9. Rhea

9

RHEA

T he moon hangs heavy in the sky, a silver sentinel watching over the darkened forest. My heart thrums in my chest. It's a relentless drumbeat echoing the tension coiling in my muscles. Valen is a silent shadow beside me. His presence is a comforting weight in the otherwise oppressive silence. We crouch behind a thicket of trees. Our eyes fixate closely on the winding path that cuts through the woods like an open vein.

A caravan of dark elves soon approaches, their armor gleaming under the moon's glow. They're arrogant, these nobles, parading through the night as if they own the very air we breathe. In a way, they do. But not for long.

Valen's gaze flicks to me, his crimson eyes the only hint of color in the monochrome night. He nods, a silent signal that sets my blood alight with anticipation. I tighten my grip on the dagger he gave me—a slender blade that feels like an extension of my will.

"Remember," Valen whispers, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "Strike fast, strike true."

I nod. I've trained for this moment, honed my body and mind into weapons of retribution.

The caravan draws closer, the clinking of armor and the soft whinny of horses filling the air. Valen's hand finds mine, squeezing it in a silent show of support. It's a small gesture, but it grounds me, reminds me why we're here.

"On my mark," he murmurs, his eyes never leaving the approaching enemy.

I swallow hard, my free hand itching to wipe the sweat from my palms. But I don't dare move, don't dare break the spell of stillness that cloaks us. The dark elves are within striking distance now, their laughter carrying on the wind—a chilling sound that reminds me of all the pain they've inflicted.

Valen's hand releases mine, and he moves with a predator's grace, melting into the shadows. I follow suit, my body reacting on instinct, my training taking over. We flank the caravan, unseen specters ready to strike.

"Now," Valen breathes.

My heartbeat quickens. But Valen's presence is a reassuring constant at my side.

We strike, and the world erupts into chaos. My dagger finds its mark, the blade biting into the dark elf's throat with a sickening ease. His eyes, wide with disbelief, lock onto mine. It's a moment suspended in eternity, a snapshot of shock and suffering that sears itself into my memory. He crumples to the ground, and I'm left standing amidst the carnage. My breath hitches in my throat.

The taste of bile fills my mouth, hot and acrid. I've dreamt of this moment, imagined the sweet release of revenge, but the reality is a bitter pill to swallow. The dark elf's blood, dark as ink, spreads across the forest floor. My hands tremble.

Valen materializes at my side, his touch on my shoulder a grounding force amidst the storm of my emotions. "It gets easier," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that barely penetrates the fog of my shock. "They're the enemy, Rhea. They took your family, your life. This is the price they pay."

I nod mechanically, my gaze still riveted to the lifeless eyes staring back at me. Valen's words should bring comfort, a validation of my actions, but all I feel is a gaping void where my triumph should be. The significance of what I've done settles on my shoulders, a heavy mantle of guilt and regret.

Soon, the sounds of battle gradually fade as Valen moves with deadly precision, cutting down any who dare to resist. It's a brutal display of power.

When Valen's killed the last dark elf, he comes and crouches beside me, his crimson eyes scanning my face with unsettling intensity. "Rhea," he prompts, his voice now laced with concern. "Talk to me. How do you feel?"

I force myself to meet Valen's gaze. "I... I don't know," I confess, my voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I'd feel... different. Triumphant, maybe."

He nods knowingly. "Revenge is a double-edged sword. It cuts both ways. What you're feeling—it's normal. You've crossed a line, one that can't be uncrossed."

A shiver runs down my spine as the reality of his words sinks in. I've taken a life, extinguished the spark that made a living, breathing being. The enormity of the act is suffocating, a burden I hadn't anticipated.

My heart pounds like a drum in my chest, a rhythm that feels both alien and oddly right. I feel sick, a nauseating cocktail of horror and an intoxicating sense of power. For the first time in my life, I've taken control, dealt out the kind of justice that only comes with a sharpened blade and a resolve of steel.

"Rhea," Valen's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. He stands up before me, his crimson eyes scanning the surrounding carnage. There's an unsettling calmness about him. But I've learned to read the subtleties of his expressions, the way his jaw clenches just a fraction when he's wrestling with his own demons. "We need to move. There will be others coming for us."

I nod, though my feet seem rooted to the blood-soaked earth.

Valen's hand closes around my arm, a gentle yet insistent tug that urges me into motion. I stumble after him, my legs regaining their strength with each step I take away from the grisly scene behind us. We move in silence, navigating the labyrinthine forest with a shared sense of urgency. The moon bathes our path in a silver glow.

After what feels like an eternity, we arrive at a small cave nestled amidst a thicket of thorny brambles. It's a makeshift hideout, one of many Valen has shown me over the past weeks. Inside, the air is cool and damp, a stark contrast to the oppressive heat of my own racing thoughts.

Valen settles against the cave wall, his gaze focused on the cave's entrance. His body is relaxed, but there's a coiled tension in him, a readiness that suggests he's prepared to spring into action at a moment's notice. I lower myself to the ground across from him, my hands trembling slightly as I tuck them under my legs.

"Rhea," Valen's voice is soft now, a stark departure from the lethal warrior who had sliced through the dark elves with terrifying precision. "You did well tonight. I know it doesn't feel like it now, but you saved lives."

I lift my eyes to meet his, searching for some semblance of the satisfaction he speaks of. But all I find is a hollow emptiness that mirrors the void gnawing away at my insides. "I killed someone, Valen," I whisper, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. "How am I supposed to feel good about that?"

He leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he studies me intently. "You feel exactly as you should," he replies, his voice a low rumble that resonates within the confines of our hideout. "You're not a monster, Rhea. You're a survivor. You fought back against those who have taken everything from you. There's no shame in that."

I take a deep, shuddering breath, trying to wrap my mind around his words. "But how do you do it?" I ask, my voice barely more than a murmur. "How do you live with the lives you've taken?"

Valen's gaze drops to the ground, his fingers tracing the outline of a scar that mars his otherwise flawless skin. "I carry them with me," he admits, his voice heavy with centuries of sorrow and regret. "Each life is a weight on my soul, a reminder of what I've lost and what I've become. But it's also a testament to my resolve, to the promise I made to avenge my family."

His eyes meet mine once more, and there's a strange kind of warmth in them—a warmth that both comforts and unnerves me. "You're not alone in this, Rhea. We're both haunted by our pasts, by the pain and the loss. But we're in this together. And together, we'll make them pay."

His words, though simple, carry a profound truth that strikes a chord within me. I realize then that I'm not just a former slave, a mere pawn in the dark elves' twisted games. I'm a warrior, just like Valen. And while the path to vengeance is fraught with darkness and despair, I know that I no longer walk it alone. Our bond, forged in the fires of shared suffering and a burning desire for justice, has become my anchor in the storm.

"Thank you, Valen," I say, my voice steadier now, imbued with a newfound determination. "For everything. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

He offers me a small, almost imperceptible nod, a silent acknowledgment of the connection that binds us. We sit there in comfortable silence, the bond between us deepening with every passing moment. And though the future remains uncertain, I find solace in the knowledge that, for now, I am safe with Valen by my side.