The dawn came slowly, painting the sky with soft amber and pale rose hues. For a moment, the village of Mytherra looked peaceful, almost untouched by the secrets it harbored. But Lena Maren didn't feel peace.
She hadn't slept much.
The conversation with Winter played on repeat in her head — the mark, the prophecy, the Demon King. Every word had buried itself into her chest like thorns, too deep to ignore. Her hand went instinctively to the necklace around her neck, still cool from last night's summoning.
She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. Her sleep had been light and filled with strange dreams — wings of fire, blood-red skies, and violet eyes watching her from the shadows.
It was time to go.
The inn was still quiet when she slipped out of her room. Her boots echoed softly against the wood as she descended the stairs. The innkeeper, a round-faced woman with a scarf tied around her head, glanced up from polishing mugs behind the counter.
"Leaving so soon, miss?"Lena nodded, tightening the cloak around her shoulders. "Yes. I have to get to the city."
The woman gave a knowing look. "Strange things whisper around this forest. Best to keep moving when you feel them breathing down your neck."
Lena offered a faint smile. "Exactly."
The innkeeper reached behind the counter and pulled out a small wrapped bundle. "Food for the road. It's not much—just bread, cheese, and some dried fruit—but better than nothing."
Touched, Lena took it. "Thank you. Truly."
Outside, the morning chill brushed against her skin, crisp and clean. She stood on the edge of the village for a moment, taking in the sight — villagers beginning their daily routines, the low murmur of merchants setting up stalls, children chasing one another near the well.
They all looked at her, though.
Not with fear… but curiosity.
The tall girl with strange clothes. The one who arrived with no past, speaking with poise but carrying a sadness no one could name. They whispered about her, as people often do when they sense something unspoken.
She didn't blame them.
Lena turned from the village and faced the open dirt path that wound its way into the dense woods — the road to the capital city of Velmira, the heart of this strange realm.
With a deep breath, she stepped forward.The forest swallowed her almost instantly.
Trees loomed like sentinels, their thick canopies casting shadows even under the rising sun. The path was clear but narrow, and Lena walked with quiet steps, alert to every rustle, every bird call. The pendant around her neck pulsed faintly — not with magic, but with presence, a quiet reminder that Winter was out there.
She clutched the travel bundle closer to her chest, the weight oddly comforting.
There was something grounding about this silence. In her world, the noise never stopped — cameras flashing, managers yelling, stylists tugging at her hair, voices demanding her attention. Here… there was only her.
And the ever-present weight of being hunted.
As the trees thinned, giving way to grassy hills and winding streams, Lena caught her first glimpse of the city far in the distance.
Velmira.
Even from this far, she could see its spires — dark stone towers twisting high into the sky, their architecture strange and ancient. The city gleamed under the morning sun, a crown of shadows and gold resting in a valley between mountains.
It was beautiful. And terrifying.
Because somewhere in that city… he might be waiting.
Or watching.She took a deep breath and pressed forward, every step a promise: I will find my answers. I will protect myself. And if this mark makes me a target… I will learn how to make it my strength.
The wind picked up, carrying with it the scent of something cold and distant. Lena didn't stop walking — but her fingers curled protectively around the necklace at her chest.
The journey had only just begun.
And fate, it seemed, had no intention of making it easy.
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