Elian left the library, his mind boiling with newfound revelations. The Circle of Keepers... The words echoed like a ghost from the past, a relic of a time when he was still human. If this organization still existed, they knew about him. Perhaps they were already tracking him.
The night street was quiet, yet he sensed something strange. His intuition, honed by centuries of battle, warned him that he was being watched. Elian turned into an alley, pretending not to notice the tail. But he knew—someone was following.
— Come out, — he said loudly, stopping in the shadow of a building.
Silence was his only answer. But a moment later, a figure stepped out of the darkness—a man in a dark cloak. His face was hidden behind a mask, but his aura was powerful, something beyond ordinary humans. He was no mere mortal.
— You have awakened, — the stranger's voice was cold. — That means the Circle already knows about you.
Elian remained still, his eyes flickering with a familiar fire.
— Then tell me—who are they, and what do they want?
The man did not answer. Instead, a strange weapon appeared in his hand—something between a dagger and an energy blade. His movements were swift, precise. He attacked.
Elian barely dodged as the blade sliced through the air where his neck had been a moment ago. The Circle's warrior gave him no time to think, striking with the precision of a seasoned veteran.
But Elian was no ordinary fighter. He caught the attacker's wrist, twisting the weapon away, and with a single motion, hurled him several meters back. Yet, instead of rising, the stranger simply dissolved into the shadows.
— Interesting... — Elian muttered, staring at the spot where his foe had stood. — If they know about me, then the hunt will begin soon.
With these thoughts, he moved forward. Now, he had no doubt—the Circle of Keepers still existed. And if they wanted to capture him, they would have to face a power that had been sealed away for a thousand years and was only now
beginning to awaken.