Song of the Verdant

The wind howled through the craggy cliffs, sending up gusts of sand and salt from the nearby sea. The skies above were a dull, slate-gray, thick with the threat of an oncoming storm. In the distance, dark waves crashed against jagged rocks that lined the coast like the sharp teeth of a long-forgotten beast, marking the edge of the known world. Far beyond, across those freezing waters, lay lands unknown to most and it was to such obscurity that Alenya sought to flee.

Hooded and cloaked, she pulled her frayed garments tighter around her as she trudged along the narrow path carved into the cliffs. The way was treacherous, winding dangerously close to the edge, where one misstep could send her plummeting into the icy waters below. But Alenya had no choice. The king's men who called themselves hunters would not be far behind.

They had tracked her for weeks, from the lush valleys of Elorith to the dense forests of Vandros, all the way to the forsaken coast of Rhunemar, a place whispered about in the southern cities as a cursed land. That suited her just fine. The farther from people, the safer she would be. Or at least, she hoped.

She paused for a moment, glancing over her shoulder. The path behind her was empty, but she knew better than to trust her eyes alone. The hunters were skilled in tracking those like her, those with magic in their blood.

Alenya was no ordinary fugitive. Born with the gift of nature's magic, Alenya possessed the ability to bend plants, winds, and waters to her will. She was a Verdant, one of the last descendants of a bloodline that had been wiped out in a great purge by the king's order. The monarchs of Caldor had long feared magic, but none more so than the Verdant kin, whose connection to the natural world had once made them healers, warriors, and guardians of the ancient forests. Now, they were hunted like beasts, their powers feared and outlawed.

A low rumble echoed from the sky above, and Alenya quickened her pace. She needed shelter before the storm broke. There was a cave ahead, barely visible behind a wall of brambles and vines, but her weakened powers could still sense it. A flicker of energy rippled through her fingers, and the brambles slowly parted, revealing a dark opening. With one last wary glance behind her, she ducked inside.

**

At the same time elsewhere, Kael crouched at the edge of a rocky outcropping, watching the waves smash against the coast below. The wind whipped at his cloak, but he was still...focused, as if he were part of the stone itself. His sharp eyes scanned the horizon, noting every shift in the waves, every gust of wind. His instincts told him that someone was coming.

He didn't intend to stay this long in Rhunemar. It was too isolated, too barren, too filled with whispers of strange magics and forgotten myths. But his search and his mission had brought him here, and Kael was nothing if not thorough.

A bounty hunter by trade, he had earned a reputation across the kingdoms for finding people who didn't want to be found. But this time, his mission was different. His target wasn't a mere thief or runaway noble. This time, it was something more dangerous, something more…elusive. Verdants, they called them. Sorcerers of nature's power. The king had offered a fortune for their capture, but Kael wasn't in it for the gold. Not this time.

The wind shifted, and for a moment, Kael thought he caught the faintest scent of earth and greenery, out of place in the cold, salty air. He rose to his feet, muscles tensing. Whoever it was, they were close.

**

Inside the cave, Alenya sank to the ground, resting her head against the cool stone. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and she could feel the faint hum of magic in her veins, restless and desperate to be used. But she had to conserve her strength. Using too much magic would only draw attention.

She had barely closed her eyes when she felt it a disturbance in the energy around her. The brambles outside had been disturbed. Someone was nearby.

Her heart raced. Had they found her already?

She pressed herself against the wall of the cave, hand instinctively reaching for the dagger she kept hidden in her boot. It was a pitiful weapon against the king's hunters, but if it came to that, she would retaliate. Alenya's magic flickered through her fingers, a warning spark, ready to explode into action if necessary.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the mouth of the cave, silhouetted against the storm-darkened sky.

"Who are you?" Alenya demanded, her voice low and dangerous. She stood, dagger in hand, ready to defend herself.

The figure took a step forward, pulling back his hood. He was tall, with sharp, angular features and piercing emerald-green eyes that seemed to see straight through her. His cloak was travel-worn, his boots caked with mud, but there was something about the way he moved that was too graceful, too precise. Alenya's instincts flared. This man was no ordinary traveller.

"I could ask you the same," he said, his voice calm but edged with suspicion. "You're far from any village, and this isn't exactly a safe place for someone to be wandering alone."

Alenya's grip tightened on the dagger. "I'm not alone anymore, am I?"

The man raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. "No, I suppose you're not. But I'm not here to harm you."

She didn't relax. "Then why are you here?"

The man hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his options. Alenya could see the wheels turning in his mind. He was not going to tell her the truth. She could sense an odd energy around him, something that felt familiar. Though that didn't make any sense, as she had never seen him before in her life.

"Just passing through," he answered, shrugging casually. "The storm's about to break, and I needed shelter. I intended to seek refuge here at this cave."

Alenya's eyes narrowed. There were hundreds of caves along the coast. Why this one? And why now? Before she could press him further, a deafening crack of thunder split the sky, and the storm unleashed its inevitable fury. Rain began to pour in torrents, the wind howling louder than before. Outside, the brambles that had hidden the cave were torn apart by the gale.

The man glanced outside, then back at her. "It looks like we'll be stuck here for a while." She didn't respond, but she lowered the dagger slightly. She could sense no immediate threat from him, though her gut told her not to let her guard down. He seemed content to wait out the storm in silence, and for now, that was all she needed.

They sat in the cave for what felt like hours, with the relentless pounding of rain against the cliffs being the only sound to break the unwavering silence. Alenya kept her distance, watching him closely, her senses tuned to the smallest flicker of movement or magic.

He had secrets. She could feel it. But then again, so did she. They were strangers after all.

After a long silence, he finally spoke again. "The name's Kael, by the way. If we're going to be stuck here together, we might as well introduce ourselves."

Alenya didn't answer right away. She had abandoned her true name long ago, but giving a false one felt like a risk she could not afford. Instead, she said nothing, her gaze hard as steel. Kael tilted his head slightly, studying her. "No name, then? That's fine. I'm used to people with secrets."

His words sent a shiver down her spine, but she didn't react. Secrets. Yes, they both had those.