Dawn broke with a muted light, the Hollowheart Enclave stirring to life beneath a heavy sky. Artemis strapped the Beacon securely to her wrist, feeling its steady pulse sync with her heartbeat.
Elara and Lyra were already waiting by the edge of the hall, their faces set with determination.
"We move fast," Artemis said, voice low. "No unnecessary risks."
Lyra nodded, loading a compact crossbow. "Hunters could be anywhere. We don't know what traps they've set."
Elara tapped her wrist console. "I hacked what little data we could find. The Hunters are focusing patrols near the southern Rift breach. That's where we start."
Artemis glanced toward the dense forest beyond the enclave's borders. The twisted trees whispered ancient secrets as the wind picked up.
"Stay close," she warned.
They slipped through the shadows, the vines closing silently behind them as if the forest itself swallowed their footsteps.
Hours passed, each rustle and snap of a twig tightening their nerves.
Suddenly, Elara halted, signaling them to freeze.
Ahead, two shadowy figures moved with unnatural grace—Hunters, their armor fused with jagged, alien tech.
Artemis's claws extended silently.
Lyra notched an arrow, aiming for the nearest Hunter's exposed neck joint.
Before she could release, Artemis held up a hand.
"We observe first. Let's learn."
The Hunters communicated with sharp clicks and hisses, activating devices that warped the air around them.
"They're hunting something," Elara whispered.
A guttural roar echoed nearby, followed by crashing branches.
The ground trembled.
Suddenly, monstrous shapes burst through the underbrush—mutants twisted beyond recognition, eyes glowing with feral hunger.
The Hunters raised their weapons, ready.
Artemis felt the surge within—the primal power of her bond roaring to the surface.
"Get ready," she growled.
The first mutant lunged.
Artemis met it head-on, claws flashing in the dim light.
Lyra fired arrows with deadly precision, each shot bringing down a snarling beast.
Elara hacked a nearby device, sending a pulse that disrupted the Hunters' armor briefly.
But the fight was brutal and fast.
One Hunter lunged at Artemis from behind.
She twisted, slashing its arm, but a blade grazed her side.
Pain flared, but she didn't falter.
The mutant masses pressed closer, and Artemis knew they had to retreat—or risk being overwhelmed.
"Fall back! Regroup at the enclave!" she yelled.
They pulled back, weaving through the forest, breath ragged, bodies bruised but alive.
Back at the Hollow, Artemis pressed her hand to the wound, feeling the strange warmth of the bond knitting her flesh.
Elara looked at her sharply. "You're hurt."
"I'll be fine," Artemis said, but her eyes betrayed the weight she carried.
They had seen the enemy's strength firsthand.
The Hunters were more prepared—and ruthless—than anyone had feared.
And the Rift was stirring.
The battle was only beginning.