Chapter 25:
The sound of laughter filled the air.
Dozens of children ran across the wide courtyard in front of a large stone building. Some played tag, others kicked a worn leather ball, while a few sat under a tree sharing bits of food and childish stories. The air was filled with energy, joy, and carefreeness that only children could have.
Among them was a young boy with platinum hair and fair skin. He moved quietly along the edge of the crowd, his steps light and deliberate. His movements were cautious, his eyes darting around to make sure no one saw him.
He wasn't playing like the others. He was sneaking away.
He slipped through the side gate and onto the narrow streets of the small town. The houses here were old, their roofs patched with uneven tiles, and the walls bore marks of age. The boy's steps quickened as he moved through the alleys, his excitement clear from the faint smile that formed on his lips.
He ran until he reached the edge of town. There, among a cluster of half-collapsed houses, stood a building that looked long abandoned. Its windows were cracked, and its door hung loosely on one hinge.
The boy approached it quietly, his breathing uneven from the run. He stopped by one of the broken windows and peered inside.
Inside the dusty room was a woman lying on a bed. Her body was thin, her face pale. Her gaze was distant, unfocused, as if she was lost somewhere far away. The faint sound of her slow breathing filled the silence.
The boy pressed a hand against the window frame, his lips trembling.
"Mama," he whispered softly, his voice filled with both warmth and pain.
For a moment, the woman's eyes seemed to flicker as if she had heard something familiar. But then, her gaze returned to emptiness.
The boy smiled weakly, a mixture of joy and sadness flickering in his expression.
Then, everything faded.
—
Adrian woke up with a sharp breath. His heart was pounding, and for a second, he couldn't tell where he was. The sound of rain dripping from the cave roof reminded him.
He sat up, running a hand across his forehead. His platinum hair was stained with dried blood, and his head ached dully. He pressed his fingers against his temples, groaning under his breath.
"Another dream," he muttered quietly. His voice was hoarse, almost lost in the sound of the rain outside.
He looked to his side.
Aldric was awake, sitting by the cave entrance. When Adrian moved, Aldric turned slightly, their eyes meeting.
Neither spoke, but that brief exchange was enough. They both understood—there was no need for words.
Without wasting time, they stood up, gathered their things, and stepped back into the gray light of morning.
The rain had stopped, though the ground was still wet and muddy. The wind carried the smell of damp soil and moss. The storm from the night before had passed, leaving the world eerily quiet.
They continued their journey through the mountain paths. The Blood Fang region stretched endlessly before them—rugged cliffs, sharp stones, and narrow trails that twisted like veins through the rocky terrain.
But the two men pressed on.
Hours passed. The sun crawled slowly across the sky, though its light was pale and weak, filtered through layers of cloud.
Aldric walked a few paces ahead, silent as usual. His movements were precise and steady, showing no unnecessary energy wasted. Adrian followed close behind, his armor clinking softly with each step.
Neither of them spoke much. They didn't need to.
By afternoon, the oppressive air that had hung over them for days began to lighten. The outline of distant green hills could be seen through the mist.
Aldric stopped and glanced back. "Another day," he said quietly. "By tomorrow, we'll be out of the Blood Fang region."
Adrian nodded. "Finally."
The faintest trace of relief crossed both their faces.
By nightfall, they were already close to the border. The sky above was a deep shade of violet, stars hidden behind thick clouds. They decided to stop and rest for a while.
Aldric took the first watch while Adrian leaned back against a boulder, trying to get some sleep.
The night air was cool. Insects chirped faintly in the distance, their sounds mingling with the whispering wind.
Aldric moved quietly through the area, scouting the surroundings. He climbed up a small rise to get a better view. From there, the entire valley spread before him—dark mountains on all sides, and beyond them, the faint outline of open plains. Freedom was so close he could almost taste it.
But as his eyes swept across the land, something caught his attention.
A distant shadow moved unnaturally against the night sky. It was large—too large—and the way it shifted made Aldric's heart tighten.
At first, he thought it was a trick of his tired mind. Maybe a cloud drifting across the moon. But then, another gust of wind blew, and the shape became clearer.
Huge, dark wings.
Moving slowly. Deliberately.
His breath caught in his throat. Cold dread spread through his body.
He didn't waste another second. He turned sharply and sprinted down the slope, his boots splashing mud as he ran back to their resting spot.
Adrian was already half awake when Aldric arrived. Seeing the expression on Aldric's face, he immediately stood up.
"What happened?"
Aldric didn't hesitate. He looked Adrian straight in the eyes, his voice steady but cold.
"We're being followed."
Adrian's grip tightened around his sword. "What do you mean?"
Aldric's tone grew even quieter, almost a whisper—but there was no mistaking the fear buried beneath it.
"It's the same one," he said. "The moth."
For a long second, silence filled the space between them. The only sound was the faint rush of the wind and the distant echo of thunder rolling across the mountains.
Adrian's jaw clenched. "So it's not over yet."
Aldric didn't answer.
Far above, the clouds shifted—and just for a brief moment, the faint outline of vast, dark wings moved across the sky.
The nightmare they thought they had escaped was still with them.
And it was closing in.
A/N: here's chapter 25 also I'll try my best to release chapter 26 today and of course support me with power stones