The air crackled.
Branches trembled.
Leaves shuddered as if trying to flee.
Vessel Four's body twisted—
unnatural, snapping like wood bending the wrong way.
Red cracks crawled along its limbs.
Its stolen shapes—Zerrei, Lyra, the puppet-body—melted away like dying embers.
What replaced them was not humanoid at all.
It was slender at first—
all angles and sharp edges—
a silhouette that rippled like a shadow rebelling against its owner.
Then—
It solidified.
Tall.
Jagged.
Limbs elongated, jointed wrong.
Torso too thin.
Face smooth and blank—
no eyes, no mouth.
Only a single vertical seam down the center.
A seam that began to split.
Ssss—crack—shhhh—
A crimson eye opened inside the seam.
A single, pupil-less, empty eye.
Lyra sucked in a breath.
Zerrei cried out—
"…LYRA—!"
She held him tightly.
"I'm here—don't look at it—"
But he couldn't help it.
His fear anchored him.
"…they… changed… for real…
not Zerrei… not Lyra…
what is… that…?"
Oren swallowed hard.
"That is Vessel Four's true form.
An identity hunter—no form of its own."
Arden stepped forward with his sword drawn.
"Looks like a nightmare.
I can hit nightmares."
The creature twitched—
Then moved.
Not like a beast.
Not like a human.
Not like anything born in the world.
It slid.
As if dragged by invisible strings.
Straight toward Zerrei.
Lyra instinctively stepped in front of him.
Zerrei screamed:
"LYRA—NO—!!"
He threw himself forward, arms around her waist, pulling her back as the creature lunged.
WHOOOM—
Its claw skimmed the air where her neck had been a second before.
Arden blocked the next swipe with his sword—
the blade ringing violently.
"Damn—!! This thing is STRONG!"
Oren chanted sharply:
"Barrier rune—!"
A translucent wall of blue mana exploded between them and the monster—
but the creature struck it—
CRACK—!
Shattering the shield instantly.
Oren paled.
"It broke a Tier-2 barrier—this thing isn't a tracker anymore—!"
Arden yelled:
"It EVOLVED! YOU SAID THAT—!"
Zerrei held Lyra tightly, shaking.
"…Lyra… run… run… run…"
Lyra cupped his face.
"We're not leaving you."
"…but… Lyra… hurt…"
"I'll be fine. Trust me."
He trembled.
"…always… trust Lyra…"
He pressed his forehead to hers, trying to steady himself—
But the creature moved again.
Sliding—
flickering—
like a broken puppet dragged too fast.
Straight toward Zerrei.
Oren screamed:
"ZERREI—DEFENSIVE POSITION—!!"
Arden bellowed:
"USE YOUR BARRIER—!!"
Zerrei squeezed Lyra's hand.
"…Lyra… help Zerrei…"
"I'm here."
She placed his hand over his chest.
"You want to protect me?"
He nodded fiercely.
"…yes… always…"
"Then feel it."
He closed his eyes—
breathing fast—
golden light pulsing beneath his skin.
"…protect… protect… protect…"
The creature lunged—
And he screamed:
"DON'T TOUCH LYRA—!!"
BOOOOOM—
A golden dome erupted around them.
Stronger than before.
Thicker.
Bright enough to illuminate the entire forest clearing.
The creature slammed into it—
cracking the surface—
but not breaking through.
Arden whooped.
"Yes! Nice one, kid!"
Oren muttered:
"That's no longer instinctual resonance…
That's will."
The monster recoiled.
Its single crimson eye narrowed.
It pressed its hand against the barrier—
and the barrier SHOOK.
Cracks formed.
Zerrei gasped.
"…Lyra… it's strong…"
"I know," she whispered. "But so are you."
"…but… Lyra… hurt if shield breaks…"
"No."
She cupped his face.
"You protect me. I protect you."
His glow steadied.
"…together…"
And the shield lit up again—
healing its fractures.
The creature screeched—
Frustrated.
Hungry.
Then—
It vanished.
Arden cursed.
"Where did it go—?!"
Oren's eyes widened.
"It's phasing between shadows—!!"
Zerrei clutched Lyra's arm.
"…it comes… from behind…"
"MOVE!"
The monster reappeared behind them—
faster than sound.
Lyra's hand slipped from Zerrei's.
He froze.
Eyes wide.
Glow dimming.
"…Lyra…?"
The monster reached for her.
Zerrei screamed—
Not loud.
Not strong.
Not even human.
Just raw emotion.
"LYRA—!!"
He lunged—
His body moving faster than he ever had before—
His hand reaching—
His glow exploding—
For a moment—
just one heartbeat—
he touched her fingertips—
Then something dragged her away.
Not Vessel Four.
The forest.
The very shadows swallowed her.
Zerrei's eyes widened.
His heart shattered.
"LYRA—!!!"
Arden spun around.
"LYRA?! LYRA—WHERE—?!"
Oren's face drained white.
"The creature isn't trying to kill her—
It's separating her from Zerrei—
TO BREAK HIM—!!"
Zerrei screamed again, collapsing to his knees.
"…LYRA—!!
LYRA—!!
LYRA—COME BACK—!!"
His glow flickered uncontrollably.
Arden grabbed him.
"Kid—HEY—FOCUS—!"
Zerrei sobbed.
"…Lyra… gone…"
"No—she's not—she can't be—"
Zerrei pressed his hands over his chest.
"…Lyra… taken…
Zerrei… alone…"
The forest echoed a soft whisper.
"Lyra…"
Zerrei's head snapped up.
His eyes glowing with rage and terror.
"…NO.
NOT LYRA.
GIVE LYRA BACK—!!"
And for the first time ever—
Another glow formed behind Zerrei.
A halo of gold.
Spinning softly.
Opening cracks in the ground.
Arden stepped back.
"What—WHAT IS THAT—?!"
Oren whispered:
"His next evolution—
triggered by loss."
Zerrei's voice broke.
"…Lyra…"
He clenched his shaking fists.
His glow erupted upward—
Lighting the entire forest—
And he screamed:
"LYRA—!! I'M COMING—!!"