Chapter 4: The Storm Within
The forest trembled.
Fen stood still, shoulders heaving, the glowing Runestone clenched in one hand and his axe in the other. The stone pulsed once more—then vanished, sinking into the axe head like light into steel. Blue veins crawled across the weapon, humming with raw force.
And then—it hit him.
A rush of power. Devastating, physical surge. Strength bloomed in his muscles, his grip tightened like iron. His aura burst from his body in a crackling explosion, shaking the leaves and cracking the soil underfoot.
The Valkyrie screamed and charged.
But she was already too slow.
Fen lunged, axe flashing. One brutal swing hacked straight through her wing. Sparks flew. Bone snapped. She crashed down, shrieking.
Another swing—straight to her throat.
Crack.
The forest was quiet again.
Fen stood among roots and blood, chest heaving, axe humming with runic light. The Valkyrie lay dead at his feet, her broken wing twitching once before falling still.
His first kill.
He didn't feel proud. He didn't feel victorious.
He felt cold.
Alone.
And watched.
A whisper of wind passed—and before he could even turn—
CRACK!
A blur slammed into him with inhuman speed.
A hand wrapped around his throat, iron-hard fingers squeezing the air from his lungs.
Then—
He was being flown.
Up through the trees, leaves bursting away like sparks. The sky opened wide and blue. Town smoke far below.
Held in the grip of a man.
Not a Valkyrie.
No armor.
Just white robes that flowed like cloud, short hair. His eyes blazed with Anger, no mercy.
A Baldurian.
The world spun below.
Fen struggled, kicking, clawing at the hand around his neck.
The man didn't even flinch.
The Baldurian narrowed his eyes.
"So you are the puppy?" he said calmly, his voice like thunder through silk. "This... child? This insect?"
He looked Fen over like a problem already solved.
"I expected more."
"Let—me—go—" Fen choked.
The Baldurian raised an eyebrow. "Gladly."
And then—
He threw him.
Down.
The sky screamed past Fen as he fell. Wind roared. Trees rushed up.
He flipped mid-air, barely managing to twist his body and slam the runic axe into the earth as he hit.
BOOM!
Fen slammed into the ruins of Littleroot like a meteor.
The impact cracked the ground, dust and rock exploding in every direction.
Wood, stone, and blood exploded into the air. The ground shattered around him. Bones cracked. His body screamed in pain. His vision blurred.
But he was alive.
Barely.
He gasped, coughing, trying to stand, blood dripping from his mouth.
Above him, the Baldurian slowly descended, floating down like a god of death.
---
The impact cracked the ground, dust and rock exploding in every direction. His body ached—bones nearly broke—but he lived.
Barely.
He coughed, rolling onto his back, stars in his vision.
Above him, the Baldurian floated down slowly, arms folded.
"Let this end now," he said. "No more prophecy.
He raised his hand.
The wind swirled. Power crackled.
Then—
CLANG!
A second figure crashed down between them, cloaked and hooded, slamming something heavy into the Baldurian's hand mid-blast—an anvil, glowing with enchantments.
The attack fizzled.
Fen blinked.
The newcomer stood firm—a woman's figure, cloak billowing, wielding an anvil like it weighed nothing. Her voice was calm and sharp as a forge blade.
"You'll have to go through me first, golden boy."
The Baldurian's eyes flared. "You…"
But she was already moving—swinging the anvil like a warhammer.