Warning

I stood in front of the carriage, skepticism clouding my mind. The new message I received yesterday read: DON'T TRUST KAEL. Yet now he said I could leave.

"Is this a trap?" I questioned silently, my gaze drifting back to the endlessly large building behind me. Sighing, I weighed my options. It seemed better to risk ending up in a trap than to stay and face an uncertain fate. I wished I could have warned Callum before leaving. I left him a letter, but who knows if he'll ever see it.

As the journey to Garhian began, the prospect of spending months on the road was daunting. The vast stretch of time and distance loomed before me, a seemingly endless journey with only the uncertain promise of reaching home at the end. Despite this, the excitement of finally going home kept my spirits high. The thought of seeing familiar faces and returning to the comfort of the life I had left behind was a beacon of hope that shone brightly through my apprehension.

I pulled out my note and read the message again: DON'T TRUST KAEL. The words were stark and clear, a direct warning that left no room for misinterpretation. Yet, as I stared at the message, a nagging sensation in the pit of my stomach told me that there was something more beneath the surface. It was as if the message was a piece of a larger puzzle, and despite its clarity, it didn't seem to fit entirely with what I knew of Kael.

The warning had been unsettling from the moment I received it, but now, as the journey began and the reality of the road stretched out before me, the sense of unease grew. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a deeper meaning to the warning, one that I hadn't yet uncovered. Was it a straightforward caution or part of a more complex scheme? The ambiguity of the situation made it difficult to discern what was truly at stake.

As the carriage rolled forward, I found myself lost in thought, replaying past interactions with Kael and trying to reconcile them with the warning. The tension between the trust I had placed in him and the ominous message was a heavy burden, casting a shadow over my excitement. I needed to remain vigilant and cautious, but it was equally important to keep my focus on the journey ahead and the hope that awaited at its end.

"I can't start doubting myself now," I muttered, jotting down my updates. Exhausted from a night of restless sleep filled with excitement and anxiety, I closed my eyes and drifted off.

…

A sudden jolt roused me from sleep. I struggled to get up, disoriented, and heard shouts from outside. Were we being attacked by bandits?

I stepped out of the carriage and was met with a horrific scene: guards lying lifeless, their blood staining the ground. As I hesitated, contemplating retreat, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.

"Lilien," Callum called out. I turned, torn between relief and concern.

"Callum!" I called, about to rush to him, but stopped in my tracks when I saw the blood on his clothes.

"You didn't even tell me you were leaving," he said, his voice tinged with reproach. I clutched my note tightly and took a step back.

"It happened suddenly, I didn't know until last night," I explained, grappling with the doubt creeping into my mind.

"They're not taking you to Garhian," Callum said urgently.

"What?"

"Garhian and Erries formed an alliance. They should be taking you to the teleportation gate, but this isn't the way," he said.

"I knew something was wrong," I said, frustration rising.

"Let's go. They'll be here soon," he said.

"You're r... Callum," I began, stepping back. "How did you know?" I asked, a hint of suspicion in my voice.

"Huh?"

"How did you know I was leaving? How did you know where I was?" I pressed.

"You shouldn't ask too many questions and just accept help," he said, a note of irritation in his voice.

"But I need to know," I insisted, backing away.

"I'm trying to help you here, Lilien," Callum said, annoyance clear. Something felt off, but despite my instincts, I was compelled to follow him.

"You killed them alone, didn't you?" I asked, and he looked frustrated.

"No scholar should be able to defeat trained knights alone," I said, my suspicion growing.

"So what if I have basic fighting skills?" he retorted, but doubt gnawed at me. Could I have been deceived?

Without warning, I turned and ran as fast as I could. Fortunately, I wasn't wearing a heavy dress, but Callum was faster and quickly caught up. He grabbed my arm and brought his face close to mine.

"You have a gift, Lilien, and it annoys me," he said, shoving me to the ground. "I win, don't I?" His taunting made my heart race. "You decided to leave, and I didn't have to do much," he said, laughing.

He's the one? He's the one. Why do I still feel like I should trust him? Why does a part of me still believe it's okay?

"You did it, didn't you?" I asked.

"Oh, naive Lilien. I like this version of you better—you're less annoying," he said, rubbing his forehead. "What happened to your 'love'? What happened to your proclamation?" he taunted.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"You don't understand, do you?" he said, laughing. I backed away, my mind racing.

"What do you want from me, Callum?" I asked, trying to come up with an escape plan. This betrayal was too intense.

"I'm getting back at you for rejecting me," he said, raising his hand. A dark cloud formed above it, and a purple circle with strange symbols emerged, from which a sword materialized.

I stumbled back, trying to flee, but he slashed me, and pain seared through my body. I fell to the ground, struggling to stifle my cries.

"Won't cry? That's not good. I want you to cry and beg," Callum said, his voice growing closer.

I forced myself to my feet, clutching my note as I fled. "Think of good things, think of good things, Lilien," I repeated to myself, but my vision was blurred by tears. I couldn't stop crying; all my happy memories with my sister were tainted by that woman.

"Lilien, stop running. It's pointless. I told you I'm the only one who can protect you, which means your life is in my hands," Callum said, approaching.

I turned a corner and hid behind a tree, but I dropped my note. Desperate not to lose it, I moved to retrieve it but was caught.

"There you are," Callum said with a sinister smile as he approached.

"Lunatic!" I shouted, reaching for my note, but he stepped on my hand.

"Lunatic? Who made me one?" he asked. I bit my lip, trying not to scream.

Callum paced around, and I cried silently, my pain overwhelming. What did I forget? Who can I trust? Why do I still feel a sense of trust toward Callum despite his betrayal? What do I do now? My memories were taken; what happened?

I glanced down and saw the pages of my note flipping. The page with the warning opened, and I froze. DON'T LEAVE—TRUST KAEL.