The road stretched before them, winding through fields of tall grass that swayed in the evening wind. Kael walked beside his horse, reins loose in his hand, while Lysera kept pace at his side. Neither spoke at first. Silence hung between them, not uncomfortable but charged, as if both were listening for something beyond words.
Lysera's steps were light, though her body still carried the exhaustion of mortality. She glanced at Kael from time to time, studying the way he moved. His stride was steady, his shoulders broad, his armor worn but well-kept. He carried himself like a man who had once belonged to something greater, yet now walked alone.
Kael felt her gaze and tried not to let it unsettle him. He had grown used to solitude, to the weight of his own thoughts pressing down. But this woman, Lysera, stirred something unfamiliar. Her presence was quiet yet commanding, fragile yet strong. He could not explain why he felt drawn to her, only that he did.
As night fell, they found shelter beneath a grove of oaks. Kael gathered wood and built a small fire, the flames crackling against the cool air. Lysera sat across from him, her hands folded in her lap, watching the sparks rise into the dark.
"You travel alone," Kael said finally, breaking the silence. "Why?"
Lysera hesitated. She could not tell him the truth — that she was a goddess cast down, stripped of power, wandering in exile. So she offered a fragment of truth instead. "I lost my way," she said softly. "And I have not yet found it again."
Kael nodded, understanding more than she realized. "I know that feeling."
His voice carried a weight that made her curious. She tilted her head. "What did you lose?"
Kael stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in his eyes. "Honor. Brothers. A cause worth fighting for." He paused, jaw tightening. "I abandoned them when they needed me most. I have been wandering ever since, trying to forget."
Lysera's heart ached at his words. She knew the sting of betrayal, the pain of loss. She wanted to reach across the fire, to touch his hand, to tell him he was not alone. But she held back. Mortals were fragile, and she was still learning how to be one of them.
Instead, she said, "Perhaps forgetting is not the answer. Perhaps you must remember, and forgive yourself."
Kael looked at her, surprised. Her words were gentle, yet they struck deep. He had prayed for forgiveness, but no god had answered. And now here was this woman, speaking as if she carried wisdom beyond her years.
He felt the pull again, stronger this time. Attraction, yes, but also something more — a sense that she saw him, truly saw him, in a way no one else had.
The fire burned low, and they lay down to rest. Kael kept his sword close, as he always did, while Lysera curled beneath her cloak. Sleep came slowly, but when it did, it carried dreams of light and warmth.
At dawn, they continued their journey. The road led them through forests where shadows lingered, and Kael's hand often rested on his sword hilt. Bandits prowled these lands, and he remained vigilant.
Lysera walked beside him, her eyes scanning the trees. She felt the stirrings of her power, faint but present. Flowers bloomed where her feet touched the earth, though she tried to hide it. Kael noticed once, when a patch of wildflowers sprang suddenly from barren soil. He frowned, but said nothing.