A Mentor Appears

The forest was alive with the whispers of wind through the trees and the faint rustle of unseen creatures. Kael trudged along a narrow dirt path, his steps slow and weary. Days had passed since his encounter in Greystone, and the weight of what he had overheard hung heavy on his mind. The realization that someone was hunting him fueled his urgency, but his body, malnourished and fatigued, struggled to keep up.

Kael's stomach growled, a stark reminder of the dwindling supplies he carried in his makeshift satchel. He scanned his surroundings for anything edible, his instincts sharpened by months of surviving alone. Just as he crouched to inspect a patch of mushrooms near the base of a tree, a sudden movement caught his eye. A shadow flickered across the clearing, too swift and deliberate to be an animal.

Kael froze, his heart pounding. Slowly, his hand crept toward the hilt of his stolen dagger. "Who's there?" he called out, his voice firmer than he felt.

From the shadows stepped a figure cloaked in dark leather armor, her presence commanding yet oddly graceful. A scar ran across her left cheek, a testament to a life of battle, and her piercing green eyes locked onto Kael with an intensity that made him instinctively step back.

"Not bad," she said, her voice low and edged with amusement. "You’ve got decent instincts for a boy who barely knows how to hold a blade."

Kael tightened his grip on his dagger but didn't draw it. He could tell from the way she moved—the effortless confidence in her stride—that this was someone he couldn’t hope to match in a fight. "What do you want?" he demanded, forcing himself to stand tall despite his fear.

The woman smirked, leaning casually against a tree. "I might ask you the same question. I've been watching you for hours, stumbling through this forest like a lost pup. What’s a kid like you doing out here alone?"

Kael hesitated, debating whether to trust her. Something about her demeanor—equal parts predator and protector—made him uneasy, yet oddly drawn to her. He decided on a partial truth. "I’m traveling. Looking for answers."

Her eyebrow arched. "Answers, huh? Dangerous thing to seek in times like these. Especially for someone carrying a blade they barely know how to use."

Kael flushed, his grip tightening on the hilt. "I can defend myself."

"Can you?" she countered, her tone mocking. Before Kael could react, she stepped forward in a blur, disarming him with a swift motion that left him gasping. She held his dagger up, inspecting it with a critical eye. "Dull edge. Poor balance. This is a kitchen knife pretending to be a weapon."

Kael glared at her, anger flaring in his chest. "Who are you?"

The woman chuckled, tossing the dagger back to him. "Name's Zara. And you're lucky I found you before someone else did. The way you're carrying on, it's a miracle you haven’t been caught by bandits or worse."

Kael’s curiosity got the better of his suspicion. "Why do you care?"

Zara’s expression shifted, her smirk fading into something more serious. "Let’s just say I have a soft spot for lost causes. You remind me of someone I used to know."

Her words carried a weight that silenced Kael’s retort. For the first time in months, someone had acknowledged him not as prey or a nuisance, but as a person. Still, he wasn’t ready to let his guard down completely. "What do you want from me?"

Zara crossed her arms, her gaze steady. "Nothing. But I see potential in you. A spark. It’d be a shame to let it burn out because you don’t know how to keep the fire going."

Kael frowned, trying to decipher her cryptic words. "You’re saying you want to help me?"

Zara shrugged. "Call it that if you want. But it’s up to you. I can teach you how to survive—really survive. How to fight, how to think like a predator instead of prey. Or you can keep wandering through these woods and hope for the best. Your choice."

Kael’s instincts screamed at him to be cautious, but the offer was too tempting to ignore. He thought of the men in Greystone, the danger that followed him like a shadow, and the raw fear that had gripped him ever since his family was taken from him. He needed guidance, and Zara, for all her sharp edges, seemed capable of providing it.

"Fine," he said finally, his voice steady. "But if this is a trick—"

Zara cut him off with a laugh. "Relax, kid. I’ve got no interest in your sorry excuse for a weapon or your empty satchel. You’ve got nothing I need." She turned, motioning for him to follow. "Come on. First lesson starts now."

Kael hesitated for only a moment before stepping after her. The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time since that fateful night, it felt like he wasn’t walking it alone.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***