Chapter 3: Embers of the Past

Raynor woke to the sound of muffled footsteps outside the hut, the storm outside having settled into a steady drizzle. He had been resting for days, his body healing under Erin’s care, though the dull throb of his wounds was ever-present. His mind, however, was far from at peace.

He lay still, watching Erin from across the room as she sorted through a bundle of herbs. Her focus was intense, her brows furrowed as she mixed an ointment from crushed leaves and powder. Her hands moved with practiced precision, each motion deliberate. The fire crackled in the corner, casting long shadows on the walls.

Raynor couldn’t help but feel something shifting within him, like the calm before a storm. Erin, with her silver eyes and cryptic past, was more than just a healer. He knew that now. But why had she helped him? Why was she so calm in the face of danger?

He slowly sat up, the movement causing a ripple of pain to shoot through his chest. His hand instinctively moved to his dagger, but it was not within reach. Instead, Erin noticed his movement and turned to him, her expression unreadable.

“You shouldn’t be up yet,” she said, her voice soft but firm.

“I’m fine,” he replied, gritting his teeth as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. The cold air stung against his skin. “We need to talk.”

Erin didn’t say anything at first. She simply walked over to where he sat and placed the bundle of herbs beside him. “If you’re going to get up, at least take this.”

He frowned at the ointment. “What is it?”

“Something to help with the pain,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “For the wounds. You’re lucky to be alive.”

Raynor reached for the ointment, his fingers brushing hers briefly. There was something in that touch, a fleeting spark of warmth that confused him. He didn’t know what to make of it.

He smeared the ointment onto his chest and shoulders, feeling the cool balm seep into his skin. The pain dulled, but it did little to ease the heavy knot of tension in his chest.

“You still haven’t told me the truth about who you are,” he said, his voice low but steady. “And why you’re here. You know more than you're saying.”

Erin didn’t respond immediately, her hands working silently as she busied herself with the herbs. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken thoughts. She seemed to be weighing something in her mind.

Finally, she spoke. “I’m not who you think I am.”

Raynor looked up sharply. “What does that mean?”

Erin turned toward him, her silver eyes gleaming like twin moons in the dim light. “It means I’m not just a healer. I’m the last of the Silverblood.”

Raynor’s heart skipped a beat. “The Silverblood?”

Erin nodded, her gaze unwavering. “The lineage of the Moon’s Orphan. The bloodline that is said to be able to awaken the Wolf God during the Blood Moon.”

Raynor swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. “And you think that’s… me?”

Erin didn’t respond immediately, instead turning her attention back to the fire. “I don’t know,” she murmured. “But I think you’re the key to everything. The Blood Moon, the trials, the war—it’s all connected.”

Raynor’s mind was reeling. The Silverblood. The Wolf God. Erin’s cryptic words, her strange powers, and the mysterious mark on her wrist—it was all tied together, but he couldn’t make sense of it. How could she be connected to this ancient prophecy?

“I didn’t ask for this,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. “I never wanted any of it.”

Erin’s eyes softened. She knelt beside him, her voice quiet but earnest. “None of us ask for our fate. But that doesn’t change it. The Blood Moon is coming, Raynor. And you’re either part of it, or you’re part of the destruction that follows.”

He looked at her then, really looked at her—her features soft with exhaustion, but her eyes fierce with determination. There was no fear in her. No hesitation. She wasn’t just another victim of fate; she was ready to face it head-on.

“I didn’t ask for this either,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t hide from it anymore. I know what I am. And so do you.”

The room was silent for a long moment. Raynor found himself caught between her words and the gnawing weight of his past. His quest for vengeance had led him here, to this small hut in the woods, to a woman who spoke of prophecies and bloodlines. He had thought himself a mercenary—nothing more than a weapon for hire—but the more time he spent with Erin, the more he realized that he was something else entirely.

He had no memory of his past beyond the betrayal of his family, the scar on his back a constant reminder of the price of revenge. But perhaps Erin was right. Perhaps he wasn’t just a broken man, lost to the world. Perhaps his fate was tied to something greater.

“I didn’t come here to be part of some prophecy,” Raynor said, his voice heavy with resolve. “I came here for something else.”

Erin met his gaze. “What’s that?”

“To stop the war,” he said simply. “To stop Vargus and anyone else who wants to use my bloodline for power.”

Erin nodded. “Then we’re on the same path.”

Raynor looked at her, the weight of his next words pressing against his chest. “I’m not the one you should be worried about.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Raynor leaned forward slightly, his voice low. “There’s more at stake than just the Silverblood. Vargus isn’t the only one who wants the power of the Wolf God. And there are worse things than him out there.”

Erin’s gaze sharpened. “What do you mean?”

Raynor didn’t answer right away. He was silent for a moment, his eyes distant as the memories of his past came rushing back. He had fought in wars, bled for causes he didn’t understand, and lost more than he cared to admit. But now, with Erin by his side, the future seemed uncertain, fragile, and yet—somehow—full of possibility.

“Vargus isn’t the only enemy we face,” Raynor said softly, his voice carrying a weight he couldn’t ignore. “But if we don’t stop him, everything will burn.”

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