The front door creaked open. Elena's heart leapt. She rushed downstairs, feet barely touching the steps.
"Mum!" she called with joy, throwing herself into her mother's arms.
Her mother laughed softly, warm and familiar, her arms wrapping around Elena as if nothing could go wrong in the world.
"You're back," Elena whispered, pecking her cheek. "I missed you."
"I missed you more, my baby" her mother said, brushing hair from Elena's face. "Everything okay here?"
Elena nodded, smiling—then tilted her head.
"Where's Dad?"
Silence.
Her mother's body went still. The smile fell from her face like a dropped mask. Then, suddenly, she turned her head toward the window—eyes wide.
"No" she whispered.
Elena blinked. "Mum?"
Her mother stepped toward the window slowly. Outside, the night had grown heavier, like the air itself was watching them.
And then Elena saw it. A strange, glowing symbol shimmered on the wall in the house—an A, double-crossed like a curse.
"Go upstairs," her mother said, her voice tight. "Now" she added.
"What's happening?" she asked, confused.
"They're here"
Her mother grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. In her bedroom, she opened the wardrobe and yanked out a pile of soft cotton sheets, shoving them aside.
"Get in. Stay quiet. No matter what you hear, don't come out."
"Mum…"
"Elena. Please"
Trembling, Elena climbed in. Her mother covered her with cotton, whispered one last "I love you," and closed the wardrobe door.
Then… footsteps…
Voices….
Strange noises..
Screams…and,
Silence.
Elena couldn't breathe. Her heart beat so loudly she thought it would give her away. But when everything grew quiet again, curiosity crushed her fear. She crawled out of the wardrobe. The house was dark.
And in the parlour...
The alchemys lay dead—scattered like broken dolls across the floor. Blood stained the walls.
Elena stared at the bodies on the floor. Her breath caught in her throat.
And then—she saw her.
Her mother stood in the middle of the room, soaked in blood. Not hurt. Not crying. Just standing there… breathing heavily.
"Mum?" Elena whispered.
Her mother turned to her slowly. There was something strange in her eyes—something unfamiliar.
"What happened?" Elena asked again, voice cracking.
But her mother didn't answer.
She took one step closer.
Elena stepped back.
"Don't—don't come closer," she said, her voice shaking. "Tell me what's going on. What's happening to you?"
Her mother paused, guilt flashing across her face.
Then—
A powerful gust of wind burst through the house. The windows rattled. The curtains twisted violently. A strange whisper, like distant voices, slid across the walls.
Her mother's head snapped toward the door. Her face turned pale.
"They're coming," she muttered. "More of them."
She grabbed Elena's wrist and pulled her toward the kitchen, toward the back door.
"We have to go."
"What's happening? Mum, talk to me!" Elena cried.
Her mother opened the back door. Cold air rushed in. The woods behind the house loomed dark and endless.
"Run," her mother said, breathless. "Run and don't look back."
"I'm not leaving you!"
"Elena, please." Her mother cupped her face with bloodied hands. "You have to survive. I'll find you."
"But I'm scared—"
"I know," she whispered. "Go."
Tears spilled down Elena's cheeks. She turned and ran, her legs trembling beneath her. Behind her, the wind howled louder.
Screams echoed from the house.
A crash. A voice that sounded like her mother's.
Elena sobbed as she sprinted through the trees, heart pounding, feet sinking into the earth. The night swallowed her whole.
Then everything went black.
She collapsed beneath the trees, where the shadows were thickest.
The sun was already up when Elena opened her eyes.
She lay on the cold ground, her body stiff and sore. For a second, she didn't remember anything. Then, everything came rushing back…
Her mother's screaming.
The strange symbols.
The fear.
The running.
She sat up fast, her heart pounding. Was her mother still alive? She didn't know. And that scared her more than anything.
Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since the day before. She looked around, hoping to find something, fruits, water, anything. But there was nothing but trees and dry leaves.
She wrapped her arms around herself. She had no idea where to go. No idea what to do.
Then she heard it.
A sound.
She froze. The bushes moved behind her.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming.
Her breath caught in her throat. She slowly turned toward the sound, eyes wide.
And then—he appeared.
A boy, maybe a little older than her. He stepped through the trees quietly, as if he belonged to the forest. His clothes were neat, simple, and clean. His dark hair fell gently over his forehead, and his eyes… sharp, focused, like they saw more than they should. He didn't say a word. Just stood there, looking at her.
And Elena stared back, her heartbeat loud in her ears.
Should she run?
Should she speak?
Neither of them moved.
The boy saw the fear in Elena's eyes. Slowly, he crouched in front of her, his gaze steady and quiet.
"Who are you?" she asked, voice shaky.
He tilted his head slightly. "I should be asking you that," he said. "What are you doing in my place?"
Elena blinked, confused. She looked around at the trees and fallen leaves. Your place?
"You live in the forest?" she asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he stood up without a word and turned away, walking slowly through the trees.
Elena hesitated. But she had nowhere to go—no one else. So she stood and quickly followed.
"Can I come with you?" she asked.
He didn't stop.
Didn't look at her.
Just kept walking.
But he didn't tell her to leave, either.
She followed him in silence until they reached a small bungalow, hidden beneath thick trees and moss-covered walls. It looked old but safe. Quiet. Like it belonged to someone who didn't want to be found.
After some time—and gentle persuasion from Elena, who begged him for help and explained she had nowhere else to go—he finally gave in. Without saying much, he let her in and offered her something to eat.
The food was warm. Simple. And in that moment, it felt like the best thing she'd ever tasted.
He handed her some clothes to change into. They were a little loose, but clean. Once she was settled, they both sat—quiet, unsure.
Elena broke the silence.
"Do you live here alone?"
He didn't look at her. "Yes."
"Why?"
His voice was flat. Cold. "I'm used to it."
She frowned. "Since when?"
"Since I was ten."
That answer made her chest tighten.
Then he looked at her for the first time since they got back. "Now you tell me. Why were you in the forest alone?"
Elena told him everything—about her mother, the symbols… the fear.
When she finished, he was quiet for a long time.
"You can stay," he said finally. "But don't make me regret it."
Then, almost like an afterthought, he added, "I'm Sean."
"Elena," she replied softly.
And in that quiet room, in the heart of the forest, two strangers with broken paths finally had a place to start.
Elena sat on the edge of the small bed Sean had given her. The room was quiet, the only sound coming from the soft rustling of leaves outside the window. She stared at the floor, eyes burning with tears. Her mind drifted back to her mother.
Her smile.
Her voice.
Her last words: "Run."
The pain in her chest grew heavy. She turned to the old, torn clothes she had worn the day before, lying in a folded heap beside her. With shaking hands, she picked them up. As she did, something stiff brushed against her fingers from inside the pocket.
What's this?
Curious, she reached in and pulled out a folded piece of paper. A letter.
Her eyes widened. She opened it slowly. The handwriting was familiar.
"If you're reading this, it means they've captured me. I knew this day would come. I only hoped it wouldn't be so soon. Elena, the symbol you saw belongs to the Alchemys. They are not human. They are supernatural, and dangerous. They have your father . Please know that I love you and I will do everything I can to come back to you."
Elena's hands shook. Tears slipped down her cheeks and fell onto the paper. She clutched it tightly against her chest and cried silently, the ache inside her growing deeper. A soft sound made her look up. Sean was standing by the doorway, watching her.
"What are you holding?" he asked quietly.
She looked down at the letter in her hands. "It's from my mom," she said through her tears. "She left it in my clothes. I miss her."
Sean nodded slightly. "I can see that."
Trying to shift the mood, he spoke again. "Would you like to take a walk with me… to the city?"
Elena looked up, surprised by the offer—but she nodded. "Okay."
The city was calm and full of life. People moved through the streets, chatting, laughing, selling goods from market stalls. Tall buildings lined the roads. Children played with sticks near corners while vendors shouted prices over carts of fruits and herbs.
It all looked so normal—so untouched by magic or fear.
Elena walked beside Sean, quiet. The letter was still on her mind.
Finally, Sean broke the silence. "What did the letter say?"
She sighed. "Just some weird stuff my mom wrote. None of it makes sense to me."
Sean glanced at her. "Like what?"
"She mentioned something called alchemy. Have you ever heard of that?"
At the word alchemy, his shoulders tensed. His eyes darted forward. "No," he said quickly. "Never heard of it."
He changed the subject fast, pointing to a clock tower nearby. "That building there is the oldest in the city..."
Elena noticed how uneasy he became, but she didn't push.
After a while, Sean stopped walking. "Wait here," he said. "I want to grab something. I won't be long."
She nodded. "Okay."
He disappeared into the crowd.
Elena stood alone on the sidewalk, watching the busy street. People passed by like waves. But something felt… off.
Then she saw him.
A man, moving strangely through the crowd—like he was searching for something. His eyes scanned the people around him, sharp and restless.
He brushed past her, pushing her slightly.
"Hey—" she began to say, but then he stopped.
He turned and locked eyes with her.
His stare was sharp. Focused. As if he had just found what he was looking for.
Elena's breath caught. His eyes widened—and then narrowed into something dark. Dangerous.
He snarled.
Her heart began to race. She turned quickly, eyes searching for Sean, but he was nowhere in sight.Panic hit her. She started walking fast, trying to blend into the crowd. But the man followed—his pace steady, but faster than before.
She walked faster.
Then faster.
Then—
A sharp pain shot through her leg.
She gasped, stumbling. Her leg felt like it had been stabbed—or shot—by something invisible. She looked down, but couldn't see anything. The pain spread quickly.
The world around her started to spin.
People blurred. Sounds faded. Her legs gave out.
And then—darkness.
Elena slowly opened her eyes.She was back in Sean's bungalow, lying in bed. The room was dim, and everything ached. Beside her, Sean sat quietly, watching her wake.
She blinked, trying to remember. "What happened?" she whispered. "How… did you find me?"
He didn't answer right away.
"I saw the man," she said. "He was one of them. He's… an Alchemy."
Sean didn't move. He didn't even look surprised.
"You already know about them… don't you?" she asked, studying his face.
There was silence. Long. Heavy.
Then Sean finally spoke. "When we were walking, I felt like we were being watched," he said quietly. "I've… run into them before."
Elena's eyes widened.
"When I left," he continued, "I went to follow him. But when I came back… you were gone. I searched everywhere until I found you. Luckily, he didn't do much damage. There were people around, so I managed to stop him and get you out."
He stood up slowly, walking toward the door.
"That's enough for today," he said over his shoulder.
Then, almost to himself, he muttered,
"I haven't had any trouble in a long time."