Dust.
Smoke.
Silence.
—
The market… destroyed.
Stalls broken.
People gone.
Only traces of chaos remained.
💀
—
Kael stood there.
Breathing heavily.
His body shaking.
—
"…He just… left…"
—
"…Yeah," Ryn replied, still on the ground.
"…and I'm not even happy about it."
—
Lyra walked back slowly.
Her grip still tight on her sword.
—
"…He could've killed us."
—
"…He chose not to," Darian said calmly.
💀
—
Silence.
—
Kael clenched his fists.
"…Why?"
—
No one answered immediately.
—
"…Because we're not the target," Darian said.
💀
—
Kael looked up sharply.
"…Then what are we?"
—
A pause.
—
Darian's eyes moved toward Kael.
—
"…We're bait."
💀💀💀
—
Silence dropped.
Heavy.
—
Ryn sat up slowly.
"…That's not funny."
—
"…I'm not joking."
—
Kael's heartbeat slowed.
But deeper.
Colder.
—
"…Explain."
—
Darian stepped forward.
—
"…That man wasn't here to kill us."
"…He was here to confirm something."
—
"…Confirm what?" Kael asked.
—
Darian didn't look away this time.
—
"…You."
💀
—
Kael froze.
—
"…Your existence."
—
Silence.
—
"…So now what?" Kael muttered.
"…He just goes back and tells them?"
—
"…Exactly," Lyra replied.
—
Ryn cursed under his breath.
"…That's bad… like… REALLY bad…"
—
Darian nodded slightly.
—
"…From now on…"
A pause.
—
"…we're not hidden anymore."
💀
—
Silence.
—
The weight of those words…
Crushed everything.
—
Kael looked around.
The destroyed market.
The emptiness.
—
"…This is because of me…" he said quietly.
—
"No."
Lyra's voice cut through instantly.
—
"…It's because you exist."
💀
—
Kael's eyes tightened.
—
"…Same thing."
—
"…No," Darian stepped in.
—
"…It means this was inevitable."
💀
—
Silence.
—
Kael exhaled slowly.
Trying to calm his thoughts.
—
"…So what now?"
—
Ryn stood up.
Stretching slightly despite the pain.
—
"…We run?"
—
"…No," Darian replied.
💀
—
All eyes turned to him.
—
"…We move."
—
"…That's the same thing," Ryn said.
—
"…No," Darian repeated.
—
A pause.
—
"…Running means fear."
"…Moving means preparation."
💀
—
Silence.
—
Kael looked at him.
Studying him.
—
"…Preparation for what?"
—
Darian's eyes darkened slightly.
—
"…War."
💀💀💀
—
The word hit differently.
—
Not a fight.
Not survival.
—
War.
💀
—
Ryn scratched his head.
"…Okay… I was hoping we'd have more time…"
—
"…We don't," Lyra said.
—
Kael clenched his fists again.
—
"…Then stop holding back."
💀
—
Silence.
—
Darian looked at him.
—
"…What?"
—
Kael stepped forward.
Ignoring the pain.
—
"…You said I'm weak."
—
A pause.
—
"…Then fix it."
💀
—
The wind passed between them.
—
Ryn smiled slightly.
"…Now that's what I'm talking about…"
—
Lyra watched him.
Quiet.
Focused.
—
Darian remained still.
—
Then—
"…Good."
💀
—
(Step.)
He turned.
—
"…We leave now."
—
"…Where?" Ryn asked.
—
A short pause.
—
"…To a place where we can train…"
—
"…Without holding back."
💀
—
Kael's eyes sharpened.
—
"…And where they won't find us easily."
—
Silence.
—
But deep inside—
Kael knew.
💀
—
"They will come again."
—
And next time…
It won't be a test.
💀💀💀
—
Far away…
—
"…Target confirmed."
—
"…Status?"
—
"…Four Legends located."
—
A pause.
—
"…Prepare the hunters."
💀
End of Chapter 22
Do you think they can really prepare for what's coming… or are they already too late?
And what kind of place can hide them now… after being exposed?
Drop your thoughts below 👇 the next arc is about to change everything 😈🔥