The dawn was barely a whisper on the horizon when Elara and Kael slipped through the quiet corridors of the academy. The aftermath of last night's battle still hung heavy in the air—the faint scorch of magic, shattered wood, and the unmistakable scent of fear. But no one dared speak of what lurked beyond the walls. Not yet.
Elara's hands trembled slightly as she clutched the crumpled letter from her sister. If the Hollow comes for you, it will not come alone. It will use the hands you know, the voice you trust.
Jaren's face flashed through her mind—the way he had moved after opening the inner gate, like a shadow melting into the night. She had no doubt now. He was the traitor, the one who'd betrayed them all.
"We can't wait for the others," Elara said, voice barely above a whisper. "If we do, he'll vanish again."
Kael's dark eyes flicked to her, fire sparking in their depths. "Then we follow him. Quietly."
The side gate creaked open, and the cool morning air hit them like a shock. The forest stretched before them—dense, wild, and unforgiving. The trees loomed tall and twisted, their branches reaching out like fingers clawing at the pale sky. A chill settled over Elara's skin, but she pushed it down, focusing on the faint traces of Jaren's passage.
Her shadows seeped from her fingertips, dissolving into the undergrowth as silent scouts, slipping between roots and rocks. Kael's flames danced low in his palms, a steady amber glow that barely disturbed the morning mist.
They moved cautiously, following the faint, irregular footprints Jaren had left behind. They were larger than any student's and pressed deep into the soft earth, urgent and uneven—like someone fleeing a nightmare only to walk into another.
"Elara," Kael murmured, voice tense. "Do you feel that?"
A pulse throbbed beneath the soil, slow and unnatural—like the forest itself was breathing, watching. Elara nodded. The Hollow's corruption had spread beyond the breach; the land was sick.
"We're close," she said, tightening her grip on her cloak.
Suddenly, a movement flickered between the trees—a flash of dark clothing slipping behind a trunk.
"Wait," Elara said, but Kael shook his head.
"We face him. Now."
They stepped from the shadows, magic coiling around them like living armor. Elara's shadows flared, tendrils of darkness twisting and reaching, while Kael's flames leapt up, casting flickering light through the mist.
"Jaren!" Elara's voice rang out, sharp and unwavering.
The figure stopped and turned slowly. His face was pale, eyes cold and hard. For a moment, there was something almost human in his gaze—regret, maybe. Then it vanished, replaced by something colder, sharper.
"You don't understand," Jaren said, voice low but urgent. "This is bigger than all of us. The Hollow's plan goes beyond the academy."
Kael stepped forward, flames licking the air between them. "Then explain. Or stop us."
Jaren's lips twitched into a bitter smile. "You think this is a simple attack? The Hollow is awakening. It will tear through every boundary, every bond. The academy is just the beginning."
Behind him, the forest darkened unnaturally, the shadows stretching longer and twisting into grotesque shapes. Bone Creatures began to stir in the gloom, their brittle forms breaking free from the edges of the Hollow.
Elara's shadows snapped forward like hunting wolves, while Kael's flames roared higher, scorching the mist.
"We don't have time for riddles," Elara said, voice steel. "If you want us to believe you, you'll have to prove it."
Jaren hesitated, then nodded grimly. "Follow me. But be warned—the path ahead is darker than you can imagine."
Without another word, he turned and plunged into the forest. Elara and Kael exchanged a glance, then followed, stepping into the unknown.
The real battle was just beginning.