By the time Kyren made it back to the campsite he and Lydel had chosen, the night had nearly run its course. In just a few more hours, the sun would rise over the trees, cutting short whatever rest he could manage.
Liora perched lightly on his shoulder, her tiny form barely weighing anything.
"How long have there been sprites in this forest?" Kyren asked, glancing at her.
"I've been here for about five years," she said. "My parents? Never met them. The other sprites I ran into said we come from moths."
Kyren frowned. "If there were others, why were you all alone in that stump?"
Liora hesitated. "There aren't any others like me," she admitted. "I'm the only light sprite I've met." A hint of sadness crept into her voice. "But then I found you. Or… maybe you found me. You're the only human I've ever seen with light mana."
Kyren blinked. "Have you seen a lot of humans?"
"Not that many. Just travelers or hunters passing through."
Kyren arrived back at camp and sighed. "I'm going to wake up my friend so we can get some sleep," he told her. Then, narrowing his eyes, he added, "Don't mess with Lydel."
He shook his friend's leg. Lydel groaned, rubbing his eyes as he crawled out of the tent.
"It's my turn already?" he mumbled.
Liora peeked through the cracks between Kyren's fingers. The moment her gaze landed on Lydel—his golden-blond hair tousled, emerald-green eyes heavy with sleep—her tiny face turned pink.
Kyren smirked. Before he could comment, a sharp pinch shot through his finger.
"Ow!" Kyren yelped, shaking his hand.
"You okay, bro?" Lydel asked groggily.
"Yeah, just… pinched myself." Kyren opened his hand and glared at Liora, who was still latched onto his finger with tiny but surprisingly sharp teeth.
"Finally," she huffed, releasing him. "Thank you for letting me out."
"What was that for?" Kyren asked, irritation creeping into his voice.
Liora ignored him. "So, that's Lydel? Why does he have a ring? He's not married, is he?" She fired off the questions rapid-fire.
Kyren raised an eyebrow. "You got a little crush on Lydel?" he teased, nudging her with his finger.
Liora's face went scarlet. "No! Never! Why would I ever like a human?"
Kyren chuckled. "Good, because I gave him that ring."
Liora immediately flew up, throwing tiny punches at Kyren's face. They stung like insect bites but didn't actually hurt.
"Why are you trying to steal my man?!" she squeaked.
"So you do have a crush," Kyren shot back.
Liora froze, realizing what she'd just said. Slowly, she sank back down into Kyren's palm, defeated. "I'm going to bed," she mumbled.
Kyren smirked, crawling into his tent. "Just don't mess with him," he muttered before sleep claimed him.
The morning came too soon. Sunlight cut through the tent's fabric, warming Kyren's face. He stretched, groggy, when—
"WHAT ARE YOU? WHERE IS THAT VOICE COMING FROM?!"
Kyren bolted upright. Lydel's panicked voice rang from outside.
"Liora?" Kyren thought.
"I'm outside trying to talk to your friend," she responded. "But he thinks I'm a ghost."
Kyren groaned. "This is why I told you to wait for me to introduce you."
He hurried outside and found Lydel standing rigid, his eyes wide and darting around. His face had gone pale, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps.
"Bro, what's wrong?" Kyren asked.
"Do you not hear that voice?" Lydel hissed.
"Some woman is haunting me!"
Kyren sighed. "Liora, land on my shoulder."
The glowing sprite fluttered down and perched on him.
"That! That's the light that's been following me for the last hour!" Lydel accused, pointing at her.
Kyren gestured him closer. "She's not a ghost. Come here."
Lydel hesitated before inching forward. "What do you mean, she?"
"This is Liora. She's a light sprite."
Liora looked down, her wings twitching. "I'm sorry for scaring you," she said softly.
Lydel stiffened. "Did… did you just hear that?"
Kyren nodded.
Lydel's eyes widened. "In my head?"
Liora's voice rang in both their minds again. "I don't know how we're doing this, but it's so cool!"
Lydel slowly reached up, his hand open. Liora hesitated before stepping onto his palm. The moment she did, her face flushed bright pink again.
Kyren smirked. "So, how'd you find her?"
Lydel asked, trying to ignore the blushing sprite in his hand.
Kyren recounted the events of the previous night—the fox, the lizard, and finally, stumbling upon Liora.
Lydel shook his head in amazement. "Man… this place just keeps getting weirder."
Three days later, the trees began to thin. The dense forest gave way to vast plains of high grass, only a few sparse trees dotting the landscape.
In the distance, a small village came into view.
The boys exchanged glances. It was the first settlement they'd seen in days.
Kyren checked his system.
Destination: Longfoot
Distance: 10 miles
"This isn't Longfoot," Kyren muttered. "Let's ask around and see if there's anywhere to stay."
The village was tiny—no more than fifteen buildings. Something felt… off. Shadows shifted in the alleyways. Figures lay curled against the walls, unmoving. The air smelled stale, like damp earth and unwashed bodies.
The only sign of life came from a building with a crooked sign reading BAR.
Inside, a heavy silence hung in the air. A lone bartender cleaned a glass behind the counter.
Kyren and Lydel sat at the bar.
"Any inns around here?" Kyren asked. "Or at least somewhere to sleep?"
The bartender shook his head. "The only people that sleep here live here."
Kyren frowned. "And they can't leave?"
The man's jaw tightened. He hesitated before speaking. "I can't say. But if you want answers, go to Longfoot."
Lydel leaned in. "What happened to this place?"
The bartender didn't respond.
A chill crawled up Kyren's spine.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
WARNING: Interference detected. Proceed with caution.
Kyren's stomach twisted. Whatever happened here… it had something to do with the cult.
"Let's go," he said, standing.
The boys left, picking up their pace toward Longfoot.
They walked five miles before the sun dipped below the horizon.
Lydel exhaled. "Man, I can't walk all night. Let's camp."
Kyren nodded. "I'll take first watch."
As the others settled in, he sat awake, staring at the dark horizon.
Something was waiting for them in Longfoot.
And whatever it was… the system knew.