Chapter 2: Into the Unknown

The howls of the nightstalkers tore through the night, each echoing snarl a cruel reminder that death was just a step behind them.

Raine had never run this fast in his life. He leaped over roots, dodged thick tree trunks, and barely kept pace with Sylara as she weaved through the dense forest with inhuman agility. His breath burned in his throat, his legs screaming in protest, but stopping meant dying.

"Where—are—we—going?!" he panted between strides.

Sylara didn't answer. Instead, she abruptly changed direction, veering toward a break in the trees. A rushing sound filled the air, growing louder as they ran.

Then, suddenly—the forest ended.

Raine barely stopped himself from tumbling over the edge of a steep, rocky incline leading down to a fast-moving river. The moon's light reflected off the rushing water, revealing a fallen tree stretching across it, forming a precarious bridge.

Sylara didn't hesitate. She bounded onto the tree trunk, her balance perfect as she darted across.

"Move!" she shouted over her shoulder.

Raine swallowed hard. His balance was... not great. And the last thing he wanted was to fall into a raging river while monsters were at his back.

But hesitation wasn't an option.

Steeling himself, he climbed onto the slippery bark and took cautious steps forward. The river roared beneath him, its current strong enough to carry away anything that fell in. His arms flailed slightly as he tried to steady himself.

Then—movement behind him.

He turned just in time to see one of the nightstalkers lunge from the trees. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, muscles tensed for a deadly pounce.

"Crap, crap, crap—"

The beast leaped.

Raine reacted on pure instinct. He threw himself forward just as the nightstalker's claws raked the air where he'd stood. The sudden movement sent him skidding across the trunk, barely managing to hook his arm around a thick branch to stop himself from falling.

The creature, however, wasn't as lucky. It overshot its attack and plunged straight into the river. With a furious yelp, it was swept away, its glowing eyes vanishing beneath the waves.

Raine didn't have time to celebrate. Another nightstalker was already scrambling onto the log, claws sinking into the bark as it prowled toward him.

"Keep going!" Sylara shouted.

Heart pounding, Raine pulled himself up and half-ran, half-crawled the rest of the way. The moment his feet hit solid ground, Sylara lunged forward, slashing at the incoming beast with a sharp, precise arc of her sword. The nightstalker snarled, backing away from the blade's glowing edge.

Then—another howl.

More of them were coming.

"We need to keep moving!" Sylara grabbed Raine's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it—no stopping," he grumbled, stumbling as he followed her deeper into the trees.

They ran until their muscles ached and the snarls of the nightstalkers faded into the distance. Only then did Sylara finally slow, her breathing still controlled despite the chase.

Raine, on the other hand, collapsed onto a large rock, gasping for air. "Holy hell... that was not fun."

Sylara eyed him but said nothing as she scanned their surroundings. They were in a clearing now, the ground covered in soft moss. Moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting an eerie silver glow over the landscape. It was strangely quiet.

Too quiet.

Sylara's hand remained on the hilt of her sword. "We shouldn't stay here long."

Raine groaned. "Can't we just take five minutes? I think I'm actually dying."

She hesitated, then finally sighed. "Fine. But only for a moment."

Raine flopped onto his back, staring up at the unfamiliar constellations. "So. Want to tell me what those things were?"

"Nightstalkers," Sylara said. "Hunters of the dark. They shouldn't have been this far south. Something must be pushing them out of their territory."

"Great. Love that for us," Raine muttered. "Any other fun monsters I should know about?"

Sylara remained silent. That was not reassuring.

After a few moments, she tossed him a piece of dried meat from her pack. He caught it clumsily, inspecting it before taking a hesitant bite. It was tough but oddly flavorful, like smoked venison.

"So," he said between chews, "you're pretty good with a sword."

Sylara didn't respond right away. She simply sat with her back against a tree, eyes still scanning the forest.

"I was trained," she said finally.

"Yeah, no kidding," Raine snorted. "You fight like a—" He stopped, narrowing his eyes. "Actually, you fight exactly like a noble warrior. Or... I don't know, a princess."

Sylara's head snapped toward him so fast he thought she might attack.

"What did you say?" she asked, her voice dangerously low.

Raine blinked. "Uh... it was a joke? You're all elegant and sword-y, like some runaway princess or something."

Sylara's gaze lingered on him, unreadable. Then she turned away, her expression carefully neutral.

"You talk too much," she muttered.

Raine frowned. That's not a denial.

But before he could press further, a sound rustled through the trees. This time, it wasn't a growl.

It was voices.

Sylara was on her feet in an instant, motioning for Raine to stay quiet. He barely had time to register the movement before she pulled him behind the thick trunk of a tree.

A moment later, three figures emerged from the shadows, clad in dark armor. Their cloaks bore an unfamiliar sigil—a silver crest shaped like intertwining vines. They moved with purpose, scanning the ground, as if tracking something.

"Her trail leads here," one of them said.

Raine stiffened. Her?

Another soldier crouched, inspecting the moss. "She won't be far. The princess must be found before dawn."

Raine turned his head slowly to Sylara, whose face had gone rigid.

He didn't need to ask.

He already knew.

She was a runaway princess.

And now, people were hunting her.

Sylara grabbed Raine's arm, her grip tight. "We need to leave. Now."

No arguments there.

They moved carefully, slipping through the trees as silently as possible. The armored men continued their search, unaware of their presence—for now. But they wouldn't be blind forever.

As they crept deeper into the woods, Raine's mind raced. He had stumbled into this world with no clue what was happening. But now, things were becoming clearer.

He wasn't just traveling with an elf girl.

He was traveling with a fugitive princess.

And if she was running... that meant something—or someone—was after her.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Raine felt a cold chill that had nothing to do with the night air.

He had no idea what he'd just gotten himself into.

But there was no turning back now.