The air changed before I saw anything. It turned heavy, cold, wrong in a way that made my skin tighten. I stood in the middle of the room, my eyes fixed on the far corner where the shadows no longer stayed still. They shifted slowly, unnaturally, like something forcing its way into existence. My breath caught as the darkness stretched upward, peeling away from the wall until it began to take shape. Not fully human, not fully spirit—distorted, unstable, like it didn't belong here.
"You're not supposed to be here," I whispered before I could stop myself.
The figure stilled, then tilted its head slightly, as if studying me. When it spoke, there was no sound—only a voice inside my head.
You woke.
The words hit deep, carrying a weight that didn't feel new. My chest tightened as I stepped back, gripping the edge of the table. "Stay away from me."
You shouldn't exist.
The mark on my neck burned sharply, forcing a gasp from my lips as heat spread through it. My hand flew to it instinctively, but the pain only deepened. Before I could react, the creature moved—fast, faster than anything I had seen, the air tearing slightly as it surged toward me.
"BABY!"
The door slammed open.
Cyris.
He was in front of me in an instant, pulling me behind him as the creature stopped just short. The room went still, but the silence wasn't calm—it was tense, ready to break at any second. I clutched the back of his shirt without thinking, my fingers tightening as I tried to steady myself.
"You felt it," I whispered.
"I did," he replied, his voice low, controlled, but edged with something dangerous.
His body had already begun to change. Not a full shift, but enough—one eye glowing gold, the other remaining blue, claws visible, his presence pressing heavily into the room. Rynn was close, closer than before, and I could feel it through the bond.
"What are you?" Cyris asked coldly.
The creature didn't answer immediately. It only watched him, then shifted its attention back to me.
She is not yours.
The words struck through both of us. I felt Cyris react instantly—sharp, territorial, something fierce rising beneath his control.
"She is under my protection," he said.
She is the beginning, the creature replied, its form flickering slightly.
And the end.
My chest tightened. "…What does that mean?"
Its gaze locked onto mine.
You will remember.
A chill ran through me, deep and unsettling.
"Enough," Cyris said sharply, stepping forward. The ground beneath us reacted to him, a faint crack forming under the pressure of his power. "You crossed into my territory—uninvited, unwanted. Speak clearly, or don't speak again."
For a moment, nothing moved. Then the creature shifted again, its form becoming unstable, like it couldn't hold itself together for much longer.
We are already here, it said.
Not just to him.
To both of us.
The meaning settled heavily in the room, and I felt it the same moment Cyris did—this wasn't just one.
"…How many?" he asked quietly.
The creature didn't answer. Instead, its form twisted, something like a smile forming where a face should have been. Then, without warning, it began to tear apart, dissolving into the air like it had never been fully real.
"No—" I stepped forward, but it was gone.
Just like that.
The room fell silent, but the cold didn't leave. The presence lingered, faint but real, like something watching from just beyond reach. My grip on Cyris tightened again.
"They're not gone," I whispered.
"I know," he replied.
His voice was calm, but through the bond, I felt the truth—calculation, tension, something far more dangerous than fear.
This wasn't over.
It had only just begun.