The stranger moved with terrifying speed—far too fast for Razan's eyes to follow. His blade carved through the pack with ruthless precision, each swing a blur of steel and shadow. With every strike, dark energy rippled outward, crackling like living smoke. This was no ordinary hunter. His presence felt ancient… overwhelming… monstrous.
The last Kazgar wolf let out a low whimper before retreating into the forest's depths, its glowing eyes disappearing into darkness.
Silence swallowed the clearing.
The man slowly turned, those golden eyes flickering with something Razan couldn't decipher—curiosity, annoyance, or perhaps amusement.
"You don't belong here, boy," he said, his voice steady and cold, like someone stating a simple fact.
Razan's chest tightened as he stared at the man, golden eyes cutting through the darkness. For the first time, he felt the weight of possibility pressing against him. "I left the city," he said, voice low but steady. "I've spent my whole life powerless… but seeing you—I know now there's a way to change my fate. I won't waste it."
He stepped forward, courage ignited by the man's overwhelming presence. "Will you… train me?" he asked, voice firm despite the fear twisting inside him. "To become someone like you—someone strong enough to shape his own fate?"
The man's golden eyes narrowed. For a moment, he seemed ready to turn away, to leave the boy to his fate. But then he caught Razan's gaze—burning with determination, unflinching despite the fear behind it.
A low chuckle escaped him. "Is that so?" he murmured, stepping forward, the shadows around him seeming to pulse with dark energy. "Then prove it. Show me that you are worthy… worthy to learn from me."
Before Razan could react, a crushing pressure slammed into him, like the weight of the night itself pressing down. His knees buckled, every breath labored, as the man's aura threatened to crush him entirely.
"Survive this," the man commanded, his voice calm but edged with authority.
Razan's vision blurred, pain screaming through every nerve in his body. Yet, deep within, something stubborn stirred—a tiny ember refusing to die, flickering against the darkness.
And then—everything went black.