The sun had already slipped beneath the horizon by the time Nyx returned home, the sky bruised purple and black, the air thick with the residue of an unsettled day. Dust clung to his clothes, not just from the road but from everything he had carried inside him—fear, guilt, restraint. He pushed the door open quietly, expecting silence, expecting the familiar emptiness that usually greeted him when night fell. Instead, warmth spilled out. Candlelight flickered softly against the walls, and the low murmur of voices drifted from the kitchen, steady and alive. He stopped in the doorway without realizing it, his breath slowing as the scene unfolded before him.
Nia stood near the stove, her movements gentle, unhurried, her golden eyes softened by the glow of the candles as she fed soup to Old Gald. Raym lay resting on the couch, his breathing shallow but steady, a blanket pulled up to his chest. For a moment, Nyx only watched. There was something painfully human about the way Nia smiled, something grounding in the way she spoke softly to the old man, encouraging him to eat, laughing quietly when he protested like a stubborn child. It was a warmth Nyx did not deserve, a peace he had not earned. And yet, it wrapped around him anyway.
When Nia finally turned and saw him, her eyes widened just a fraction before relief softened her features.
"You're back," Nia said quietly, concern threading through her voice.
Nyx nodded, unable to find words immediately. The sight of her standing there—safe, present, real—momentarily dulled the hunger for power coiled inside him. He smiled faintly, a fragile expression that barely held together.
"I didn't know when you'd return," she continued, stepping closer. "So I stayed."
Nyx swallowed. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her nothing. Before he could decide, his phone vibrated sharply in his pocket, the sound cutting through the fragile calm like a blade. He pulled it out and read the message, his chest tightening instantly.
Meet me at Lucas Park. Urgent.
Stacy.
The name alone stirred something heavy and unwanted. Guilt. Obligation. A past that refused to stay buried. Nyx looked up at Nia, her expression immediately shifting as she sensed the change in him.
"I'll be back soon," Nyx said, forcing steadiness into his voice. "I need to handle something."
Nia studied him for a moment, searching his face, then nodded.
"Be careful," she said simply.
The park was silent when Nyx arrived, moonlight spilling over empty benches and cracked stone paths. The old fountain stood still, water long dried, shadows pooling around its base. Then he saw her. Stacy stood near the fountain, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, shoulders trembling as though the night itself had seeped into her bones. When she noticed him, her face crumpled with relief, and she rushed forward before he could speak.
"Nyx," Stacy whispered, clutching him tightly. "I can't do this anymore. I love you. I always have. I can't live without you."
Her voice broke completely, words dissolving into quiet sobs. Nyx froze. He did not feel what she felt—not anymore. His heart no longer moved toward her, no matter how much he wished it could. Nia's presence had carved itself too deeply into him. Gently, carefully, he wrapped his arms around Stacy, not in love, but in restraint. He had already decided what he needed to say. He would tell her the truth.
But the earth never gave him the chance.
The ground shuddered violently beneath them, a low rumble tearing through the park as crimson light erupted from below. Threads—thick, glowing, alive—burst upward, weaving around them faster than thought. Stacy screamed as the web tightened, dragging her backward. Nyx tore at the strands, his claws ripping uselessly against the magic-infused silk.
"It's a trap," Nyx growled.
The world folded inward, light collapsing into darkness as they were swallowed whole.
When sensation returned, cold air scraped against Nyx's skin. They stood inside a vast cavern, its walls pulsing faintly as though alive, stained dark with iron and ash. Enormous cocoons hung from above, swaying slightly. The smell was wrong—old blood, decay, something ancient.
"Where are we?" Stacy whispered, her fingers gripping his arm.
"In trouble," Nyx replied, his eyes glowing faintly as he sensed movement.
Miles away, unease settled over Nia like a shadow. She stood alone in Nyx's room, his absence heavier than it should have been. His scent lingered, but beneath it was something else—magic, secrets, things unspoken. She searched instinctively, opening drawers, touching books, her fingers brushing against an old notebook carved with strange runes. Before she could open it, the doorbell rang.
Anthony stood there, dressed casually, his expression neutral.
"We're here about the repairs," he said smoothly.
Marko stood beside him, smiling politely.
Nia hesitated only a moment before letting them in.
Back in the cave, the walls began to move. Dozens of spiders crawled from the darkness, their eyes gleaming silver. Stacy's breathing quickened.
"Nyx…" she whispered.
"Don't scream," Nyx said quietly.
She did.
The sound echoed, waking everything.
"Stay behind me," Nyx commanded.
The first spider lunged. Nyx transformed instantly—fangs extending, claws tearing free. He moved like a shadow sharpened into violence, ripping through the creatures with brutal efficiency. Stacy watched in horror as the man she loved became something monstrous and beautiful, blood splattering the stone as bodies fell. Then the largest spider descended, its fangs sinking into Stacy's shoulder.
She screamed.
Nothing happened.
Instead, blue light erupted, hurling the creature away.
Carl Mare stepped forward.
"Carl?" Nyx breathed.
Without warning, Carl struck him hard across the face.
"You've ruined everything," Carl snarled. "Vampires and witches are killing each other because of you."
Nyx wiped blood from his lip, eyes burning.
"Then face me," he said coldly.
Their clash shattered the cave. Stone cracked. Magic screamed. Stacy watched, frozen, as golden light suddenly engulfed her.
And then she was gone.
Nyx stopped mid-attack.
"What did you do?" he roared.
Carl fell to one knee, stunned.
"I didn't—she wasn't supposed to—"
Nyx grabbed him, slamming him into the wall.
"Where is she?"
Carl gasped, eyes dark with something like pity.
"You've already destroyed enough lives."
Nyx released him and turned away.
"I'll find her myself."
And with that, he vanished into the depths of the cave, leaving behind shattered stone, unanswered prophecies, and a war that had only just begun.