The forest grew silent the farther they traveled, only the sound of their footsteps and breathing breaking the stillness.
At first, Lila had embraced the silence. After days of screams, clashing steel, and fear.
But as the sky darkened and the air grew colder, the silence turned heavy.
Her boots sank into damp leaves with each step. Her breathing followed—uneven, sharp, and shallow. The deeper they went, the more her body protested.
Her legs ached—not the sharp pain of a wound, but a dull, spreading exhaustion. Each step made them numb, her knees trembling as if they might give out at any moment.
Ahead of her, Davien didn't slow down.
He moved through the forest with purpose, eyes constantly scanning the shadows.
She clenched her jaw and forced herself forward. The distance between them grew—by inches, then feet.
"Davien," she called, her voice hoarse. "Slow down."
He answered immediately, without stopping or turning back. "We're not safe. We need to find a suitable place to rest before evening."
"But I… I can't keep up anymore," she said, pushing through the ache and moving forward.
Lila focused on Davien's back, on the dark cloak moving ahead of her—then Suddenly her foot tripped on a tree root. It was half-buried beneath the leaves. Before she could steady herself, she lost her balance.
She gasped.
Before she hit the ground, arms wrapped around her.
Davien turned fast—faster than she expected—catching her mid-fall. His hand closed around her waist, firm but careful.
"Careful," he muttered.
For a moment, she was in his arms. When she looked up, she saw it—panic in his eyes—but it vanished just as quickly.
Lila stiffened, pulling herself free and stepping back.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
He nodded once and turned away as if nothing had happened, his expression unchanged.
That was when she snapped.
"Davien," she said before she could lose her courage. "There's something I want to ask you."
He paused.
"It might be unreasonable," she continued, "but please—just hear me out."
He turned, brows knitting slightly. "What is it?"
"Teach me how to fight," she said.
The words came out faster than she expected. "Even if it's just a little. Or for self-defense."
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Her throat tightened. "But why?" she asked softly, already knowing she wouldn't get a real answer.
"I'm tired of being like this."
"Like what?" he asked.
"Weak," she said. "Always protected. Always the one being saved." Her voice shook despite her effort to stay calm. "Do you know how it feels to be powerless in front of the enemy?"
Her hands curled into fists as images flooded her mind.
Fire. Smoke. Blood. The screams of her people.
She remembered standing frozen, fingers numb, watching her home turn to ash. Her legs refusing to move. Her voice vanishing when she tried to scream—while others ran, fought, hid.
Tears blurred her vision as the memory shifted.
Rough laughter. The stink of sweat and blood.
Bandits. Sharp weapons loose in their hands. Her heart pounding. Her body trembling.
If Davien hadn't been there—
"Do you know how miserable I felt when my village was destroyed?" she continued, her voice rising. "What if it happens again?"
She stepped closer to him.
"And the bandits—what if you're injured next time? What if you can't beat them?"
"Please," she whispered.
Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked at him. "I hate the way I am. These powers you talked about—where are they? I can't feel anything. Do they even exist?"
Her voice broke. "What makes you think they're even real?"
Davien didn't speak at first.
"Lila…" He sighed. "I'm sorry, but I just can't."
"You don't need to prove anything," he continued. "You don't need to fight. You don't need to be strong right now."
He gestured to the path behind them. "We can stop. Take a break. Your injury still needs to heal."
Her chest tightened—this time with something close to anger.
"Do I really look that weak to you?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her attempt to sound normal.
Davien sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "No. That's not it."
"Then why?" she demanded. "Why won't you agree to teach me?"
"My mission is to protect you and bring you to the Shattered Lands," he said flatly. "Nothing more."
"But I don't want to be protected," she shot back. "Besides, you can't always protect me."
He studied her for a long moment, then dropped their packs to the ground.
"I'm heading out," he said. "Stay here and rest."
Her brows narrowed. "What? But we're not done talking. Where are you going? I want to come too—"
"No," he said firmly. "You're injured. Rest while you can."
Then he walked into the forest, leaving silence creeping back in.
Lila stood there, trying to hold it in, anger building as she clenched her fists.
"Just you wait and see," she muttered, kicking the leaves on the ground.