Kael Veyth's cold voice still echoed in the air:
"You let a little girl die with your own hands... didn't you? I can bring that memory back for you."
Aarya froze completely. His breath was heavy, and for a moment, his Granthnishaan glowed an intense red. In his mind, those tiny shattered memory shards flashed — a girl's scream, blood-soaked ground, and his own hands stained with blood.
"Shut up..." Aarya whispered, but there was a bit of compulsion in his voice, as if he was saying it more to himself.
Kael gave a slow smile, so calm it appeared even more dangerous. "Shut up? Aarya... this is your truth. The more you suppress it, the more your Granthnishaan will drift away from you. You know, right... your beast also accepts this darkness."
Feran immediately growled and stood in front of Aarya, his massive body tense. In a telepathic voice filled with anger, he said: "Aarya! Don't listen to him. He's trying to break you."
Riya gripped her blade tightly and stepped closer to Kael. "You don't belong here. This boy won't become like you."
Kael looked at Riya, and there was a strange amusement gleaming in his red eye. "You... becoming his protector? Riya, you can barely control yourself, and you've come to save him? Do you even know what he's done?"
Riya tightened her grip on her blade, but her face remained calm. "I'm not looking at his past… I'm only seeing who he is now."
Kael chuckled softly, with a dangerous calm. "Funny... you both think you'll survive with safe choices. But Bloodthorn Valley will break you, whether you like it or not."
...
Kael gave Aarya one last look and slowly stepped back. "I'm watching… how long you keep burning white. When you finally break, I'll be there."
And without a sound, he dissolved into the shadows, as if he was never there.
For a moment, the valley went completely silent. Only the faint crackling of the fire could be heard.
Aarya took a deep breath, but his hands were still slightly trembling. His Granthnishaan was slowly calming down, but a faint red line still glowed on his chest.
Riya looked at him and sheathed her blade. "Are you okay?"
Aarya looked at her and just nodded slowly. "I... just a little..."
Feran spoke in a gentler telepathic tone: "Your mind is stuck in his words, but you held your control. That is your strength."
Aarya gave a faint smile, but in his eyes, the shadow awakened by Kael's words still lingered.
...
The next morning, the valley felt even deeper and more ominous. The trees were more twisted, the thorns larger. Red petals were no longer floating in the air, they were still — as if waiting for something.
Riya said while walking ahead, "We're entering the second zone of Bloodthorn Valley. This part is more dangerous… and the beasts here can sense your emotions."
Aarya tightened his Granthnishaan after hearing her words. "So if I lose control...?
Riya just looked at him and said calmly, "Then they'll attack you first. That's why you must stay calm."
Feran growled and said in calm tone: "I'm tracking every scent. But both of you need to be extra alert."
Aarya and Riya walked side by side, occasionally exchanging brief conversations. For the first time, they were beginning to feel like a team.
...
As evening approached, Riya found a small clearing and decided to set up camp. Feran checked the area and growled to signal it was safe.
Sitting near the fire, Aarya said, "Do you think… Kael will come back?"
Riya looked at the fire and said in a calm tone, "He will… but you shouldn't fear him. The strength inside you sets you apart from him."
Feran teased through telepathic voice: "And maybe… your strength is also that for the first time, you're trusting someone else."
Aarya looked at Riya and gave a slight smile. "I trust you."
Riya looked at him for a moment and gave a soft, small smile — very faint, but genuine. "Me too."
...
The faint light of the fire fell on their faces. Between the valley trees, another shadow moved quietly — perhaps a beast, or maybe Kael watching them again.
Riya drew a small line in the dirt around the fire and said:
"From tomorrow, we'll enter the heart zone of the valley… and then the path to Firelands." Her voice was calm, but there was a hidden tension in her words.
Aarya looked at her, the firelight glowing on her face. "Heart zone? How dangerous is it?"
Riya looked him straight in the eyes. "It's home to the oldest beasts in the valley. What we saw at the Sentinel… was just a gatekeeper. The heart zone's guardians can reach deep into your emotions."
Feran growled and said telepathic: "Aarya, your control will be tested even more tomorrow. A single wrong emotion can awaken the entire zone."
Aarya placed his hand over his Granthnishaan, which now felt calm, but a faint warm throb could still be felt inside. "I'm ready."
Riya began drawing a rough sketch in the dirt with her finger. She made a circle and drew small lines around it.
"This is the basic route of Bloodthorn Valley," Riya explained. "We're currently in the outer ring. Tomorrow we go here—" she marked a small cross, "—into the inner ring. That's where the path to Firelands begins."
Aarya observed the rough map carefully. "And Firelands?"
Riya marked another cross slightly further up in the dirt. "That… for now is just a gateway for us. We'll think about it later."
Feran teased: "You humans love maps and planning. Beasts only need one thing—instinct. But maybe this is necessary for you."
Aarya smiled slightly at the comment. "Maybe both instincts and planning are needed."
Riya smiled faintly, then her face turned serious again. "From tomorrow, we move like we're in a maze. Every turn inside the valley will test you. You just have to trust me and your Granthnishaan."
Aarya nodded slowly. "I trust you."
For a moment, the firelight gleamed on both their faces, and there was a brief silence — but for the first time, that silence didn't feel uncomfortable.
...
Morning light filtered through the red fog. The air had a strange iron-like scent, as if the soil itself held blood.
Feran growled, his fur standing up. "The zone is changing. These trees feel alive."
And indeed… the branches of the trees were slowly swaying, not from the wind, but as if they moved by their own will. The red petals on the ground were still, but as soon as Aarya stepped forward, some petals began to shift faintly.
"The guardians here are watching your every move," Riya said softly, her blade ready.
Aarya tightened his Granthnishaan and tried to steady his breath. Feran was walking ahead of him, his paws sensing subtle vibrations in the ground.
...
As they reached a small clearing, a strange sound came from the soil — a tearing and pulling noise. From beneath the ground, root-like threads began to shoot out.
Feran jumped forward with a growl. "Aarya, guardians are here!"
Three small beast-like creatures emerged from the ground. Their bodies were entirely made of thorns, and their faces were blurry — as if they were formed from the valley's red soil itself.
"Thorncallers," Riya said instantly, "they track the rhythm of your heartbeat. If you get angry, they'll attack more fiercely."
Aarya tried to control his breathing. "No fast breaths… calm, Aarya… calm."
But one Thorncaller leapt straight at him, its thorny claws reaching forward. Feran immediately blocked its path, but a small thread wrapped around Aarya's sleeve.
For that moment, Aarya's heartbeat spiked. And as soon as his heart raced, another Thorncaller lunged at him.
Riya instantly stepped in front of him and in a clean motion slashed the thread with her blade. The threads snapped, and the beast roared and fell back.
"Stay in control! Your heartbeat is their signal!" Riya shouted.
Aarya normalized his breathing again and activated his Granthnishaan. Now he was calmly channeling his instincts — just like in the Sentinel fight. He caught one thread, traced its root, and burned it with his energy.
The Thorncaller dissolved into smoke with a roar.
The remaining two beasts saw this and retreated, then melted back into the ground — as if acknowledging that Aarya had passed their first test.
...
Riya approached him, her face calm, but her green eyes had a faint sparkle. "You did it. Your control is getting stronger."
Feran spoke in a gentle tone: "Maybe your greatest strength is that you're learning to stay calm even while fighting."
Aarya gave a faint smile and looked at Riya. "Because of you. Without you, maybe I..."
Riya cut him off, her tone softer than before. "You're strong on your own, Aarya. Now you just have to believe in yourself too."
Feran growled with a teasing tone: "And you two finally look like a real team."
Riya looked at Feran and gave a small soft smile. "Maybe we are."
...
As the three of them continued walking, the valley trees grew even more twisted and deep. The red petals were still static, but now had a faint glow — as if the valley itself was watching them.
Riya said softly, "Next part… is the outer gate of the Heart Zone. There'll be no turning back from there."
Aarya just nodded slowly. His Granthnishaan responded with a faint warm throb — as if it too was preparing for the next trial.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…