The rain hadn't stopped when Liya stumbled back, her breathing shallow, her mind still reeling from what had just happened.The shadows, the light bursting from her hand, the man with silver hair and storm-gray eyes—it was too much for her brain to grasp.
Her knees nearly gave out, but the stranger reached forward and steadied her with a firm hand. His palm was warm, strong, grounding her amidst the chaos.For a fleeting second, she felt as if his touch burned through her fear, anchoring her to the world.
"Breathe," he said calmly, his voice deep, steady, the kind of voice that demanded trust even when trust was impossible.She looked up at him, lips trembling."What… what was that? What did I just do?"
The stranger's eyes lingered on her with unsettling intensity. His gaze was not just looking at her—it was searching her, dissecting her, as if every flicker of emotion across her face told him something he had long suspected."You awakened," he finally said, his tone low, almost reverent.
"Awakened?" she echoed, her voice breaking. "Awakened to what? I've never… I can't…"
He studied her in silence for a long moment before sighing. The storm in his eyes dimmed slightly, replaced by a weight she couldn't name."To power. To truth. To danger," he said.
Her head spun. Power? Danger? Truth? It sounded like the nonsense in the fantasy novels she shelved every day in the bookstore.This wasn't supposed to be real.
"You're insane," she whispered, shaking her head. "This… this is a dream, it has to be."
But as soon as the words left her mouth, a growl echoed from the rooftop above. Liya's heart froze as she glanced up—dozens of crimson eyes stared down at them from the shadows of the buildings, glinting like predators in the dark.
Her stomach dropped. "Oh my God…"
The stranger's grip on his sword tightened, his silver hair catching the dim light as he stepped protectively in front of her."They've marked you," he muttered. "This is worse than I thought."
"Marked me?!" she snapped, her voice shrill with panic. "I don't even know who you are!"
The stranger looked over his shoulder, his expression unreadable."Kael," he said finally. "That's my name."
"Kael…" she repeated, tasting the syllables. It felt strange on her tongue, heavy with meaning."Why are you here? Why did you save me?"
He turned back toward the shadows that were beginning to slither down the walls like liquid darkness."Because," Kael said, voice firm, "whether you know it or not… you are part of this war now. And they won't stop until you're either theirs… or dead."
Her throat tightened painfully. War? Theirs? Dead? None of this made sense, and yet the terror in her chest told her it was real.The shadows leapt.
Kael's blade ignited with light as he slashed through the first wave, movements so fast Liya could barely follow. Sparks of silver and black energy filled the air, the clang of steel against claw echoing like thunder in the alley.
But for every shadow Kael struck down, two more emerged, crawling from cracks in the walls, the streets, the rooftops. Their whispering voices rose like a choir of nightmares, chanting words Liya didn't understand.
Kael cursed under his breath. "Too many."
Her back hit the cold brick wall, fear suffocating her as the creatures advanced. She didn't know whether to scream, run, or curl up and pray.But then—her hands began to burn.
A glow erupted from her palms again, wild and uncontrollable. She gasped, staring in horror as white light spilled from her skin, filling the alley like a second sun. The shadows shrieked and staggered back, smoke rising where the light touched them.
Kael glanced at her, and for the first time since he appeared, his composure broke."…You really are her."
"Her?!" she demanded, choking on the panic and confusion. "What are you talking about?!"
But he didn't answer. He lunged forward, cutting through the shadows weakened by her light. With each strike, he moved closer to her, protecting her back, his sword and her glow forming a deadly harmony.
Liya's pulse thundered. She didn't understand what she was doing, but her body seemed to move on instinct, her palms shining brighter each time a shadow neared.It was as if something deep inside her had been unlocked… something that had been waiting for this moment all her life.
Finally, the last shadow let out a bone-chilling cry before dissolving into mist. The alley fell silent, save for the sound of rain dripping from the rooftops.
Liya collapsed against the wall, shaking. Her hands still glowed faintly, casting an eerie halo over her trembling form."I… I can't… this isn't real…"
Kael knelt before her, his sword fading back into darkness as he sheathed it."It's real," he said softly, firmly. "And it's only the beginning."
Her eyes welled with tears. "Why me? Why would they come after me? I'm nobody!"
Kael studied her, his jaw tightening. For a moment, he almost looked… conflicted."You're not nobody," he said at last. "You're the one we've been searching for."
Her breath caught."What does that even mean?"
Before Kael could respond, the ground trembled beneath them. The air thickened, a suffocating pressure weighing down on Liya's chest.Kael's expression darkened instantly, and he rose to his feet, pulling her up with him."They sent a commander," he said grimly.
A shadow unlike the others emerged from the far end of the alley. Taller, sharper, its form almost human but stretched, its eyes glowing like molten fire. The other shadows had been terrifying… but this one radiated power that froze Liya's blood.
It raised one clawed hand, pointing directly at her.And in a voice that rattled her bones, it hissed:"The Heir of Light belongs to our master."
Liya's entire world tilted.Heir of Light? Her?
Kael's sword flared to life again, but his voice was cold, determined."Stay behind me. No matter what happens—don't run."
She clutched her chest, unable to breathe, staring at the monstrous figure stalking toward them.And deep down, though she didn't want to admit it, a part of her already knew: her life had just been shattered… and rebuilt into something far more dangerous.
The commander shadow lunged, its claws glowing with unholy fire—and Liya's body responded before her mind did, unleashing a blinding surge of light that forced even Kael to shield his eyes.