The valley faded behind us, swallowed by the early morning mist.
I rode at the forefront, Rowan and Elara flanking me, but the truth was clear: I no longer needed protection. I had power now, yes, but more importantly, I had direction. Every step forward was mine to command.
"The first target?" Rowan asked quietly, keeping pace.
I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I let my awareness stretch ahead, scanning the lands, listening to the whispers in the wind, reading the currents of power that ran like veins through the earth.
"They're close," I said finally. "The ones who tried to erase Nyxara—they've gathered at the northern passes. They think they can rebuild what they lost. They're wrong."
Elara swallowed hard. "Do you think we can reach them in time?"
I turned to her, eyes steady. "Time is irrelevant. Presence is power. And I am here."
As we approached the northern passes, the terrain changed. Crags and cliffs rose sharply, shadows pooling in the valleys like ink. The air itself felt heavier, charged with anticipation. I let the threads of my power ripple outward, subtle at first, coaxing the land to respond—to hide us, to guide us, to warn us.
Then they appeared. Scouts, small in number, but confident, armed with spells and blades. They froze the moment they sensed me, eyes widening as recognition—or perhaps fear—passed between them.
I did not hesitate. Not now. Not ever.
The ground beneath their feet shifted. Roots erupted like living chains, vines wrapping around arms and legs. Stones levitated, hovering just enough to block their advance. I moved calmly, deliberately, every gesture precise.
"You were warned," I said, voice carrying across the pass. "Do not underestimate what you do not understand."
They struggled. One drew a sword, but it bent unnaturally in his hands, refusing to obey him. Another tried to cast a spell, but the energy twisted and folded back into the ground.
I smiled faintly. "They always try the same thing," I murmured to myself. "Underestimating the storm they cannot see coming."
Rowan and Elara moved beside me, ready to assist, but the truth was undeniable: I was the force here. Every element, every ripple in the air, every whisper of power answered to me.
The scouts fled. Some would regroup. Some would bring reinforcements. But I didn't care. This was only the first wave.
As we continued through the passes, I let my presence ripple ahead—not in aggression, but in command. The land bent subtly to my awareness, revealing paths, dangers, and opportunities. Every movement was a lesson in control, a demonstration that Ariana was no longer hidden, no longer fragmented.
And somewhere beyond the peaks, the leaders of those who had tried to erase Nyxara watched, sensing the shift.
I exhaled, feeling the calm surge through me. "Let them come," I whispered. "The hunt begins… and this time, I decide the rules."
The wind carried my words across the peaks, stirring the shadows below. The game had changed. The players had underestimated the girl they thought they could hide.
And now, they would pay the price for that mistake.