The desserter's mark

The air inside the old outpost felt heavier, as if the weight of the moment was suffocating them all. Jasmine's pulse thundered in her ears, her grip on her dagger slick with sweat. The shadow had arrived. His voice, though calm, was laced with a malevolence that sent chills down her spine.

Caden stood rigid beside her, his sword still raised, eyes scanning the room for the source of the voice. "Show yourself!" he demanded, his voice cutting through the tension. The hunters, who had just moments ago been attacking with brutal intent, now stood frozen, waiting for their master's command.

Lira clung to Jasmine's arm, her breaths coming fast and shallow. "We have to get out of here," she whispered, but there was nowhere to go. The side door was blocked, and the main entrance was now swarming with the king's bounty hunters.

From the shadows, a figure stepped into the faint light cast by the fire. He was tall, cloaked in dark armor that seemed to absorb the surrounding darkness. His face was partially obscured by a hood, but Jasmine could see the gleam of his eyes—cold, calculating, and full of malice.

The shadow.

"You've led me on quite the chase," he said, his voice smooth and calm, but there was an edge to it, a promise of violence barely restrained. He stepped further into the room, his gaze locking onto each of them. "But now, the game is over."

Caden moved in front of Jasmine, his stance protective, his sword gleaming in the dim light. "We're not afraid of you," he spat, though the tremor in his voice betrayed the truth.

The shadow tilted his head slightly, as if amused by Caden's defiance. "Brave words. But bravery alone won't save you."

Torin, who had been standing near the door, wiped blood from a fresh cut on his brow and stepped forward, glaring at the shadow. "So, you've finally caught up to us," he growled. "But don't think this ends the way you want it to."

The shadow's eyes flicked to Torin, and a slow, mocking smile spread across his face. "Ah, Torin. The deserter. The king speaks highly of your treachery." His voice dripped with disdain as he addressed the man who had led them here. "You've escaped me once before, but this time, you will face the consequences."

Jasmine's heart sank. She had known Torin carried a dark past, but this was something more. A deserter from the king's ranks? No wonder the bounty hunters had been able to track them so easily. The mark of a deserter was a beacon to those who hunted them. Torin had led them into danger, perhaps unknowingly, but now they were paying the price for his betrayal.

"You think I care what the king says?" Torin shot back, his eyes narrowing. "I left because I saw the truth—what he's doing to this kingdom, to people like them." He gestured toward Jasmine and Caden. "I fight for more than gold and power. Can you say the same?"

The shadow's smile faded, replaced by an icy, emotionless stare. "You fight for nothing. You're a traitor to the crown, and for that, you will die."

Without warning, the shadow lunged forward, faster than Jasmine could have anticipated. His blade seemed to materialize from the darkness itself, striking out toward Torin with lethal precision.

Torin barely managed to parry the blow, his own sword flashing in the dim light. The clash of steel rang out in the enclosed space, the force of the impact sending vibrations through the stone floor. Jasmine scrambled back, pulling Lira with her as the two men clashed, their movements swift and deadly.

Caden moved to intercept, but the shadow was too fast. He twisted around Torin's defenses, his blade slicing through the air with inhuman speed. Torin grunted as the tip of the shadow's sword grazed his side, blood staining his shirt.

"We have to help him!" Jasmine shouted to Caden, her mind racing. But how? The shadow moved like no fighter she had ever seen, his every movement precise, efficient, deadly.

Caden nodded, gripping his sword tighter. "We strike together," he said, determination etched into his face. "On my signal."

Jasmine's heart pounded as she prepared to move, her eyes locked on the shadow. He had Torin on the defensive, driving him back with a flurry of blows. She could see the strain in Torin's face, the desperation in his movements. He couldn't hold out much longer.

Caden gave a sharp nod, and they both moved at once, flanking the shadow from either side. Jasmine struck low, aiming for his legs while Caden swung high, aiming for his shoulder. But the shadow was ready. He spun, his cloak billowing out like dark wings, and deflected both attacks in one fluid motion.

The force of his counterattack sent Jasmine stumbling back, her dagger slipping from her hand. She hit the ground hard, her breath knocked from her lungs as pain shot through her side.

"Jasmine!" Caden's voice was frantic, but she could only manage a gasp as she struggled to regain her footing. The shadow loomed over her now, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction.

"This is where it ends," he said, raising his sword for the final strike.

But just as the blade descended, Torin threw himself between Jasmine and the shadow, his sword catching the strike at the last second. The force of it sent both men stumbling, and in that brief moment, Jasmine saw her chance.

Grabbing her fallen dagger, she lunged forward, aiming for the shadow's exposed side. Her blade found its mark, sinking into his armor with a sickening crunch.

The shadow let out a sharp hiss of pain, his eyes flaring with fury. He staggered back, clutching his side, blood seeping through his armor. But even wounded, he wasn't finished. His gaze locked onto Jasmine with a promise of vengeance, his movements slower but no less dangerous.

Caden rushed to her side, helping her to her feet. "We have to go. Now!"

Torin, bleeding and battered, nodded in agreement. "This isn't over. We'll face him again… but not here."

With one final glance at the shadow, who was now retreating into the darkness, they made their escape, disappearing into the forest just as the first light of dawn broke through the trees.

The deserter's mark had brought them to the edge of death, but they had survived. For now.

But Jasmine knew, deep down, that the shadow would return. And next time, he would not come alone.