Altan moved silently through the forest under the cover of night. The moonlight trickled through the branches, illuminating his path. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness; his ears twitched at every sound. He was heading toward the ruins by the lake—his heart heavy, but his steps firm.

After about an hour, the old stone structures came into view. Half-collapsed walls, moss-covered columns, and caved-in roofs… Altan held his breath. The silence here was deeper.

That's when he heard a whisper. He turned, but no one was there. A few steps later, he spotted a small footprint. Daen's muddy boots… the tracks pointed forward.

He followed them.

But then, the silence broke.

"Kkkkkh..."

The first goblin burst through the bushes, baring its sharp teeth. Altan instantly took a defensive stance. But that was only the beginning. Four, five, six… they had him surrounded.

Altan controlled his breathing. Each one was small but agile. He couldn't run. His eyes locked onto one point—Daen was lying unconscious behind a crumbled wall.

He had to think before attacking.

He calculated his steps. Measured the distances. Held his breath.

When the first goblin lunged, Altan dodged left and slashed his sword diagonally. The second came from behind. He ducked. The third aimed for his stomach, but his handmade armor absorbed most of the impact. Altan stumbled but didn't fall.

Blood met earth.

Just as he thought he was done, a sharp whistle echoed through the forest. The goblins flinched. A silhouette emerged from the trees. Slender, long-eared, and graceful… The figure raised a bow. One arrow. A goblin fell.

"This way!" called out a woman's voice.

Altan stared in shock. Bathed in the silver glow of the moon, an elven woman appeared. Her hair shimmered like moonlight. A second arrow flew. Then a third. Each struck true. Altan seized the moment—he grabbed Daen and retreated.

Outnumbered and disoriented, the goblins scattered. Some fled. Others lay lifeless.

When the battle ended, Altan was breathless.

He looked at the elf woman. "Who… are you?"

She nodded slightly. "My name is Llyn. That's enough for now."

Altan opened his mouth to speak, but Llyn turned her head sharply. "We're being watched…"

Altan spun around, but only the whisper of wind greeted him.

"Shadows sometimes watch but do not speak," Llyn said, her eyes carrying a strange weight. "For someone like you, this is only the beginning."

As Altan carried Daen on his back and followed Llyn out of the forest, hundreds of questions swirled in his mind. Who was she? Why had she helped? And most of all… who was watching them?

---

📜 End of Chapter Note:

In this chapter, Altan faced a real enemy on his own for the first time. But a rescuer emerged from the darkness, weaving a new thread in his fate. With Llyn's arrival, Altan's world begins to expand—but unseen eyes in the shadows may know more than they let on.

In the next chapter: Llyn's past, Altan's curiosity, and secrets waiting to be revealed…