The forest at night was not a place for children.
Not for villagers, not for hunters without torches, and certainly not for Hollows.
But Kael and I had crept here anyway.
We weren't children anymore—or so we told ourselves. We were Echoes. And Echoes needed to test themselves.
That was when we heard it.
A low rumble. Deep, primal, vibrating through the ground.
Kael froze beside me. Her hand brushed mine, a silent question.
The sound came again. A growl that was less an animal's cry than a rolling thunder trapped inside flesh. Branches shifted. The stench of musk and blood filled the air.
And then it stepped into the moonlight.
A Nightfang.
I had heard stories—wolves the size of horses, twisted by Aetherka, their hides bristling with energy that made their muscles denser, their reflexes sharper. A single Nightfang was said to be able to slaughter an entire hunting party. A level-one Natural could kill one, but not without scars.
And here it was, its fangs glinting pale in the dark.
Kael whispered, "Sam… run."
But I didn't.
Because if we ran, we would die anyway.
The beast lunged.
Kael shoved me sideways, the air whistling around her hands as she summoned a gust that dragged both of us clear of the first strike. The Nightfang's claws tore a groove into the earth where we had stood.
"Move!" she shouted, spinning, arms wide. Wind surged, scattering dirt and leaves, buying us a heartbeat.
I scrambled to my feet, chest tight, forcing my breathing to slow. The hum. I needed to hear the hum. My hands touched the ground. The earth vibrated faintly—not calm, not steady, but jagged, fractured by the predator's presence.
I seized it anyway. Matched it. My heartbeat synced to the monster's rhythm.
And I pulled.
The soil in front of me trembled. Stones lifted, no heavier than pebbles, and darted forward. They struck the beast's shoulder, harmless but distracting.
It roared, swiping at empty air.
Kael darted left, feet barely touching the ground, her resonance carrying her in swift arcs. She spun, and the wind wrapped around her like ribbons. Her hand slashed outward. A burst of air struck the beast's flank, staggering it a half-step.
It turned, eyes burning red.
Then it came at her.
I didn't think—I moved. My body hurled forward, clumsy but desperate. The Nightfang swiped, claws like hooked knives. I ducked under, felt one claw tear across my shoulder—hot pain, white fire. I slammed my palm against its leg, pulling resonance through the soil.
The earth quivered. The beast stumbled for a fraction of a second. Enough for Kael to leap.
Her feet hit the trunk of a tree, her body twisting midair. The wind caught her like an invisible rope, spinning her into a somersault. She landed atop the beast's back, arms spread wide.
And then she screamed, pouring her resonance outward.
The air howled, a miniature gale slamming down on the beast's head. It roared in fury, snapping and twisting, but she clung to its thick fur like a rider on a raging bull.
"Do something!" she yelled.
I planted my feet. Raised both hands. Breathed deep.
The hum was wild, chaotic, but I forced myself to follow it. The stones around me rattled, lifted. My head throbbed with the strain, sweat dripping into my eyes.
"Move, Kael!"
She leapt clear.
And I let go.
A dozen stones shot forward, pelting the Nightfang's face and eyes. It staggered, howling, shaking its massive head.
But it didn't fall.
The beast turned its fury on me.
It lunged. Faster than thought.
I had no time for resonance, no time for breath. Instinct took over. I threw myself sideways. Claws slashed my thigh, blood spraying. I collapsed, gasping, the world spinning.
Kael's voice rang out—"No!"—and then a blast of wind hurled into the beast's side, pushing it off-course. It slammed into a tree, splintering wood. Bark exploded outward.
Kael dashed to me, hauling me up. "Can you stand?"
I gritted my teeth, forcing weight onto my leg. "Barely."
"Barely's enough."
The beast snarled, turning back toward us. Its eyes burned, its body radiating killing intent. Blood dripped from shallow cuts where my stones had struck—but it was still strong. Too strong.
We had only one chance.
"Together," I said, my voice ragged.
Kael nodded. Her hands spread wide, wind swirling already around her arms.
I knelt, palms flat to the ground, eyes shut. I forced my breath slow despite the pain, despite the terror. The hum returned—louder now, vibrating through every vein. The world was alive. The soil beneath me trembled, not with fear, but with waiting.
The Nightfang charged.
"Now!"
Kael spun, her movements a blur, the air howling into a focused stream. The gale struck the beast head-on, slowing its charge. Dust and leaves exploded upward, a storm in miniature.
And in that moment, I pulled.
The stones around us lifted, rattling in midair. Larger this time, jagged chunks of earth the size of fists. My arms trembled, veins burning. My head felt like it would split in two.
I screamed—and let them fly.
The barrage struck the Nightfang's chest and skull with the force of a rainstorm made of knives. It staggered, roaring in pain. Kael twisted, her final burst of wind slamming into its throat.
The beast choked. Stumbled.
And fell.
Silence.
The forest stilled.
The Nightfang lay motionless, blood pooling into the dirt. Its chest heaved once, twice—and then stopped.
I collapsed, gasping, clutching my leg. My shoulder burned, my body felt hollow, drained. Kael dropped beside me, her face pale, her arms trembling from the effort.
For a long moment, we just sat there, listening to the echo of our own breaths.
Then Kael laughed. Soft, disbelieving.
"We killed it," she whispered.
I nodded weakly. "Barely."
Her grin widened, wild and brilliant despite the blood on her cheek. "Barely counts."
And as I stared at the fallen beast, a thought took root.
If two Hollows—two Echos—could kill what should have killed a Natural…
Then maybe we weren't at the bottom anymore.
Maybe the world's order wasn't as fixed as they thought.