Zaire's POV
You ever get that feeling, like the world's holding its breath and you're the only one who notices? That's how it was for me, right from the start.
On the far side of the woods, a storm was brewing, one of those wild, soul-shaking ones that rips the masks off everyone in its path.
The trail we followed wasn't something you could see or touch, but damn, it burned. Every step felt like fire licking under my skin, a leftover sting from shattered wards and ancient magic, still bleeding through the cracks of the world.
Dusken took the lead, gliding through the trees like a shadow that couldn't quite decide if it wanted to be human. Sylen trailed behind, for once not smirking, his usual swagger replaced by a silence that made the air feel heavier.
I kept my breathing steady, laser-focused. The deeper we pushed into the woods, the weirder things got. Sounds faded, light thinned out, and it was like reality itself was stretching tighter with every step we took.
"Whatever broke that ward," Dusken muttered, not even bothering to look back, "it wasn't subtle."
"Or it wasn't smart," Sylen chimed in, his voice low. "This kind of magic leaves a mark behind and has a scent."
I shot him a look. "And you'd know all about leaving marks, huh?"
He flashed a quick, crooked grin. "I'm the best at it."
Normally, I'd have rolled my eyes, but the tension was too thick. The woods had gone quiet in that way that makes your skin crawl; there were no birds, no wind, just this weird hum under our boots, like the earth itself was warning us.
Then, out of nowhere, we heard movements. A blur to the right and another to the left.
Sylen vanished, melting into the trees like he had never been there. Dusken let out a low growl, the air around him starting to vibrate.
Three figures stepped out of the mist, faces hidden behind hoods and masks smeared with gold-leaf paint. The look was ritualistic, but honestly? It was more desperate than impressive. Sloppy work to be accurate.
I'd seen their kind before.
"State your purpose," I called out, keeping my voice calm and steady.
One of them raised a hand, mumbling some chant under their breath.
Bad move.
Dusken shot forward, a blur of shadow and fury, blasting the first figure off their feet. Branches snapped like twigs. Sylen popped up behind the second, twisting their wrist so fast it sounded like wood splintering.
I moved in, smooth and ruthless. The third one tried to bolt, but I wasn't having it. With a flick of my fingers, a ribbon of dark-blue light whipped out, snagged their ankle, and yanked them face-first into the dirt.
I crouched beside him. "Talk."
The guy just hissed, blood trickling from his mouth.
I leaned in, my voice dropping to something cold and ancient. "You have no idea what you've stirred up."
Sylen strolled over, brushing dirt off his coat like it was a personal insult. "Want me to cut something useful off?"
Dusken paced behind us, his limbs stretching, eyes glowing with that eerie void-light. He looked less and less human by the second.
The captive spat at us. "You don't belong here. You and your kind, you were supposed to stay buried."
I froze for a mere second. Then I stood, letting the silence stretch a little, like the calm before the storm.
"We were buried," I said, voice soft but sharp. "And then someone got greedy enough to dig us up."
The air snapped, but not with thunder, just us.
I felt my skin start to glow, blue veins lighting up like ink swirling in water. Dusken stood tall beside me, finally dropping the human disguise. He looked like the night sky come alive: smoky, star-speckled eyes, and shadows curling off him like living blades.
Sylen stretched, popping his neck. Golden tattoos shimmered across his skin, lighting up like stained glass. His eyes burned silver with pure mischief and danger.
The masked figure stared, wide-eyed. "W-What the hell are you?"
I stepped closer, my voice slicing through the trees like a winter wind. "Old."
"Older than your spells. Older than your fear."
Sylen grinned, teeth flashing. "And really bad at staying dead."
Dusken's snarl echoed through the woods, deep and wild.
And somewhere, deep in the forest, the world listened. Because the three of us, were awake now.
And the shadows? Yeah, they finally remembered our names.
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