The storm didn't calm.
If anything, it grew worse—roaring, twisting, bending the sky as if reacting to my rebirth. Thunder cracked like it wanted to split the world in two, and the clouds churned angrily above the treetops.
I stood there, surrounded by silence, ashes, and the fading aftertaste of power that didn't belong to a human body.
Maybe because… I wasn't one anymore.
I forced myself to breathe, each inhale steadying the chaos inside me. My heart still beat too fast—three beats at a time, like three hearts fighting for control.
Shadow Phoenix… vessel… hunted… destiny.
The masked monster's words echoed through my skull like they were tattooing themselves into my mind.
"Shit…" I muttered, running a hand through my hair—
only to freeze.
My hair wasn't the same.
The black strands shimmered faintly with smoky gray streaks that pulsed like embers. Every movement left a small trail of shadow behind, disappearing seconds later.
"Great," I sighed. "Not even five minutes into my new life, and I already look like a discount villain."
I tried to stand, and a sharp pain shot up my leg. The stone platform hummed—alive—responding to my presence. The glowing symbol etched into the rock flickered once and died completely.
Whatever ritual brought me here… it was over.
Only the consequences remained.
A distant howl rolled across the forest.
Then another.
Then dozens more.
The beasts had sensed the battle. And my power.
"Nope. Not dealing with that again."
I stepped off the platform.
The moment my foot touched the forest soil, the world reacted.
The trees shivered.
The mist twisted.
The shadows… bowed.
It wasn't dramatic—only a faint dip, like leaves bending from a breeze. But I felt it.
The darkness recognized me.
Or feared me.
I couldn't decide which.
I walked carefully, scanning the forest for any movement. The pale trees creaked under the storm's pressure, their thin branches scraping together like skeletal fingers.
A strange scent drifted through the air—cold iron mixed with something sweet.
Blood.
But not human.
Before I could inspect further, a whisper echoed inside my mind.
Follow the mark…
I spun around, but no one was there.
Great. Voices in my head. Always a good sign.
I looked down at my chest—
and the breath caught in my throat.
A symbol had appeared there.
Dark, twisting lines forming a spiraling pattern that glowed faintly with purple nightfire. It pulsed like a heartbeat, each throb syncing with the rhythm I'd heard in the void.
"That's new…"
The mark warmed, then tugged—pulling my senses toward the deeper forest like a compass.
"Alright," I muttered. "Follow the creepy magical birthmark. Why not."
I walked.
The deeper I went, the stranger the forest became.
Some trees were half-melted, others crystalized like frozen statues. The roots moved slowly under the soil, shifting positions when they thought I wasn't looking.
The world was alive in a way Earth never was.
And it hated my presence.
Branches snapped behind me.
I spun.
A shadow darted between the trees.
My fingers twitched, shadows gathering instinctively in my palm. But before I could attack, a different sound whispered nearby—
Soft breathing.
Weak.
Hurting.
Not a beast.
A person.
I approached cautiously, pushing aside glowing purple vines until I saw her—
A girl.
She looked about my age… or the age my body appeared to be now. She lay slumped against a tree, half-conscious, clutching a deep wound across her ribs. Violet blood dripped down her side, hissing when it touched the ground.
Her ears were pointed, her skin a pale silver. Strange markings glowed faintly under her collarbone.
Definitely not human.
Her eyes fluttered open as I stepped closer, revealing irises shaped like shattered glass—silver with cracks of blue light inside.
She froze when she saw me.
Her breath hitched.
Her pupils shrank in terror.
"No… no, stay back," she whispered, voice trembling. "Shadowborn… monster… please… don't…"
I raised both hands slowly.
"I'm not here to hurt you."
Lie or truth, I wasn't sure.
Her fear grew anyway.
"You shouldn't exist," she whispered hoarsely. "The Shadow Phoenix… vanished centuries ago. Your kind were wiped out. All of them."
"Well, I'm new," I muttered.
She didn't seem amused.
Suddenly her eyes widened.
Her breath quickened.
"They're coming… the hunters… they followed the awakening. You need to leave. If they find you—"
A horn blasted through the forest.
Not like a call.
Like a warning.
The girl's face drained of color.
"Run."
"I'm not leaving you."
"You don't understand," she hissed, grabbing my wrist with surprising strength. "If they catch a Shadow Phoenix—your soul won't just die. It will be erased."
The forest went dead silent.
Then—
BOOM.
A shockwave blasted the trees apart not far away. Blue flames erupted into the sky, tearing the clouds open. Dozens of dark figures appeared on the ridge, armored in shifting obsidian metal, masks glowing with runes.
Their weapons were aimed straight at us.
The girl's grip tightened.
"Shadow Hunters," she whispered. "Run…"
A deep voice thundered across the clearing:
"TARGET FOUND. ELIMINATE THE VESSEL."
…Oh, fantastic.
Five minutes into this new world and an entire death squad wanted my head.
I took a deep breath, felt the mark on my chest burn, and shadowfire surged through my veins like a tidal wave.
"Alright," I muttered, eyes darkening as sparks of nightfire spiraled around me.
"Let's see if dying once was enough practice."