The clearing burst into chaos.
The Valmyrian soldiers surged forward, their torches blazing. Steel flashed in the night as they raised their blades.
"Seize the fugitives!" the commander barked.
The strangers by the fire reacted instantly. The crossbowman spun, firing a bolt into the dark. It struck a soldier's armor with a clang, staggering him back. The dagger-wielding woman darted forward, slashing at another's throat before retreating into the shadows.
Adrian pulled Serenya close, heart hammering. He had no sword, no shield. Only the shadows that clung to him like a second skin.
The commander pointed directly at him. "The boy! Take him alive!"
Three soldiers rushed Adrian at once.
His body moved before his mind caught up. The void stirred, cold and alive, pouring into his veins. Shadows spread across his arm, wrapping his hand like armor.
A soldier swung his blade. Adrian raised his arm.
Clang!
The steel met shadow. The blade slid off, useless.
The soldier's eyes widened. "What—"
Adrian's shadow-coated hand shot forward, seizing the soldier's chest. The man's strength drained instantly, his body collapsing as if the will to stand had been ripped away.
The other two soldiers hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.
Adrian's chest heaved. He didn't understand how he did it—but he knew one thing. He couldn't stop.
"Stay back!" he shouted, though his voice cracked with strain.
Behind him, Serenya clutched his cloak, trembling but refusing to let go.
The crossbowman gave him a sharp look mid-battle, eyes narrowing as he saw the shadows coil around Adrian. "…What the hell are you, boy?"
No answer came. Adrian didn't know himself.
The commander barked again. "He's a witch! Cut him down!"
The soldiers roared, charging in a frenzy.
Adrian's vision blurred. His fear, his anger, his desperation—they all spilled into the void. Shadows burst outward in a wave, sweeping across the clearing.
Torches flickered, dying in the black haze. Soldiers stumbled, clutching their heads as their courage drained away, their movements sluggish and weak.
The dagger woman froze mid-strike, staring. The boy with the supplies dropped his pack, his jaw slack.
Adrian stood at the center of it all, shadows curling around him like wings. His eyes glowed faintly, silver and black, as if reflecting a starless sky.
The commander snarled, fighting to steady himself. "Monster…!"
He raised his sword and charged.
Adrian raised his hand again. The commander's blade struck—but the moment it touched the shadow, it shattered like glass. The commander's strength drained in an instant, his knees hitting the ground.
Silence fell.
The remaining soldiers backed away, terror in their eyes. One by one, they dropped their weapons and fled into the forest, stumbling in panic.
Adrian stood there, chest heaving, shadows still writhing around him. Slowly, they faded back into his skin, leaving him trembling and pale.
Serenya rushed to him, grabbing his arm. "Brother! Stop—you'll collapse!"
He staggered, barely catching himself. His heart thundered in his chest, his body screaming in protest.
The strangers stared in stunned silence.
Finally, the crossbowman lowered his weapon, studying Adrian with a mix of fear and respect.
"…You're no ordinary fugitive."
The dagger woman smirked faintly, though her eyes never left Adrian. "Strongest thing I've ever seen. Dangerous, too."
The boy whispered under his breath. "A void… emperor…"
Adrian froze at the word, a chill running down his spine.
Serenya pulled him tighter, glaring at the strangers. "He's not a monster! He's my brother!"
The crossbowman's expression softened slightly. He sighed, then spoke carefully.
"Maybe so. But you've just painted a target on your back, boy. Valmyria won't stop hunting you now."
Adrian clenched his fists, still shaking. His heart was torn between fear and resolve.
"…Let them come," he whispered, voice cold.
The fire crackled quietly in the aftermath, as if the world itself was holding its breath.