Jordan woke to the sound of whispers. His body felt heavy, his skin clammy with sweat. He blinked against the dim light filtering through the wooden ceiling above. For a moment, he didn't know where he was—then Ariana's face leaned into view, green eyes filled with worry.
"You're awake," she whispered. Relief softened her voice, but there was an edge beneath it. "You've been out for hours."
Jordan sat up slowly, his head pounding. "What happened?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You saved the village. That… thing. Whatever it was—you destroyed it."
The memory rushed back. The shadow, the surge of light, the way his body had moved as though something inside him had taken over. "That wasn't me," Jordan said, shaking his head. "I don't even know what I did."
Ariana's hand hovered near his arm, as if she wanted to comfort him but wasn't sure if she should. "Jordan… the villagers are afraid. They think you're cursed. Some even said you brought that monster here."
Jordan's chest tightened. "So I save them, and now they hate me?"
"Not all," Ariana said quickly. "Some saw hope in you. Others… only danger."
The door creaked open. The village chief entered, his presence filling the room. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, studied Jordan. "Power draws attention, boy. Sometimes from those who would follow you, and sometimes from those who would destroy you."
Jordan frowned. "I didn't ask for this."
"No one ever does," the chief replied. "But destiny rarely asks for permission."
The words lingered like a warning.
That night, as Jordan tried to sleep, he couldn't shake the feeling of eyes watching him. Not just the villagers' suspicious glances—but something else. Something beyond the village.
When the wind shifted, he swore he heard it again. A whisper. A voice carried in the dark.
"…Aetherborn…"
Jordan sat upright, heart pounding. Outside, the torches flickered as if the night itself had breathed against them. The shadows between the trees seemed thicker, stretching toward the village like hungry fingers.
And somewhere within them… something waited.