The forest was a labyrinth of shadows, the gnarled trees reaching out like skeletal fingers under the dim light of a crescent moon. You moved swiftly, silent as a phantom, but no matter how fast you ran or how well you masked your scent, you could feel him. Always just behind you. Always closing in.

Caius was relentless. You’d heard the stories of his cruelty, his precision as a hunter, but hearing them and being his prey were entirely different things. The chase had started as a game—his cold smile, the flicker of amusement in his crimson eyes as he gave you a head start. Now, it felt anything but playful.

Your breath hitched as you darted through the undergrowth, weaving between trees and leaping over a fallen log. You knew better than to look back, yet instinct betrayed you. A flash of white-blond hair, the glint of crimson in the darkness, and your heart plummeted.

"You’re slowing down," his voice rang out, cold and sharp, echoing through the trees like a taunt.

You didn’t respond. Words wouldn’t save you. Only distance—distance you were quickly losing.