Blood Hounds

The forest was silent as they left the clearing behind.

No birdsong. No rustling leaves. Just the weight of unseen eyes pressing in from all sides.

Kael kept his sword loose in his grip as they moved. Fenrir padded beside him, silent but alert. Every so often, the wolf's ears flicked toward something in the trees—something Kael couldn't see.

Darian led the way, his steps sure despite the darkness. He hadn't explained much about the ruins, only that they were old, forgotten, and—most importantly—dangerous.

Kael had a feeling that was an understatement.

Rhia walked just behind him. She hadn't spoken much since the encounter with the wraith, but her fingers still twitched as if she could still feel the mark she had touched.

Kael finally broke the silence. "You felt something back there."

Rhia hesitated, then nodded. "It wasn't just a memory." Her voice was quiet, uncertain. "It was like… something was watching through it."

Kael's grip tightened on his sword.

Darian sighed. "That confirms it, then."

Rhia frowned. "Confirms what?"

Darian didn't look back as he spoke. "The ruins aren't just a place. They're a threshold."

Kael exchanged a glance with Rhia.

Darian continued. "Old places hold old things. Some of them never truly leave." He shot Kael a knowing look. "And some of them remember."

Kael didn't respond. He didn't need to.

The wind picked up, whispering through the trees. It almost sounded like a voice.

Almost.

---

Hours Later

The ruins were barely visible through the mist.

Half-buried stone, shattered archways, the remnants of something that had once been great. The forest had begun reclaiming the land—roots cracked through stone, vines curled around broken pillars.

But despite the age, something still lingered.

Kael felt it immediately. The weight of history. The pull of something unseen.

Fenrir stopped at the edge of the ruins, his body tense. His fur bristled as he sniffed the air.

Kael knelt beside him, running a hand through the wolf's thick coat. "What is it?"

Fenrir let out a low, warning growl.

Darian stepped forward. "We're close."

Kael stood. "Close to what?"

Darian glanced back at him. His smirk was gone, replaced with something more serious.

"To answers."

He turned, moving deeper into the ruins.

Kael exhaled, then followed.

Whatever lay ahead, he was done running.