Leon didn't sleep.
Even after closing his eyes, his mind stayed sharp, focused on the presence lurking beyond their camp.
It wasn't Hollow-born. It wasn't aggressive. But it was there.
And it was watching.
Kaelen knew it too. The beastman didn't shift, didn't move, but his ears twitched slightly—an almost imperceptible reaction.
Jarek, on the other hand, was completely unaware, snoring softly a few feet away.
Leon exhaled. There was no use pretending.
"How long has it been there?" he murmured.
Kaelen didn't turn. "Since we stopped."
Leon frowned. "Is it going to attack?"
Kaelen shook his head. "No. If it wanted to, it would have already."
That wasn't exactly reassuring.
Leon slowly sat up, careful not to make any sudden movements. His gaze flickered toward the trees.
And then—
A voice.
Soft. Faint. Not in a language he understood.
But he felt the meaning press against his mind.
"You carry the mark. You walk a path unseen."
Leon's heartbeat quickened. He kept his voice steady. "Who are you?"
Silence.
Then—
A shadow shifted at the edge of their camp.
Kaelen's hands tensed, inching toward his blades. But still, he didn't strike.
Leon watched as the figure stepped forward.
It was cloaked, its form obscured by the darkness. But its presence was undeniable—ancient, heavy, like something out of a forgotten era.
Then, as the moonlight brushed against its hood—
Leon caught a glimpse of something he hadn't expected.
Golden eyes.
Not like Kaelen's. Not like a beastman's.
Something else entirely.
---
A Visitor from the Past
Leon didn't move.
Neither did the figure.
For a long moment, they simply stared at each other, neither speaking.
Then, the cloaked being took another step forward—slowly, deliberately.
Leon's marked hand burned.
Kaelen shifted slightly. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted its head slightly, as if considering the question. Then—
"You are not ready for that answer."
Leon's breath caught.
The voice was neither male nor female. It was something in between, layered, almost like multiple voices speaking at once.
Jarek stirred in his sleep but didn't wake.
Leon forced himself to stay calm. "Then why are you here?"
The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, it raised a hand.
A flicker of silver light pulsed from its palm—the same light Leon had seen when he touched the Hollow's spawn.
Leon's fingers twitched.
The figure studied him. "You bear the mark, yet you do not understand it."
Leon frowned. "Then explain it to me."
A pause. Then—
"Not yet."
Leon scowled. "Why not?"
The figure finally moved closer, stopping just at the edge of the firelight.
And when it spoke, its voice was lower.
"Because once you know… you will have no choice but to act."
Leon's pulse quickened.
Before he could respond, the figure turned.
And with a single step—
It vanished.
---
The Mark's Truth
Leon exhaled slowly.
Kaelen's gaze lingered on the spot where the figure had disappeared. "That was not human."
Leon nodded. "I know."
Jarek finally stirred, rubbing his eyes. "Ugh… what's with the tension? Did something happen?"
Leon and Kaelen exchanged glances.
"Nothing important," Leon said.
Jarek groaned. "Great. You know what? I'm too tired for weird mysteries. Wake me up when it actually tries to kill us."
He rolled over and went back to sleep.
Leon, however, remained awake.
His hand still tingled where the mark burned.
The figure's words echoed in his mind.
"Once you know… you will have no choice but to act."
Leon had a feeling that choice was coming sooner than he wanted.
---