In a world divided into three races since ancient times, there have been three kingdoms. The first kingdom is the kingdom of the gods and sits in the heavens ruling above the other two. The second is called Amaryllis and filled with the prosperous...
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"He flew through the trees."
Dai did not dare to look back, his golden eyes filled with rage as he let his muscles take control. There was a sense of relief and familiarity upon doing the action, as Dai let his body carry him wherever it pleased.
What the Lekki mistook to be strength and nimbleness was just the Mutare trusting in their own bodies, something that the Lekki would never be able to fully do no matter how hard they tried. Of course, the Mutare were stronger and more nimble than the Lekki, but it wasn't just that. It was also that trust.
The animalistic instinct that long laid dormant in Dai's mind broke free as he ran through the branches, his cloak trailing behind him. The world became a blur around him as he lost sight of all things that mattered to him, for just a moment, and let the beast that usually laid dormant in his mind come out to play.
Snow and frost followed Dai as he ran and an icy wind blew through the trees. The first wind in days. The wind slapped against Dai's face as he finally slumped against the trunk of a tall pine. As he sat, perched among the branches, he opened his mouth, humming the melody of a tune taught to him by a vagabond girl many of years ago.
She had called it the song of the Wild Woods and had taught it to Dai, who whispered it to the wind and had it echo through the woods. It mere heartbeats it reached Honey's ears and she smiled as she heard the song, the one familiar thing about the woods, and Lukas too fell into ease.
Across the woods, similar reactions were held by all those who listened to Dai's song, without even fully realizing it. They had waited in an anxious silence for the song to return, and now it finally had. The entire Wild Woods fell silent to listen.
Perhaps that was why the sound of their voices was so obviously heard.
As Dai finished humming the final part of the melody and the Wild Woods returned to the way it was before, yet Dai's sensitive ears had already found that there were two voices that had not fallen silent to listen to the melody hummed by the wind.
Which meant they were from the Keep, a place of no wind and a place of no moonlight. They were close by as well, and it took no effort for Dai to locate the source of the voices, and no time for Dai to find himself starring from the treetops in curiosity, staring down as he had many times before, his heart pounding in his ears and fear dancing along his spine as he realized who it was.
The Raven Sisters.
"-searching for three days, sister," the younger said. It was clear to Dai that she was tired of traveling, and complaining about this. Only what were they doing so far from the Keep? What were they searching for? "I don't think we shall find him in this portion of the woods," she said.
"Silence, sister," the elder snapped. "You need to be more patient." Her words were sharp and her eyes narrowed. It was clear that she was just as frustrated too. "We need to be cautious about this," she warned. "To underestimate an opponent is to lose."
"Yes, sister," the younger sighed. "But I do believe you're overestimating him," she muttered under her breath, yet Dai still managed to catch her words. Which meant the elder sister had as well. "What if healing the soldiers was just an honest mistake?" she asked louder. "Dai is not exactly a cruel Mutare," she said.
Dai felt his breath catch in his throat, fear pooling in his eyes. So that's why they were out here. They were searching for him, which meant that his brother had finally decided to give chase. Something about this both delighted and terrified Dai at the same time. Perhaps healing the Mutare was a mistake, but leaving them to die would only have delayed the inevitable.
The Raven Sisters were searching for him, and they always found their prey, no matter how far it ran. They were skilled hunters and Dai wondered if they had ever known failure. He had even heard they had managed to destroy a god they were hunting once. An achievement held by very few in the army.
"Stop acting as if you know all," the elder snarled.
"I do not believe I know all, sister, but I know him," she snapped, her voice firm. "And I do not believe he knew that we were following him," she said.
"I disagree," the elder stated.
"You would say that," the younger sister spat.
"Watch your mouth," the elder sister said. "I was the one who was given this mission, so that means I am in charge," she stated. "And I say that he is going this way and that he has known we were following from the start."
Dai blinked in surprise. He had suspected that someone from the Keep might track him to Muurin eventually, but he had no idea who they were or when they would finally manage that. The elder sister had been overestimating him, yet not any longer.
Now he knew exactly what they were up to, and could prepare for their next move. If they attacked he would let Lukas decide what to do with them, yet right now they were just stumbling through the woods, far enough away from the cart to not be an immediate threat. If Dai could simply return to the cart without being seen then-
The branch he was perched upon snapped.
Dai had fallen from enough trees to know what was happening and landed on his back with a crash. He had picked a branch that was too weak to support his weight and now he was going to pay for his error. "Who's there?" the younger sister snapped.
"Doesn't matter," the elder responded, as Dai heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn. "If someone was listening, they must die," she spat.
Dai's heart was pounding in his chest as he got to his feet, and closed his eyes, feeling his own sword of ice form in his right hand. Then, from the shadows, emerged another. This blade was heavier than his first, made of a shining iron, with a silver hilt.
However, where the blade met the hilt there was a carefully carved full moon. The Twin Blade of Shadow. With a blade in each hand, Dai walked into the clearing, his face void of expression as he faced the Raven Sisters. Shock was the first thing Dai noticed had spread across their features. They knew just who he was. For even with their blinded eyes, they could see.
"You said you were looking for me?"
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