The Unseen Path

Kael woke with a weight pressing down on his chest. His limbs felt sluggish, his breath slow. The mark on his skin wasn't burning, but it wasn't gone either. It felt... heavy, like something had coiled around his body, waiting.

The whispers that had tormented him before were still there, but different. Muted. Watching.

Ronan sat nearby, arms crossed, staring at Kael like he was some kind of experiment.

"Good, you're up. Thought maybe you finally keeled over from whatever eldritch parasite you've got crawling in your head." His tone was light, but his eyes weren't.

Kael sat up, rolling his shoulder. He still felt like something was off. Wrong.

Ronan suddenly flicked his wrist, sending a light was still hunting them.

The moment they stepped onto the streets, a strange sensation crawled up Kael's spine.

Something was... off.

Buildings flickered at the edges of his vision, distorting for a split second before snapping back into place. He saw a street that didn't exist—then it was gone. A shadow shifted, but there was nothing there.

His breath caught in his throat.

Ronan noticed. "You good?"

Kael clenched his jaw. "Fine."

He wasn't fine. But he wasn't about to explain that the world was twisting at the edges of his perception.

The deeper they moved into the city, the stronger the feeling became—someone was following them.

Kael kept his voice low. "We're being watched."

Ronan didn't argue. His instincts told him the same thing.

They didn't run. That would confirm their suspicions. Instead, they moved. Cutting through side streets, shifting their paths, leading whoever was tailing them into a maze of alleys.

Then Kael's stomach dropped.

His body moved before he could think.

An arrow embedded itself in the brick wall beside him, the sound sharp and sudden. If he hadn't dodged—

Ronan swore. "Oh, come on!"

A figure emerged from the shadows. They weren't dressed like the organization's enforcers. Their stance was too relaxed, their posture too confident.

They wore a dark coat, their face partially obscured by a high collar. Eyes sharp. Focused. Studying.

Then they spoke, voice calm. "Fascinating. You reacted before the arrow even left my hand."

Kael tensed.

They knew.

Ronan was already moving. He didn't care for cryptic words—only action. He lunged.

The tracker sidestepped effortlessly, like they had known exactly where Ronan would strike. Ronan adjusted, twisting mid-air, his fist enhanced, ready to land a devastating blow.

It never landed.

The tracker moved first, positioning themselves just out of range before flicking a blade toward Ronan's throat.

Kael moved before he could think. His body reacted—not to what was happening, but to what was about to happen.

His foot shifted. His shoulder dropped. He grabbed Ronan, pulling him just as the blade sliced through air.

The tracker's gaze flickered with interest.

"So it's already happening," they murmured.

Kael's breath was shallow. He wasn't fast enough to see everything. But he saw... glimpses. Fragments.

Ronan pulled himself free. "Enough talking."

The fight continued. But something became clear—this wasn't just skill.

The tracker wasn't stronger than Ronan, but they always seemed to be ahead. Always a step away from danger. Always positioned to strike just when it was least expected.

Ronan gritted his teeth. "They're reading my moves."

Kael clenched his fists. "No. They already know them."

The fight never reached its conclusion.

The tracker stepped back, seemingly losing interest. They sheathed their weapon and tilted their head.

"This was never my mission." Their gaze locked onto Kael. "You'll come to us soon enough. Whether you want to or not."

Then, in a single motion, they disappeared into the city's labyrinth, their presence fading like mist.

Ronan exhaled sharply. "What the hell was that?"

Kael didn't answer. He was still staring at where they had vanished.

You'll come to us soon enough.

Who were they? And how much did they know about him?

They moved to a quieter spot, but the tension between them remained.

Ronan finally snapped. "Enough of this. I don't care what kind of weird shit you've got going on, but if you're hiding something from me—"

Kael stayed silent.

Ronan exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't expect me to save your ass if this gets worse."

Kael didn't argue.

Because, deep down, he wasn't sure he'd be able to save himself either.