We ventured deeper into the dense foliage, the air thick with the stench of decay and the dampness of the forest. Albaras led the way, his movements purposeful and fluid as he navigated the underbrush. Rederick and I followed closely. Though I felt some comfort in his presence, an unsettling thought gnawed at me. Why did I feel like he might stab me in the back, pulling me back into my previous life? My mind twisted, torn between the trust I had in him and the suspicion that perhaps it was all an act.

  And then, the dreams came rushing back, nightmares that haunted me since I had met Albaras, glimpses of a past life bleeding into a future that hadn’t yet happened. Why couldn’t I forget them? The feeling of being caught between two lives made my head spin. My heart raced as the thought struck me: Why can’t I forget the one I’ve already died in?

  Rederick crouched low, his brow furrowing as he examined the markings Albaras had pointed out. ′These tracks…′ he murmured, tracing the deep indentations with a finger. ′They belong to something large and heavy.′ He leaned closer, squinting at the strange residue on the ground. ′This earth... it’s unlike anything I’ve encountered before. It’s as if the earth was pierced, leaving behind these unusual impressions—and there’s a footprint too, one that looks like the imprint of hooves.′

  Albaras nodded knowingly, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and the thrill of discovery. ′Indeed,′ he said, excitement in his voice. ′I’ve never encountered prey quite like this before.′

  His gaze shifted back to the marked ground. ′Whatever beast attacked these people,′ he said laughingly, ′left clear traces behind. This could be our key to tracking it down... perhaps even luring it into a trap.′

  My initial fear gave way to a growing sense of purpose. Straightening my posture, I steadied my voice. ′Where do we begin?′ I asked, my gaze shifting between Rederick and Albaras, searching their faces for a sign of guidance.

  Rederick rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over the dense foliage with a mix of anticipation and caution. ′We start by following these tracks,′ he declared, his voice firm and resolute. ′If we’re lucky, they’ll lead us to the creature’s lair or reveal more about its nature. Time is of the essence; we must move swiftly before this trail grows cold.′

  With that, they set off, their boots sinking into the soft, waterlogged soil as they followed the stained ground, moving further from the structured roads and deeper into untamed terrain. The strange tracks grew more distinct, guiding them steadily toward the looming silhouette of the mountains ahead. After a while, Rederick paused, his brow furrowing in frustration. ′The tracks are too erratic,′ he admitted reluctantly. Albaras stepped forward with a laugh. ′Don’t worry,′ he said, taking the lead.

  ′What do we have here?′ growled a man perched in the tree, his voice a raspy whisper carried by the wind. His eyes locked onto the cave ahead, while his blood-red and black axes rested eagerly in his hands. Dressed in the pelts of countless animals, with rats strung around his waist like a grotesque belt, he seemed to merge with the shadows themselves.

  Three figures moved toward the cave, oblivious to his predatory gaze from above. A feral grin spread across his face, exposing teeth yellowed and cracked from years of wilderness survival. ′They come for my prey, my oldest friend,′ he muttered to the axes in his hands, his voice dripping with chilling glee. ′But they won’t leave with it.′

  Without hesitation, he leaped from the tree, his axes slicing through the air to hook onto branches, each swing breaking his fall with effortless precision. He landed in a crouch, his muscles taut like a coiled spring, ready to strike.

  ′How do you do, fellow hunters?′ he said, his tone mockingly polite. ′The name’s Kruger, your nightmare for the day.′ He gave a theatrical bow, his laughter breaking into a maniacal crescendo.

  The man in purple cloth began laughing, his amusement twisting into a low, unsettling hum that seemed to seep from his armor. Even the nearby insects stilled, and Albaras′ allies shifted uncomfortably. But for Kruger, the eerie sound had an odd, calming effect, causing him to stop laughing mid-chuckle.

  ′I am Albaras, the Purple,′ he said, his voice unwavering. In a flash, his sword was drawn, its blade blackened as though forged in shadow, almost impossible to see in the dim light. He hefted his massive shield, ready for whatever came next. ′And I’ve seen worse than men can offer.′

  Kruger twirled his axes, noticing his allies backing away, the larger one shielding the smaller. ′Let’s make it a ballet,′ Kruger suggested with a smile before charging in, while Albaras held his ground.

  Kruger’s first axe collided with Albaras′ shield, while the second axe was parried by Albaras′ sword in a fluid motion.

  ′Good, good,′ Kruger said, his grin widening as he pressed on. With a swift feint towards Albaras′ head, he attempted to sweep his leg with the other axe. But Albaras swiftly raised his shield, dropping it with pinpoint precision onto Kruger’s attacking axe. Forcing him to release his weapon, Kruger barely evaded a stabbing thrust aimed at his leg, rolling backward just in time.

  With a burst of energy, Kruger launched himself into a nearby tree. The onlookers gasped as they witnessed his unnaturally fluid grace, the leap as smooth and effortless as a dancer’s pirouette.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Albaras scanned the surroundings, his eyes searching for Kruger, who suddenly descended from a tree with a fluid motion. Reacting swiftly, Albaras lifted his shield to intercept Kruger’s landing, aiming to disrupt his balance. The clash reverberated through the air, and Albaras was forced to relinquish his shield, sending it hurtling to the ground along with Kruger. With a quick step forward, he thrust his sword toward Kruger’s arm.

  But Kruger rolled away as if propelled by the wind, his movements light and almost magical. In a blink, he was on his feet again. ′Now we’re fair,′ Kruger said, his head unnaturally tilted, wielding only one axe while Albaras stood ready with his sword.

  Albaras’ strange hum was soft, just hearable if you’re standing just beside him, causing Kruger’s smile to falter, as though he could feel the laugh more than hear it. Albaras stood still, sword extended before him like a natural extension of his arm, a calm and unshaken presence in the midst of chaos.

  As they faced each other, the tension in the air thickened like static before a storm. Kruger’s muscles tensed, his axe swirling in his hands, his eyes locked on Albaras with a mixture of defiance and calculation. He could feel the weight of the moment pressing on him, each heartbeat reverberating in his ears as he prepared to charge, his laughter rising manically.

  But before Kruger could make his move, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his stomach, halting him for a moment. His eyes flickered down, disbelief crossing his face as he saw an arrow embedded deep in his flesh. The pain was immediate and raw, yet it hardly seemed to faze him. A low chuckle bubbled from his throat, growing louder and more manic as it echoed through the clearing, just as Albaras’ strange hum quieted in the background.

  ′I think I give up,′ Kruger declared between fits of laughter, his voice tinged with a hint of admiration. Without hesitation, he dropped his axe to the ground and reached for the arrow. The way he pulled it out was almost ritualistic, as if he were offering a prayer to the pain itself, unbothered by the rawness of the wound. No sound escaped his lips, only a slow, controlled breath through his nose.

  Albaras glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of Rederick holding a longbow, with Kian standing poised behind him, arrow in hand, ready to hand it over. ′Lucky I didn’t have my helmet on,′ Rederick shouted toward Albaras, his smile awkward but relieved. The humming that had filled the air suddenly stopped, vanishing as if it had never been there. ′That was my prey,′ Albaras muttered under his breath, his tone tinged with frustration. ′Good shot, my friend! Couldn’t have done it better myself!′ he called back with fierce approval, his gaze snapping back to Kruger.

  Rederick approached Kruger, with Kian close behind. ′Are you named after the Kingston myth?′ Kian asked bluntly.

  Kruger’s smile widened unnervingly, revealing his disgusting teeth up close. ′Well, well, well. You’re from Kingston, little one. I was from there once, long ago,′ Kruger replied, a mix of nostalgia and derangement in his voice. ′But I live anew now, among beasts and men, both friend and foe alike.′

  ′I didn’t believe him, he had to be lying. The myth of Kingston? What a joke. They tried to make me the myth once, not... whatever I’m looking at now. A pitiful man clinging to a hollow symbol to feel some semblance of worth. The retort slipped out before I could stop it.

  ’Well, you fail at it,′ I snapped, venom dripping from my words.

  The silence that followed stung. Nobody looked at me, nobody reacted. They just carried on as if I didn’t matter. Maybe I never did.′

  Before Kruger could respond to Kian’s words, Rederick cut him off sharply. ′Is the monster in that cave ahead?′ he demanded, his tone laced with impatience. Without waiting for an answer, he seized Kruger’s head and struck him with a forceful blow from his armored fist. Pieces of decayed flesh flaked away on impact, revealing mottled, rotting skin beneath.

  Kruger stumbled back, a twisted grin still lingering on his face, but before he could react further, Albaras stepped forward. Placing a firm hand on Rederick’s shoulder, he gently pulled him aside. His voice was calm, steady, almost disarming. ′Who were you before all this?′ he asked.

  Kruger hesitated, his gaze drifting into the distance as though sifting through memories carved in shadow. ′I was… I am…′ he began, his voice faltering before steadying with an eerie calm. ′I’ve lost count of the humans I’ve crossed paths with, hooded men whispering to each other, soldiers in weird armor, and that cursed beast that snatches souls.′ His words hung heavy in the air, a weariness lacing each syllable, yet a crooked smile crept across his lips.

  ′Let the people see what kind of person you are,′ Rederick remarked coldly. ’Youre just a broken thing.

  Kruger’s lips twisted into a grotesque smile, his features shifting, almost softening, only to harden again in something even more unnerving. ′I don’t eat meat,′ he said, his voice low and sardonic. ′I consume the world.′

  Rederick and I exchanged uneasy glances, the chill in the air deepening as Kruger’s words hung ominously between us. ′He’s lost his way,′ Rederick murmured to Albaras, his voice edged with quiet disdain.

  ′He has indeed,′ Albaras replied, his eyes narrowing as he studied Kruger. There was no amusement now, only a grim acceptance of the darkness that had overtaken the man before them.

  Kruger’s expression turned grave; his gaze distant as though peering into a world only he could see. ′I haven’t glimpsed my end today,′ he said, his voice low and cryptic. ′But it lingers near, always within reach. Perhaps tomorrow…′

  Albaras tightened his grip on his weapon, shifting from a slash to a stab in a heartbeat, desperate to strike faster. But before any of us could react, Kruger gave a sharp whistle. A sudden whirlwind of leaves erupted around us, obscuring everything in a swirling maelstrom. The air was thick with the sound of rustling leaves and the faint echo of Albaras laughter, a sound that felt wrong, almost too detached.

  When the leaves finally settled, Kruger was gone. The laughter vanished with him, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Rederick was already searching the area, his movements frantic. ′His axes… they’re gone too,′ he muttered, his voice a mixture of anger and disbelief. Albaras merely stared into the distance, his sword still poised, his expression unreadable.

  Then Albaras turned to face us. ′We have a contract to fulfill. Let’s make our way to the cave and finish it,′ he declared, his tone sharp, brooking no argument. Rederick froze mid-step, exchanging a glance with me before nodding reluctantly. The tension lingered in the air, but Albaras resolve left no room for dissent.