The calm that Beacon Hills sometimes offered was just an illusion. That afternoon, twilight enveloped the forest in shadows as Elias walked alongside Cora, Scott, and Stiles, who had decided to explore a new section of the woods after school. Stiles had suggested the idea under the pretext of searching for "interesting" spots.
"Interesting for what, exactly?" Cora asked, looking at him with a mix of curiosity and distrust.
"To have an unusual experience," he replied. "This forest is full of stories, right? It's time to find them!"
Scott chuckled.
"The last time we followed a story in the woods, we found more than we wanted," he reminded Stiles. "Remember the...?"
Stiles grimaced.
"Well, this time I'm not looking for corpses. I just want to see how deep this place goes. Don't you feel like the forest has... something?"
Elias looked around, feeling something similar. The forest had always had a special energy, almost as if it were watching them. Although he couldn't reveal what he truly felt, it was clear that the place whispered to him in a way that went beyond the normal.
"Maybe you're right, Stiles. This place has something..." Elias commented, almost to himself.
Cora noticed the look on his face and moved a little closer, lowering her voice.
"What do you feel, Elias? You always have that expression when we're in the woods, like you hear something the rest of us can't."
Elias hesitated.
"It's hard to explain," he whispered. "It's like the forest is speaking to me, as if it wants to show me something."
Scott looked up, intrigued.
"Do you mean you feel... something special?"
Elias paused before answering, trying to think of how to explain what he felt without revealing his secret. He finally opted for half-truths.
"It's like something in me gets activated here. Like there's a connection."
Stiles frowned and looked at him intently.
"A connection? That sounds pretty deep."
The group continued walking in silence, each lost in their thoughts. But then, a peculiar sound caught Elias's attention. It was a low, guttural whisper, like a distant growl that only he could hear. He stopped in his tracks, senses on high alert.
"Did you hear that?" he asked, his eyes shining in the dim light.
Cora nodded slowly, pretending she hadn't fully heard it to avoid raising suspicions.
"I think I heard... something, maybe a crack," she murmured.
Elias closed his eyes and focused on the sound, which seemed to be calling him from deep within the forest. Without saying anything, he started walking in the direction it came from, letting curiosity and instinct guide him.
"Elias?" Cora called, and he paused for just a moment but didn't respond.
Cora, Scott, and Stiles followed him, albeit silently. Finally, they reached a clearing, and Elias stopped abruptly. In the center of the clearing stood a tall, ancient stone covered in runes and strange engravings, like a remnant from ancient times. The moon illuminated the place strangely, giving it an ethereal air. Elias felt drawn to it.
"What is this place?" Scott asked, looking around.
Elias walked toward the stone, unable to resist, while Cora watched with a mix of alarm and resignation. She knew Elias couldn't help it but tried to warn him.
"Elias, you shouldn't get too close," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
He didn't respond. As soon as his fingers brushed the stone, a wave of energy coursed through his body. He felt his senses sharpen, and something within him awakened. With effort, he managed to suppress the change in his eyes, but a slight growl escaped his lips before he could control it.
Scott and Stiles looked at him, confused, as he quickly stepped back to regain his composure. Cora stepped forward and with a quick glance tried to distract Scott and Stiles.
"Elias just has a bit of... dizziness! The clearing has a weird effect on him, doesn't it?"
Scott and Stiles blinked, somewhat bewildered, as they tried to process the scene.
"Dizziness?" Scott asked, doubtful. "Is that why he growled...?"
Stiles tried to joke to ease the tension.
"Well, the effects of this forest are pretty strange. Maybe it was an echo. Don't you think this place has something odd in the air? It's like... electricity or something."
Elias took a deep breath, feeling the strange energy from the stone gradually fade from his body, and then tried to downplay it.
"Sorry, guys. I just... thought I felt fine at first, but I think it was a bad idea to get too close."
The guys nodded slowly, still perplexed, but Cora quickly urged them to head back to the Hale house.
Once home, Talia was waiting at the door. Upon seeing them, she noticed the tension on Elias's face and approached him with concern.
"What happened?" she asked, looking at each of them.
Cora was the first to speak, carefully controlling her words.
"We found a strange stone in the woods, Mom. Elias felt... affected."
Talia looked at Elias, her expression grave yet serene.
"Did you touch a stone with ancient engravings in the forest?" she asked, in a serious tone. "Elias, that was an ancient altar. A site of connection with our ancestors."
Scott and Stiles, distracted in their own thoughts, said their goodbyes shortly after, leaving Elias and Cora with Talia at the entrance.
"What really happened?" Talia asked as the boys left.
Elias explained what he had felt and how the stone had awakened something inside him. Talia nodded, understanding the situation.
"That's because your lineage is connected to those ancient places," she said calmly. "The power you felt is just a fragment of what you can reach, but you must be careful. That energy also attracts forces that could seek to harm you."
Elias nodded, understanding the warning, while Talia watched him with a mix of pride and concern.
"Remember, Elias, you must control yourself, especially in front of others. Even though your friends are trustworthy, they still can't know everything. Your connection to our lineage is powerful and can be dangerous if you don't control it."
Cora squeezed Elias's hand in support.
"You're right, Mom. We need to be more careful," she said. "It's not yet time for them to know the truth about Elias."
Talia nodded, her gaze thoughtful.
"Until the time comes, you must focus on learning to handle your power, Elias. Because something tells me your lineage will soon be put to the test, and you'll need all the strength you can muster."
Elias looked at Talia, his heart filled with determination. He knew his path was full of challenges, but also of people willing to support him. Perhaps, he thought, the forest had awakened something in him not only to reveal his abilities but to prepare him for what was to come.