The boys continued running with all their might through the thick underbrush and down the steep mountain slope. Night had fully claimed the woods, and the darkness was broken only by thin shafts of moonlight piercing the dense canopy overhead. Their breaths came in ragged, visible puffs in the cold air, each gasp burning in their chests as they pushed their exhausted bodies forward.
Koby, Kai, and James were still far from accustomed to the treacherous terrain. Their movements were clumsy and hurried—each misstep a reminder of their inexperience. They stumbled over gnarled roots and low-hanging branches, their feet sliding on loose scree and damp leaves. The howling of the Vharrows grew ever closer, no longer a distant warning but a chilling chorus that seemed to come from every direction. The silhouettes of the creatures were now more distinct—lean, shadowy forms darting between the trees, their movements swift and predatory.
And then it happened.
Kai sneezed violently—a sudden, sharp sound in the tense quiet—throwing him off balance. He stumbled forward, arms wheeling, and would have fallen face-first onto the rocky path had James not grabbed the back of his tunic and hauled him upright.
"Thanks, James," Kai gasped, straightening and wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
"You guys alright?" Koby called over his shoulder, slowing just enough to glance back.
But before either could respond, a dark shape dropped from a low branch.
It pounced on Koby without a sound, a mass of ragged black fur threaded with dim silver streaks like tarnished moonlight. The creature moved like a shadow given weight and hunger. Its eyes glowed with a faint, corpse-blue hue, cutting through the dark. As it pinned Koby down, he could feel the chill of its breath—cold as ancient crypts—and the hot, rank drool that dripped onto his neck and shoulder.
"Hey!" James shouted, his voice sharp and commanding.
The Vharrow's head snapped toward the sound, its glowing eyes narrowing. That momentary distraction was all Koby needed. With a grunt of effort, he summoned his hatchets from his inventory—the weight familiar and comforting in his grip—and swung blindly upward. The blade caught the creature's forepaw, slicing deep. The Vharrow yowled in pain, a guttural, scraping sound, and leaped backward, retreating into a defensive crouch.
Kai didn't hesitate. He had already nocked an arrow—a simple, sharpened shaft—and let it fly. It struck the injured Vharrow in the flank. The beast shuddered and collapsed, motionless.
The three boys scrambled to regroup, standing back-to-back in a tight triangle, weapons raised. Around them, more glowing eyes emerged from the woods. One by one, sleek, towering forms slunk into the clearing—at least six of them, each standing nearly five feet tall at the shoulder. They circled slowly, muscles coiled, low growls rumbling in their throats.
"Where's Axle?" Koby asked between heavy breaths.
"He already ran ahead," James replied tightly, his gaze never leaving the circling beasts.
"Well," Kai tried, his voice edged with nervous energy, "we're just going to be fighting a couple of dogs."
"Dogs at least five feet in height," James retorted, not unkindly but firmly. "This isn't the time for humor, Kai."
"My bad."
"Koby, you and I will engage them, but keep your distance from their fangs," James directed, his mind already shifting into tactical clarity. "Kai will support us with his strikes. They did go down with one shot, right?" He glanced at Kai for confirmation.
"Yeah," Kai nodded, already pulling another arrow from his quiver.
"Good. So, Koby—you still remember your taekwondo?" James asked, a faint, strained tease in his voice.
"You still know your boxing?" Koby shot back, a tight smirk on his lips. "Be wary of their fangs. You'll be close to them."
"Don't worry," James said, lifting a short sword he'd produced from his own inventory. Its blade gleamed dully in the faint light. "I have a sword this time."
Everyone readied themselves. The night seemed to hold its breath.
Meanwhile, in the quiet of Lyrielle's cottage chamber, the air was thick with incense and anticipation.
"You could train like the boys," Lyrielle said, her voice calm yet carrying an unshakable weight. "But like I said, you don't have much time before your awakening scenario starts. If the technique should work on you, then we can proceed to help your friends as well."
Raya was silent for a long moment, lost deep in thought. She sat cross-legged on the cool stone floor, her hands resting on her knees, fingers tracing idle patterns on the fabric of her trousers. She weighed her options carefully, each one heavy with consequence. From everything she had heard from both Rowan and Lyrielle, Nyxoria would be a ruthless place—a world where weakness was not merely inconvenient but dangerous. So far, she had done nothing but hold the others back. If she could just gamble everything on this one technique… perhaps nothing much would change. Or perhaps everything would.
She didn't want to hold the team back anymore.
Her mind flew back to the state Koby was in after the serpent's attack—his arms torn in different places, bleeding heavily, his face pale but determined. She remembered how battered the rest of them had been, covered in dirt and bruises, moving stiffly with fatigue and pain. She did not want anyone to risk their lives for her like that again. She owed it to them to risk her own life for everyone as well.
"So, Raya," Lyrelle's voice cut gently into her thoughts, "what do you say? Are you in or out?"
Raya looked up, her dark eyes clear and steady. "I don't want to be weak anymore," she said, the resolve vivid in her gaze. "So I'm in."
"Then let's get started."
Lyrielle moved smoothly behind Raya, settling into a kneeling position on the stone floor. She placed her palms flat against Raya's back, just between her shoulder blades. Her touch was cool at first, then gradually warming.
"I want you to take a deep breath and calm yourself," Lyrielle instructed softly. "Don't scatter your mind. Try to focus on one thing."
One thing not to say to someone who is trying to concentrate is to concentrate, Raya thought wryly, and in that moment, she found it more difficult than ever to quiet her mind. Thoughts flooded her head like a rushing river—fear, doubt, memories, questions. What if she couldn't do it? What if she failed and made everything worse?
Frustrated, she raised her own palms and pressed them firmly to her face. The pressure grounded her, stilled her jumping nerves. She just had to keep holding on.
And then, softly, she saw a memory.
It was the day before she was transported into Nyxoria. Back when she had still known normal—or something like it—and was just a college student, worrying about grades and friendships and what to have for lunch.
In a garden somewhere on campus grounds, quiet and tucked away from the main paths, Koby was sitting on a weathered wooden bench. He was perfectly still, watching sparrows and finches land on the dew-slick grass, pecking for worms. Raya had sneaked up behind him, her steps light on the damp earth, and tapped his shoulder.
"I would know those hands anywhere, Raya," he said without turning, a small smile in his voice. His messy brown hair waved gently in the morning breeze.
"Why do you always like coming here?" she had asked, coming around to face him.
He shrugged, making space for her on the bench. "I just do."
"You don't just do things, Koby," she said, taking the seat beside him.
"I don't think you would understand," he replied, his gaze still on the birds.
"Try me."
He turned to face her then, and the sunlight caught his light blue eyes, making them shimmer like clear water. "And if I did tell you the reason I come here, and it's a problem," he said slowly, "would you help me solve it?"
"If I could help you, I would help. Of course."
There was a brief moment of silence between them, comfortable yet charged with something unspoken. Until Koby broke it.
"You should really try to fix your own problems before volunteering to fix other people's problems," he said softly.
"What do you mean?"
"You're different from most people," he said, not unkindly. "And you're still trying to fit in where you don't belong."
"I don't understand."
"Yes, you do," he quipped, a knowing look in his eyes.
"Is this about Rachael and the rest?" she asked, curiosity tugging at her.
"I thought you didn't understand," he said, then allowed a small, fleeting smile. "You have to learn to really fight for what you want, Raya. This world isn't so forgiving. We can either make our own identity by forging our way… or we can join the crowd and lose our way."
Raya looked away, a faint defensiveness rising in her chest. "Life isn't all 'loner' as you make it out to be, Koby."
"Ouch."
"Sometimes," she insisted quietly, "there's a need to join the crowd."
"And miss out on the adventures that your way would bring?" He leaned forward slightly. "I'm not saying it's going to be perfect. But at least you'll know that you did it yourself."
With that, he stood up from the bench, stretching his arms above hi
s head. "Classes would be starting soon. We better get moving."