Marcus stepped out of the warehouse, the cool evening air hitting his face. The city felt quieter now, almost empty, as if it were holding its breath.
He glanced at Olivia. "So… where are we going?" he asked.
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she kept looking around, scanning the streets and rooftops like someone was watching.
Marcus frowned. "Are we… in danger?"
Olivia finally spoke, her voice low. "Always. The world isn't as empty as it looks. People are watching… always."
Marcus felt a surge of confusion. He didn't even know what kind of danger could be waiting—he had only just begun to understand this world.
"What kind of dangers are there?" he asked, curiosity flickering across his face.
Olivia's eyes scanned the streets again before she answered.
"There's the witches' cult, demons, spirits… even the Eidolon Circle. And that's just the start—the list goes on and on."
Marcus froze. "Wait… hold on. You're telling me the supernatural is real? The whole lot?"
She nodded. "Yes."
Marcus stumbled back a step, his heart hammering in his chest. "So… everything I thought that was impossible… it's all real?" he whispered.
A shiver ran down his spine as he looked around the quiet streets, half-expecting something to leap out from the shadows.
"I mean… demons, spirits, cults… the whole lot?"
Olivia nodded. "Yes. And now, you're part of it whether you like it or not."
Marcus ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm the rush of thoughts. He could feel something stirring inside him—an energy he couldn't explain, a warmth in his chest that had flared during the chase and now hummed faintly like it was alive.
"I… I felt that before," he said, almost in awe. "When we were running… I felt faster, stronger… like I could react before I even thought."
Olivia's eyes widened slightly. "Exactly. That's the mask. You're bonded to it. And it's only just beginning to show you what it can do."
Marcus focused on the faint hum in his chest—the energy of the mask. He tried to push it down, tried to calm it… but it surged uncontrollably, like a river breaking its banks.
A loose piece of scaffolding from a nearby building suddenly toppled toward him. Reflexively, Marcus leapt to the side—but his movements overshot. His foot caught the edge of a broken drain, and he stumbled forward.
He didn't have time to correct himself. With a thud, he collided into Olivia, knocking both of them to the ground.
"I'm… so sorry!" he gasped, scrambling to stand.
Olivia laughed softly despite the surprise, helping him up. "It's fine," she said. "That's part of it. The mask is bonded to you, but you're still learning. You'll need control… or it'll throw you off like this every time."
Marcus ran a hand through his hair, embarrassed but amazed. "I can't believe that just happened… I wasn't even thinking."
Olivia's eyes softened. "That's why you need guidance. You're powerful… but power without control can be dangerous—to you and to others."
Marcus and Olivia finally steadied themselves, catching their breath in the quiet street.
Marcus's chest still burned with the strange energy, and his hands trembled slightly. "I… I think I'm starting to understand why you said this is just the beginning," he muttered.
Olivia gave a small nod, eyes scanning the shadows as always. "You'll get stronger, but every step you take now is dangerous. The world is full of people watching… and some of them don't want you to live."
Marcus frowned. "I get that… but I need answers. I need to know what's going on, what this mask really is, and—"
A voice cut him off before he could finish.
"Marcus! There you are!"
He turned and saw Jackson running toward them, Megan just behind him, smiling.
"Finally! We've been looking everywhere for you," Jackson said, slightly out of breath.
Megan waved. "I've been dying to meet you properly."
Marcus froze, caught between surprise and relief. He wanted to tell them what had just happened, but the words stuck in his throat.
Olivia gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod. Not yet, her look seemed to say.
Marcus forced a smile. "Hey… I'm glad you found me."
But deep down, he knew the quiet streets they had just crossed had already changed everything. And for the first time, he realized that the people he thought he knew—his best friend and his friend's girlfriend—might now be part of this dangerous, unpredictable world as well.
The night air hung heavy with tension, and somewhere in the shadows, unseen eyes were already following their every move.