[Ahead]

The flickering firelight cast long, wavering shadows, illuminating the man's face in eerie half-light. His dark brown eyes, sharp as tempered steel, swept over them with quiet intensity. Golden-brown hair, tousled and tangled from wind and struggle, framed a face streaked with grime and dried blood. His clothes—tattered, stained, and torn—clung to his lean frame, each scarlet smear hinting at battles fought in the darkness.

Kael and Zarek stood rigid, their grip on their daggers tightening unconsciously. Zarek, closer to the man, felt an unsettling sense of familiarity gnawing at the back of his mind. His instincts screamed at him to stay alert and not lower his guard, yet the man simply stood there, staring at them with those piercing eyes, neither hostile nor entirely friendly.

The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating, until at last, the man parted his lips.

"Zarek?"

The voice was rough, hoarse, yet unmistakable.

Kael's breath hitched as realization dawned.

Memories, buried under years of hardship and struggle, surfaced in rapid flashes. The slave quarters had never been kind to newcomers—weaklings were chewed up and discarded like scraps, and it had taken him and Zarek countless brawls, broken ribs, and split lips to carve out a place for themselves. Trust was rare, friendships rarer still.

But there had been one man—one stubborn, relentless man—who had stood apart from the rest.

Ethan.

He had not been born a slave. Unlike the rest of them, he had been free once, a traveler who had wandered the continent of Arlington in search of his lost sister. Fate had been cruel, leading him into the jaws of betrayal, framing him as a fugitive before finally throwing him into the same chains as them.

Yet even in captivity, he had never abandoned his search. He had questioned everyone, clung to the faintest rumors, scoured the camp for scraps of information, refusing to let despair consume him.

Kael wouldn't have called him a friend, but he had been… something close. A familiar presence in a world that had long since lost its warmth.

Zarek, blinking rapidly, let out a breathless chuckle, almost disbelieving. "Ethan? You… you're alive?" His voice wavered between relief and incredulity before he cleared his throat. "I mean, of course, you are. It's just—damn, this is unexpected."

Despite the initial wave of relief, unease clawed at his gut. Ethan was alive—but at what cost? The blood, the way his eyes carried a distant, almost haunted sharpness… something had changed.

And then his gaze shifted.

The girl slumped against Ethan's back, her long golden-brown hair spilling over his shoulder like a tattered veil. Her face was mostly hidden, her body limp with exhaustion.

Kael stepped forward, his voice firm but careful. "She's hurt, isn't she?"

Ethan's fingers flexed slightly against her legs, his expression darkening. "No." A pause. Then, quieter, "She's just… tired."

Zarek narrowed his eyes, his thoughts whirling. There was no doubt about it—the resemblance was striking. The same golden-brown hair, the same delicate features, albeit obscured by grime and exhaustion. His pulse quickened as he connected the final piece.

"Is she—?"

Ethan's jaw tightened, his silence answered enough.

Zarek let out a low whistle, shaking his head in disbelief. "So you actually found her…"

Kael, ever practical, turned towards the woods, nodding toward the narrow stream. "You reek of blood. There's a stream that way. Clean yourself up while we clear some space."

Ethan hesitated, then gave a slow nod before stepping into the shadows. The fire crackled between them as Kael and Zarek exchanged a look, neither speaking the thoughts running through their heads.

Kael ducked back inside the shelter, his steps swift and soundless as he closed the distance between himself and Zarek. Without warning, he grabbed Zarek by the collar, pulling him close to the chest. His voice was low but firm.

"Don't say a word to him about that fruit—or whatever the hell it was we ate. He's already seen the chest, so hiding it completely is pointless. But if he starts asking about the wooden boxes and notices that two of them are empty… only then do we tell him."

Zarek frowned, the weight of Kael's words settling in. "But… I don't think he's a bad guy," he murmured, uncertainty flickering in his gaze. "You remember how many times he pulled our asses out of trouble back at the factory when we were still getting used to that hellhole, right?"

Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pressed the last remaining 'fruit' deep inside the chest, burying it beneath a haphazard pile of weapons and armor before slamming the lid shut. Then, moving carefully, he positioned himself near a narrow crack in the rubble, just wide enough to peer through.

Outside, under the dim glow of the night sky, Ethan had propped his sister against a sturdy tree, ensuring she was settled before striding toward the stream. His movements were methodical as he dipped his hands into the flowing water, the blood washing away in swirling ribbons.

Kael motioned for Zarek to join him by the crack. As soon as Zarek leaned in, Kael spoke in a hushed, urgent tone.

"We crawled through mud and filth, barely making it out alive, while everyone else was torn apart like helpless cattle… but him?" Kael's jaw tensed. "Not a single bite mark. Barely a scratch." His voice dropped lower. "Do you really think those mad dogs just let him walk through?"

Zarek's breath hitched. Cold sweat pricked at the back of his neck. He hadn't considered it before—but now that he did, it sent a chill down his spine. He had seen firsthand what those creatures were capable of. And yet, Ethan had walked through the slaughter unscathed.

It wasn't just strange. It was unnatural.

Kael's gaze drifted toward the girl resting against the tree. His fingers tightened around the edge of the crack in the rubble. "And one more thing," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't remember his sister ever being in the factory."

Zarek stiffened.

"So how the hell did he find her here?"

Their eyes met, tension thick in the air.

Kael exhaled, straightening his back. "I want to trust him, but we can't let our guard down. Not yet. Let's hear what he has to say first. Then we decide our next move."

With that, Kael turned back to the interior of the shelter. He grabbed a bunch of large leaves he had collected earlier and began arranging them into a makeshift sleeping mat a little farther from their own bedding. The extra distance would provide some privacy—for both them and their guests.

'I need to change how I've lived until now…' The thought struck him suddenly, lingering in his mind. 'We're not slaves anymore.'

As he finished laying out the leaves, movement outside caught his eye.

Ethan had returned, his hands and face washed clean, though faint stains of blood still clung stubbornly to the torn fabric of his clothes. He no longer reeked of blood and sweat as much as before, but there was something about the way he carried himself—calm, unreadable—that unsettled Kael.

Ethan carefully lowered his sister onto the prepared leaves, adjusting her position so she could rest comfortably. For the first time, the firelight illuminated her face fully.

Kael's breath hitched slightly.

She was young—around his own age, maybe a little older. Her complexion was strikingly fair, her features sharp yet delicate, reminiscent of nobility. There was an elegance to her, even beneath the dirt and grime, even in the tattered clothes that barely clung to her frame.

How had someone like her ended up here?

Ethan settled beside the fire, silent and brooding.

Kael didn't speak right away. Instead, he reached into the pile of supplies and pulled out one of the 'apples'. Without a word, he tossed it toward Ethan.

"You must be hungry."

Ethan caught it effortlessly with his left hand. His fingers pressed into the fruit's skin, testing its texture, before he split it cleanly in two. The inside looked normal enough—pale flesh, glistening slightly under the flickering light.

A brief pause. Then, slowly, he took a bite.

The fire crackled softly, filling the silence between them.

The silence stretched between them, thick and unyielding, broken only by the soft crackling of the fire. The weight of unspoken thoughts lingered in the air.

Then, without hesitation, Zarek spoke up.

"So… how did you find your sister?"

Kael shot him a look—half surprised, half wary. The question had come out so naturally, so freely, as if they were merely chatting over a shared meal and not sitting in the middle of an unfamiliar wilderness. But Zarek seemed sure of himself, his expression steady.

Kael didn't press it. Instead, he leaned in, listening carefully.

Ethan exhaled, his gaze dropping to the flames. The flickering light cast deep shadows across his face, making his expression unreadable.

"We're not the only ones who've been brought to this place," he said finally, his voice low, measured. "There are others."

Zarek straightened at that, his eyes widening. "Others?"

A flicker of hope crossed his face, but Kael's stomach twisted at the thought.

Others.

That meant more people like them—former slaves. But not all of them had been victims of circumstance. A good number of them had been criminals before their capture. Murderers, thieves, worse. If they had been thrown into a lawless land where only strength dictated survival…

Kael didn't even want to imagine what had become of the weaker ones. The ones who couldn't fight back.

Ethan continued, his voice edged with something sharp and cold. "People who were brought here before us have formed a settlement. They've cleared out an area, one where no monsters roam. My sister was with them."

He paused, jaw tightening slightly. "She was taken there a month ago."

Zarek let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

For the first time since arriving in this godforsaken place, he felt something close to relief. He had dreaded the thought of being stranded in this forest forever—alone, fending for himself, constantly fearing for his life. The idea that there was a group, a place where humans had settled, was like catching sight of land after nearly drowning at sea.

Kael, too, felt a strange sense of release, though he didn't allow himself to fully indulge in it. The exhaustion, the isolation—it had been grinding him down. At the very least, if there was a settlement, there was a chance. A chance to find civilization. A chance to understand where they were and how to get out.

"The people inside that settlement?" Ethan's gaze darkened. "They're no better than beasts. The only reason they aren't tearing each other apart is because of their leader. He keeps them in check… for now. But trust me, it's not order—it's just a different kind of prison."

Kael felt his stomach tighten. He had suspected as much, but hearing it aloud made it all the more real. "Who's in charge?"

Ethan hesitated. "A man named Robert." His jaw tensed as he said the name, his voice laced with something darker than anger—something like fear.

"Robert?" Zarek repeated, narrowing his eyes. "That name sounds familiar."

"It should." Ethan's voice was low. "He was arrested for things so horrific even the authorities couldn't bury them. He's the reason that place exists in the first place."

Kael exchanged a glance with Zarek. This was worse than he thought. Slaves were already treated like animals. If someone like Robert was in charge of the ones stranded here, then their odds of survival had just plummeted.

His fingers curled into his palm as he looked toward his sister. She had shifted slightly in her sleep, her face now turned away, but there was something fragile in the way she lay there, as if she had barely escaped from something far worse than monsters.

"She was scouting the area with some others," Ethan murmured, his voice quieter now, almost distant. "If I hadn't been there…"

His words trailed off.

Kael could see it—the way Ethan's shoulders tensed, the way his jaw clenched as if forcing himself not to relive something unspeakable.

He didn't need to finish the sentence. The weight of what could have happened was heavy enough.

For the first time, Kael felt a flicker of genuine gratitude that Ethan had made it out of that place alive. Not just for himself—but for her.

And yet, the way Ethan spoke of the settlement…

Kael's unease only deepened. 

Kael had expected the world beyond slavery to be cruel, but this… this was something else.

He had seen men fight for scraps, had witnessed desperation turn humans into monsters. He had endured pain, betrayal, and degradation, but through it all, he had clung to the last fragments of his father's teachings. Principles. Morals. They were the only things that had kept him from losing himself.

Now, for the first time, he was free.

But freedom meant more than just escaping chains. It meant choices.

And Kael had already made his.

Gone were the days of following orders like a beaten dog. Gone were the nights spent fearing the dawn, knowing it only brought more suffering. He refused to remain at the bottom of the barrel, waiting to be crushed under someone else's boot.

He wasn't just going to survive.

He was going to rise.

For the longest time, he had dreamed of nothing but a simple life—one where he and Zarek could live in peace, far from the horrors of their past. But reality had proven that a normal life wasn't always a safe one. He had once been an ordinary boy, innocent of any crime. And still, he had been stripped of everything, thrown into a world where strength was the only currency.

If normalcy meant being weak—if it meant being vulnerable—then he wanted no part of it.

Beside him, Zarek was lost in his own thoughts.

Unlike Kael, he wasn't the most cunning of minds. He didn't analyze every situation with cold logic. But what he lacked in calculation, he made up for in raw courage. He had been the one to throw himself headfirst into fights, never backing down, no matter the odds.

And through every one of those brawls, Kael had always been there, watching his back.

Zarek didn't know what Kael was thinking, not entirely. But he did know one thing—he would follow him anywhere.

Kael had never steered him wrong before. And even if the path ahead was uncertain, even if it led them into a firestorm, Zarek would walk it with him. Because Kael was the only person in this world he trusted.

The fire crackled, filling the silence between them.

Then, Kael spoke.

"Did you kill those dogs?"

Zarek stiffened slightly. The question was blunt, direct. He wasn't sure how Ethan would take it.

Ethan lifted his head slowly, his dark eyes locking onto Kael's. There was no hesitation in his gaze—only a quiet, unwavering intensity. He didn't blink, didn't waver.

Kael held his stare, refusing to look away.

Then, finally, Ethan nodded.

"Yes," he said, his voice calm, unshaken. "But there are worse things in that grass field."

Kael felt something settle inside him—an understanding, a confirmation of what he had already suspected.

But before he could press further, Ethan spoke again.

"To save my sister," he said, "I had to take care of a few people."

His voice was steady, but there was a weight to his words, something grim lurking beneath them.

Kael didn't miss it.

Ethan continued, "I'm sure the news has already reached their leader. And I know him."

His expression darkened.

"His name is Robert."

Kael noticed the way Ethan's hands curled into fists at the mention of the name. Zarek, too, shifted uncomfortably.

"The last thing I heard about him," Ethan went on, "was that he got arrested for being a complete psychopath. And I mean the kind that even the government couldn't cover up. The kind that had too many bodies behind him to just 'disappear' like most criminals do."

He turned his gaze toward Zarek, his expression grave.

"I'm sure he'll come looking for me in a few days. And if he finds out I'm alive, he'll want me dead."

His fingers tapped against his knee absentmindedly before he added, "I don't know if I can beat him."

A heavy silence followed.

Then, in a quieter tone, Ethan said, "But you two? He'll let you join him."

The words hung in the air like a foul stench.

Before Zarek could even react, Kael scoffed.

"We're not joining him."

The conviction in his voice left no room for argument. Zarek nodded firmly, his answer already decided.

A ghost of a smile flickered across Ethan's face.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I figured as much."

He leaned back slightly, exhaling.

"That's why I have an offer."

Kael and Zarek exchanged glances before turning back to him. Their anticipation was obvious.

Ethan let the firelight dance across his fingers before speaking.

"Let's make an alliance," he said. "And find a way out of this damn forest."

Kael leaned forward slightly, analyzing every word.

An alliance.

It wasn't a bad idea. In fact, it was probably the smartest move they could make right now.

Three people stood a better chance than two.

And in this kind of world, numbers meant everything.

Kael studied Ethan's face, searching for any sign of deception, but there was none. Just that same cold determination he had seen before.

Zarek, as expected, was already nodding.

"I'm in," he said without hesitation.

Kael let out a slow breath.

There was no going back to their old lives. No returning to the past.

Only forward.

His gaze met Ethan's, and he extended his hand.

"Fine," he said. "Let's do this."

Ethan grasped it firmly.

A silent agreement. A shared goal.

Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

And for the first time since arriving in this nightmarish place…

Kael didn't feel like he was alone.