Feylin's eyes snapped open, and he looked around. The trees shone bright green, with sunlight shining through the branches. It was morning. He even wondered how he slept through the night after what he'd been through. He stood up, looking around, and saw his footprints coming from the direction of the village he had escaped.
He uttered under his breath, "Mom..." His lips were dry, and his body was begging for water.
He walked for a while, but there was no sign of water – nothing, not even a single bud in the forest. That was the weirdest part. No sounds, only his footsteps. He walked and continued walking until he saw what he believed was the end of the forest. He had reached an open field and a road trail.
But then he heard galloping horses...
Feylin's eyes widened as he heard the galloping horses. He instinctively ducked behind a tree, his heart racing. Who was coming? Friends or... others?
He peeked around the trunk, seeing two horses approaching from the direction of the road. They were sturdy-looking beasts, and the riders were dressed in leather armor, with swords at their sides.
Feylin's first thought was to stay hidden, but his dry throat and parched tongue begged for water. He needed help. He took a deep breath, stepping out from behind the tree.
The riders spotted him, reining in their horses. One of them, a burly man with a thick beard, eyed Feylin's tunic, stained with blood and dirt.
"Hey, lad, you look like you've been through the wringer," the bearded man said, dismounting his horse. "What brings you out here?"
Feylin hesitated, unsure who to trust. But the man's gruff tone seemed kind enough.
"I... I need water," Feylin croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The bearded man nodded, handing Feylin a waterskin. "Drink up, kid. You look like you need it."
"So, while you're drinking up all my bloody water, kid, mind telling me your name?" The white-haired boy looked at the bearded man, moving his hands across his lips, wiping it. He said, his voice cracking, "Feylin Cain."
"Feylin, eh? By any chance, do you know where the village of Bright is? You see, me and my men got kind of lost." The boy looked up with a saddened expression and said, "It's... gone."
The bearded man sighed as he understood. "I see." He shouted, "Conor! One of the men behind him responded, "Yes, sir."
"Send word back to have an investigator out here," the bearded man ordered. "Yes, understood."
The bearded man asked Feylin, "Do you mind accompanying us back to the Kingdom of Camelot, lad?" Feylin looked back at the forest and finally answered, "Oook."
The bearded man smiled, a hint of relief on his face. "Good lad. I'm Sir Thane, by the way. We're part of the kingdom's patrol. What were you doing out here, Feylin?"
Feylin hesitated, unsure how much to share. Sir Thane's expression turned serious, and he leaned in. "Listen, kid, we're here to help. But we need to know what's going on. Was it... one of them?"
Feylin's eyes narrowed, unsure what Sir Thane meant. "One of... what?"
Sir Thane exchanged a look with his men. "The Shadowborn. Dark creatures, ain't no natural beasts. We've been tracking them for weeks."
Feylin's mind flashed back to the creature that killed his mother. The glowing eyes, the twisted form... it fit the description his mother had given him of the Nephilim.
He took a deep breath. "It... it killed my village. My mom."
Sir Thane's expression turned grim. "Sorry, lad. We'll get you safe to Camelot, and you'll tell us everything, okay?"
Feylin nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. For the first time since the attack, he felt a glimmer of hope.
As they rode towards Camelot, the trees gave way to rolling hills and farmland. Feylin spotted the city's spires in the distance, and his curiosity sparked.
"What... what is Camelot like?" he asked Sir Thane.
The bearded man chuckled. "You'll see, lad. It's a city of wonders. But for now, let's get you safe inside the walls,and get you cleaned up ,as thane thought to himself noticing the deep wound on the boy looking at his distant face he had gone numb from the lost of blood its a miracle he can talk let alone stand.