In the forest, Lyra was still struggling. Her wrists were scraped raw from the ropes, and her ankle throbbed with every twitch. The air reeked of blood and sweat, and around her, the scattered guards of the Velnar outcast loomed, emboldened by the young master's depravity. Yet she kept fighting—clawing, kicking, biting.
Back at the main house, chaos festered.
Kael knelt on the stone floor of the courtyard. Blood stained his hands. A body lay at his feet, unmoving, twisted unnaturally. For a moment—a split second—his senses returned. He blinked. The metallic taste of blood clung to his tongue.
What... have I done?
But there was no time. From the edges of his vision, he saw them—blades raised, eyes filled with fear and fury. They ran toward him, their mouths shouting, but he couldn't hear the words. Only one voice echoed in his skull:
"They will kill you... so do something."
Over and over.
It was a voice that sounded almost like his… but older, crueler
The world trembled, and with a snap, something inside Kael unraveled.
A smile curled across his face.
Not a smile of joy. Not of madness. Something deeper—something inhuman. Terrifying in its stillness. The kind of smile that belonged to gods who watched cities burn for amusement.
Daran felt it.
He grabbed Siora's hand without a word. "Take Aylea and Thalen. Now."
"What—?"
"Run!"
Others followed. Panic broke like a wave. People screamed as Kael simply watched, smiling. Watching them scatter like insects. That smile followed them—etched into the backs of their minds, like it had been carved into the sky itself.
Auren ran too, catching up with Daran.
They shoved open the doors to the house. Daran led them through twisting hallways and down an old stairwell until they reached a stone chamber hidden behind a shelf of scrolls. He shoved them inside and slammed the door.
"Whatever happens," Daran panted, sealing it with his palm, "do not open this door."
Siora tried to ask—but one look at his face made her stop.
Daran never feared anything. And yet now, his hands shook.
Outside, a voice dragged itself through the silence.
"I...'m hereee... Where are youuu...?"
Then, laughter. Shattering, endless laughter.
Daran and Auren stood guard at the entrance.
Auren looked at Daran. No words passed. None were needed. Both understood:
They were about to face something neither of them were prepared for.
From a distant treetop, hidden in shadow, a figure watched.
She had seen everything—Kael's change, the elder's death, the beginning of unraveling. She whispered to herself:
"I have to bring her back... before he becomes what he once was."
She leapt from the branch.
The forest moved beneath her feet.
Lyra's captor tightened his grip. Her twisted ankle made escape impossible. He grinned like a jackal, dragging her forward.
Then came the bell.
A sharp, singular ring that sliced through the air.
Everyone froze.
The guards turned their heads, confused. Then the woman appeared.
She walked straight into their circle, wearing white robes that shimmered like moonlight and a veiled hat that hid her face. Her steps made no sound. Her presence was like a wound in time.
The guards turned on each other.
Knives flashed. Blood sprayed.
Within seconds, none were left standing.
The young master of Velnar snarled, still holding Lyra. "Who are y—"
He didn't finish. The woman stepped forward and cut him down with a single motion. No hesitation. No pause.
Lyra stared, wide-eyed.
Lyra didn't know who she was.
But there was something familiar in the way she moved—like a memory she hadn't lived yet.
Then the woman untied Lyra and said, "We have to move fast or else you will lose all your family."
Lyra tried to stand, but cried out.
"My ankle—I can't run."
The woman didn't hesitate. She lifted Lyra effortlessly into her arms.
"Then we fly."
Back at the main house, Kael moved like a shadow.
He was among the elders now, but not attacking—not yet. He circled them slowly, smiling, head tilted. Like a beast savoring the fear.
"Please," one elder whimpered.
Kael only giggled.
He swept through them, blades dancing around him but never touching. He tore through their formations with playful cruelty. Not killing. Not immediately.
Just toying.
Like a predator enjoying the chase.
Inside the chamber, Aylea covered her ears. Thalen shook beside her. Siora held both, her heart pounding. The laughter beyond the wall seeped through the stone, cold and venomous.
"Mama," Aylea whispered. "Is that Kael...?"
Siora didn't answer.
Because she didn't know.