from within the space itself.
"You adapted faster than expected."
Calm.
Observing.
Amused.
From the shadows between the dead trees… a figure stepped forward.
A silhouette at first Then clearer A man Relaxed posture Sharp eyes A faint, almost playful smile.
*The Fox.*
"Alaric."
His tone carried familiarity… but no warmth.
"Still alive. That's… disappointing."
Alaric didn't respond His stance shifted slightly Not aggressive But ready.
"…You're not here to kill us," he said.
The Fox tilted his head.
"No."
A pause.
"If I wanted that… you'd already be dead."
Jacob felt a chill , This wasn't arrogance It was certainty The Fox's gaze moved to Jacob.
Studying him.
Measuring.
"So this is the 'key' everyone is so interested in."
Jacob stiffened.
Alaric stepped forward just enough to block him again.
The Fox chuckled softly.
"Relax. I'm not your enemy."
A beat.
"…Not today."
Alaric's voice dropped.
"…Then why are you here?"
The Fox's smile faded slightly.
"To see something."
A pause.
"Whether you're still worth the attention."
Silence.
Heavy.
Then Without warning He moved Faster than thought Alaric reacted instantly Their movements collided sharp, precise, controlled. No wasted motion. No unnecessary force.
It wasn't a fight.
It was a measurement , A few exchanges Seconds at most , Then They separated , The Fox exhaled lightly.
"…You've changed."
Alaric said nothing.
"Slower," the Fox continued. "But… sharper."
His gaze shifted briefly to Jacob.
"And him…"
A pause.
"…unstable."
Jacob's chest tightened.
The Fox turned away slightly As if already losing interest.
"You shouldn't have come here."
Alaric's eyes narrowed.
"…Why?"
A final glance over the shoulder , That same faint smile returning.
"Because this place…"
A pause.
"…is where control ends."
Another step back His presence already fading.
"And when control ends…"
The shadows swallowed him.
"…truth begins."
Silence returned But it wasn't the same , Jacob exhaled slowly.
"…Was that"
"Yes," Alaric cut in.A pause.
"…And he wasn't the real problem."
Jacob looked at him, confused.
"…Then what is?"
Alaric's gaze moved forward Into the unknown.
His voice dropped.
"…What's waiting for us."
Somewhere ahead Beyond sight , Beyond control Something was already watching them , And this time…It wasn't observing , *It was waiting.*
Alaric knew this place.
Not vaguely.
Not instinctively.
Intimately.
He had been here before long ago , But no one knew what had happened during that time.
No one knew what he had seen…or what had seen him And Alaric had made sure it stayed that way.
Jacob noticed something , Not logically..Not through evidence But through something far more dangerous , Instinct.
He watched Alaric carefully as they walked.
The way he moved.
The way he spoke.
The way he *adjusted himself* depending on who stood before him.
And then it struck him.
Why does it feel like… he's manipulating everyone?
Jacob's eyes narrowed slightly.
He changes…Not just his words his entire presence.
With Alexander, he was sharp. Strategic. Controlled.
With Selina, he was quieter. Measured. Almost… protective.
With Drago there had been something else. Something heavier.
And with him?
Jacob exhaled slowly.
*What version of you am I seeing, Alaric?
A pause.
*Are you even real… or just another mask?
The thought lingered.
Unsettling.
*Does he do the same with me?*
*Only telling me what I need to hear?*
Jacob clenched his fist slightly.
*I need to figure this out.*
But then.Something inside him resisted A deeper voice Quieter.
*…Trust him.*
Jacob frowned.
*That doesn't make sense.*
He was not someone who trusted easily.
Not anymore , And yet Even now… something tells me I can trust him.
Ahead of him, Alaric stopped.
Without turning.
"…You think too much."
Jacob froze slightly.
"…Was I that obvious?"
Alaric didn't answer.
Because he didn't need to , They chose a place nestled between two mountains.
A narrow valley stretched beneath them, like a scar carved into the earth.
Trees surrounded the area from every side, dense and silent as if guarding something ancient.
Or hiding it.
"…We camp here," Alaric said calmly.
No hesitation.
No discussion.
Jacob simply nodded They worked in silence.
Building a crude shelter.
Gathering wood.
Lighting a fire.
The flames rose slowly, crackling against the cold night air.
Alaric lay on his back, arms behind his head His gaze fixed on the sky , Stars stretched endlessly above them scattered like distant lanterns in a forgotten world , For a moment…He looked almost human.
"…I love this," he said quietly.
Jacob glanced at him.
"Love what?"
Alaric's eyes didn't move.
"…Freedom."
A pause.
"…Not being bound to anything."
The fire flickered.
"…No orders. No roles. No masks."
Jacob's expression shifted slightly at that last word.
"Jacob," Alaric continued, his tone almost casual,
"let me ask you something."
Jacob sat across the fire.
"…Go ahead."
A brief silence.
Then.
"Why do dragons appear in every culture across the world?"
Jacob blinked.
"…What?"
Alaric's voice remained calm.
"Different civilizations. Different eras. Thousands of years apart."
A pause.
"…And yet, they all describe the same creatures."
The fire cracked.
"…Why?"
Jacob frowned, slightly caught off guard.
"…What kind of question is that?"
He thought for a moment.
"…How would I even know?"
Then he shrugged.
"…Maybe… because they actually existed."
Alaric chuckled softly.
A rare sound.
"…Fair answer."
His eyes remained fixed on the stars.
"…Maybe they did exist."
A pause.
Then, quieter.
"…Or maybe something of them still does."
The wind shifted slightly.
The fire flickered And for a brief moment The forest around them felt… different.
Listening.
Alaric's voice dropped just enough to change the air.
"…Not everything that disappears… is gone."
Jacob felt it , That subtle.
(If you like the chapter support me with power stones).