The Wandering Star

The night air was thick with tension. Each step Raine took felt heavier, like he was sinking deeper into a mess he didn't understand.

He barely knew Sylara, but one thing was clear—she was hiding from something. Or rather, someone.

The armored men had called her "the princess." That alone was enough to send his thoughts spiraling.

Princess of what, exactly?

And why was she running?

The two of them moved carefully through the underbrush, slipping between thick tree trunks as the voices of the soldiers faded into the distance. Sylara led the way, her every step silent and precise. Raine, on the other hand, nearly tripped over a root for the third time.

Sylara shot him a glare, eyes narrowed. "Do you want to get caught?" she hissed.

"Hey, excuse me for not being some elf-ninja-royalty hybrid," he whispered back.

She exhaled sharply but didn't say anything else. Instead, she motioned for him to follow and picked up the pace.

After what felt like hours of sneaking, they finally reached a small clearing near the base of a jagged cliffside. A narrow cave entrance yawned between the rocks, shrouded in darkness.

Sylara stopped. She scanned the area, then nodded to herself. "We'll rest here," she said, stepping inside.

Raine hesitated at the threshold. "Uh. Are we sure this isn't, like, a monster den?"

Sylara shot him a dry look. "Do you want to sleep out in the open with armed men hunting us?"

"Fair point."

He stepped in after her.

The cave was shallow but provided enough shelter to keep them hidden. The cool stone walls pressed in around them, damp and uneven. Raine slumped against the ground with a groan, rubbing his sore legs.

Sylara, however, remained alert. Even as she sat down, her hand rested near her sword.

Raine watched her in the dim light, his curiosity gnawing at him. "So," he started, "you are a princess."

She didn't look at him. "You should sleep."

"Yeah, that's not happening. My brain is going wild right now."

Sylara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I suppose you wouldn't drop it even if I asked."

"Not a chance."

There was a long silence. Then, finally—

"My name is Sylara Elaris," she said quietly. "First daughter of the High Court of Elyndra."

Raine frowned. "Never heard of it."

"Of course not. Your kind—humans—were never meant to step foot in Elyndra."

That caught him off guard. "Wait, what? What do you mean 'your kind'?"

Sylara's expression was unreadable. "You don't belong here, Raine. I don't know how you arrived, but humans do not exist in this realm anymore."

He blinked. "Wait—anymore?"

She hesitated, as if she'd said too much. But before he could press her, she stood and walked toward the cave entrance. "Get some rest. We move at dawn."

Raine wanted to argue, to pry more answers from her, but exhaustion finally won. With a sigh, he leaned back against the cave wall, the weight of the night pressing down on him.

The Journey North

The morning light filtered through the cracks in the cave, illuminating the damp stone walls with a golden hue. Raine stirred, stretching his aching limbs as Sylara was already preparing for their departure. Her keen eyes scanned the forest, ever cautious.

"We need to head north," she said without looking at him. "If we can reach the river, we might be able to lose any remaining pursuers."

Raine rubbed his eyes. "And then what? What's the plan here?"

Sylara finally turned to face him, arms crossed. "We keep moving."

"That's not much of a plan."

She sighed, running a hand through her silvery hair. "I didn't exactly expect to have company, Raine. I've been running alone for a long time."

Raine studied her for a moment. The way she held herself—strong, unwavering—yet there was an underlying exhaustion in her expression. She was tired of running. But whatever she was running from, she wasn't ready to stop.

"Then let's change that," he said, standing up. "You don't have to do this alone anymore."

Sylara's gaze flickered with something unreadable, but she didn't argue. Instead, she motioned for him to follow as they left the cave, stepping into the fresh morning air.

They traveled in silence, weaving through dense foliage and rocky terrain. The forest was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves, but both of them remained on edge, aware that danger still lurked nearby.

"So, this High Court of Elyndra," Raine said, breaking the silence. "What's their deal?"

Sylara's jaw tightened. "They rule over the elves. A council of elders, scholars, and warriors. My father is one of them."

"And you're supposed to be part of that?"

"I was."

Raine waited, but she didn't elaborate. It was clear that whatever had happened between her and her people was painful.

They pressed on until they reached a steep ridge overlooking a winding river below. The sight was breathtaking—crystal-clear water reflecting the morning sky, surrounded by towering trees with glowing blue flowers. It was like something out of a dream.

"We should climb down," Sylara said. "The river can cover our tracks."

Raine nodded, but before he could take a step forward, an arrow embedded itself into the ground at his feet.

Both of them froze.

A Deadly Encounter

"Well, well," a deep voice echoed from the trees above. "Look what we have here."

A group of figures emerged from the shadows, clad in dark armor, their weapons gleaming under the sun. Raine's heart pounded as Sylara's hand flew to her sword.

"Bounty hunters," she muttered under her breath.

The leader of the group, a tall man with a scarred face and piercing golden eyes, smirked. "Princess Sylara. You've given us quite the chase."

Sylara's grip on her sword tightened. "Leave now, and I won't spill your blood."

The bounty hunters laughed, weapons drawn. "Oh, I think there's quite the price on your head. You're coming with us—whether you like it or not."

Raine swallowed hard. This was bad.

Sylara exhaled slowly, then whispered to him, "When I give the signal—run."

"Wait—"

"Trust me."

Before he could argue, she moved. In a flash, Sylara lunged forward, blade clashing against steel as the battle erupted around them.

Raine took a shaky breath, fists clenched.

Running wasn't an option anymore.

If he was going to survive in this world—if he was going to help Sylara—he had to fight.