A week had passed since the last training session, and the Aelaris family had decided to take advantage of a moment of respite. The sun shone high in the bright blue sky, inviting relaxation. The beach of Verdanis, with its golden sand and turquoise waters, was the perfect place to forget, even if only for a moment, the heavy destinies that awaited them. Kael, Naelys, Valmeryn, and Seraphine, along with a few servants, were gathered for this getaway.
The sea breeze gently caressed their faces, and laughter mingled with the sound of the waves. Kael and Naelys, away from the adults' eyes, had moved to find a quieter spot. They lay on the warm sand, gazing at the horizon, their fingers slightly intertwined. Kael's heart raced every time he caught Naelys's glance.
She, for her part, was blushing. It was the first time she held Kael's hand like this, and this new intimacy overwhelmed her. She nervously played with her fingers, trying to hide her embarrassment. The silence between them was not heavy but filled with a gentle tension. They were about to kiss when everything suddenly changed.
A deep rumble suddenly shook the ground beneath their bodies. At first barely noticeable, it grew in intensity until it became a violent tremor, like a roar coming from the earth's core. The sand collapsed into craters, the beach cracked under their feet, and the waves rose as if fleeing from this emerging chaos.
Around them, cries of panic rose. Entire families ran in all directions, trying to escape this sudden disaster. Nearby buildings began to collapse, sending clouds of dust and debris into the air. Kael stood up quickly, grabbing Naelys's hand with a protective grip, and started to run.
"We need to find my parents!" he shouted, his voice trembling. Naelys nodded, her face marked by fear but determined. They dashed into the crowd, avoiding fallen bodies, the wounded, and heart-wrenching screams. The shifting sand made every step difficult, but they could not stop.
Meanwhile, Valmeryn and Seraphine, alerted by the chaos, frantically searched for their children. They called out their names, their voices lost in the turmoil, but the noise prevented them from hearing each other. The earth continued to vibrate, and debris littered the ground, isolating the family members even more.
Kael and Naelys, despite their fear, did everything to stay together. Their tightly held hands were the only stable link in this whirlwind of horror. Around them, the cries of the injured, children's sobs, and the crash of collapsing buildings created an apocalyptic atmosphere. They avoided already cold corpses, silent witnesses to the brutality of the catastrophe.
As they progressed, a strange figure appeared in the sky above the beach. A floating shape, draped in shifting shadows, rose above the rubble. Its voice rang out in the air, clear and terrifying: "Mortals, say your prayers. Your time has come." A chilling silence fell over the crowd, even the tremors seemed to weaken for a moment.
Behind this apparition appeared black portals, from which nightmarish creatures emerged. These foreign beings, grotesque in form with eyes glowing like embers, launched themselves mercilessly at the humans. They devoured everything in their path, leaving behind mutilated bodies and screams of terror.
Kael squeezed Naelys's hand even tighter, their gaze plunged into the horror around them. The beach had turned into a true battlefield between panicked survivors and hungry monsters. They ran through the chaos, avoiding attacks, searching for their parents amid the cries, clouds of dust, and rising flames.
Cries of pain, sobbing, and shouted orders mixed in an infernal tumult. Kael saw people he knew fall, taken by these ruthless creatures. A dull rage rose in him, a visceral desire to protect those he loved. But for now, the priority was to find Valmeryn and Seraphine.
On the other side of the beach, their desperate parents searched through the crowd, never hearing their children's desperate calls. Distance and debris made communication impossible. The fear of losing Kael and Naelys devoured them, but they could only move forward, braving the danger at every moment.
Kael moved cautiously but with newfound determination. He wanted to survive but also to fight and protect. He felt a gaze on him: it was Declan, who had arrived at the beach with a group of other Altaris students, armed and ready to defend. Their presence gave some hope back to the survivors.
Despite everything, the losses were heavy. Bodies lay among the ruins, families were shattered in an instant. The world seemed to plunge into an endless nightmare. Kael and Naelys continued advancing, weaving between debris and enemies, their hands still linked, uniting their courage in the face of horror.
The appearance of the mysterious floating being and the opening of the portals foretold a danger far greater than anything they had imagined. The ground still trembled in places, and the monsters' cries echoed in the dust- and fire-filled wind. The fight for survival was just beginning.
Kael glanced one last time at Naelys, whose eyes shone with fierce determination despite the fear. "We have to stay united," he whispered. She nodded. Together, they were stronger. Their story had just turned to a new chapter, where the fight would no longer be just for themselves but for all humanity.