Chapter 10 — The Path That Moves
The road shifted under Kael's feet.
Not fast. Not enough to throw him off. Just enough to remind him it wasn't a real road. It curved when he didn't expect it to. Smoothed out when he slowed down. Cracked when he hesitated.
"Alright," he said. "I get it. Keep moving."
The shadow stayed behind him. He could feel it without looking. Not close enough to touch. Close enough to matter.
The land ahead was quieter than the last places. No creatures. No shaking ground. Just dark soil and low hills that looked unfinished, like someone had stopped halfway through shaping them.
Kael walked for a while. Time felt strange here. His legs burned, but not like before. More dull. More distant.
Then he heard it.
Footsteps.
He stopped.
The sound stopped too.
Kael turned slowly.
Someone was standing on the path behind him. Human. Rough clothes. Thin build. A woman, maybe his age. Her hair was tied back badly, like she'd done it in a hurry.
She raised both hands. "Don't."
Kael lifted the blade anyway. "Talk first."
She nodded quickly. "Fair."
They stared at each other for a second. The road stayed still, like it was listening.
"You real?" Kael asked.
She snorted. "If this is real, then yeah."
"What's your name?"
She hesitated. Just a bit. Then said, "Lira."
Kael noticed the pause. He didn't comment.
"You just come through that thing too?" she asked, glancing behind him. Her eyes slid past the shadow like she couldn't quite see it.
"Yeah," Kael said. "You?"
"Different place. Same problem." She shifted her weight. "You didn't attack me. That's new."
Kael lowered the blade a little. "Give it time."
Lira smiled, quick and tired. "So. Guess we're both still alive."
The ground pulsed once, soft.
Text appeared, simple.
MULTIPLE VARIABLES DETECTED
Lira frowned. "You see that too?"
Kael looked at her.
"Yeah," he said slowly. "I do."
The road ahead stretched wider.
Behind them, something moved.