Kapitel 6: Trust on the edge
The path grew narrower as they descended further into the wilds. The trees, gnarled and ancient, crowded closer together, their twisted branches intertwining to form a dense canopy overhead. Shadows danced along the ground, and the air had grown colder, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth and moss. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Alenya followed Kael in silence, her eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. Her heart was racing since the moment she had revealed her magic, and the weight of Kael's knowledge felt heavier with each step. She could still feel the power tingling under her skin, itching to be released again, but she kept it tightly under control.
Kael had been quiet ever since they left the ravine. His aura of serenity was still intact, but was lined with something else now, probably a heightened sense of alertness. Alenya noticed how his hand continuously hovered near his sword, and how his gaze flickered over the trees with an expectation of encountering trouble at any moment.
After seeing the way he reacted when the hunter spoke, and the flash of recognition in Kael's eyes when he saw them, Alenya couldn't shake off the feeling that he was hiding something significant. Whoever was after her, were likely after him too. And that meant that Kael wasn't just a stranger passing through. He was involved in this in ways he hadn't yet admitted.
Unspoken words and unasked questions decorated the air like stars in the night sky. After hours of walking, they approached a small clearing in a forest. Trees parted just enough to reveal a sliver of the sky, still overcast and threatening rain. A fallen tree lay across the middle of the clearing, its massive roots exposed and twisted like the fingers of a giant hand.
Kael stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "We'll rest here," he announced, his voice curt. Alenya nodded, feeling the weight of his withdrawn demeanour. She wasn't sure how much longer they could keep up this fragile charade of cooperation. The longer they were together, the more the cracks in their alliance would show.
She lowered herself onto the fallen tree, pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders as the cold wind picked up again. Kael remained standing, his back to hers, scanning the trees with the same unnerving vigilance he had shown since they had left the ravine.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. A soft rustle of leaves in the wind and the distant call of a bird accompanied the lingering silence between them. Alenya kept her eyes on Kael, watching the way his muscles tensed, and the way his fingers flexed near the hilt of his sword. Alenya couldn't take the silence any longer.
"We can't keep going like this," she said, her voice low but firm.
Kael didn't turn to look at her. "Like what?"
"Like strangers," she said, feeling her frustration build. "We're both in this now, whether we like it or not. If we're going to survive, we need to trust each other."
Kael let out a bitter laugh, though there was no humour in it. "Trust?" He finally turned to face her, his eyes dark. "Trust is a dangerous thing, Alenya. Especially when both of us are hiding things."
Alenya met his gaze head-on, refusing to back down. "I've told you what I am. You know the truth about me. But you…" She narrowed her eyes. "You're still lying."
Kael's expression hardened. "I never lied to you."
"Not outright," Alenya admitted, "but you're not telling me everything either. You knew too much about the hunters and too much about their methods. You're always one step ahead, as if you're expecting something."
Kael's jaw tightened, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "I told you. I'm looking for someone."
"Who?" Alenya pressed, standing now, her heart pounding in her chest. "Who are you looking for?"
For a moment, Kael said nothing. His eyes were locked on hers, the tension between them crackling like a spark before a fire. She could see the battle playing out behind his gaze, the struggle between keeping his secrets and the weight of the truth he was holding back.
He finally spoke in a measured tone. "I'm looking for a man named Drenyar."
The name sent a chill down Alenya's spine. She had heard it before, whispered in the darkest corners of taverns, in the fear-laden stories of travellers who had crossed paths with those who dealt in forbidden magic. Drenyar wasn't just any man; he was a warlock, one of the most dangerous sorcerers in the known lands. He was a master of dark magic and manipulation, rumoured to have ties to the old bloodlines…to the very magic Alenya herself possessed.
"And why are you hunting Drenyar?" Alenya asked, her voice steady despite the rising dread inside her. Kael hesitated, his eyes flickering with something she couldn't quite read. "Because he's the one hunting you."
Alenya's breath caught in her throat. "What?"
Kael's gaze was unflinching. "Drenyar's men were the ones who attacked you. The king's hunters are just the beginning. Drenyar's been after the Verdant bloodline for years, and now that he knows you're alive, he won't stop until he has you."
Alenya's mind reeled. Drenyar. The name alone sent waves of fear through her. She had heard stories of his cruelty, his obsession with power...and now he was hunting her? Why?
"I don't understand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why would Drenyar want me?"
Kael stepped closer, his expression dark and serious.
"Because of your magic. Your power is tied to the ancient bloodlines, the source of magic Drenyar's been searching for his entire life. He believes that you're the key to unlocking it, and if he finds you, he'll use your power to fuel his own."
Alenya's stomach churned. It wasn't just the king's men she had to worry about. It was Drenyar, a warlock with enough power to tear kingdoms apart. Thanks to Kael, she was now aware of this.
"And what about you?" she asked, her voice hard. "Why are you involved? Why are you hunting him?"
Kael's eyes flickered with something dark, something that looked too much like guilt. "Because he destroyed my family."
The words hung in the air like a heavy weight, pressing down on them both. Alenya's breath hitched. Kael hadn't mentioned anything about a family, about a personal vendetta.
"Your family?" she asked softly.
Kael's jaw clenched, his gaze hardening. "My sister was a Verdant. Drenyar found her when she was young, promised her power and control. He twisted her magic and used her to serve his own ends. When she tried to escape, he killed her."
Alenya felt a lump form in her throat. The pain in Kael's voice was unmistakable, raw and real. This wasn't about her. This was personal for him.
"I swore I'd kill him," Kael said, his voice low and dangerous. "But I need you to get to him. He won't stop until he has you."
Alenya's heart raced. Everything was coming together now, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Kael wasn't just after Drenyar, but he needed her to draw him out. That's why he had stuck by her, and explained why he didn't leave her earlier when things got dangerous. He was using her as bait.
Anger flared in her chest. "So you've been leading me into this all along? You planned to use me to get to Drenyar?" Kael's eyes met hers, unflinching. "I'm trying to keep you alive."
Alenya stepped back, her pulse pounding in her ears. She had been right not to trust him. He had known more than he let on, had manipulated her into this situation, and now she was caught in the middle of a fight she didn't even realise she was a part of.
"You're no better than the hunters," she cried, her voice filled with fury. "You're using me."
Kael's expression darkened. "I'm trying to stop him before he gets to you. You don't understand what Drenyar's capable of. If he finds you, he'll destroy you. And I won't let that happen."
Alenya's hands clenched into fists as tears streamed down her blushed cheeks. She could feel the magic bubbling beneath her skin, the anger fuelling the fire inside her. She didn't want to be used. She didn't want to be anyone's pawn in this game of power and revenge.
But before she could say anything more, a sound broke the tension; a rustling in the trees, followed by the unmistakable clatter of weapons. Kael's eyes snapped to the trees, his hand immediately wrapped around the golden handle of his sword.
"Get down!" he barked, his voice sharp.
Alenya dove for cover behind the fallen tree just as the first arrow sliced through the air, embedding itself in the ground where she had previously sat. Her heart raced as she pressed herself against the trunk, her magic thrumming with adrenaline.
Kael drew his sword in a swift motion, his eyes scanning the trees. "Stay low," he muttered, crouching beside her. "We're surrounded."
Alenya's pulse pounded in her ears as the sounds of footsteps grew closer, the shadows of figures moving through the trees. She could feel the magic surging within her, ready to be unleashed, but she hesitated. If she used it now, she'd draw more attention to them.
"Hunters?" she whispered, her voice tight with fear.
Kael shook his head. "Worse."
Before she could ask him what he meant, the first figure stepped into the clearing. A tall, cloaked man with a hood pulled low over his face. His movements were smooth, deliberate, and even in the dim light, Alenya could feel the dark energy radiating from him.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Drenyar's men had found them.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein