Morning arrived slowly over the quiet village.
The sky was pale, a thin stretch of gold peeking through the clouds as the sun rose over the distant hills. The air still carried the cold breath of dawn, and the streets were only just beginning to stir with life.
Elena stepped outside Ray's house and stretched her arms above her head.
She hadn't slept well.
Not after yesterday.
Not after the argument.
Her eyes drifted toward the yard.
Dante was already there.
He stood near the wooden fence, lazily tossing a small stone into the air and catching it again. From the outside he looked relaxed, almost bored. But Elena knew better now.
There was tension in the air between them.
He glanced at her when he noticed she was awake.
"Morning," he said casually.
Elena crossed her arms.
"Morning."
That was it.
No teasing.
No smug remarks.
Just silence.
It felt strange.
Before either of them could say anything else, the front door creaked open and Ray stepped outside.
He wore a serious expression.
"Good. You're both awake."
Elena straightened.
"What's wrong?"
Ray exhaled slowly.
"I've already sent scouts into the forest."
Dante's playful expression faded slightly.
"To look for Amber?"
Ray nodded.
"And Yami."
At the mention of that name, Elena's jaw tightened.
She still remembered the look in Amber's eyes. The anger. The pain. The curse twisting her into something else.
Ray continued.
"If they are still hiding in the forest, we'll find signs of them soon enough."
He looked between Elena and Dante carefully.
"But that's not what worries me."
Elena frowned.
"Then what does?"
Ray tapped his staff lightly against the ground.
"Yami."
Dante tilted his head.
"You think he's stronger than he looked?"
Ray's voice grew serious.
"He has access to those potions."
Elena felt a chill run through her.
The transformation potions were dangerous enough on their own.
But if someone like Yami controlled them…
Ray's gaze hardened.
"You saw what that potion did to that local gangster in your village."
Elena nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Ray continued.
"He has a lot of them now, which means… he could turn anyone into a monster."
Silence settled over the yard.
Then Ray suddenly changed his tone.
"That's why we need to know something important."
He looked directly at them.
"Your powers."
Elena blinked.
"Our powers?"
Ray nodded.
"If you two plan on confronting someone like Yami… I need to know what you're capable of."
"Let's start with you." He said nodding at Dante's direction.
Dante smirked slightly.
"Why don't I show you instead?"
Ray just stared at him.
Dante shrugged.
He stepped forward.
For a moment nothing happened.
Then—
The shadows around his feet shifted.
Elena frowned.
Wait…
The darkness beneath the fence… the shadows beneath the house… even the thin shade cast by the trees began to move.
They slid across the ground like living things.
Ray's eyes widened slightly.
The shadows rose.
They curled around Dante's arm like smoke.
Then they condensed into a long, dark blade.
Elena's breath caught in her throat.
"…Shadow magic?"
Ray muttered under his breath.
"Impossible."
Shadow magic was rare.
Extremely rare.
It was the kind of magic most people only heard about in old legends.
Dante flicked his wrist casually and the shadow blade dissolved into darkness again.
The shadows returned to their normal places like nothing had happened.
He grinned.
"Good enough?"
Ray stared at him for a moment.
Then he slowly nodded.
"…More than enough."
Elena was still staring at Dante.
For some reason, she had never thought of him as powerful.
He joked too much.
Smiled too easily.
He never acted like someone dangerous.
But now…
Now she wasn't so sure.
Dante noticed her staring.
"What?"
Elena quickly looked away.
"Nothing."
Ray turned to her.
"And you, Elena."
Elena hesitated.
"My magic is… different."
Ray gestured for her to try.
"Show me."
Elena stepped forward nervously.
She took a breath.
The last time her magic appeared was when Ray's younger brother kidnapped her.
She remembered the pressure.
The crushing force.
But now…
She focused.
Nothing happened.
She clenched her fists.
Still nothing.
Ray watched quietly.
"Try again."
Elena tried.
The air trembled slightly.
A faint pressure pushed outward… barely strong enough to stir the dust on the ground.
Then it vanished.
Elena froze.
That was it?
Her cheeks burned.
Ray scratched his beard.
"…Pressure magic."
Elena looked up.
"You know it?"
Ray nodded slowly.
"I've heard of it."
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"But I've never seen it before."
Elena looked down at her hands.
"Great…"
Ray tried to help.
"Magic sometimes responds to emotions. You just need practice."
Elena tried again.
Nothing.
Frustration bubbled in her chest.
Why wouldn't it work?
It worked before.
So why now?
Just as she was about to try again—
A familiar voice spoke from behind them.
"Maybe she's trying too hard."
They turned.
Lena stood in the doorway.
Her pale hair shimmered softly in the morning light.
She walked toward them calmly.
"I remember something interesting," she added.
Elena immediately became suspicious.
"…What?"
Lena tilted her head.
"When we were in the forest."
Elena frowned.
"What about it?"
Lena smiled faintly.
"You were talking in your sleep."
Elena froze.
"…What?"
Dante looked curious.
"Oh?"
Lena nodded innocently.
"You kept mumbling someone's name."
Elena's stomach dropped.
"Don't say it."
Lena ignored her.
"Dante."
Silence.
Elena's face turned bright red.
"I did NOT!"
Lena looked thoughtful.
"You said it several times."
Dante slowly crossed his arms.
A smug smile appeared on his face.
"Really now?"
Elena pointed at him.
"Don't you dare."
Lena continued casually.
"You sounded worried about him."
Elena buried her face in her hands.
"This is humiliating."
Dante chuckled softly.
But inside…
He felt strangely pleased.
So she did care.
More than she wanted to admit.
Elena glared at both of them.
"You're both terrible."
Lena only smiled.
Then she moved to help Ray prepare supplies for the scouts.
She worked quietly, handing out food and water while speaking politely to the villagers.
Dante watched her carefully.
She looked completely normal.
Kind.
Helpful.
Maybe he really had been overthinking things.
But still…
Something about her didn't sit right with him.
He needed to find out who she really was.
Before he could think further—
Footsteps came running down the road.
One of Ray's scouts rushed into the yard, breathing heavily.
"Ray!"
Ray turned.
"What is it?"
The scout tried to catch his breath.
"There's someone at the outskirts of the village."
Everyone went still.
Dante's expression hardened.
"A traveler?"
The scout shook his head slowly.
"No."
Ray narrowed his eyes.
"Then who?"
The scout swallowed.
"He didn't give a name."
A quiet tension spread through the yard.
Elena felt a strange chill run down her spine.
Ray tightened his grip on his staff.
"What does he want?"
The scout hesitated.
Then he said quietly,
"He says… he's looking for someone."
Elena frowned.
"Who?"
The scout looked directly at her.
"You."
Silence fell over the yard.
Elena swallowed hard. A tight knot forming in her stomach.