The rain never touched him.
It hung in the air for a heartbeat before vanishing into steam against the faint shimmer of magic around him. Devin stood still beneath the silver canopy, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the sky bled into green lightning.
The realm was shifting again. He hated when it did that.
Devin adjusted the worn strap of his scabbard and took a slow breath. The air here carried the scent of iron and frost, heavy with mana. Around him, the forest groaned as if alive—each branch whispering in a tongue too ancient to understand.
"Another disturbance," he murmured, voice calm and flat. "Third one this cycle."
"Or the fourth."
The voice came from nowhere. His own voice—but colder.
Devin's hand twitched toward his sword. "I told you to stay quiet."
"And I told you… you're weaker when I do."
A sharp pulse ran through his skull. For a second, his vision blurred, the world fracturing like broken glass. Two thoughts—two wills—fought for control. Devin exhaled slowly, forcing the tremor down until silence returned.
He hated losing time.
But the pull in his chest—the disturbance—was close. The world only trembled like this when something crossed over.
Devin walked forward, boots sinking into the glowing soil. The air thickened with magic as he moved between the trees until the forest opened into a clearing.
And there she was.
A girl stood at the center, her clothes torn and dust-streaked, eyes wide as she stared at the strange sky. She looked fragile, disoriented—like a dream that had lost its way.
Devin froze.
Something about her felt… familiar.
She turned toward him. Their eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.
He didn't answer at first. Words felt heavy. The other voice stirred again inside his mind.
"She's the reason the barrier cracked."
He ignored it.
Finally, Devin spoke, his tone calm and distant. "You don't belong here."
The girl straightened slightly. "Neither do you."
That made him pause.
The amulet in her hand glowed softly—the same eerie green light that painted the sky. Before he could ask, the ground began to tremble again. Energy surged beneath their feet, the air alive with power.
Devin didn't think. He just moved.
He reached for her hand—instinctively, without reason.
And then, the light swallowed them both.