Chapter 30 — The Stranger in the Mist
The horns had become a constant background wail. Through the thinning fog, Kael saw flashes of movement — nobles retreating in disarray, corrupted beasts charging through their lines.
But SIDE pulled his focus elsewhere. —Heat signature, two o'clock. Not human… but also not beast.
Kael slowed, letting the mist swallow his outline. He crept forward, boots soundless on damp earth.
The figure emerged from behind a thicket: tall, cloaked, the hood pulled low. Their posture was wrong — too calm for the chaos around them. They stood beside the body of a slain corrupted boar, one hand buried in its chest.
Kael's fingers tightened on his sword. The air around the figure shimmered faintly, like heat on stone.
SIDE murmured, —Mana signature matches the corruption pattern. But it's… controlled.
The figure withdrew their hand. Black mist curled into their palm, then vanished.
Kael stepped into view. "You lost?"
The hooded head tilted toward him. No answer.
Then the voice — male, quiet, and edged like broken glass. "You're not supposed to be here."
Kael smirked. "Funny. I was about to say the same to you."
The stranger turned fully. Beneath the hood, his eyes glowed faintly red, pupils slit like a serpent's.
SIDE's tone was sharp. —Caution. Unknown skill set. Mana density: extreme.
Before Kael could speak again, the man blurred forward. Not teleported — moved. Fast enough that the air cracked behind him.
Kael barely caught the incoming strike, steel meeting steel in a shower of sparks. The stranger's blade was black, serrated along the back edge, and heavier than it looked.
They traded blows in rapid succession — Kael's space-steps buying distance, the stranger closing it instantly. Each strike from the black blade carried a weight that rattled Kael's bones.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the man stopped.
"You've touched the shadow," the stranger said softly. "We will meet again, Kael Cromwell."
Before Kael could ask how he knew his name, the man stepped backward — and simply dissolved into the mist.
[SIDE SYSTEM ALERT]
Event Triggered: ???
Quest Added: Shadow's Rival — Investigate the unknown wielder of controlled corruption.
SIDE muttered, —Well. That's not ominous at all.
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