The atmosphere grew tense, and Amber's breath hitched. Her eyes flickered at the sight of the child.
"Well, look who came to join the fun. Your little brat," Yami sneered.
Ray froze. Fear finally broke through his composure.
"You better not touch my son!"
He turned sharply to the little boy, who stood rooted to the floor, frightened by the sight of his father cornered by two terrifying strangers.
"Dad… what's going on?" the boy asked, his voice trembling. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Nothing," Ray said quickly, forcing calm into his voice. "Just go back to sleep. Daddy is having an important discussion with guests."
"But they look evil," the boy whispered. "And her eyes are red." He pointed at Amber.
"Don't say that!" Ray snapped, panic seeping through. He softened immediately. "Just go to bed, okay? Daddy will be fine."
The boy hesitated. Something in his young heart told him that if he left now, he might never see his father again.
Yami clicked his tongue.
"Inasmuch as I could capture your boy and blackmail you into giving us the potion, that wouldn't be fun. I can sense a lot of power in you… and I really want to test it." His grin widened. "So let your boy leave. Now. Before I change my mind."
"Leave here now!!" Ray yelled.
The fear in his voice shattered the boy's resolve. With a sob, he turned and ran, tears streaming down his face.
Silence followed.
Ray exhaled slowly. His shoulders straightened. His voice was calmer now—steadier—once he knew his son was safe.
"Now… let's do this."
He clenched his fists. Flames curled around them, dancing hungrily.
"Fire magic," Amber muttered. "Interesting."
****
Elena moved briskly through the thick forest. Cold seeped through the thin fabric of her clothes, and she shivered, pulling them tighter around herself.
Crickets chirped endlessly. Somewhere in the darkness, something growled low. She heard sudden movements—branches snapping, leaves rustling as unseen creatures darted past.
"Calm down, Elena," she muttered under her breath. "Just squirrels… or rats. Nothing to be scared of."
She would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid.
This was her first time leaving the village. Alone. At night. Now deep inside a forest.
Her instincts screamed at her to turn back—to the safety of the tavern, to the smell of ale and firewood, to Aunt Kate's constant yelling.
By now, she would be separating two drunk men who had lost all sense of shame. The thought made her smile faintly.
Leo…
As much as she didn't trust that bastard, he had been useful. Without him, finding Amber's trail would have taken far longer.
The deeper she went, the more the moonlight vanished, swallowed by towering trees with wide, tangled branches. Darkness pressed in from every side.
Soon, she could barely see.
Elena dropped her bag and released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
It was heavy—packed with supplies and the weight had been tearing at her shoulders for hours. Her back ached fiercely.
Maybe I should stop for the night
She surveyed the area. The path ahead was clear, save for a few scattered grasses. The trees here were enormous, their thick bark forming natural shelter.
She gathered dry sticks and lit a fire. As the flames caught and grew, warmth spread through her body, easing the tension in her limbs.
She spread an old cloth on the ground and lay down. Pulling a black cloak around herself, she inhaled deeply.
It still smelled like him.
Like Dante.
She wondered where he was now. Whether he had found someone better to call a friend.
Her eyelids grew heavy.
At last, she surrendered to exhaustion.
***
The air thickened with fog.
Elena groaned softly and turned onto her back. Her nose tickled unpleasantly. The fire still burned, but weakly now—its glow fading.
A rustle sounded.
Then another.
Elena shot upright.
"Who's there?" she called, sleep clinging to her voice.
Something darted past her, and she gasped.
"What was that?"
Fully awake now, she grabbed a thick stick, wrapped cloth around one end, and held it to the fire, creating a crude torch. There was a lantern in her bag, but this felt faster—more instinctive.
She moved cautiously, sweeping the light across the clearing.
A large rat crouched nearby, nibbling on a fruit.
Elena sighed in relief.
"Just a rat…"
Wind suddenly whizzed past her ear.
She froze.
This wasn't an animal.
"Whoever you are, show yourself!" Elena shouted. "Stop playing childish games!"
Her heart slammed against her ribs as the fog thickened, swallowing the trees whole.
She didn't expect an answer.
But laughter echoed through the forest.
It sounded wrong—distorted, like two voices laughing in perfect unison.
Elena's hair stood on end.
Backwood Forest isn't haunted.
It was known to be relatively safe. No large predators. No confirmed supernatural entities. Cursed attacks had happened but rarely. And she would have felt a curse's oppressive aura.
This wasn't a curse.
So… was she dreaming?
"Who are you?!" she shouted again, fighting the tremor in her voice.
A dark figure flashed past her and landed on a tree branch.
"I'm here…" it said.
Elena swung the torch toward the sound, but the fog obscured everything. She could only make out a vague silhouette.
"Come down and show yourself."
"Is that an order?" the thing whispered. The voice was barely audible, yet it reached her perfectly.
"You're the one following me," Elena snapped. "Which means you need something from me. I'm just making your job easier."
"Bold," it murmured. "Alright then…"
It leapt down effortlessly, landing without a sound.
As it approached, the fog parted—retreating, as if afraid.
It stopped inches from her.
A hood hid its face completely.
Elena's hands trembled. She felt nothing from it. No presence. No energy.
Is it a spirit?
Cold deepened, her breath turning to mist. She drew a knife from beneath her clothes and gripped it tightly.
"Who are you," she demanded, "and what do you want with me?"
She didn't care about herself anymore. Nothing—nothing—would stop her from saving Amber.
The figure chuckled softly.
"Relax, Elena," it said gently. "I'm not here to hurt you."
It stepped closer. Elena retreated instinctively.
The figure reached up and lowered its hood.
White hair spilled free, glowing softly in the firelight.
Elena gasped, her knees nearly giving out.
Standing before her… was herself.
"I am you," it said with a faint smile.