Nyx was running.
His legs were on fire, lungs tearing with every breath, but he didn't stop. Couldn't stop. That thing was still behind him—the orb. A black ball floating just off the ground, glowing red inside like it was alive. Every time it hummed, the sound cut straight into his bones.
"Shit—shit—shit—" he muttered under his breath, stumbling over a rock. He almost went face-first into the dirt but somehow caught himself and kept going.
The orb didn't rush. It didn't need to. It just floated after him, slow and steady, like it knew he wasn't going to get away. That almost made it worse.
Nyx's eyes darted forward. There—a stone marker half-buried in the road. His chest tightened. It would have to do.
He skidded to a stop, dropped to one knee, and slammed his palm against the ground. His hands were shaking, but he forced the words out anyway, the same ones his teacher made him repeat until his throat went raw.
"Seal—bind it!"
Light snapped across the dirt, a glowing circle forming under the orb. Chains of pale energy shot up, wrapping tight around it. The thing screeched, shadows thrashing as the glow dragged it down.
Nyx's heart jumped. It's working.
Then—crack.
One chain split, then another. His eyes went wide. "No… no no no—"
The circle shattered like glass, light scattering across the ground. The orb floated free again, humming louder, glowing brighter, like it had just been playing with him.
Nyx staggered back, almost falling over. His chest was heaving, sweat dripping down his face. His seal hadn't worked.
He hadn't trapped it.
He'd only pissed it off.