The next morning, the air was crisp and still. The remnants of their campfire smoldered faintly as

  the group packed up their things, the weight of the previous day's battle still lingering over them.

  The sun barely peeked through the thick canopy of trees, casting long shadows across the

  clearing.

  Lily silently buckled her gear, her face a mask of focus as her fingers traced over the faint marks

  on her arm. Each one was a reminder of the trials she had endured—and of those yet to come.

  She didn’t need to speak for everyone to know what was on her mind.

  Thalor, ever the meticulous one, rolled up his map and stared at the horizon thoughtfully. "Well,"

  he said, breaking the silence, "we need to decide where to go from here. The path still leads to

  the rest of the sins... that much is certain."

  Elias secured his sword, his expression unreadable. "The question is which direction gets us

  there faster, and which direction will throw us off even further. Do we continue east like we

  planned, or head north, deeper into the unknown?"

  Rylan glanced around, arms crossed, her eyes shifting between the two paths as if weighing them

  in her mind. "East or north... doesn't really matter. Trouble will find us either way."

  Lily stood quietly for a moment, adjusting her pack, her thoughts distant. "East is what we’ve

  been doing," she finally said. "But that’s the path everyone expects us to take, isn’t it?"

  Elias raised an eyebrow, catching on to her train of thought. “So you want to go north? Into the

  woods?”

  "It’s not about wanting to," Lily replied, her voice soft but certain. "It's about doing something

  different, something unexpected. The sins and the Horsemen—they seem to be leading us

  somewhere, no matter what we choose. If we keep following the road east, we’re just walking

  straight into their hands. Maybe going off the path changes something."

  Thalor nodded, considering her words. “There’s logic in that. We’ve been on a predictable

  course this whole time. If this world—this curse, or whatever you want to call it—is watching,

  going north might give us an advantage.”

  Elias frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Or it might get us killed faster. We don’t know

  what’s out there. East is bad enough, but at least we’ve got a rough idea of what we’re facing."

  As they trekked through the dense woods, the silence of the forest was broken only by the crunch

  of leaves beneath their boots. The air was thick with the smell of pine and damp earth, and the

  sun struggled to pierce through the thick canopy above. The group moved in relative silence,

  their thoughts seemingly heavy as they ventured deeper into the unknown. After what felt like

  hours of walking, Elias glanced over at Lily, curiosity lighting up his face.

  "So, Lily," Elias began, breaking the quiet, "you’ve told us bits and pieces about your world, but

  you haven’t really talked much about yourself. Before... all of this, what did you do? What were

  you like?"

  Lily blinked, pulled from her thoughts by the question. She hesitated for a moment, considering

  what to say. “What was I like?” she echoed, a slight smile touching her lips. “I don’t know. I

  guess I was like most people my age. Figuring things out, trying to figure out who I was and

  where I fit in.”

  Thalor, always keen to listen, perked up. "You’ve mentioned your world a bit, but you never

  really told us what your plans were before... you know, before you ended up here."

  Lily sighed softly, a faraway look crossing her face as she remembered her life back on Earth. "I

  was actually about to go to college. University, we called it. I was going to study sociology."

  Elias raised an eyebrow, clearly unfamiliar with the term. "Soci-what?"

  Rylan, who had been silently walking beside them, gave a smirk. “You’re just making up words

  now, Lily.”

  Lily laughed lightly, though there was a hint of sadness in her voice. "No, I swear it’s real.

  Sociology is the study of society and how people behave in groups, basically. It’s about

  understanding why people do the things they do, why certain patterns exist, why some societies

  thrive while others collapse. Stuff like that."

  Thalor furrowed his brow, intrigued. "So, it’s like trying to understand... people on a larger

  scale? Not just individuals, but how they interact as a whole?"

  "Exactly," Lily nodded. "It’s about looking at the bigger picture—things like culture, economics,

  politics, religion, and how all of those shape the way people live. Why do some people follow

  certain rules while others don’t? Why do societies form the way they do? What makes people fall

  in line, and what makes them rebel?"

  Elias scratched his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it. "Sounds complicated. But, I

  guess it makes sense. You always seem to have a handle on people. You notice things."

  Lily shrugged. "It was something I was passionate about. I wanted to understand people better,

  and maybe even help fix some of the problems in the world. Sociology seemed like the way to

  do that. It felt... I don’t know, important."

  Rylan, who had been listening more quietly, finally chimed in. “So, you were going to school to

  understand why people are so... messed up?”

  Lily chuckled. "Pretty much. I mean, people aren’t all bad. But there are a lot of systems in place

  that make things harder than they need to be. I thought maybe if I could understand those

  systems, I could do something to change them."

  Thalor nodded slowly, clearly fascinated. "I can see the appeal. I’ve studied a lot of things in my

  life, but understanding the way people think, the way entire societies operate, that’s something

  I’ve never really delved into. It must take a lot of patience."

  "It does," Lily admitted. "But it also takes a lot of curiosity. There’s so much to learn, and the

  more you study it, the more you realize how connected everything is. You can’t just look at one

  thing, like poverty, and expect to understand it without also looking at education, the economy,

  history, and even things like culture and family structures. Everything plays a part."

  Elias whistled low, clearly impressed. "You were really going to take all that on? Sounds like a

  lot to handle."

  Lily smiled faintly. "Yeah, it was a lot. But I was ready for it. At least, I thought I was. I liked

  the idea of figuring things out. Of solving problems no one else could see."

  Rylan glanced at Lily, a rare hint of admiration in her eyes. “That’s brave. Most people just try to

  survive in their own little bubble. They don’t try to understand the whole picture.”

  Lily shrugged. "I guess I was just... idealistic. I wanted to make a difference."

  Thalor looked thoughtful, stroking his chin as he often did when deep in thought. "In some ways,

  what you’re describing sounds familiar. The way people interact, the systems they create. It’s not

  all that different from what I’ve observed in this world. Even without the magic and the Marks,

  people still form societies, still follow rules, still have their own struggles. It’s interesting how

  those patterns emerge no matter where you are."

  "Exactly," Lily said, warming to the subject. "People are people, no matter where you go.

  Whether it’s Earth or here, we all have the same basic needs. We all want security, belonging,

  purpose. And we all try to find ways to meet those needs, even if the methods look different."

  Elias, still processing, frowned slightly. "But what does it all mean? I mean, you’re here now, in

  a world with Marks and magic. How does all that fit into what you were studying?"

  Lily sighed softly, her eyes drifting to the path ahead. "I don’t know. Honestly, I’ve been

  thinking about that a lot. Everything I learned about people, about society... none of it really

  prepared me for this. This world is so different, but at the same time, it’s the same. People are

  still fighting, still trying to survive, still trying to find meaning. But the Marks... they change

  things. They add a layer of control, of power, that I never really understood before."

  Rylan raised an eyebrow. "And now?"

  Lily paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Now... I’m not so sure. Part of me wonders if

  the Marks are just another system, another way to control people. But at the same time, they’re

  also a way to break free, to gain power over your own fate. It’s like... they represent both

  freedom and oppression at the same time."

  Thalor nodded thoughtfully. "It’s an interesting paradox. Power often works that way, doesn’t it?

  The more you have, the more you’re bound by the systems that gave it to you."

  "Exactly," Lily said, her voice quiet. "And I think that’s part of what I’ve been struggling with. I

  didn’t choose these Marks, not really. But now that I have them, I’m part of this world in a way I

  wasn’t before. I have power, but I also have responsibility. And I don’t know where that leaves

  me."

  Elias looked at her, his expression serious. "So what are you going to do about it?"

  Lily smiled faintly, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I don’t know yet. I’m still

  figuring that out."

  The group fell into silence after that, each of them lost in their own thoughts. The woods grew

  denser as they continued north, the path becoming less defined with every step. But despite the

  uncertainty ahead, there was a sense of resolve in the air. They were no longer following a

  predetermined path—they were making their own.

  And whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

  Rylan smirked. "Getting killed was always on the table, Elias. It’s not like the safe option is

  much better. Either way, we’re dealing with marks, sins, and Horsemen. Might as well take the

  scenic route."

  Lily glanced between her companions, their trust in her decision clear despite their words. They

  had followed her through worse, and somehow, they still stood with her now. She took a deep

  breath, the weight of her choices growing heavier with each step forward.

  “North,” she said, her voice resolute. “We go north.”

  Elias gave a slight nod, his jaw clenched. "North it is, then."

  Thalor stuffed the map into his pack. “The woods will make things difficult, but I think we can

  manage.”

  As they began their journey, the group turned away from the familiar path to the east, and

  stepped into the deep, untamed woods. It wasn’t just a change of direction; it was a step into the

  unknown—a defiance of the forces pulling them down a predetermined road.

  As the group continued their trek through the dense woods, the path before them seemed to

  vanish entirely, swallowed by the wilderness. Tall trees stood like sentinels, their canopies

  blotting out the sunlight, and the air felt thick with the weight of unspoken things. Despite the

  calm exterior of the forest, there was a sense of being watched, as though eyes from the shadows

  followed their every move.

  Lily, Elias, Thalor, and Rylan walked in silence for the most part, each occasionally glancing

  around with the growing sense that something wasn’t right. They were still processing

  everything—Lily’s Marks, the Horsemen, and the never-ending tension of being hunted by

  forces they barely understood.

  But the stillness was suddenly broken by the sound of branches snapping in the distance. The

  group froze, exchanging glances.

  “Did you hear that?” Elias whispered, his hand instinctively going to his weapon.

  Rylan nodded, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the treeline. “It’s not just the forest...

  Something’s out there.”

  Without a word, they moved as one, instinctively slipping into formation. As they moved

  cautiously forward, they heard the sounds of movement again—this time much closer. A scuffle,

  the unmistakable sounds of claws and growls, and a shrill voice cursing at someone or

  something.

  Suddenly, a figure burst through the undergrowth and came stumbling right in front of them—a

  small, scrappy girl, barely five feet tall, with wild dark hair tangled in knots. Her clothes were

  filthy, torn in places, and she looked like she hadn’t bathed in weeks. Her face was smudged with

  dirt, and a permanent scowl seemed etched into her features. Trailing behind her, crashing

  through the brush, was a massive black tiger—an enormous creature whose rippling muscles and

  gleaming eyes screamed danger. Yet, the girl seemed utterly unfazed by its presence.

  “Get off my back, you stupid tree rats!” the girl shouted over her shoulder, her voice sharp and

  sarcastic.

  She skidded to a halt when she noticed the group standing in her path, raising her hand to

  command the tiger to stop, too. The beast, towering over her, complied instantly, sitting down on

  its haunches as if it were a tame housecat.

  “Great,” the girl muttered, her eyes rolling as she realized she’d run into yet more strangers.

  “More people to deal with.”

  “Uh, who are you?” Thalor asked, eyeing the tiger warily while keeping his hand near his

  weapon.

  The girl crossed her arms, glaring at the group as though she’d rather be anywhere else. “Nyx,”

  she replied tersely. “And this is Buck.” She motioned to the black tiger behind her, who eyed

  them with a low growl rumbling in its throat.

  “What are you doing out here?” Rylan asked, glancing around as though expecting more trouble.

  “Running for my life. What does it look like?” Nyx snapped. “Poachers. They’ve been hunting

  me and Buck for weeks. Jerks think they can make a profit by capturing us. Like I’m some

  prize.” She huffed, glaring back over her shoulder. “Well, joke’s on them. They’re not getting

  me or him.”

  Elias’s eyes narrowed. “Poachers? Where are they now?”

  Nyx shrugged, looking thoroughly unimpressed with the situation. “Probably not far behind me.

  You might wanna clear out unless you feel like getting involved.”

  Lily stepped forward, glancing at Buck and then back to Nyx. “You can control him, can’t you?

  That’s not a normal tiger.”

  Nyx smirked, clearly enjoying the small amount of recognition. “Yeah. I’ve got the Mark of the

  Beast. I can bond with animals, control them, even talk to them sometimes. Buck here—he’s not

  just a tiger. He’s... well, special.”

  “Special how?” Elias asked, still keeping an eye on the surrounding trees.

  Nyx’s smirk grew, but before she could answer, the unmistakable sound of approaching voices

  and footsteps filled the air. The poachers. A group of armed men, heavily armored and roughlooking, emerged from the treeline, their eyes scanning the woods until they landed on Nyx—

  and Buck.

  “There you are,” one of the poachers growled, a cruel grin spreading across his face. “Thought

  you could run, did you? Time to come with us, girl. The tiger, too.”

  The group tensed. It was clear from the look on Nyx’s face that she had no intention of going

  anywhere with them. But the poachers didn’t wait for an answer. They drew their weapons,

  advancing toward her with the confidence of men who had done this sort of thing many

  timesbefore.

  Buck growled, rising to his feet, muscles tensed as if preparing to pounce. Nyx shot the group an

  exasperated look. “So... you guys planning to help, or are you just gonna stand there?”

  Lily didn’t need to be asked twice. She stepped forward, her Mark of Wrath sparking a familiar

  fire in her veins. “We’ve got this.”

  Without hesitation, the group sprang into action.

  Elias charged forward first, his weapon drawn and a battle cry on his lips. He moved with the

  strength and speed of someone used to combat, easily deflecting the first blow that came his way.

  His Mark of Murder gave him the deadly precision to incapacitate his opponents swiftly.

  Rylan followed, her own marks glowing faintly as she used her agility to duck and weave

  between the poachers, her strikes aimed with cold efficiency. Her movements were like a blur,

  each one deadly and precise.

  Lily hung back for a moment, watching the chaos unfold. Her Marks—Lust, Gluttony, Greed,

  and Wrath—gave her a unique edge in battle. As one of the poachers lunged toward her, she

  activated her Mark of Wrath, feeling the familiar surge of power course through her. The man’s

  attack was fast, but she was faster. With a swift motion, she dodged his swing and struck back,

  her strength amplified by the mark, sending him flying backward into a tree.

  Nyx, meanwhile, had her own methods of fighting. She crouched low, her hand resting on

  Buck’s thick fur as she whispered something to him in a language only the two of them

  understood. With a snarl, Buck lunged forward, his massive paws swiping at the poachers with

  terrifying force. One by one, they were knocked off their feet, their weapons useless against the

  sheer strength of the black tiger.

  “Nice kitty,” Elias muttered as he slashed his way through another poacher.

  “Yeah, well, don’t get too attached,” Nyx called back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “He’s

  not exactly a house pet.”

  As the battle raged on, the poachers began to realize they were outmatched. They were strong,

  but the group was stronger—and Nyx and Buck were forces of nature in their own right. With

  every swing of a blade or swipe of a paw, the poachers fell one by one.

  It wasn’t long before the last of them was down, groaning in pain or unconscious on the forest

  floor.

  Nyx stood up, brushing the dirt off her clothes with a huff. “Well, that was fun.”

  Lily wiped her brow, glancing around at the fallen poachers. “You alright?”

  Nyx shrugged, clearly unbothered by the whole ordeal. “I’ve had worse. Thanks for the assist,

  though. They were starting to get annoying.”

  Elias sheathed his weapon, eyeing Buck warily as the massive tiger padded back over to Nyx, his

  eyes gleaming in the dappled sunlight. “That’s some companion you’ve got there.”

  Nyx smirked, scratching Buck’s ear affectionately. “Yeah, well, he’s saved my ass more times

  than I can count.”

  Thalor approached, looking down at the poachers with a frown. “What do they want with you?”

  Nyx rolled her eyes. “What do you think? They want the Mark. They think they can capture me

  and sell me to the highest bidder. People like them always think they can control things they

  don’t understand.”

  Rylan crossed her arms, her gaze still scanning the treeline as if expecting more trouble. “And

  you’ve been running from them?”

  “More or less,” Nyx said with a shrug. “I’ve been living in these woods for a while now. Me and

  Buck, we get by. But these idiots keep showing up, thinking they can take us down. They never

  learn.”

  Elias frowned, glancing at Lily. “What do you think? Should we take her with us?”

  Nyx raised an eyebrow, clearly unamused. “I don’t need babysitters, thanks.”

  Lily smiled faintly. “Maybe not. But it looks like you’ve got more enemies than just poachers.

  Stick with us for a while. Safety in numbers.”

  Nyx hesitated, glancing at Buck before finally sighing. “Fine. But don’t get any ideas. I’m not

  here to make friends.”

  Lily chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”

  With that, the group continued their journey, now with a new companion—and a massive black

  tiger—at their side. As they walked deeper into the woods, Lily couldn’t help but feel a strange

  sense of foreboding. The poachers were just the beginning. Something darker was lurking in the

  shadows, and they were walking straight into it.

  As they ventured deeper into the woods, the air grew thicker, heavier, as if the forest itself was

  closing in around them. The trees were ancient, their trunks gnarled and twisted, their branches

  casting long shadows that danced in the dim light. Nyx, now walking alongside the group,

  seemed perfectly at home in the wilderness, her steps light and purposeful, Buck padding silently

  at her side like a phantom in the dark.

  Elias led the way, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of trouble. Despite their recent

  battle with the poachers, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something far worse was waiting for

  them up ahead. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he kept his hand close to the

  hilt of his weapon, ready for anything.

  Rylan, ever watchful, walked just behind him, her sharp eyes darting from shadow to shadow.

  Thalor was in the rear, keeping a close eye on Nyx and her tiger, though by now it was clear the

  girl and her beast were not the threat they first appeared to be.

  Lily, in the middle of the group, was lost in thought. Her Marks—Lust, Gluttony, Greed, and

  Wrath—had been her companions for some time now, each one granting her power in ways she

  still didn’t fully understand. But there were still three more to go—Sloth, Envy, and Pride—and

  two more Horsemen to face. Famine and Death. The weight of what was to come pressed on her

  like a physical force, but she knew there was no turning back.

  “So,” Nyx’s voice cut through the silence, her tone dripping with sarcasm as usual, “what’s the

  deal with you guys, anyway? You’re not exactly the usual bunch of travelers.”

  Lily glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  Nyx smirked, pushing a strand of filthy hair out of her face. “Come on, don’t play dumb. You’ve

  got that look—like you’re running from something, or maybe toward something. Either way,

  you’ve got trouble written all over you.”

  Elias chuckled dryly. “She’s not wrong.”

  Rylan sighed, her eyes still scanning the forest. “We’re not exactly on a pleasure cruise, if that’s

  what you’re asking.”

  Thalor, ever the diplomat, tried to steer the conversation. “We’re on a... journey, of sorts. And

  it’s not exactly a straightforward one.”

  Nyx snorted. “Yeah, I got that much. But you—” she nodded toward Lily, “—you’re the weird

  one. I’ve seen people with Marks before, but nothing like what you’ve got going on.”

  Lily frowned slightly, glancing down at her hands as if she could see the Marks glowing beneath

  her skin. “It’s... complicated.”

  “Complicated how?” Nyx pressed, her curiosity piqued. “You’ve got what, four of them? And

  they’re all deadly sins? What’s that about?”

  Lily hesitated, unsure how much to share. But Nyx had already seen them in action, and it wasn’t

  like the truth would make things any worse. “The Marks I have... they’re tied to the Seven

  Deadly Sins. Lust, Gluttony, Greed, and Wrath. There are three more to go.”

  Nyx’s eyebrows shot up. “Seven Deadly Sins? That sounds... intense.”

  Lily nodded. “It is. And I’m not just collecting them for fun. There are forces in this world—dark

  forces—that want these Marks for themselves. The Horsemen.”

  Nyx’s expression turned from sarcastic to serious in an instant. “Horsemen? As in... like, the

  apocalypse kind of Horsemen?”

  “Exactly,” Thalor said, stepping in. “We’ve already faced one—War. There are two left: Famine

  and Death.”

  Nyx let out a low whistle, shaking her head. “You guys really don’t do anything halfway, do

  you?”

  Lily smiled faintly. “No, we don’t.”

  As they continued to walk, the conversation fell into a more relaxed rhythm. Nyx, despite her

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  rough exterior, seemed genuinely curious about them, and though she tried to hide it behind her

  sarcasm, Lily could sense that the girl was relieved to have found people who weren’t trying to

  kill her for once.

  “So,” Nyx said after a while, “you mentioned you were gonna go to school. What’s that about?

  Sounds like you weren’t planning on ending up here.

  Lily smiled wistfully, her thoughts drifting back to the life she once had. “I was. I wanted to go

  to school for sociology. It’s... kind of the study of how people interact with each other, how

  societies work, and how things like culture, economics, and power shape our lives.”

  Nyx blinked, clearly confused. “Okay, but... why?”

  Lily chuckled, realizing how strange it must sound to someone from a world without formal

  education or the concept of studying such abstract things. “Because I wanted to understand why

  people do the things they do. Why societies function the way they do. I thought if I could

  understand people, I could maybe help make things better, somehow.”

  Nyx raised an eyebrow. “That’s... a lot of thinking for someone your age.”

  Lily shrugged. “I guess. But it’s not just about thinking. It’s about finding patterns in how people

  act and live, and then using that knowledge to create change. I wanted to work in community

  development, help people who were struggling to get on their feet.

  “Sounds... boring,” Nyx said, though there was a hint of admiration in her voice.

  “It’s not,” Lily insisted, smiling at the memory. “It’s about people, and people are never boring.

  They’re complicated, messy, and unpredictable, but that’s what makes it interesting.”

  Elias, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. “It sounds like you had your whole life

  figured out.”

  Lily shook her head. “Not really. I was just starting to figure things out. But then... well, then I

  ended up here.”

  Nyx snorted again, kicking a rock as they walked. “Yeah, welcome to the club. This place has a

  way of screwing up whatever plans you thought you had.”

  Rylan, who had been silent for a while, spoke softly. “Maybe it’s not about having plans. Maybe

  it’s about surviving and figuring things out as you go.”

  Nyx shot her a look. “That’s kind of depressing.”

  “It’s kind of true,” Rylan replied.

  Thalor, ever the optimist, chimed in. “It’s about adaptation. You can’t always control the path

  you’re on, but you can control how you walk it.”

  Nyx rolled her eyes. “Great. More philosophical crap. Can’t we just focus on not getting killed?”

  Elias grinned. “I like her. She’s straightforward.”

  As they continued deeper into the woods, the conversation shifted from serious to lighthearted.

  Nyx told them about some of the more ridiculous encounters she’d had while living in the

  forest—like the time she accidentally befriended a family of bears, only to have them raid her

  camp for food every night. Buck, the massive black tiger, seemed to enjoy the attention as the

  group cautiously petted him, though Nyx was quick to warn them not to get too comfortable.

  “He’s still a wild animal,” she said, watching as Elias scratched behind Buck’s ear. “Just because

  he’s bonded with me doesn’t mean he won’t eat you if you piss him off.”

  Elias laughed nervously, pulling his hand away. “Noted.”

  As the day wore on, the forest began to change. The trees grew taller and denser, their bark

  blackened and gnarled as though something had twisted them over time. The air grew colder, and

  an eerie silence settled over the woods. Even Nyx, who had spent most of her life in the forest,

  seemed uneasy.

  “This place doesn’t feel right,” she muttered, glancing around warily.

  Lily nodded in agreement. “There’s something off about it.”

  Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, and Buck’s ears perked up. The tiger lowered

  his body, growling softly as if sensing something nearby.

  The group tensed, drawing their weapons as they prepared for whatever was coming.

  From the shadows, figures began to emerge—dark, twisted shapes that seemed to melt out of the

  trees themselves. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and their movements were slow and

  deliberate, like predators stalking their prey.

  “Great,” Nyx muttered, drawing her own weapon. “More fun.”

  The creatures were unlike anything they had seen before—part animal, part shadow, their forms

  constantly shifting and changing as they moved. They seemed to be drawn to Lily, their glowing

  eyes fixed on her as they advanced.

  Lily felt her Marks flare to life, the power coursing through her veins as she prepared for battle.

  But there was something different about these creatures—something that felt... familiar. She

  couldn’t shake the feeling that they were connected to her Marks somehow, as if they were

  drawn to the sin within her.

  Without warning, the creatures lunged, and the group sprang into action. Buck roared, leaping

  into the fray with a ferocity that matched the darkness around them. Elias and Rylan moved like

  shadows themselves, their movements quick and precise as they slashed through the creatures

  with ease.

  Lily felt the familiar surge of power as she called upon her Marks, the fire of Wrath burning

  through her veins as she struck down one of the creatures with a single blow. But even as she

  fought,

  she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to these creatures—something she

  was missing.

  “Lily!” Elias shouted, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Focus!”

  She nodded, her grip tightening on her weapon as she dove back into the fight. But as the last of

  the creatures fell, she couldn’t help but feel a nagging sense of unease. These creatures weren’t

  just random monsters—they were connected to her somehow, and that meant something far

  darker was waiting for them ahead.

  The aftermath of the battle left the group winded but standing. Around them, the bodies of the

  shadowy creatures disintegrated into mist, leaving nothing behind but the eerie silence of the

  darkened forest. Nyx let out a slow breath, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead.

  "Well, that was a blast," she muttered sarcastically, glancing at Buck, who was licking his paws

  after dispatching several of the beasts. "I really know how to pick the spots, huh?"

  Elias sheathed his weapon and surveyed the area, eyes narrowing. "Something was off about

  those things. They weren’t just random monsters. They felt... drawn to Lily."

  Thalor nodded, stepping forward to inspect the ground where the creatures had fallen. "I think

  you're right. They seemed... linked somehow. Like they were connected to the power of your

  Marks, Lily."

  Lily, still catching her breath, nodded slowly. The pulsing energy of her Marks had quieted now,

  but the sense of unease lingered. "I felt it too. It's like they were hunting me—or at least, what I

  carry." She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers. "These Marks... they’re attracting

  more than just the Horsemen."

  Rylan wiped her blade clean and looked at Lily, her expression grim. "Then we need to be

  prepared. If these creatures can sense the power of your Marks, there might be more out there.

  Stronger ones."

  Nyx sighed, sheathing her own weapon with a slight shrug. "Yeah, well, I don’t plan on sticking

  around to find out. Not that I’ve got much of a choice at this point." She glanced at Lily, her

  usual sarcasm dropping for a moment. "Looks like we’re in the same boat now."

  Lily gave her a small, grateful smile. "Yeah, it seems like we are."

  The group collected themselves, exchanging a few quiet words as they prepared to continue

  through the dark forest. The air felt even heavier now, and the twisted trees seemed to close in

  around them as they walked. The unease that had settled over them only grew as they pressed on,

  the silence of the woods broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant sound of

  something moving through the underbrush.

  After what felt like hours, the forest began to thin slightly, and they came upon a small clearing

  bathed in an eerie, pale light. The trees in this part of the forest were still twisted and blackened,

  but they were spaced farther apart, allowing shafts of moonlight to filter down through the

  canopy.

  "Hold up," Elias said, raising a hand as he spotted something ahead.

  In the center of the clearing, a large stone structure loomed. It was ancient, crumbling in places,

  but still imposing in its size. The stone was covered in thick vines and moss, and the air around it

  seemed colder than the rest of the forest. At the base of the structure, an opening led into

  darkness, a set of stairs descending into the ground.

  "That looks... inviting," Nyx remarked dryly, eyeing the entrance with a grimace.

  Lily stared at the entrance, her brow furrowed. "There’s something down there. I can feel it."

  Thalor stepped closer, his Mark of Knowledge flickering in his mind as he examined the

  stonework. "This structure... it’s old. Really old. I can’t place it, but I’ve read about ruins like

  this. They were often used by ancient cults or groups seeking to channel forbidden power.

  Whatever’s down there might explain what we’ve been encountering."

  Elias glanced at Lily, his expression serious. "It’s your call. Do we go down there, or do we

  keep moving?"

  Lily hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. There was a part of her that

  wanted to turn back, to avoid whatever horrors might be waiting below. But the pull of her

  Marks—the sense that something important was hidden in these ruins—was too strong to ignore.

  "We go," she said finally, her voice steady. "Whatever’s down there, we need to find it."

  Nyx rolled her eyes but followed without argument. "Of course we do. Because walking into

  creepy old ruins always ends well."

  The group descended into the dark entrance, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls as they

  made their way down the spiral staircase. The air grew colder and more oppressive with each

  step, and the smell of damp earth and decay filled their lungs.

  As they reached the bottom, they found themselves in a vast chamber lit by the faint glow of

  strange, rune-like symbols etched into the walls. The floor was uneven, cracked in places, and

  the walls were covered in faded, disturbing murals depicting twisted figures engaged in

  grotesque rituals.

  "This is not good," Rylan murmured, her voice low.

  Thalor moved closer to one of the murals, his eyes scanning the images. "These symbols...

  they’re tied to forced Marks. Experiments, rituals to force people to gain powers they weren’t

  meant to have."

  Nyx, standing nearby, scoffed. "Sounds familiar."

  Lily stepped closer to the center of the room, her eyes drawn to a large, stone altar at the far end

  of the chamber. On the altar, there were chains—broken and rusted, but clearly used for binding.

  Bloodstains marred the stone, and the air around it seemed to pulse with dark energy.

  "This place... it’s where they tried to force Marks onto people," Lily said, her voice barely above

  a whisper.

  "And it looks like they didn’t care who they sacrificed in the process," Elias added, his eyes

  scanning the room.

  Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the chamber, and Buck, who had been quietly pacing

  around the room, froze in place, his ears flattening against his skull. The tiger let out a soft

  warning growl, his golden eyes locked on the shadows at the far end of the room.

  Something moved.

  A figure stepped out of the darkness, its movements slow and deliberate. It wore a long, white

  cloak that shimmered faintly in the dim light, and its face was hidden behind a white plague

  doctor mask. The figure stood tall—over seven feet—and in its hand, it held a long, gleaming

  scythe.

  "Death," Lily breathed, her heart pounding in her chest.

  But as the figure stepped fully into the light, they saw that it was not Death. Its mask and cloak

  were pristine white, unlike the dark, decayed look they might have expected from Death. No, this

  was something else—something connected to the Horsemen, but not one of them.

  "Conquest," Thalor whispered, his eyes wide. "One of the Four Horsemen. He’s come."

  The figure said nothing, but its presence filled the room with a suffocating weight, as though the

  very air had become heavy with the inevitability of what was to come. It lifted its scythe, the

  blade gleaming with a deadly light.

  And then it attacked.

  Lily’s Marks flared to life as the battle began, her power surging through her veins like fire.

  Wrath burned hot, fueling her strikes as she lunged at the figure, but Conquest was fast—faster

  than anything she had faced before. His scythe moved with deadly precision, each swing a

  calculated strike meant to bring them down.

  Elias and Rylan moved in tandem, their blades flashing as they fought to keep up with

  Conquest’s speed. Thalor, using his knowledge of combat, focused on finding weaknesses in the

  figure’s movements, while Nyx called upon Buck, the tiger leaping at Conquest with a ferocity

  that matched the darkness of the chamber.

  But Conquest was relentless.

  He fought with the cold precision of someone who had waged a thousand battles and won them

  all. His scythe cut through the air like lightning, forcing the group to fight with everything they

  had just to keep from being overwhelmed.

  Lily felt the pull of her Marks growing stronger, the power of Wrath, Greed, Lust, and Gluttony

  surging within her as she fought. But there was something different about this battle—something

  darker. Conquest wasn’t just another enemy; he was a force of nature, a being that had existed

  for as long as the Horsemen themselves.

  The battle raged on, each member of the group fighting with everything they had. But no matter

  how hard they fought, Conquest seemed to be one step ahead, his scythe always just out of reach,

  his movements impossibly fast.

  Lily felt the weight of the battle pressing down on her, the exhaustion creeping into her limbs as

  she swung her weapon again and again. But she couldn’t give up—not now, not with so much at

  stake.

  With a final burst of strength, she called upon the full power of her Marks, feeling the familiar

  rush of energy as Lust, Gluttony, Greed, and Wrath surged through her. The flames of Wrath

  burned brighter than ever, and with a scream of fury, she struck at Conquest with all her might.

  For a moment, it seemed as though the blow would land. But Conquest, with the speed and

  precision that only a Horseman could possess, twisted out of the way, his scythe coming up in a

  deadly arc aimed directly at Lily’s chest.

  Time seemed to slow as the blade descended toward her, the cold light of the scythe reflecting in

  her eyes.

  The cold, gleaming edge of Conquest's scythe seemed to slice through the very air, a moment

  stretched out as if reality itself held its breath. Lily's heart pounded in her chest, her muscles

  tensing as her instincts kicked in, but Conquest was fast—too fast. The blade was coming down,

  and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  Suddenly, Elias appeared, his blade clashing against Conquest's scythe with a metallic ring that

  reverberated through the chamber. Sparks flew as Elias grunted with effort, holding the deadly

  weapon at bay just long enough for Lily to stumble back, catching her breath.

  "You're not dying on me today," Elias growled through gritted teeth, his muscles straining under

  the force of Conquest’s strike. He shoved the Horseman back, and Conquest skidded across the

  ground, his eerie, masked face still void of emotion.

  Thalor darted forward, sweeping a leg under Conquest’s footing, but the Horseman barely

  wavered, shifting his weight effortlessly as he turned toward him. Rylan, coming from the side,

  lunged in with her twin daggers, slashing at his sides. Her strikes were fast and sharp, but

  Conquest deflected them with ease, his scythe a blur of white steel.

  Buck leapt into the fray again, his black fur a streak of shadow as he pounced, claws raking at

  Conquest’s arm. But the Horseman, unphased, batted the tiger away with the blunt end of his

  weapon. The large cat landed on its feet, growling fiercely, but the fight was taking its toll on all

  of them.

  "How are we supposed to beat this guy?" Nyx shouted, frustration clear in her voice as she flung

  a dagger from her belt, aiming for Conquest's head. The blade bounced off his mask harmlessly,

  clattering to the ground.

  "He’s too fast!" Rylan called out, dodging another swing of the scythe. Her movements were

  swift, but even she was struggling to keep pace.

  Lily wiped the sweat from her brow, panting as she backed away, trying to regain her strength.

  The power of her Marks pulsed within her, but even their dark gifts couldn’t grant her the

  stamina to keep fighting endlessly. Wrath burned bright, but she needed to be smart—she

  couldn’t rely on brute force alone.

  Conquest stood tall, his silent gaze shifting between them. His presence seemed almost

  indifferent now, as if they were no more than pests delaying the inevitable.

  "There’s got to be a weakness," Thalor muttered, scanning the Horseman as they circled him,

  trying to find any opening. His Mark of Knowledge flickered, pulling together every scrap of

  information he'd ever learned about the Horsemen, about legends and battles.

  "Thalor," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper, but it was enough to pull him from his

  thoughts. "What do you know about Conquest?"

  Thalor hesitated for only a moment, his mind racing. "He’s not just any Horseman," he said

  quickly. "Conquest represents victory, domination, control. He’s fought countless wars and

  always comes out on top. But… he’s not invincible. He’s overconfident. If we can push him into

  overextending, we might be able to exploit it."

  "How do we make him overconfident?" Elias asked, narrowly dodging another swipe from the

  scythe. "He’s already wiping the floor with us."

  "We need to make him think we’re weaker than we are," Thalor suggested, his eyes narrowing as

  he tried to form a plan. "He thrives on dominance. If he thinks he’s already won, he might let his

  guard down."

  Lily clenched her fists, her mind working through the plan. She nodded. "Then let’s give him

  what he wants."

  Rylan glanced at her, confused. "What are you saying?"

  "We’re going to act like we’re losing. Make him think we’re at the end of our rope," Lily said,

  stepping forward, her Marks flaring slightly, but she reined them in, suppressing the full extent

  of her power. "And when he’s distracted, we hit him hard—everything we’ve got."

  Elias grunted as he blocked another strike from Conquest, his arms shaking from the effort.

  "Sounds risky."

  "It’s our best shot," Lily replied, determination hardening her voice.

  With a shared glance, the group subtly shifted their approach. Their attacks became more

  defensive, slower, as if they were growing tired. Rylan’s movements became less sharp, Elias

  staggered more under Conquest’s blows, and Nyx focused on defensive maneuvers, keeping

  Buck from throwing himself into another full assault.

  Conquest noticed the change, his masked face turning toward each of them, as if calculating. His

  strikes grew bolder, his movements more fluid and confident, as though he sensed the victory he

  was so accustomed to was within reach.

  Lily bit her lip, feeling the tension rise in the air. Her Marks were itching to be unleashed, but

  she held back, waiting for the right moment. She could feel the power building inside her, Wrath

  especially, but she knew if she let it out too soon, the plan would fall apart.

  Conquest’s scythe flashed toward Thalor, who barely managed to dodge, stumbling backward

  dramatically. The Horseman seemed to almost scoff, his posture shifting as if this fight was

  beneath him now. He swung the scythe again, this time slower, more deliberate—he was toying

  with them.

  That was the moment.

  Lily’s eyes narrowed, and with a silent signal, she unleashed the full force of her Marks.

  Wrath surged through her like a wildfire, igniting every muscle in her body with raw, explosive

  power. The air around her crackled with energy as she shot forward, faster than she had moved

  all fight, her blade slicing through the air toward Conquest’s chest.

  Elias, Rylan, and Nyx followed suit, their exhaustion forgotten as they threw everything they had

  into the next few moments. Elias’s sword clashed with Conquest’s scythe, driving it off course,

  while Rylan darted in with her daggers, slashing at the Horseman’s exposed side.

  Conquest staggered, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the fight. His overconfidence had

  left him vulnerable, and now they were pressing their advantage. Thalor shouted something as he

  rushed forward, landing a precise strike to Conquest’s leg, forcing him to stumble.

  Lily’s heart pounded in her ears as she swung her blade with all her strength. The edge of her

  sword connected with Conquest’s chest, sending a shockwave of power rippling through the

  chamber. The Horseman let out a low, guttural sound, his scythe faltering for the first time.

  But Conquest was still strong—far stronger than they anticipated. Even in his weakened state, he

  lashed out with his scythe, catching Rylan across the arm and sending her crashing into a nearby

  wall. Elias roared in anger, charging forward to protect her, but Conquest spun, his scythe

  blocking Elias’s sword with brutal efficiency.

  Nyx, with a wild look in her eyes, called upon Buck one last time. The black tiger, with a

  ferocious snarl, leapt at Conquest, sinking his claws into the Horseman’s back. Conquest howled

  in fury, swinging his scythe wildly as he tried to dislodge the beast, but Buck held on, his

  powerful jaws clamping down on the white cloak.

  "Now!" Thalor shouted.

  Lily, feeling the culmination of the battle, channeled the raw fury of Wrath and Greed, her Marks

  blazing with light. With a final cry, she plunged her sword into Conquest’s chest, the blade

  piercing through the white cloak and into the core of his being.

  Conquest let out a terrible, echoing scream as the power of the Marks surged through him,

  tearing apart the control he held over the battlefield. His form shuddered, his scythe falling from

  his hand as he crumpled to the ground.

  The battle was over.

  Lily stood there, her chest heaving, her body shaking with the aftereffects of the fight. Around

  her, the others slowly rose to their feet, bruised and battered but alive.

  Conquest lay on the ground, his white cloak stained with dark blood, his mask cracked and

  broken. The air around him seemed to shimmer, his form flickering like a dying flame.

  "Is it... over?" Nyx asked, her voice shaky.

  Lily nodded slowly, her grip on her sword tightening. "For now."

  But even as she said the words, she knew that this was only the beginning. Two Horsemen

  remained—Famine and Death—and her journey was far from over.