Everyone was asleep. Tiberku had fallen asleep leaning against the tree trunk, with his bow pressed to his chest. The elf had crouched next to the extinguished fire, his breathing trembling slightly. Even Renji, tied to the thick tree, had fallen into a restless sleep.
Suddenly, Renji twitched. He woke up abruptly, eyes wide open, breathing heavily. The darkness of the forest surrounded him, but the silence was not complete. The same cold, sharp voice echoed in his mind.
— "Kill them. Now. They are weak. Free yourself."
Renji felt the ropes like scorching chains on his skin. He tried to take a deep breath, telling himself he was dreaming. But the voice returned, stronger, with a commanding tone.
— "You have already tasted their blood. You cannot stop."
His eyes squeezed shut, and in that moment, the images burst forth. He saw his hands covered in blood, the sword raised, the heads of the two mercenaries falling to the ground. Every moment played out again, more vivid and brutal.
The images came chaotically. Renji saw himself raising the sword, striking endlessly. He heard the mercenaries' screams, the sound of metal hitting flesh, their laughs turning into short, torn screams. His arms felt heavy, yet the movements in the memory were swift, guided by a force that was not his own.
A face suddenly fixed in his mind: the mercenary with a scar over his eye. He saw him trying to raise his weapon, but Renji's arm came down like an axe. The sword cut deep, and blood splashed across his face. In the distorted memory, Renji heard his own laugh, a laugh he did not recognize.
The voice became clear again.
— "That's right. They are just prey. You are the chosen one."
Renji opened his eyes, sweating, his breathing short. He tried to move, but the ropes held him tight. His muscles trembled, as if they wanted to burst into the same violence as before.
In the dream mixed with reality, he saw his hand raised above Tiberku. He remembered how his friend had called him, tried to stop him. And yet, the memory showed him, Renji, ready to thrust the blade into his chest.
He tugged at the ropes and let out a whisper full of terror.
— "No… I… didn't do this… it wasn't me…"
The voice responded immediately, calm, almost soothing.
— "Yes. It was you. And it will be again."
Renji's breathing became increasingly irregular. The forest seemed to close in around him. Every rustle of leaves sounded like an echo of the massacre. He bit his lip until he tasted blood again, but the taste threw him back directly into the memory of the field, among the corpses.
Renji began thrashing in his sleep, the ropes creaking under the strain of his arms. He murmured broken words, as if arguing with someone unseen.
— "No… I'm not me… I don't want…"
Tiberku twitched and opened his eyes immediately. His bow fell from his chest as he stood, fixing his gaze on Renji. The elf woke as well, blinking fearfully at the silhouette of the tied man.
— "Tiberku… what's happening to him?" the elf whispered, his voice trembling.
Renji arched, trying to free himself, and his eyes opened abruptly. His pupils were dilated, as if he recognized nothing around him.
— "Kill them…" he murmured in a low voice. "They are your enemies…"
Tiberku approached but kept a safe distance. He put his hand on his bow, ready to lift it if needed.
— "Renji, you are here with me. Listen to me. The voice in your head is not you."
Renji turned his head sharply toward him. His eyes seemed to burn, his breathing short and choppy. In a moment, he tugged at his hands with such force that the knots creaked, but the rope still held.
The elf took a step back, almost falling over his backpack.
— "The aura… it's rising again," he whispered. "It's even stronger than before."
Tiberku clenched his jaw and drew an arrow from the quiver. He did not lift it toward Renji, but kept it ready.
— "If you lose control, I have no choice. But I want to hear you, Renji. If it's you, answer me now!"
Renji blinked rapidly, caught between bloody flashbacks and the reality where his friends watched him with fear. The voice still echoed in his mind, sharp and cutting.
— "Don't listen to it. They hold you captive. Break the chains."
Renji groaned and closed his eyes, fighting with himself. The ropes creaked under the tension of his muscles.
The elf touched Tiberku on the shoulder, scared.
— "If he breaks free, we can't stop him both…"
Renji let out a short scream, as if something was tearing him from the inside. The ropes stretched to the maximum, and his eyes glowed strangely in the dark. Tiberku raised his bow, ready to intervene, but the elf stopped him with a sharp hand gesture.
— "Wait. Maybe I can… reach him."
He approached Renji slowly, though his legs trembled. He placed his palms on Renji's temples and closed his eyes. A faint, greenish light ignited around his fingers.
Renji twitched again, but this time the voice in his head collided with another presence. He felt someone entering the chaos of his mind, as if another voice was trying to call him through the darkness.
— "Renji… do you hear me? I'm here. Listen to me. You are not alone."
The elf's voice was calm but determined. Renji felt the bloody memories tearing through his mind, felt the sword cutting and the screams that would not stop. But amidst these images, a faint light appeared. An outstretched hand.
— "Grab it," said the elf. "If you don't, you'll be swallowed."
Renji clenched his fists and, with an almost superhuman effort, freed himself from the images of the mercenaries. He stretched his hand and touched the light. The screams abruptly ceased. The sword fell from his mind. The darkness retreated, as if driven away.
Renji's eyes opened wide. His breathing was heavy but normal. The demonic voice had disappeared.
The elf sprang back, falling onto his back. He brought his hands to his temples, sweating and wide-eyed. His breathing was shaky.
Tiberku rushed to him.
— "What happened? Did you make it?"
The elf looked at him shocked, his face pale.
— "I… I saw what was in him. I shouldn't have gone in there… not like that."
Renji blinked tiredly, his vision blurry. He still tasted blood in the memories, but now they were no longer vivid, only faded.
The elf hugged his knees and whispered, still trembling:
— "It was… like a huge beast, bound in chains, but the chains were breaking one by one. If we hadn't stopped it now, no one could have gotten him out."
Tiberku looked at Renji, then back at the elf.
— "And the chains? How many remain?"
The elf slowly raised his gaze, visibly scared.
— "Too few."
Tiberku stayed silent for a few moments, then stood and looked around the clearing. The night was deep, but determination shone in his eyes.
— "We can't wait any longer. We need to get to Eris urgently. She's the only one who can understand what's happening to Renji and help him."
The elf looked at him, still trembling.
— "If that power awakens again on the way, it might be too late. I felt how close he was to being completely swallowed."
Tiberku placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke shortly, firmly.
— "That's why we have to move. Lioren is no longer just a destination, it's our only chance. If Eris doesn't help him, no one will."
Renji, still tied to the tree, looked at both of them with tired eyes. He tried to raise his voice, but only managed a whisper.
— "If… if I become like that again… don't hesitate. Stop me."
Tiberku fixed him with a serious, stern gaze.
— "You will not. We will reach Eris before it happens again. That is my promise."
The elf nodded slightly, still uneasy.
— "Then we must leave as soon as dawn breaks. Every hour counts."
Tiberku turned to the extinguished fire, threw a few branches into it, letting small flames ignite again. He sat next to Renji, hand on his bow, and murmured more to himself than to the others:
— "Lioren and Eris. Everything depends on them."
The night passed heavily, but finally the first rays of light pierced through the tree branches. The fire had gone out, and the cold morning air forced them to tighten their cloaks around their shoulders.
Tiberku woke the others briefly, without wasting time.
— "Get up. We must move now. Every hour brings us closer to Lioren."
Renji looked drained but could walk. The elf watched him worriedly, saying nothing. Fear from the previous night still showed in his eyes.
They set off along the narrow path through the forest. Birds sang timidly, but the sounds seemed distant, covered by the oppressive silence between them. Tiberku walked ahead, bow ready, and the elf stayed behind, almost glued to Renji to monitor him.
After a few hours of walking, Tiberku broke the silence.
— "The road to Lioren isn't short. If we don't pick up the pace, we'll arrive tomorrow. We don't have that luxury. Renji, can you keep up?"
Renji lifted his gaze, pale but determined.
— "I can. I don't want to waste time because of me."
The elf whispered, almost reproachfully:
— "You mustn't push too hard. If you fall, we won't get anywhere."
Tiberku gritted his teeth and looked toward the horizon, where mountains rose above the forests.
— "We'll do whatever it takes. But Eris must see him as soon as possible. If we're late…"
They walked for hours through the forest, the sun already climbing toward noon. It seemed nothing could stop them until Tiberku suddenly raised his hand, signaling to stop.
— "Don't make a sound."
The elf and Renji froze. Tiberku knelt near a thick root and touched the ground. He placed a fallen branch over the dry leaves. In the next instant, a row of arrows pierced the surrounding tree trunks.
— "A hunter's trap… but not for animals."
Renji frowned and drew a deep breath.
— "I feel… I feel something. These aren't just traps. They are tracking us."
The elf immediately turned his gaze to the shadows of the trees. A faint movement betrayed activity. Within moments, three armed figures appeared from the trees. Their faces were covered with dirty rags, and their hands held spears and short axes.
One of them spat on the ground and voiced a threat.
— "The road to Lioren isn't open to just anyone. Pay the toll… or your blood will."
Tiberku stood, bow in hand, arrow already on the string.
— "We don't have time for thieves. We need to move now."
The three glanced at each other briefly and burst into mocking laughter. At that moment, Renji felt the dark shiver in his chest again, like an echo of the previous night. He clenched his fists but tried to control his breathing.
The elf noticed and whispered urgently:
— "Renji, don't let anger out. Leave it to us."
Tiberku fixed the arrow and narrowed his eyes.
— "We have a long road. It's them or us."
Tiberku didn't wait. He released the string, and the arrow flew with a sharp whistling sound, embedding in the shoulder of the one in front. The thief screamed and dropped his spear.
The second lunged at them, raising his weapon, but the elf moved quickly. He found a large stone on the ground and threw it precisely. The stone hit the attacker's arm, forcing him to drop his weapon and lose balance. The man fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
The third charged directly at Renji, raising the axe. Renji flinched, and for a moment, his eyes darkened. He felt his blood boiling, and the voice started whispering again. He raised his hand, ready to strike, but Tiberku intervened in time. He pushed the attacker with his shoulder and plunged a dagger into his ribs.
The thief fell silently.
The elf quickly grabbed another stone and threw it at the previously wounded one, pushing him away from the camp and forcing him to crawl back into the trees. Within seconds, all three had disappeared into the forest, leaving them behind.
Tiberku immediately raised his bow and released another arrow, but intentionally let it pass by them.
— "Let them spread the word. Let them know it's not wise to mess with us."
Silence fell again, broken only by their heavy breaths. Renji remained still, fists clenched. He trembled slightly, as if barely controlling his body from acting.
The elf observed and approached slowly.
— "That was close…" he whispered. "You still hear it, don't you?"
Renji didn't answer. He only closed his eyes, trying to breathe deeply to keep the voice away.
After the thieves disappeared into the forest, the group resumed their journey. The forest was now quieter, only the sound of their footsteps and heavy breathing echoed between the trees. Tiberku remained alert, scanning every shadow, every suspicious movement.
Renji walked in the back, still feeling his muscles tense and blood boiling slightly. The voice in his head was silent for the moment, but the memories of the previous night haunted him with every step. He clenched his fists and tried to breathe deeply, aware that any loss of control could be disastrous.
The elf walked close to him, monitoring every small gesture that could signal loss of control. He still trembled, visibly affected by what he had seen in Renji's mind and the danger he had nearly been exposed to.
Tiberku sighed deeply and murmured mostly to himself:
— "We still have a long way to go, but we must reach Lioren before things get out of control. Eris must see him. We have no time to waste."
Renji lowered his gaze, feeling tired but determined. He knew this was not just a journey to a city, but a race against his own shadow.
The elf watched him carefully, still scared and shocked by the power he had seen in Renji. He was no longer just a friend, but also a witness to a force he could not fully comprehend.
As the sun rose higher, the forest shadows lengthened, and the group continued silently. The road to Lioren was still long, but each step brought them closer to an answer they all sought.
Tension hung between them, unspoken but clear. Renji, Tiberku, and the elf knew that what awaited in Lioren was not just a meeting, but a confrontation with their own reality and the power that still lurked within Renji.