Chapter Two — The Hunters
854 Words
The village fell silent.
Elias stood frozen in the middle of the street, staring at the masked warriors.
The stranger in the silver mask slowly lowered his hand.
“Take him alive.”
The warriors moved.
“Elias, run!” Mira shouted.
That broke the spell.
Elias turned and sprinted.
Mira followed closely behind.
They raced between houses as villagers scattered in every direction. Behind them, boots struck the stone road.
“Where are we going?” Mira shouted.
“I don't know!”
“Great plan!”
“I didn't have time to make one!”
They reached the edge of the village.
The old forest stood before them.
Elias stopped.
Mira grabbed his arm.
“Why did you stop?”
“I've never been allowed inside.”
“Neither have I.”
Behind them, the hunters were getting closer.
Mira looked toward the forest.
“Then tonight seems like a good night to break the rule.”
They ran into the trees.
The forest was strangely quiet.
No birds.
No insects.
Not even the sound of the rain.
Elias slowed down.
“Something's wrong.”
Mira looked around.
“What?”
“I don't know.”
A branch snapped behind them.
They turned.
Nothing.
Then another branch snapped.
Closer.
Mira grabbed Elias's arm.
“Keep moving.”
They ran deeper into the forest.
Suddenly, Elias stopped.
There was a stone wall hidden beneath vines.
He stared at it.
The symbol on the wall was exactly the same as the symbol glowing beneath his skin.
Mira noticed it too.
“Elias...”
He stepped closer.
The moment his hand touched the stone, the symbol flashed.
The wall began to move.
Ancient stone doors opened, revealing a staircase leading underground.
Mira stared.
“How did you know that was there?”
“I didn't.”
A voice echoed from below.
“You were meant to find it.”
Elias and Mira looked at each other.
“Who said that?” Elias asked.
No answer came.
Then a figure appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
An old man wearing a long dark cloak.
His eyes immediately focused on Elias.
For the first time since the attack began, the old man's expression changed.
Fear.
“The crystals have chosen again,” he whispered.
Elias stepped forward.
“What crystals?”
The old man looked at him.
“You truly don't know.”
“No!”
The old man sighed.
“Then we have very little time.”
A loud crash came from above.
The hunters had entered the forest.
The old man turned toward the stairs.
“They found you.”
Mira stepped forward.
“Who are these people?”
“The Seekers.”
“What do they want?”
The old man looked at Elias.
“You.”
The three hurried deeper into the underground passage.
As they walked, strange pictures appeared on the walls.
Five figures.
Each holding a different crystal.
Elias stopped at one of the paintings.
“Those are the crystals from my dream.”
The old man nodded.
“They are older than your village, older than the kingdoms, and older than the stories people tell about them.”
“What are they?”
“Power.”
“What kind of power?”
“The kind that can save the world.”
The old man paused.
“And the kind that can end it.”
Elias looked confused.
“Why me?”
“Because you carry all five.”
Mira stared at him.
“All five?”
The old man nodded.
“They are inside you.”
Elias stepped backward.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
“Then get them out.”
The old man shook his head.
“They cannot be removed without destroying the bearer.”
Mira immediately moved beside Elias.
“Then nobody is taking them.”
The old man gave her a small smile.
“That is why you must leave.”
“What?”
“You cannot remain with him.”
Mira frowned.
“I'm not leaving.”
The old man looked toward the passage.
“You don't understand. The Seekers are not the greatest danger.”
The lights inside the chamber suddenly went out.
A cold wind swept through the room.
The old man's face became pale.
“What is it?” Elias asked.
The old man whispered:
“The Hollow King knows.”
A deep voice echoed through the tunnels.
“At last.”
Elias felt the five crystals inside him awaken.
One by one, five glowing marks appeared across his arms.
The chamber shook.
Mira grabbed his hand.
“Elias!”
He looked at her.
For the first time, he wasn't afraid.
He was angry.
“Whatever is coming...”
The five marks began glowing brighter.
“...I'm not running anymore.”
Far above them, the silver-masked Seeker stopped at the entrance to the hidden temple.
He slowly removed his mask.
His eyes were completely silver.
And he smiled.
“The Crystal Born has awakened.”
Behind him, something enormous moved among the trees.
The real hunt had begun.
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