It seemed that the night began to descend on the forest as the icy winds howled around the branches of the trees like the hands of invisible creatures. Sounds were coming from somewhere inside the shadows of the woods, adding to the sense of danger surrounding them at all times. Kael sat near the campfire, with his broken wooden swords lying beside him. The injury he had suffered during the fight against the Fang Wolf hurt whenever a breeze hit his cheek. Yet somehow, his eyes had changed.
A man was seated opposite him, quietly sharpening his own sword using a rock. The sounds made by the metal against the rock could be heard continuously into the night. Kael observed the process closely. While the sword seemed ancient, it still had such a sharp blade that it could slice through the light. Despite not having seen this man battle anyone, Kael knew that the man was a great deal more powerful than any he had encountered before.
For a long time, only silence existed between them. Then Kael finally spoke while staring at the fire.
"Why did you save me?"
The man did not answer immediately. He continued sharpening the sword slowly before finally looking up. The firelight reflected in his calm eyes.
"Because I saw something inside you."
Kael scowled after hearing these words. There wasn't anything in himself that Kael found appealing. People had only ever seen him as a failure. A failure in his magic abilities. A failure in his blood line. And a failure in his future. His mind was filled with thoughts like this as he looked down at his scratched and dirty hands.
"I'm still weak."
The man nodded without denying it.
"Yes, but weakness can change."
Kael did not utter a single word upon hearing his answer. He had never heard anything like it from any of his teachers from the academy before. Most people would ridicule him for his weakness, and if not, just ignored it.
The flames crackled gently between them as clouds obscured the moon overhead. Gently lifting one of the shattered swords, Kael studied its fractured edge. Broken in combat, it had nevertheless aided his survival. This idea stayed with him for several moments before asking another question.
"Why use swords?"
The man rested the blade on his shoulder and looked into the dark forest around them.
"Because swords reveal truth."
Kael looked confused.
The man continued speaking in the same calm voice.
"With magic, people hide behind power. With a sword, every mistake becomes visible."
Kael's gaze dropped down to inspect his wounded sword. Kael reflected on how much he failed in training and in the fight against the Fang Wolf. The old man was right; one can never cover up their weaknesses while carrying a sword.
Out of nowhere, his eyes fell upon the forest. He was more threatening than ever before. Instantly, Kael knew what he would do; therefore, he stood up from where he had been sitting.
The man slowly rose to his feet.
"We are not alone."
Kael grasped his sword tighter, beating his heart faster, as he observed the darkness in between the trees. He first thought that there was nothing at all but suddenly realized that shadows started to move. Three guys wearing black cloaks with masked faces appeared, each brandishing their own swords.
Kael stepped back slightly. These were not beasts. They were humans. Yet something about them felt far more dangerous.
One of the masked men pointed his sword toward the older man near the fire.
"We finally found you."
The man showed no fear at all. He simply stared back calmly.
"You should have stayed away."
The masked man laughed coldly.
"Still acting proud after all these years?"
Kael looked from one to the other, perplexed. He did not know these men, but he was certain that they knew the man before him. There was something in the atmosphere that cut like a blade.
The second masked figure suddenly looked at Kael.
"So this is the boy?"
The third figure spoke in a low voice filled with disgust.
"A half-elf?"
Kael tightened his grip on the moment he heard this sentence. The scene made him feel repulsed. The image of complete disdain has tormented him from early memory.
The older man stepped slightly in front of Kael. His voice became colder than the night itself.
"Leave now."
The first masked man raised his sword and smiled beneath the mask.
"Or what?"
Kael was struck with fear for the first time from his fellow passenger. All calmness was stripped from him instantly. There was intense pressure in the forest, causing even the ground to be cold. Even the masked individuals had stopped grinning.
The man drew his sword out of its scabbard slowly. His blade flashed briefly in the firelight, then disappeared into the darkness. Kael's eyes widened. Even the sword itself seemed to radiate danger.
However, the first to attack came up out of nowhere, moving fast in the shadows, his blade aimed at the neck of the older man. All Kael could catch was the movement. A silver glint cut through the darkness. It was all quiet now.
The attacker stopped moving. For one second, nobody understood what happened. Then blood slowly appeared across the masked man's chest before his body collapsed onto the ground.
Kael froze completely. The fight ended in one strike.
The other two masked men stepped back in shock. Fear finally appeared in their eyes.
"That monster…" one whispered.
The older man pointed his blade toward them.
"Next."
Neither man moved. Their confidence had disappeared completely. After a few seconds, both turned and escaped into the darkness without another word.
Nature had become silent to the forest as well. Blood oozed from his body near the fire. Kael looked at the dead body lying there silently. He felt a great deal of pressure in his chest. This was the first time in Kael's life that he saw death.
The older man calmly cleaned the blood from his sword and placed it back into the sheath. His expression did not change at all.
Kael looked at him carefully now. Not as a teacher. Not as a traveler. But as something far more dangerous.
After several seconds, Kael finally found his voice.
"Who are you?"
The man looked toward the dark sky above the trees. Wind moved his black coat slowly in the night air.
Then he answered quietly.
"A man the world wanted dead."