The wind had an edge to it now—sharp, carrying with it the scent of something unnatural.
Akira walked ahead of the crew, each step deliberate, like the earth itself bent for her. Tamaki kept pace at her side, his expression unreadable. Behind them, the others followed in tense silence, the memory of their crewmate's sudden death still fresh enough to choke on.
Kairos kept stealing glances at her back. She's losing it… or maybe she's been gone for a long time. His hands curled into fists. He'd seen cruelty before, but this—this was power that didn't care who bled for it.
The air shifted again.
Tamaki's eyes narrowed. "We're being watched."
Akira didn't break stride. "I know."
Something in the Hills
They crested a ridge, the jagged stone around them looking like broken teeth in the dying light. That's when the first whisper came.
A voice—low, distorted—slid into Akira's ear: Predator Queen… do you think you're the only one who can feed?
Her crew stiffened, hands going to weapons.
From the shadows ahead, a figure emerged. Its shape was wrong—limbs too long, torso too thin, skin the color of burned ash. Its face had no mouth… until it smiled.
The ground under Akira cracked when she stopped walking. "You've been following me."
The creature tilted its head. Not following. Hunting.
It moved faster than sight—one moment standing, the next a blur aiming straight for her throat. But Akira's hand shot up, catching it mid-lunge. Lightning flared as she slammed it into the stone, shattering the ridge.
Her crew stumbled back, shielding themselves from falling debris.
Predator vs. Predator
The thing writhed in her grip, its voice vibrating inside their skulls. I know what you are. I can smell the hunger. Let me taste it.
Akira's smirk was pure danger. "You want a taste? Fine."
She activated Feast of the Sovereign—but this time, something fought back. Instead of her pulling energy from it, the creature pushed back, sending a wave of cold into her veins.
Akira's eyes widened.
Tamaki's tone sharpened. "It's feeding on you."
The crew watched in shock as her knees buckled. For the first time since Kale's death, they saw her weaken.
Breaking the Lock
Kairos hesitated—part of him wanting to help, part of him wanting to watch her fall. But when the creature's claws raked across her arm, he moved, swinging his blade in a clean arc that severed the monster's grip.
Akira staggered back, panting, electricity crackling wildly off her skin.
The creature hissed, its faceless grin stretching. You'll never be full enough. You'll always be like me.
It vanished into the shadows as quickly as it came, leaving only its echo behind.
Fractures in the Crew
Akira stood still for a long moment, her gaze locked on the darkness it had disappeared into. Her voice, when it came, was low and dangerous. "We hunt it. We end it. Now."
Kairos shook his head. "That thing almost drained you. Charging after it is suicide."
Her eyes snapped to him, red and unblinking. "You forget yourself."
"That's the problem," Kairos shot back. "We all remember too well what you just did back there."
A murmur of agreement passed through the others.
Tamaki stepped between them, his smile never reaching his eyes. "Careful. She might decide to feed on you next."
Kairos didn't flinch. "Maybe she should try."
The tension hung heavy, ready to snap.
The Watching Shadow
From a cliff far above, the creature crouched, head tilted as it watched them argue. Its grin widened, and in the dark, a second pair of glowing eyes opened behind it.
The hunt was only beginning.