Kael moved quickly through the forests outside Red Hollow, every sense honed to a razor's edge. The assassin in silver had disappeared into the trees, vanishing like mist—but Kael was not done.
He never left a name unfinished.
Selra Vint still breathed.
And now, someone was protecting his enemies.
---
Flashback – Six Years Ago
A younger Kael, a captain in the King's Honor Guard, stood before a war council.
A man in silver stood beside him—face masked, eyes hidden.
"His name is Veylan," the general had said. "One of our shadows. Trust him with your life."
Kael had.
For five years.
Until the night Kael's village burned—and Veylan disappeared.
---
Present – Deep in the Wildwood
Kael found signs—broken branches, disturbed moss, the faintest trace of perfume. Selra had been carried, not fleeing. The masked assassin had taken her north.
To the border mountains.
To a place Kael knew well: The Hollow Fortress—a forgotten stronghold once used by the Shadow Guard.
He traveled fast. Days without rest. Eyes sharp. Heart cold.
Every step forward was a step deeper into the past.
---
Three Days Later — Hollow Fortress
He stood at the base of the cliff as snow fell around him. Above, half-buried in stone and time, rose the jagged ruins of the fortress.
A place of betrayal.
He climbed in silence.
Inside, old banners hung in tatters. The air smelled of rust and rot. Kael's memories clawed at him, each stone echoing a time when he still believed in honor.
He found her in a cell—Selra. Pale, bruised, gagged.
Alone.
He didn't speak. Just picked the lock.
She looked at him, trembling.
"You came back?"
"I never leave things unfinished."
---
But as he turned—
A sword met his.
The masked assassin appeared from the shadows.
Kael was ready.
Their blades clashed again—this time, Kael pushed harder. "Veylan. Is that you?" he demanded.
The assassin paused for just a breath.
Kael ripped the mask off.
And froze.
It wasn't Veylan.
It was a woman.
Young. Eyes like storms. A scar across her lips.
"I'm not Veylan," she said coldly. "But he trained me."
Kael gritted his teeth. "Then where is he?"
She stepped back into the dark, voice like ice.
"He's waiting for you. At the end of your list."
To be continue...