The cabin nestled deep in the forest near Mount Arayat was quiet, save for the soft crackle of the dying fire and the occasional rustle of leaves outside. Inside, the air was thick with unspoken tension, a fragile calm that belied the storm gathering beyond the trees.
Eloisa sat near the window, her knees drawn close to her chest, eyes fixed on the silver light of the moon filtering through the branches. Her hand rested lightly over her heart, feeling the uneven rhythm beneath her fingers—the arrhythmia that had shadowed her life for as long as she could remember. Tonight, it felt louder, more insistent, a reminder of her fragility. She swallowed hard, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her. The memory of that one moment, the surge of power that had erupted when her heart nearly failed, haunted her still. It had come without warning, a burst of invisible force that had shattered the silence and left her breathless. But it had been fleeting, a single flare in the dark. Since then, nothing.
"What if it never comes back?" she whispered to the night, voice barely audible.
Geneva sat beside her, the worn wooden floor cold beneath her knees. Her eyes, sharp despite the exhaustion etched into her face, softened as she looked at Eloisa. "Then we wait," she said quietly. "And we prepare. You're not alone in this."
Eloisa turned to her, searching for certainty in the woman's tired gaze. Geneva's own body bore the marks of a long and painful battle. The faint silver filigree along her collarbone pulsed faintly, a reminder of the cost her chronokinesis demanded. Every time she bent the flow of time, it aged her, stole years from her life. She had learned to live with the price, but it was a heavy one.
"I don't know how to help you," Geneva admitted, her voice low. "Your power… it's different. It only showed itself once, when you were close to death. I don't know how to teach control over something that's still asleep."
Eloisa's fingers trembled as she clasped her hands together. "I feel useless. Like I'm just waiting to break."
Geneva reached out, placing a steady hand over Eloisa's. "Power isn't everything. You're here. You're part of this. That matters."
Outside, the night air shifted as a soft breeze stirred the trees. Eloisa glanced toward the door, where the faint glow of a lantern flickered. Marco and Tala were still out there, training beneath the canopy of stars.
Geneva stood and moved toward the door, her joints stiff and aching. "They're pushing themselves hard. We all are."
Eloisa nodded, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "I want to help. I want to be like them."
Geneva hesitated, then shook her head gently. "For now, your strength is in your heart. In your presence. The others need you just as you are."
Outside, the forest was alive with quiet energy. Marco knelt on the soft earth, palms cupped around a small flame that danced and flickered in the cool night air. His brow furrowed in concentration as he coaxed the fire to steady, to burn without consuming. "It's like trying to hold smoke," he muttered, frustration lacing his voice.
"Feel it, don't fight it," Geneva's voice came softly from the cabin doorway. She stood watching, arms crossed, her tired eyes fixed on Marco's hands. "The fire responds to your calm, not your force."
Marco exhaled slowly, the flame flickering but holding steady. "Easier said than done," he grunted, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.
Nearby, Tala crouched on the ground, fingers brushing the mossy earth. Small stones trembled and shifted, hesitant at first, then slowly began to rise, circling around him in a loose ring. He closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of the earth beneath him, the subtle vibrations that resonated through his body.
"Good," Geneva said, stepping closer but careful not to disturb the fragile balance. "You're learning to listen. The earth isn't something to control—it's something to understand."
Tala's dark eyes flicked toward the treeline, where shadows pooled thick and deep. A faint rustle stirred the leaves, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he whispered, "Something's watching. But it isn't human."
Geneva's gaze followed his, narrowing. "We're never truly alone out here. Especially now."
Back inside, Eloisa pressed her palm against the cool glass of the window, watching the flickering firelight dance on the trees. Her heart thudded unevenly beneath her hand.
Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the night.
Mavian, Marco's pale-feathered pigeon, burst into the cabin, wings fluttering wildly. It landed on the windowsill, eyes wide and alert, feathers ruffled. It squawked urgently, pecking at the glass.
Geneva stood quickly, heart pounding. "What is it, Mavian?"
Outside, Tala's voice called out, "Marco, look out!"
A low growl echoed from the trees. From the shadows, two creatures emerged. They were large, catlike predators, but with unnaturally long limbs and glowing eyes. Their fur was matted and patchy, their teeth bared in a silent snarl. They moved with a fluid grace that was both mesmerizing and terrifying.
Marco reacted instantly, summoning a wall of flames between himself and the creatures. "What are those things?" he yelled.
"I don't know," Tala shouted back, his hands flying to the earth. The ground beneath the creatures rippled, hindering their advance.
Then, from the trees behind them, another sound. Not a growl, not a snarl, but…a familiar chatter.
Bayu, appearing from the trees, screeched and hissed, joining the fray with surprising ferocity, leaping at the creatures' faces. It took him a second, no a milisecond, but then his world stopped. It wasn't simply the familiar movement, or the glint of light in its eye. It was the way it moved, the set of its tiny jaw. He looked...
Bayu.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. The growls of the predators, the crackling of Marco's flames, the frantic squawks of Mavian – all faded into a muffled hum. He recognized the posture, the playful glint in those intelligent eyes. He was standing in the old village. Beside him, was Bayu.
Bayu locked eyes with him. His gaze was so familiar, his heart constricted, so wide he could feel his pulse drumming in his throat. So long. It had been so long. And in that moment, across the years, across the pain and fear, Tala was home.
Marco hurled fireballs, forcing the creatures to retreat into the shadows. "Geneva, get ready! They're fast!"
Geneva grabbed her knife, her eyes scanning the treeline. "Eloisa, stay back. Dana, stay put!"
Inside the cabin, Eloisa huddled near the fireplace, clutching Dana tightly. The cat hissed, its fur standing on end. Eloisa's heart pounded, but she forced herself to stay calm, knowing that her fear would only make things worse.
Outside, the fight continued. Marco and Tala worked in tandem, using fire and earth to defend themselves against the relentless creatures. Mavian and Bayu harassed the predators, giving Marco and Tala precious seconds to regroup.
One of the creatures lunged at Marco, claws extended. Marco sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the creature's grasp, and unleashed a blast of fire at its face. The creature recoiled, momentarily stunned.
Tala seized the opportunity, summoning a wave of earth that slammed into the creature, sending it crashing into a tree. The creature let out a pained screech, its eyes flashing with fury.
The second creature, seeing its companion fall, charged at Tala. Tala raised his hands, creating a wall of earth to shield himself. The creature slammed into the wall, claws tearing at the dirt and stone.
The earth began to crumble.
"Tala!" Marco shouted, throwing a fireball at the creature.
The fireball struck its mark, forcing the creature to back off. Tala dropped to the ground, exhausted.
The creatures circled, their eyes glowing, their growls low and menacing. They seemed cautious now, wary of the humans' powers and the animals' relentless attacks.
The air crackled with tension.
Geneva knew they couldn't keep this up forever. They needed to find a way to drive the creatures away, or they would be overrun.
(To be continued…)