The trees thickened as I pressed deeper into the woods. The moon hung high, its pale light weaving strange patterns through the dense fog curling at my feet. I moved quickly, trying to ignore the eerie silence that weighed heavier with every step.
I barely noticed the shift beneath my boots until the ground gave way entirely.
A trap.
Ropes snapped, and in a blur, I was hoisted into the air, dangling helplessly above a pit. Before I could even reach for my dagger, shadows emerged—small, sharp-eyed figures with crooked grins and gleaming blades.
Goblins.
Of course.
I barely had time to react before they cut the ropes, dropping me hard onto the back of a wooden cart. My wrists were tied swiftly behind me with thick, grimy rope. The creatures chattered excitedly in their guttural tongue as they dragged me deeper into their cursed land.
---
The goblin city was foul and loud, built from bones and broken stone, hidden under a canopy of twisted black trees. Fires burned in iron cages, casting flickering shadows that danced like demons.
They pulled me into a crude stone hall where the Goblin King lounged lazily on a jagged throne, his rotund form draped in furs, gold chains hanging off his greasy neck. His beady eyes gleamed when he saw me.
"A human?" he crooned. "Or something more?" The room erupted with laughter.
"I don't have time for this," I said, forcing steel into my voice. "I am the chosen one of this realm. I carry the blood of angels. And I need to pass through your lands. Lives depend on it."
More laughter.
The king's wide, ugly mouth twisted into a grin. "Chosen one, she says!" He leaned forward, gripping a goblet of wine. "You reek of desperation. Of lies. Look at you, wandering alone into my kingdom like a little lost whore."
He flung the wine in my face, the sour liquid dripping down my cheeks as the goblins roared with amusement.
"Slut."
"Bitch."
"Used up little thing."
The insults rained down like arrows, each word slicing at my pride. I bit the inside of my cheek, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing me break.
"Tell me," the king sneered, "what man cast you aside to make you crawl through my woods alone?"
"She's not alone."
The voice cut through the chaos like thunder.
The room stilled.
From the darkened archway behind me, Xenos stepped forward, his black cloak billowing, eyes burning with barely contained fury. His presence was magnetic—commanding.
The goblins drew back instinctively.
"She belongs to no one," he said, his voice low, dangerous. "And if you lay another finger on her, your kingdom will burn."
The Goblin King studied him with interest. "A dragon," he mused, voice softening. "One of them." His greedy eyes narrowed. "Why follow her?"
Xenos didn't flinch. "Because she is more powerful than you could ever comprehend. Let us pass, and I will consider leaving your miserable little nest standing."
A long silence followed. Then, slowly, the king laughed—this time with something almost like respect.
"You've got fire," the king said. "I like that. Take your whore and go."
The goblins parted, still chuckling darkly, but none dared block our way.
---
Outside the city, once we were far beyond the reach of their eyes, I tore my arm free of Xenos's grasp and spun to face him.
"You followed me."
"I saved you."
"I didn't ask you to!" My voice broke with emotion I couldn't control. "Do you think I'm so weak that I can't handle anything on my own? You don't trust me at all!"
"I trust you with my life, Sage," he said sharply. "That's why I had to come."
"You're disgusting," I hissed, feeling the lie like a knife in my own chest. "You follow me around like some obsessed animal. I don't need you. I don't want you here!"
His jaw clenched. "Say what you really feel, Sage. Say it."
"I already did," I whispered harshly, turning away before my tears betrayed me. "Stay out of my way."
He stood there, silent, watching me walk into the trees.
Every step away from him felt like dragging my own heart behind me, but I didn't stop.
Because I couldn't let him get any closer to the secret I carried.
The branches clawed at my arms as I stumbled through the dark, my vision blurred by tears. My fight with Xenos echoed painfully in my mind, every word like a dagger twisting deeper into my chest.
You're disgusted in him.
You pushed him away.
You didn't mean it. But you said it.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to keep walking, to keep breathing. I had to. For the egg. For Vyrmoth. For everyone.
But the path ahead grew darker. The air thickened. The trees twisted into unnatural shapes, their shadows stretching long fingers toward me. A cold whisper brushed against my ear.
Liar.
I froze.
The whispers grew louder, swirling around me like a storm of venom.
You lied to him. You betrayed him. You don't deserve any of this.
I stumbled back as ghostly shapes materialized from the shadows. Mortis stepped forward, his face a wicked grin, blood dripping from his hands.
"You think you can protect them?" he sneered. "You think you're strong enough?"
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "You're not real. You're not real."
The illusions didn't stop. Xenos appeared next to him — but not my Xenos. His eyes were cold, his voice sharp.
"You're weak, Sage. I never needed you."
The words tore into me like blades. My breath quickened, heart racing as Alohi and Jemisha emerged from the trees, their voices laced with cruel laughter.
"She thinks she's one of us," Alohi scoffed.
"We've been laughing behind her back this whole time," Jemisha added, sneering.
"No," I whimpered. "Stop it. Please, stop."
The world spun. My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed onto the ground, my hands clutching at my head. The voices screamed louder, twisting my own fears and doubts into unbearable torment.
Liar. Liar. Liar.
My body shook violently as the last thread of my strength slipped away. The whispers faded into silence, and darkness swallowed me whole.
---
Warmth.
Gentle, steady warmth.
I stirred, blinking against the faint glow that danced along rough stone walls. My entire body ached, but I was no longer cold. No longer in the forest.
A crackling fire burned nearby, casting flickering shadows around the cavern. The scent of earth and smoke filled my lungs.
I sat up slowly, groggy and disoriented. Where—?
A movement by the fire caught my eye.
There stood a tall figure, his back turned to me. Broad shoulders, long white hair cascading down his back like silver silk. The air around him pulsed with power—raw and ancient, yet calm.
"W-Who are you?" I croaked, my voice barely a whisper.
The figure turned.
I gasped.
His face was sharp, his features almost painfully familiar — high cheekbones, a strong jaw, piercing ice-blue eyes that met mine with unsettling calm.
My heart pounded as I backed away. "Xenos…?"
"No," the man said softly, his voice deeper, steadier. "I am not him."
I stared, my mind racing. He looked like Xenos, but not entirely. The resemblance was haunting, yet something about him felt... colder. Wilder.
"I am Vyrmoth."
The name hit me like a punch to the chest.
"Vyrmoth…" I breathed. "You're… alive."
He gave a slow nod. "And you… you are the one who created the new egg."
"How do you know that?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"The moment the egg was born, the world shifted. Every creature of dragon blood felt it," he said. "Including me."
Tears welled in my eyes. "You don't know how long we've been looking for answers. For hope." My voice cracked. "Mortis has twisted everything. He's using Xenos. He nearly destroyed us all—"
I stopped, overwhelmed. My chest heaved, emotions choking me.
Vyrmoth stepped closer, his expression unreadable but his voice gentle. "Then tell me everything."
And there, in the quiet of that forgotten cave, I poured my heart out — the war, Mortis, Xenos, the egg, the lies I carried. The truth I was still running from.
He listened, silent, as the firelight flickered between us.