Ava's hands shook as she traced the symbol in the dirt. The memory was sharp, almost alive in her mind, and a strange heat pulsed through her chest.
Lucien knelt beside her, his dark eyes scanning the forest around them while also studying her face.
"What's happening?" she whispered, voice trembling.
Lucien's gaze softened but remained serious. "Something is… awakening. That symbol isn't just a mark. It's connected to whatever they experimented on inside you."
Aurora, leaning against a tree with her tablet glowing faintly, spoke without looking up. "I hacked a few Dominion files earlier. There are mentions of Project Eclipse."
Ava froze. "Project… Eclipse?"
Aurora nodded slowly. "It's their top-secret program. They don't just erase memories—they enhance abilities. Make people… more."
Lucien's jaw tightened. "More dangerous. More controllable. More lethal."
Ava's heart raced. "Am I… one of them?"
Lucien placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what they left inside you, but I do know this: whatever you're capable of, it's why they're hunting you. And why I can't let them get you."
Her chest tightened, part fear, part something else—something she didn't understand yet.
Then, without warning, the air around her seemed to vibrate. The symbol in the dirt glowed faintly, a warm golden hue pulsating outward. Ava gasped, stumbling backward.
Lucien caught her instantly. "Stay calm. Control it."
Ava blinked. A sudden flash of energy surged from her hands. A nearby bush rustled violently, though no wind was blowing. Aurora stepped back, eyes wide.
"Holy—she's doing it!" Aurora exclaimed.
Ava tried to concentrate, her breathing ragged. The golden light flowed from her palms, wrapping around the trees and stones near her. She felt power coursing through her veins, a part of her she hadn't known existed.
Lucien's voice was low but urgent. "Focus, Ava! You can use it, but don't let it consume you!"
Ava nodded, her fingers trembling. She raised her hands again. This time the light moved in a controlled arc, lifting a fallen branch effortlessly off the ground.
Aurora clapped softly. "Impressive. Very impressive. But don't get too comfortable… they'll sense this immediately."
Ava's eyes widened. "They'll know?"
Lucien's gaze hardened. "Yes. And they'll come faster now. The Dominion will not ignore this."
A scream suddenly echoed through the forest. Then another.
Ava froze. Lucien's grip tightened on her arm. "Hunters."
From the shadows, three dark silhouettes emerged, moving silently but with terrifying precision. The last scout had survived, and he had called in reinforcements.
Ava's hands glowed again instinctively. The energy pulsed, responding to her fear and anger. The hunters stopped in their tracks, their eyes widening as golden sparks danced around her.
Lucien stepped protectively in front of her. "Don't hold back," he said. "Use it!"
Ava's power flared like a storm unleashed. One hunter lunged, and before he could reach them, the ground beneath him erupted with energy from her hands. He was thrown back, landing heavily among the trees. The other two faltered, unnerved by the display of raw force.
Aurora whispered, barely audible. "She's not just a target… she's a weapon."
Lucien's gaze softened for a moment, and Ava felt her heart beat faster—not from fear, but from the closeness of him, the trust in his eyes, and the way he stayed by her side even as the danger closed in.
But there was no time to linger. The forest around them shifted as more hunters arrived, drawn by the signal of her awakening power.
Lucien grabbed her hand. "We move. Now. You can control this, but only if we get to safety."
Ava swallowed hard, nodding. Together, they ran, the golden light from her hands trailing behind like a comet, warning the approaching hunters of the force they had awakened.
And somewhere deep inside her, Ava realized the terrifying truth: she was no longer the girl they could erase. She was something more… something unstoppable.