The Demon king's Last oath

The sun dipped low on the horizon as Caius and the stranger made their way through a narrow ravine, their steps echoing faintly off the stone walls. The air was cooler here, carrying the faint scent of rain and earth.

The second shard rested in Caius's satchel, its energy faint but persistent, as if adjusting to its new owner.

"You're brooding again," the stranger remarked, their silver eyes glinting in the fading light.

Caius glanced at them, his expression calm. "You say that a lot."

"Because you do it a lot," the stranger replied, smirking. "What's eating at you now? The shards? The things trying to kill us? Or something else?"

Caius hesitated, his hand brushing against the satchel. "It's nothing."

The stranger raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Suit yourself."

As they emerged from the ravine, Caius felt it—a faint prickling at the back of his neck, like the air itself was watching.

He stopped, his hand instinctively drifting to the hilt of his dagger. "We're not alone."

The stranger sighed, their runes flaring faintly. "Again? These guys really don't know when to quit."

A shadow moved at the edge of the clearing, followed by another. Caius's flames flickered to life as he stepped forward, his blue eyes scanning the darkness.

"Show yourselves," he said, his voice calm but commanding.

The shadows parted, revealing a group of cloaked figures. They moved with practiced precision, their weapons drawn but their stances non-threatening.

At their center stood a young woman, her silver hair catching the light of the setting sun. Her emerald green eyes locked onto Caius with a mix of relief and frustration.

"Caius Thorne," she said, her voice sharp but steady. "I've been looking for you."

Caius froze, the flames around his hand flickering. He recognized her immediately.

"Elara," he said quietly.

The stranger glanced between them, their silver eyes narrowing with interest. "Friend of yours?"

"Fiancée," Elara corrected, stepping forward. Her emerald eyes narrowed as she took in Caius's disheveled appearance and the faint glow of the flames still coiling around his hand. "Or at least I'm supposed to be."

Caius sighed, extinguishing the flames. "What are you doing here?"

Elara crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. "Your father sent me. When he learned you'd disappeared, he was… less than pleased. He wanted to send soldiers, but I convinced him that would only draw more attention."

The stranger smirked, leaning against a nearby rock. "Smart girl. I like her already."

Elara ignored them, her focus entirely on Caius. "What's going on, Caius? Why did you leave the estate? And what are you doing out here?"

Caius hesitated, his jaw tightening. "It's complicated."

"Then un-complicate it," Elara said, her voice firm.

The stranger chuckled softly. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

The group moved to a small clearing to make camp, the tension between Caius and Elara thick enough to cut with a blade.

Elara sat near the fire, her emerald eyes fixed on Caius as he tended to his horse. The stranger lounged nearby, watching the exchange with thinly veiled amusement.

"You've changed," Elara said finally, breaking the silence.

Caius paused, his hand resting on the saddle. "What do you mean?"

"You're… different," Elara said, her tone softer now. "When we were at the estate, you were always so quiet, so composed. But now…" Her gaze drifted to his hand, where faint traces of dark flames still lingered. "What happened to you?"

Caius looked away, his expression guarded. "I don't have time to explain. There are things happening—things bigger than the estate, bigger than us."

Elara frowned. "Then make me understand, Caius. You disappeared without a word, leaving your family—and me—behind. Do you have any idea what that did to them?"

Caius's jaw tightened. "I didn't have a choice."

Elara stood, her frustration bubbling over. "There's always a choice, Caius! You could have told us what was going on instead of running off into the wilderness!"

The stranger whistled softly. "She's got a point, you know."

Caius shot them a glare. "Stay out of this."

The stranger raised their hands in mock surrender, their smirk widening. "Just saying."

As the fire burned low, the tension between Caius and Elara began to ebb. The stranger had fallen asleep—or pretended to—leaving them alone in the quiet night.

"I didn't want to leave," Caius said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

Elara looked at him, her expression softening. "Then why did you?"

Caius hesitated, his blue eyes fixed on the flames. "Because if I stayed, I would have put you all in danger. There are things hunting me, Elara—things that would stop at nothing to destroy everything I care about."

Elara frowned, her emerald eyes searching his face. "And you thought leaving would stop that?"

"I thought it would buy you time," Caius admitted. "Time to prepare, to protect yourselves."

Elara shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You're an idiot, Caius. Running doesn't protect anyone. It just makes the people who care about you worry more."

Caius looked at her, his expression softening. "I'm sorry."

Elara sighed, sitting beside him. "I'm not here to drag you back to the estate. But I'm not leaving you, either. If you're going to face whatever this is, you won't do it alone."

Caius opened his mouth to protest, but the look in her eyes silenced him.

"Fine," he said quietly.

Elara smiled faintly. "Good. Now, tell me everything."