They ran through the forest, branches whipping their faces, roots snagging at their feet. The howling grew louder, echoing between the distorted trees. It was closer. Much closer.
Syn glanced back as he ran. Lira was falling behind, gasping for air, her face red with strain. Ayra ran beside him, light and silent, as if gliding over the ground.
«How many?» Syn breathed out.
«At least three,» Ayra replied without losing her breath. «Maybe more. They're surrounding us.»
Syn cursed through his teeth. Being surrounded meant running was pointless. They had to fight.
«Find cover. Something to protect our backs.»
They veered to the right, plunging deeper into the thicket. The trees grew denser here, trunks thicker. Between two massive trees, a narrow fissure in the rock was visible. Wide enough for them to stand inside, but too narrow for a large creature.
«There!»
They rushed toward the fissure. Lira slipped inside first, fell to her knees, breathing heavily. Ayra followed her. Syn stood at the entrance, facing the forest. Sword in his right hand, shield in his left.
The howling stopped. The forest fell silent.
Syn tensed. Silence was worse than noise. It meant the creatures were close. Watching. Waiting.
«Lira, be ready to heal,» he said quietly. «Ayra, cover the flanks. If anything gets past me, cut it down.»
Both nodded.
Syn peered into the darkness between the trees. Nothing. Only shadows. But he felt the gazes. Cold, hungry.
Then one of the shadows moved.
A Ghoul emerged from behind a tree.
It was larger than the Creature they had killed. The size of a wolf, but with a body covered in black, oily hide. Six legs, each ending in long claws. An elongated head with two rows of eyes. Glowing. Yellow. Its maw opened, revealing three rows of needle-like teeth.
Syn tightened his grip on the sword.
"A Ghoul. Rank higher than a Creature. Stronger. Faster. Smarter."
The Ghoul took a step forward. Then another. Its eyes never left Syn. It didn't charge. It watched. Assessed.
A second Ghoul appeared from behind another tree. Then a third.
Three creatures. They began to spread out, surrounding the fissure.
Syn slowly took a step back, pressing his back against the rock.
"They're smart. Know we're trapped. Will attack from different sides."
«Ayra, get ready,» he whispered.
The first Ghoul charged. Fast. Syn raised his shield, meeting the attack. The creature struck with its claws, the shield cracked but held. Syn counterattacked, slashing with his sword. The blade cut across the Ghoul's side, leaving a deep wound. Black blood spurted.
The Ghoul howled and jumped back. But the second was already attacking from the right. Syn couldn't turn in time. Claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through the tunic fabric and skin.
Pain. Sharp, burning. Syn snarled and slashed blindly with his sword. Hit. The Ghoul leaped back, but unhurt.
The third Ghoul lunged at Lira. She screamed. Ayra appeared from the shadows, driving a knife into the creature's back. The Ghoul whirled, trying to bite, but Ayra had already dissolved.
Syn turned, shielding the entrance to the fissure. His shoulder burned. Blood ran down his arm. But he didn't let go of the sword.
The first Ghoul attacked again. Syn met it with his shield, then with his sword. The blade sank into its neck. The Ghoul gurgled, jerked, and collapsed.
One dead. Two left.
The second and third Ghouls attacked simultaneously. From the left and right. Syn couldn't cover both directions. He chose the left, struck with his sword. Hit. The Ghoul howled.
But the right Ghoul broke through. It leaped onto Syn, knocked him to the ground. Its maw opened, ready to sink into his throat.
Syn instinctively raised his arm, covering his neck. Claws dug into his forearm. Pain exploded in his head. He screamed.
The Brand on his neck flared.
Coldness detonated inside his body. The shadow within him roared.
And from his free hand, a black substance erupted. It coiled around the Ghoul, constricting like a noose. The creature choked, trying to break free. But the shadow held tight.
Syn didn't understand what was happening. He just felt. Rage. Pain. The desire to kill.
The shadow squeezed tighter. A crunch sounded. The Ghoul twitched a final time and went still.
The shadow dissipated.
Syn lay on the ground, gasping. His whole body trembled. The hand from which the shadow had erupted was covered in black patterns. They slowly faded, receding back into the Brand.
Ayra killed the third Ghoul. She stood over its corpse, wiping her knife.
Lira ran to Syn, dropping to her knees beside him.
«You're hurt! Let me heal you!»
She placed her hands on his shoulder and forearm. Light flared. Warm, gentle. The pain began to recede. The wounds closed, skin knitting back together.
Syn sat up, leaning on his good arm. Looked at the dead Ghoul beside him. Then at his own hand.
"I killed it. With shadow. Without a sword."
Ayra came closer, crouching down.
«What was that?»
Syn didn't answer. He didn't know himself.
Lira finished healing. The wounds were gone, only scars remained. She leaned back, pale, exhausted. Using her Aspect drained her.
Syn got up. Walked over to the dead Ghouls. Took out his knife and began extracting the cores. Three crystals. Red, the size of a chicken egg.
He gave one to Ayra, one to Lira. Kept the third for himself.
«Objective complete. Now we survive until tomorrow.»
Ayra hid her crystal.
«You didn't answer my question. What kind of power was that?»
Syn looked at her.
«My Aspect.»
«But it didn't look like ordinary Shadow.»
«I know.»
He turned and walked on. Ayra and Lira followed him.
They walked until evening. Found a small cave on a hillside. It was dry, safe. Syn checked every corner, made sure there were no creature tracks.
They lit a fire at the entrance. Ayra brought dry branches from the forest. Lira sat against the wall, hugging her knees.
Syn sat by the fire, staring into the flames. His hands were still shaking. The memory of the shadow erupting from him wouldn't let go.
"Was that a Gate? Or just a reaction to danger?"
He didn't know.
Ayra sat opposite him.
«We survived. That's the main thing.»
«For now,» Syn replied. «There are still twelve hours until tomorrow. Anything can happen.»
«You're a pessimist.»
«A realist.»
Ayra smirked. Then asked:
«Why are you here? In the Order. Do you have a goal?»
Syn looked at her.
«And you?»
«I asked first.»
Syn was silent for a moment. Then said:
«Looking for someone. Someone lost.»
«Who?»
«My sister.»
Ayra nodded.
«I see. I'm here because I had no choice. The Brand chose me. Either the Order, or death.»
«Honest.»
They sat in silence. The fire crackled. Lira was already asleep, curled up in a ball.
Syn closed his eyes. Fatigue weighed on his shoulders. But he couldn't sleep. Not here. Not now.
«I'll take the first watch,» he said. «You rest. You'll relieve me in four hours.»
Ayra nodded and moved deeper into the cave. Lay down, closing her eyes.
Syn was alone. He stared into the fire and thought.
About Lian. About the Threshold. About the shadow within.
"A sacrifice. The voice said the Threshold demands a sacrifice."
Today, he had almost died. The Ghoul had almost torn his throat out. But the shadow saved him. Killed the creature.
"Was that the sacrifice? My blood?"
There was no answer.
Syn sighed and looked at his hand. The patterns were gone. But he felt them. Under his skin. Waiting.
"Tomorrow I return to the Institute. And start looking for answers."
The night passed peacefully. No one attacked. No one came.
In the morning, they left the cave and headed toward the point where the return portal was supposed to open.
When they arrived, other groups were already there. Erik Solaris and his team. A few loners. About thirty people in total.
Syn looked around.
"So, half didn't survive."
Thirty out of sixty-three.
The portal opened exactly at noon. A shimmering arch, a vortex of darkness.
Groups began to enter. Syn, Ayra, and Lira entered together.
Darkness. Cold. Falling.
Then they stood in the Institute's courtyard.
Instructor Varen was waiting for them. Resonators with ledgers stood beside him.
«Show your trophies.»
Each held out a core. They were checked, names recorded.
Out of the thirty who returned, two came without a trophy. They were immediately expelled. Led away under escort.
Varen looked over the survivors.
«Thirty-eight. You have passed the first trial. Now you are not just Apprentices. You are candidates for Adept. The next trial is in three months. Prepare.»
He turned and left.
The students began to disperse. Syn headed to the barracks. Lira walked beside him.
«Thank you,» she said quietly. «I wouldn't have survived without you.»
Syn shrugged.
«You healed me. We're even.»
Lira smiled. For the first time.
Syn entered the barracks and lay on his bunk. His whole body ached. But he was alive.
And he had a core.
Proof of his strength.
He took Lian's locket from the chest. Clenched it in his palm.
"One more step, Lian. I'm getting closer."
He closed his eyes and slept.
For the first time in a long while, his sleep was peaceful.
Without nightmares.
Without shadows.
Only darkness and silence.