I don't move. Not yet.
The rabbit's tiny frame quivers beneath my fingertips, its frantic heartbeat a rapid staccato against the unnatural silence of the clearing. It doesn't trust me, not fully—but fear has outweighed doubt. It clings to whatever sliver of hope it thinks I represent.
Fascinating.
"The Shadow," I murmur, more to myself than to the creature. My mind sharpens, dissecting its words. It twists things. Corrupts them. Changes them into something evil.
A matter of perspective, surely.
And yet, the rabbit is not the only one who has noticed. They say you're different.
I file that thought away for later.
A growl rumbles through the air, deep and resonant. Closer than before. The undergrowth rustles, a slow and deliberate disturbance, like something moving with purpose.
The rabbit presses itself against the damp earth, as if trying to disappear into the ground. Its eyes are wide, desperate, searching mine for—what? Salvation? Protection?
I exhale slowly, rising to my full height. My expression remains unreadable, my movements unhurried.
"You said it changes everything it touches," I muse, fingers brushing the amulet at my chest. The pulse beneath my skin is steady. Controlled.
I glance toward the shifting shadows, feeling the weight of unseen eyes watching from the darkness. Whatever lurks beyond is waiting. Assessing.
The rabbit's breath comes in quick, uneven gasps. I do not crouch again. I do not offer more reassurances.
"Then let's see if it can change me."
The air hums with anticipation.
The game has begun.