Chapter 25: "The Warning"

The morning light seeped through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows over the weary group. Ellie sat near the dying embers of the fire, her thoughts still on Raine's confession the night before. Raine had returned to the group before dawn, her usual stoic mask firmly in place, as if the emotional moment they shared had never happened.

Isaac groaned as he stretched, rubbing his neck. "Remind me never to sleep on dirt again," he muttered, earning a small snort from Ellie.

Raine, standing a few feet away, scanned the horizon with a sharp gaze. "Stop whining," she snapped. "We need to keep moving. Cane isn't sitting idle, and neither should we."

Just as Ellie opened her mouth to respond, a rustling sound broke the stillness of the morning. The group froze, hands instinctively reaching for weapons.

From the trees, a man stumbled into view. His clothes were torn and bloodied, his face pale and gaunt. He looked like he'd been running for days.

"Help..." he croaked, before collapsing face-first into the dirt.

Ellie rushed to him, her healer instincts kicking in. Isaac followed, while Raine stood back, one hand hovering near her gun.

"He's barely alive," Ellie said, her hands trembling as she checked the man's pulse.

"He could be one of Cane's spies," Raine said coldly. "Or worse—he could lead Cane right to us."

Ellie glared at her. "He's dying! We can't just leave him like this."

Raine crossed her arms, her face unreadable. "Do what you want. But if he turns out to be trouble, don't say I didn't warn you."

As Ellie worked to stabilize the man, she noticed something clutched tightly in his hand. A small, tattered piece of parchment. Carefully, she pried it free.

"What's that?" Isaac asked, leaning in.

Ellie unfolded the parchment, revealing faded markings and symbols. It looked like a fragment of a map, though parts of it were written in an unfamiliar language.

Isaac's eyes widened. "I've seen this language before," he said, his voice trembling with excitement. "It's ancient... connected to the treasure. This could be a way to get ahead of Cane."

Before Ellie could respond, the man's eyes fluttered open. He grabbed her wrist with surprising strength.

"Beware..." he gasped, his voice barely audible. "It's not... just Cane. They're... coming."

"Who's coming?" Ellie pressed urgently.

The man's eyes rolled back, and his body went limp. He was dead.

For a moment, the group was silent, the weight of his words sinking in.

Then, from the forest, a distant sound reached their ears—a low, guttural growl that sent chills down their spines. Raine's hand went to her gun.

"Move," she said sharply. "Now."

Ellie stood, clutching the map fragment tightly. "What was he talking about? Who's coming?"

Isaac looked around nervously. "I don't know, but I don't think we want to find out."

As the growls grew louder, shadows began to shift among the trees. Something—or someone—was closing in.

The chapter ends with the group hastily packing their things, their fear palpable as the unseen threat looms closer.