No one moved when it changed.
And that was the first mistake.
The thing on the ground… wasn't still anymore.
But it wasn't moving either.
It was worse.
It was… pulling.
Mike was the first to notice.
His body reacted before his mind.
He took two steps back, almost stumbling.
— Get out— get out of here!
— What? — Lyra turned fast.
— It's not still!
The air around it sank.
Didn't spin.
Didn't explode.
Sank.
Like the space there had become heavier than the rest of the world.
One of the closest hunters tried to step back.
He couldn't.
— Hey— what the hell is this—?!
The ground under his feet cracked.
But didn't split.
Sank with him.
Kael was already moving.
— Get everyone back.
But no one was really listening.
Because now you could feel it.
The body.
Getting heavier.
Mike grabbed his chest.
— It's pulling…
Elion locked his eyes on the thing.
— This isn't gravity.
Rivel answered, low:
— Not yet.
And then—
it rose.
Not with force.
Not with impact.
It just… left the ground.
Floating.
And the world answered.
The air around started to spin.
Slowly.
Then faster.
— This isn't right— this isn't right—
One of the hunters started backing away in panic.
But his body didn't respond right.
Lyra rushed and grabbed his arm.
— Move!
Too late.
The ground under him gave in.
And he lifted.
— WHAT—?!
He wasn't thrown.
He was pulled.
Up.
Like the sky had become a hole.
Mike's eyes widened.
— No… no… no…
Now everyone saw it.
The sky… twisted.
Didn't open.
Didn't break.
Twisted.
A dark point started forming.
Small.
Unstable.
But pulling.
Stones began to rise.
Air.
Dust.
Loose weapons.
And then—
another one.
A hunter who didn't react in time got pulled.
— HOLD HIM—!
Two tried.
Got taken with him.
— LET GO— LET GO—!
But no one could hold.
Because it wasn't force.
It was space deciding.
Kael appeared in the middle of the chaos.
— EVERYONE BACK!
Now his voice cut through.
Some managed to get away.
Others didn't.
Rivel was already holding the ground.
Not physically.
Presence.
— This is escalating too fast.
Elion tried to pull whoever he could.
— We need to get out of here!
— We can't! — Lyra answered — if we leave this will—
She stopped.
Because she saw.
The point in the sky… grew.
Now it wasn't small.
It was a void.
A hole.
Black.
And everything around answered to it.
Mike dropped to his knees.
— This isn't an error…
Kael turned his head.
— What?
Mike looked up.
Scared.
For real.
— This is birth.
Silence.
The black hole pulled harder.
This time—
people screamed.
— NO—!
— IT'S PULLING ME—!
— HELP—!
And they were gone.
Just like that.
Lyra clenched her fist.
— We can't let this—
— THERE'S NO STOPPING IT NOW!
Elion cut in.
Rivel answered:
— There is.
Silence.
— Survive.
The hole started shaking.
Unstable.
Like it couldn't handle its own weight.
And then—
it stopped.
Everything.
Absolute silence.
No sound.
No movement.
Mike stood slowly.
— Now it comes…
— What?
Lyra asked.
He didn't answer.
Because it was already happening.
The hole collapsed.
No warning.
No buildup.
It exploded.
Not fire.
Sound.
An invisible wave tore through everything.
The ground split.
The air ripped.
Everyone's body was thrown.
Lyra hit the ground, unable to breathe.
Elion rolled trying to get up.
Rivel stayed standing… barely.
Mike was launched far.
Kael held the impact.
But even he… stepped back.
Silence.
Heavy.
Slow.
The world returned.
And when everyone looked…
She was there.
Standing.
At the center.
Perfect.
Human.
Flawless.
But…
wrong.
Her hair fell smooth.
Her body had no flaw.
Her gaze…
had no soul.
She tilted her head slightly.
Watching.
Learning.
Existing.
Mike, still on the ground, whispered:
— …Lilith.
Silence.
And this time…
no one disagreed. The silence after the explosion didn't last even two seconds.
— GET UP!
Lyra pulled Mike hard.
— Get up NOW!
Mike coughed, still dizzy.
— I'm… I'm—
— You deal with that later!
The ground trembled.
No… it didn't tremble.
It responded.
Because Lilith took a step.
Just one.
And the air around her bent.
There was no aura.
No visible energy.
But everyone felt it.
— …holy shit.
Someone behind whispered.
Lilith looked around.
Slowly.
Like someone learning a new place.
And then—
she disappeared.
— SHE'S GONE—?!
No.
She appeared among three hunters.
One tried to react.
Long sword, clean motion.
Trained.
She dodged without looking.
Turned her body.
And with a simple movement—
dropped all three.
No visible strength.
— That's not possible…
Elion froze.
— Stop thinking!
Lyra shouted.
And rushed.
Her hands lit up.
Pure magic.
Direct explosion.
The impact swallowed Lilith.
— Got her!
No.
The smoke parted.
Lilith was there.
With her arm raised.
Like she had tested the attack.
And then—
she did the same.
The same magic.
Cleaner.
Faster.
Lyra didn't have time to react.
Kael stepped in front.
The impact hit him.
And for the first time—
he was pushed.
— Kael?!
He planted his foot.
— She copies better.
— Then stop showing her!
But it was too late.
Lilith was already moving again.
Rivel appeared behind her.
Silent.
A short black blade.
He didn't strike hard.
He struck right.
Vital point.
Lilith turned—
late.
The cut landed.
First real damage.
Silence.
She looked at her own arm.
Curious.
Touched the blood.
Observed.
And then—
smiled.
— Now we're screwed…
Lyra said low.
She vanished.
Faster.
Rivel tried to step back—
too late.
She appeared in front of him.
And hit.
Direct.
Rivel was thrown far.
No sound.
Heavy.
Mike felt that.
For real.
— No…
Something inside him reacted.
— No.
He stood up.
Took a deep breath.
And the space around him… responded.
— Mike, DON'T—!
Too late.
He moved.
Flying.
But not straight.
Breaking direction.
Changing angles.
Creating momentum in the air.
Lilith looked.
Interested.
Mike reached—
and hit.
Not strong.
But different.
The impact distorted space.
Lilith stepped back half a step.
First time.
— See?!
Mike smiled, breathing hard.
— I can also—
She grabbed his arm.
And the world froze.
— …learn.
She finished the sentence.
Mike froze.
— She… spoke…
And then—
she slammed him into the ground.
Violent.
The impact cracked everything.
— MIKE!
Lyra rushed.
Out of control.
Magic exploding around.
— DON'T TOUCH HIM!
She went all in.
Now it wasn't control.
It was emotion.
And it worked.
For a few seconds—
Lilith was pressured.
Elion joined in.
— Now! Keep her busy!
He opened his hand.
A weapon appeared.
A thin sword.
White.
Shining differently.
— That is…?
— Celestial Weapon.
The strike came.
And this time—
Lilith stepped back for real.
— It worked!
— Don't get excited!
Kael appeared.
— Keep the pressure!
Now—
a real fight.
Lyra, chaotic magic.
Elion, precise strikes.
Rivel returning, silent.
Mike trying to stand.
And Lilith…
fighting.
For real.
But smiling.
Learning.
And getting better.
Way too fast.
Kael stopped.
For half a second.
— We're not winning.
Silence.
— We're teaching her.
And in that moment—
everyone understood.