The Awakening

The scent of blood clung to the air, thick and metallic, mixing with the damp earth beneath my feet. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stared at the creature in front of me.

it was watching me.

Not in pain. Not in fear.

In recognition.

Like it knew exactly what I was.

What I was becoming.

I tightened my grip on the bloodied rock in my hand, my pulse hammering against my ribs. My whole body was vibrating with something I couldn’t name—something wild and untamed. It burned through my veins like liquid fire, making every nerve feel alive.

The creature’s black eyes flickered between me and my blood-stained fingers. Then, slowly, its lips curled into a smile.

A real one.

Not a snarl. Not a sneer.

A knowing, amused smile.

And then—

It whispered.

“Found you.”

A chill raced down my spine.

Caius reacted before I could, his body a blur of motion as he lunged at the creature. His claws slashed through the air, aiming to end whatever this thing was before it could say another word.

But the moment his attack landed—

The creature laughed.

Not in pain. Not in anger.

Like this was a game.

Like we were the game.

And then, just as quickly as it had appeared—

It vanished.

One moment, it was there, standing before us with that eerie, knowing smile.

The next, it was gone.

Not like a wolf retreating into the shadows. Not even like a rogue fleeing into the night.

It faded—like mist dissolving into thin air.

A phantom. A ghost.

An omen.

Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. The only sounds were my ragged breathing and the distant rustle of the trees.

I turned to Caius, searching for answers in his silver eyes.

He looked shaken.

And Caius never looked shaken.

“What the hell was that?” I whispered.

Caius clenched his jaw, his fists still curled like he wanted to fight something that was no longer there. His chest rose and fell with each steadying breath. Then, finally, he spoke.

“Something we should have never crossed paths with.”

His voice was quiet, but the weight in it was undeniable.

I swallowed hard. “And yet, it was looking for me.”

He didn’t deny it.

That terrified me more than anything.

The Flight Through the Forest

Caius didn’t waste another second.

“We need to move. Now.”

I barely had time to register his words before he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into motion. My legs protested, my muscles screaming from exhaustion, but I forced myself to keep up.

The forest blurred past us as we ran, shadows twisting and shifting in the moonlight. Every crunch of leaves beneath our feet, every distant rustle of branches sent my nerves on edge.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were still being watched.

That whatever it was… it wasn’t done with me yet.

The river wasn’t far now. I could hear the rushing water, smell the cool scent of damp stone and moss. Caius was leading us straight to it, just as he’d planned.

But then—

The ground beneath me trembled.

A low, unnatural rumble shook the forest floor, vibrating through my bones.

I stumbled, nearly losing my footing. “What—”

Then I felt it.

Not just beneath me.

Inside me.

That same wild, burning energy from before surged again, stronger this time. It coiled in my chest, in my limbs, in the very marrow of my bones, demanding release.

I gasped, clutching my arms as warmth radiated beneath my skin. My vision blurred at the edges, shifting—warping—until for a split second, the world around me didn’t look real.

The trees pulsed with strange light.

The air hummed with unseen power.

I could see the river ahead—but I could also see something else.

A shadow moving just beyond the water’s edge.

It was waiting for us.

No, waiting for me.

I forced the thought away and kept running, ignoring the pounding in my skull. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I didn’t have time to figure it out.

Right now, survival was the only thing that mattered.

We broke through the last stretch of trees just as we reached the riverbank. The moon reflected off the rushing water, casting the entire clearing in eerie silver light.

Caius slowed, his eyes scanning the shadows. His body was still tense, muscles coiled like a predator waiting to strike.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

A figure stepped into the clearing.

Not a rogue. Not a wolf.

Something else.

Something I had never seen before.

And yet, somehow…

It knew me.

---

New Enemy, New Truths

The figure stood just beyond the river, its form obscured by the mist curling off the water. But I could see enough.

Tall. Cloaked in black. A hood drawn over its face, hiding its features.

But the moment it stepped forward—

I knew it wasn’t human.

The air around it shimmered, distorting like heat waves on a summer road. The presence it carried was suffocating, pressing against me like an invisible force.

Caius reacted instantly, shifting into a defensive stance. His claws elongated, his body poised to attack.

But the figure didn’t move.

It only… watched.

Then, in a voice as smooth as silk, it spoke.

“You should not exist.”

The words sent ice through my veins.

Caius snarled, taking a step forward. “Who are you?”

The figure ignored him.

Its shrouded gaze remained locked onto me.

Like I was the only thing in this entire forest that mattered.

“She is waking up.”

I stiffened. “What?”

The figure tilted its head, considering me. Then, almost lazily, it lifted a gloved hand and snapped its fingers.

The world shifted.

The ground beneath me rippled, like reality itself was breaking apart. The river darkened, the trees blurred—

And suddenly, I wasn’t standing in the forest anymore.

I was somewhere else.

Somewhere ancient.

Somewhere powerful.

Somewhere… terrifyingly familiar.

The ruins of a long-forgotten temple loomed around me, bathed in moonlight. Strange symbols covered the stone walls, glowing faintly with an energy that made my skin prickle.

I spun, searching for Caius—

But he was gone.

I was alone.

Except for it.

The figure stood across from me, untouched by the strange shift in reality.

“Your power is returning.”

I swallowed, my throat dry. “What power?”

A long pause.

Then, the figure exhaled a slow, deliberate breath.

“The power of the first.”

The words meant nothing to me.

And yet, deep down, in a place I couldn’t name—

I knew exactly what they meant.

The figure took a step forward, closing the distance between us. “They will come for you soon. The ones who fear what you are.”

I clenched my fists. “And what exactly am I?”

The figure smiled.

And the moment it did—

The world snapped back.

I was back by the river. The forest was around me. Caius was in front of me, his eyes wide with concern.

No time had passed.

No sign of the figure remained.

And yet, my heart pounded with the unshakable feeling that everything had just changed.

Forever.