Chapter 13 — The First Sign
They crossed fully beyond the Horizon.
The moment they stepped out, everything changed. Advanced systems went dead. No signals. No trackers. No powered weapons. The world felt raw and quiet, like it was watching them breathe. Only simple tools still worked. Scopes with plain glass. Paper maps. Hand signs. Nothing more.
The Blue Veterans moved in a tight formation. No talking. Just steps, breath, and awareness. Everyone already knew the rule from past missions—guns were useless here. So they carried what worked. Compound bows rested on shoulders. Arrows were checked again and again. Sharp battle knives stayed close. Swords, axes, and short blades were ready. Old tools for a place that rejected new ones.
Arun walked near the front.
Hidden under his gear, the Relic stayed pressed against his skin. No one saw it. No one noticed when he adjusted it while walking. He had done it in open sight, yet no eyes caught the movement. The moment it touched his body properly, the change returned.
His vision sharpened.
Distance became clear. Shapes gained edges. Colors felt deeper. He could see far ahead, far beyond what the others could. Details stood out like marks on stone. It was the same power he felt the first time he touched the Relic. Vision better than an eagle. Awareness wider than normal thought. His body felt lighter, steadier, ready.
They moved forward.
After nearly one kilometer of steady travel, Arun slowed.
He raised his hand.
The team stopped instantly.
Through the trees, across open ground, near a narrow river, Arun saw it. A Vestige. It was crouched low, drinking water calmly. The distance was around eight hundred meters. It showed no fear. No alert movement. Just slow, careless motion.
Arun's jaw tightened.
"Alert," he said softly. "Move carefully."
The team exchanged quick looks. No one else saw anything. No sound. No movement. No pressure in the air. Nothing that felt dangerous.
Why now?
Still, they obeyed.
Bows were raised slightly. Blades loosened in grips. Steps became slower. Every rule they had learned was followed, even without understanding the reason.
As they moved forward, the shape near the river became clear to everyone.
A Vestige.
Instant tension spread through the group. Breathing slowed. Focus sharpened. Formation tightened. The calm march turned into a hunt stance.
But Arun felt something off.
The Vestige looked weak.
Its movements were slow. Its presence felt thin. This was not a strong tear. Not something that should stand so openly. Not something that should drink so calmly.
Arun kept watching.
Then he felt it.
Not seen. Not heard. Just sensed.
Another presence.
The Relic reacted, not with pain, but with warning. A faint pressure behind his eyes. A wrongness in the air. He scanned left, right, behind the trees, near the rocks, across the riverbank.
Nothing visible.
Yet he was sure.
There was another Vestige nearby.
Hidden.
Stronger.
He lifted his fist.
"Stop," Arun whispered. "Hide. Now."
No questions. No delay.
The team melted into cover. Behind rocks. Between trees. Low ground. Shadows. Everyone stayed still. Weapons ready. Eyes scanning.
The weak Vestige kept drinking.
Unaware. Or pretending to be.
Arun watched patiently.
This was not a random meeting.
This was a trap.