The relentless haunt

Lena pulled Cain back. "Forget him. We need to go," she urged, her voice urgent. Cain flinched at her tone. Lena guided him into the deeper shadows of the forest, where Thom's unsettling chants echoed all around them. She felt the familiar paths beneath her feet—the roots, the hidden hollows.

They moved quickly, Lena turning into a blur with her rifle ready. To her surprise, Cain kept up, his raw movements showing a newfound grace. He was learning how to survive.

Suddenly, a sharp yelp pierced the night—one of the Haven dogs was too close. Lena cursed under her breath. They had been spotted.

“Run!” she hissed, pushing Cain forward. He didn’t hesitate, his strong legs propelling them forward as Lena followed, her lungs burning from the effort. The sounds of soldiers' boots grew louder, mixed with the metallic clinks of their gear and the crackling of radios.

"Fan out!" a soldier shouted. "Don't lose them!"

Lena risked a glance back and saw three figures gaining on them, their dogs eerily silent.

“This way!” She veered sharply into a thicket, branches tearing at their clothes but offering some cover.

“Who are they?” Cain gasped, crashing through after her, out of breath.

“Trouble,” Lena replied sharply, pushing another branch aside. "Stay low."

Suddenly, gunfire erupted, splintering wood around them. They were getting closer. Pain shot through Lena when she felt Cain stumble. She grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “No time for that!”

They burst into a clearing, where moonlight illuminated five Haven soldiers silhouetted against the dark.

“Hold it right there!” one of them barked.

Lena raised her revolver. “Not a chance.”

Cain stiffened beside her, a low hum building in his chest. It resonated, and the soldiers hesitated, uncertainty flashing in their eyes.

“What was that?” one soldier whispered, fear creeping in.

Lena seized the moment and fired, hitting the closest soldier. He cried out, dropping his rifle.

“Move!” Lena tackled Cain, rolling behind a fallen log just as bullets rained down around them.

Cain looked shaken. “They’re... different.”

“They’re still human,” she replied, reloading her weapon. “Just worse.”

She peered over the log and saw two soldiers moving to flank them. “Stay here,” she commanded, then sprang from cover, shooting at the soldiers.

One went down, while the other stumbled back, startled. Lena was relentless, a force of nature.

But Cain didn’t stay put. He moved like a shadow, low and quick. To her horror, he lunged not at a soldier but at one of the cowering dogs nearby.

Lena’s heart dropped as she witnessed the blur of motion. The dog whimpered once and lay still.

“Cain!” she yelled, panic clawing at her throat.

He didn’t hear her. His eyes were locked on the soldiers. The light from his gaze intensified, glowing in the pale moonlight.

Fear spread among the soldiers as they realized what they were facing.

“It's the creature! Fall back! Retreat!” one screamed, and they broke ranks, leaving their wounded behind.

Cain stood over the dead dog, breathing heavily. His bloodied hands trembled, and he looked between the lifeless animal and his own shaking fists, horror etched on his face.

“Lena…”

“It’s over,” Lena said, holstering her revolver as she approached him, her hands shaking too. “We need to go. Now.”

He fell to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. “I can’t... I don’t know...”

“Get up!” Lena urged, pulling him to his feet. “They’ll be back, and they’ll bring more.”

With urgency, she began to lead him deeper into the woods. Every little sound made her heart skip.

After a long time of walking, Lena leaned against a tree, gasping for breath. Cain slumped beside her, his head in his hands.

“What was that, Cain?” Lena whispered, her voice trembling.

He shook his head, tears in his eyes. “I don’t know. Something inside me just… took over.”

Lena’s heart sank.

“We need to keep moving,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “We find Jeb. He’ll know what to do.”

Cain nodded, pushing himself up. He looked at her with a mix of fear and reliance.

They walked for hours, the moon guiding them through the thick woods, with a heavy silence surrounding them.

Suddenly, Cain stopped, his senses heightened.

“What is it?” Lena whispered, gripping her rifle tightly.

“Smell,” he said, focusing intently. “Blood. And... fire.”

Lena inhaled deeply. He was right; she could detect the faint, metallic scent mixed with smoke.

“Another camp?” she wondered aloud.

“No,” Cain replied, his voice tense. “Many. More.”

They moved carefully, weaving through the trees as the smell grew stronger.

Then they stumbled upon a makeshift settlement hidden in a valley. It was larger than any bandit camp she had seen—dozens of ominous figures moved around fires, their shapes unsettling.

“Is this Haven?” Cain whispered in disbelief.

“No,” Lena said firmly. “It’s something else.”

Her gaze fell on the crude fortifications, watchtowers, and strange flags. The figures lurking in the shadows appeared too large, too twisted to be human.

A low growl rumbled in Cain's chest. It was a sound of instinct, a recognition deep within him.

A tall, hooded figure stepped from a large tent, their face concealed. They raised a hand, and the murmuring crowd fell silent.

Lena and Cain pressed against the trees, hidden from view.

The hooded figure spoke, their voice deep and commanding. “The hunt continues. The marked one is near.”

As those words hit Cain, he flinched, gasping as he instinctively touched the tattoo on his back.

The hooded figure paused, sensing something. "The echo grows stronger."

Lena’s heart dropped. They were talking about Cain.

"We need to go," Lena whispered, pulling at his arm.

Cain was frozen, realizing the truth. "They're looking for me."

"We knew that. Now move!"

But Cain stared at the camp. The hooded figure continued, "Bring the children. The harvest approaches."

Lena's heart raced. This was about more than just Cain.

Cain let out a low growl, his body tense.

"No," Lena urged, her voice steady.

She locked eyes with him. Fear turned into determination. "What do we do?" he asked.

Lena breathed deeply, gripping her rifle. "We get closer and find out what's happening."

They crept forward, listening as voices and pounding sounds grew clearer.

Peering through some underbrush, Lena saw figures moving around a massive structure. "The Citadel," she whispered, recalling Thom's words.

Cain pointed, trembling. "Look."

Lena followed his gaze, seeing children huddled near cloaked figures. They weren't just resources; they were being harvested.

The hooded figure raised a hand, chanting intensified. Suddenly, a child's scream echoed through the night.

Cain roared, breaking the stillness of the forest.

"Wait!" Lena shouted, but it was too late. They had been noticed.

"They heard us," she whispered.

Cain’s eyes were wild with rage. The silver glow around him intensified.

"We have to help them," he rasped, struggling against her grip.

Lena hesitated, torn between her instincts and the children's cries. "Alright, but we do it my way. Smart."

She drew her hunting knife. "You distract them. Make noise. I'll free the children."

Cain nodded, determination etched on his face.

"Go," she ordered.

With a fierce roar, Cain charged into the camp, creating chaos.

Lena moved quietly, heading towards the children. She dispatched guards efficiently, with no time for remorse.

"Follow me," she mouthed to the terrified children, guiding them away from the main camp.

Behind them, Cain's roars rang out, drawing attention.

Lena found a weak spot in the wall and pushed through. "Go! Run north!" she urged.

The children scattered into the darkness.

Lena turned back; Cain was fighting a massive creature with glowing red eyes—something Thom had warned about.

She couldn't leave him. Aiming her rifle, she fired. The creature roared, momentarily stunned.

Taking the opportunity, Cain attacked.

Lena fired again and again, eventually bringing the creature down.

Breathing heavily, Cain looked at her. "Are they...?"

"Gone," she panted. "Run free."

More figures emerged from the chaos.

"We have to go," Lena said urgently.

Cain stumbled, but they ran, leaving the noise of the Citadel behind.

As dawn broke, they found an old ranger outpost with a heavy gate. Smoke curled from a stone chimney.

A weathered man sat by a small fire outside, cleaning a rifle. His face was lined, his eyes sharp. He looked up as they approached.

"Well now," the old man rasped. "Took you long enough."

Lena froze. "Jeb?" she whispered, disbelief coloring her voice.

He grinned, a knowing glint in his eyes. "The one and only, girl. And who's this wild thing you got with you?"

Cain stood beside Lena, weary, bloody, but alive. He looked at Jeb, then at Lena, a question in his haunted eyes.

Lena took a shaky breath. "Jeb," she said, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and relief. "We have a lot to talk about.”

Jeb chuckled then turned to Cain again. Seeing the tattoo on his back, his expression changed to shock.

"By the spirits… I thought you were dead."