Three days had passed since Arthur had arrived in town. In that time, Kael had completed his preparations and was ready to set out. At sunset, as the orange sunlight painted the stone streets of the town red, he stepped through the door of the guild hall. The building was uncharacteristically quiet, a few hunters whispering amongst themselves in the corners.
Kael went straight to Ronan. Ronan stood up when he saw him, his gaze as serious as ever. There was no need to say much between them.
"Is the horse ready?" Kael asked in a short voice.
Ronan nodded and handed him the key to the stable. Then he spoke without hesitation:
"I know you'll be careful... but I'm telling you anyway, always be on your guard. It's the capital. It's not like here." Ronan took a short breath and continued, lowering his voice a little more: "And don't... mess with a noble. No one knows how you'll end up."
Kael said nothing. Their eyes met. Then he took the key, shook his head slightly and left the building. The sky was already darkening. He had a long journey ahead of him, three to four days.
After leaving the guild hall at sunset, Kael headed for the main road heading west. It was getting dark fast and a few faint stars appeared in the sky. His horse's footsteps pounded heavily on the dry earth and silence fell around him. The journey to the capital would take several days, but Kael took his time. He was careful and cautious. He moved silently, like a man whose every step bore the scars of past raids, betrayals and losses.
He stopped every two or three hours along the way. Sometimes he rested the horse, sometimes he rested himself and observed the surroundings. When he found a stream lying on the side of the road, he stopped. He knelt down, pulled out his fishing rod and caught a few fish. He kept the fire small, using dry branches to keep the smoke down. As he cleaned and cooked the fish, his eyes often drifted to the forest. He was not alone, but he was not aware of anyone.
After eating the fish, he put out the fire, covered the ashes with earth and set off again. The moonlight illuminated the road a little. The air was cool, but he was used to these journeys. Silence, solitude and caution... These were part of him now.
Hours passed. As faint lights began to appear on the horizon, Kael realized he was approaching the nearest town. The sunrise had just begun. The sky was a pale shade between gray and blue, and birdsong could be heard in the distance. The streets were still deserted as he turned onto the town's cobbled road. But because it was an important gateway on the road to the capital, it was alive around the clock.
Kael heard a few rumors before he found an inn. In the small square at the entrance to the town, a group of men were talking. They were talking about a "mysterious hunter who roamed the forests".
And Kael would hear that name more clearly in the coming hours: Orion.
Kael had rested for a few hours on the way to the town where the Broken Dagger guild was located. He was almost in town. He planned to enter an inn to spend the night there. As soon as he reached the town, he tiredly made his way to an inn and glanced at the crowd inside. The place was full of townspeople and hunters from the capital. Since the Broken Dagger guild cooperated with the capital, there were always hunters from the capital in the guild. In the busy atmosphere inside the inn, Kael first thought about buying some food and supplies.
He had just placed his order when the shouts of a capital hunter drew all attention.
"You peasant!" the hunter shouted, his voice loud and angry.
Kael looked in the direction of the voice and noticed that the hunter's clothes were wet. His drink had spilled all over the hunter from the capital and now the hunter was shouting angrily. "Fucking peasant, I won't let you get away with this!"
The boy looked at the hunter with fear in his eyes and tried to apologize, but the hunter would not listen to him. Inside the inn, no one dared to intervene. Kael knew it was dangerous to interfere with the capital's hunters. But as the boy fell to the ground in pain, Kael felt like he couldn't take it anymore.
Just then, someone passed by, and Kael paused to stare at him. That person had caught his attention. Just as the hunter from the capital was about to kick the boy, he stopped. His feet suddenly froze.
Before the hunter could say how dare you, he received an icy punch in the face and was quickly pinned against the wall of the inn. Kael watched in amazement and a bit of happiness. This young man was so strong that he had turned the tables on the hunter's rage in an instant.
Kael's eyes shifted to the young man who met his frozen blue gaze. There was meaning in his eyes. In an instant, he thought how much things could change.
As Kael watched in silence, his eyes were fixed on the newcomer. With his dull blue eyes and ice-covered fist, he knocked the hunter to the ground, changing the mood inside the inn. The people were still silent with fear, but they were watching out of the corner of their eyes. Kael stood up and walked with heavy steps towards the young man who had gone to the boy.
As the youth checked on the condition of the boy who had collapsed, Kael called out to him:
"Good shot."
The youth looked up. He saw the determination in Kael's eyes. He stood up.
"I only taught a lesson to those who deserved it," he said in a calm but firm tone.
Kael paused for a moment. "May I ask your name?"
"Orion," said the youth. "I was born here... but even this place doesn't belong to me anymore."
Kael frowned. He was intrigued by that sentence. "You look strong, but you don't act like a capital."
Without averting his eyes, Orion said, "The capital did not accept me. I am just a burden to them," he said. "Now I just live in the forest, looking for a place of my own."
After a short silence, Kael shook his head slightly. "I have a trip to the capital. I was planning to go alone, but... someone like you might come in handy on the road."
Orion looked skeptical. "Do you trust me?"
Kael studied Orion's gaze carefully. There was a kind of loneliness and disappointment in the young man's eyes, just as there was in his own. After a moment of silence, Kael replied coolly:
"I have to trust. It won't be easy to get to the capital and someone like you can be more useful in case of dangers on the way."
Orion thought about what Kael had said. Moving on, finding a companion, testing his trust in him... it was all a complex equation. But then he thought about the feeling of loneliness and the harsh conditions of the forest; maybe it wasn't really right to go alone.
"Comradeship is not easy," Orion said, still a little wary. "When we walk together, we have to protect each other. But, without knowing you, what part of you can I trust?"
Kael smiled, seeing Orion's skeptical look, but his smile was short-lived. It was not a weak smile, just a slight impression. Then, sternly, he said, "We have to trust each other on the journey. Cooperation is necessary to survive together. In my way, people like you are necessary. But you must remember, we will all be tested with each other. Trusting... will not be easy."
Orion felt the determination in Kael's gaze and the weight of his words. Somehow the strength and determination in Kael affected him. He was not like most people. Kael looked like someone who had been through wars and had survived the most difficult times. That was a different kind of confidence for Orion.
"All right," Orion said, still cautious, but with obvious acceptance. "But be careful, it's not always easy going on the road with you. Some things will be hard to accept, others hard to reject."
Kael nodded and smiled slowly. "I already expect that, but as I said, it will be hard to go alone. If we travel together, we have a better chance."
Orion thought for a few seconds, then said coldly, "Understood. Then let's continue on the road together."
Kael nodded and put his feet back on the path. "Be ready. The journey to the Capital is not only a journey of courage, but also of wisdom and endurance."
They both set off in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts about the dangers and opportunities that lay ahead. But one thing was certain: this journey would be one of the turning points of their lives.
Kael knew that taking Orion with him was only a strategy. Being alone in a difficult situation could always be risky. But more importantly, Orion's courage to stand up to the capital's hunters had caught Kael's attention.At this time, there were few, if any, who could stand against the power of the capital. Orion had become, in Kael's eyes, an invaluable asset.
Kael had one goal in mind: To somehow use this power to his advantage when he got to the Capital. But it wasn't enough to be powerful; strategy, support and testimony were also necessary. Orion's possession of these qualities created an important opportunity for Kael. Using him as a comrade and building up support against the power of the capital was a big part of Kael's plans.
As they traveled, Kael's determination grew stronger. Orion's strength and courage had the potential to change the game in the capital. But Kael saw it only as a strategy. It was certain that more things would change between the two of them, more tests would be passed. But right now, Orion's presence was an advantage for Kael on this road to the capital.
He turned to Orion and said, "It seems that there is a greater meaning in moving towards the capital. People like us are rare. When we get there, we won't be alone," he said.
Orion met Kael's gaze for a moment and then replied coldly: "I think so too, but remember, we must be careful every step of the way. We must trust no one."
Kael smiled, shaking his head. "Trust is a difficult thing. But comradeship is a strategy. And we have to overcome difficulties together."
They both set off, heading towards each other and towards the capital. But this journey was more than just getting from one place to another. Both Orion and Kael would teach each other more, and both would slowly discover how important a part of each other they were.
Kael turned to Orion and asked: "Why did you leave the capital?"
Orion frowned slightly, looking into Kael's eyes and answered: "Why do you ask?"
Kael thought silently for a moment and then continued calmly: "If we are to trust each other on this path, we must at least know a few things."
Orion smiled a little, but there was a bitterness in it. "Ah, you're right," he said. "Anyway, a story isn't worth much when you've been rejected on two counts."
And then, taking a deep breath, not wanting to betray the trust Kael had placed in him, he shared his dark memories of the capital:
"The capital offered me the money it promised. I was born with the element of ice, but it was too common in the capital. Therefore, my skills were not considered sufficient. I was not accepted in raids, I waited for a long time, but nothing changed. No matter how hard I tried, no one took me seriously. I just became a burden, an extra weight to be carried."
As Kael listened intently to Orion's words, the young man's gaze drifted off into space. "But in the end, I was ostracized from the capital," Orion continued. "The hope in me slowly faded away. The place I came from no longer belonged to me. I left my hometown, but going back didn't make sense to them either. Then one night, I decided to go back, but the town rejected me. From then on, I started living on my own in the forest. As long as I tried to survive in the capital, I realized I had no real home, so I chose to be here."
Kael was about to open his mouth and say something when suddenly they were surrounded. He immediately tried to estimate their number; there were 8, maybe 10 of them. But the problem was that Kael had not sensed an aura. He hadn't sensed the presence of the surrounding people, which meant that these men were not the kind of hunters he would normally encounter. They had either not undergone an increase or were following a very different path.
Orion stopped immediately and looked around carefully. Seeing that Kael's attention was fully focused on him, he soon shook his head slightly and said, "This is the Poison gang," his voice as hard and cold as a threat.
Kael kept his eyes steady and studied the men around him. They were all surrounded by gloom, their eyes as watchful as a hunter's. The weapons were concealed in their hands and each was eerily silent.As they watched each other's movements, the change in Kael was not noticeable at all.
"Poison gang?" Kael couldn't stop himself from turning to Orion and asking.
Orion smiled slightly as he met Kael's calm but attentive gaze. "Yes," he replied. "In the underworld of the Capital, this gang is the most devious and experienced group known. They are strong, fast and often work alone. But no one touches them. They are so powerful because they don't worry about their losses. They only have goals."
Kael continued to stare intently at the men around him. "So we have to make a deal," he said, no hesitation in his voice.
The leader of the poison gang marveled at Kael's composure. "A deal?" he replied with a smile. "It's a nice offer, but you should know that a man who wants to go all the way to the capital has to offer something before he can make a deal with us."
Kael dismounted and walked one step ahead of the leader of the Poison gang. As he approached slowly, he spoke calmly: "I don't want any trouble for no reason, please let us pass."
The anger on the leader's face was evident, but Kael saw the offer as a taunt, which made him angry. "You said you'd make a deal, brat!" he said quickly, anger trembling in his voice.
Kael smiled at the leader's angry look. "I'm doing it," he said. "If we cross this road, you will survive. But if we don't, you will be our prey."
The leader's face flushed, biting his lips, he quickly drew his dagger and threw it at Kael. Just as he was about to attack, Orion prepared to move quickly, but Kael took a step forward and a mighty gust of wind exploded. Everyone flew into a corner, members of the Poison gang were thrown to the ground.
Kael quickly drew his sword and parried the leader's dagger. His steel sword flashed through the air, breaking the dagger with one blow. The dagger fell from the leader's hand and Kael threw it to the ground. Then he raised his hand stiffly to the leader's chest, a murderous expression in his eyes. "Get out of my sight," he said coldly. Then he delivered a terrible punch to the leader's stomach.
The leader began to be dragged for meters without a will. The rest of the members of the poison gang began to scatter in terror, not knowing what to do. A somber silence echoed everywhere as Kael took control of the situation.
Orion, staring at Kael in bewilderment, asked out loud: "Are you... divine?"
As Orion marveled at Kael's power, he began to ask question after question. "What... what did you do? How did you do it?"
Kael answered calmly, "Have you never seen divine power in your life?"
"Of course not," Orion said, shaking his head in bewilderment. "I've only heard of divine power in rumors. Supposedly it consumes a lot of mana, so it's difficult to use. It's the rarest of the species, but it's really hard to use.But he could neutralize 50 people with one move."
Kael smiled slightly, considering what Orion had said. "Rumors sometimes don't reflect the truth," he said. "But yes, such powers are quite rare."
Orion asked, looking at Kael's sword: "Why do you use such a sword? It's an old-style sword. Can it cut several dozen people at once?"
Kael answered calmly. "I practiced with this sword, I got used to it."
Orion considered Kael's answer for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "I stopped believing in the Yalar at the age of 8," he said, pouting a little.
Kael smiled at Orion's words, but continued walking without saying anything. Then, after a while, the silhouette of the capital palace began to appear on the horizon. Orion, tired, was about to say, "We need some rest," but Kael said, "Our arrival is imminent."
It was only a short distance ahead of them and the capital was now in sight.
Note: Hi if you liked the episode or if there is something you think is missing please let me know in the comments, I am a new writer and I value your opinion😀