The silence felt different now.
Not peaceful.
Not calm.
Empty.
Nancy kept walking.
Further.
Further than she planned.
Far enough that their presence—Kai, Leo, Evan—faded into the background.
Still there.
But distant.
Muted.
Safer.
At least—
That's what she told herself.
"I just need a minute," she whispered.
To who?
She didn't know.
Maybe to herself.
Maybe to the part of her that was starting to feel… unfamiliar.
The forest grew quieter the deeper she went.
Too quiet.
No wind.
No movement.
Just her breathing.
In.
Out.
In—
Her chest tightened suddenly.
She stopped.
"…No."
Not again.
It started small.
A flicker.
That same pressure from before.
Deep inside her chest.
Like something knocking.
No—
Pushing.
Nancy pressed a hand against her sternum.
"Stay down," she muttered.
Her breathing became uneven.
Sharp.
Unsteady.
"I'm in control."
The words felt thin.
Unconvincing.
And then—
She felt it.
Not her own emotions.
Not the bond.
Something else.
Fear.
Not hers.
Nearby.
Close.
Nancy's head snapped up.
Her senses stretched—
Wider.
Further.
Too far.
She caught it again.
A flash.
A presence.
Small.
Panicked.
Hiding.
Her feet moved before she could think.
Instinct.
Pull.
Connection.
She pushed through the trees—
And stopped.
A figure crouched behind a fallen log.
A boy.
Young.
Maybe ten.
Shaking.
Terrified.
Nancy's breath caught.
"…Hey."
Her voice came out softer than she expected.
The boy flinched violently.
Eyes wide.
Ready to run.
"I'm not going to hurt you," she said quickly, raising her hands slightly.
Slow.
Careful.
But the moment she stepped closer—
His fear spiked.
Sharp.
Piercing.
And Nancy—
Felt all of it.
Too much.
Way too much.
Her vision blurred.
Her breath hitched.
"No—wait—"
The boy tried to run.
But Nancy reacted faster.
Not physically—
Something else.
"Stop."
The word slipped out.
Not loud.
Not forceful.
But—
It hit.
The boy froze.
Mid-step.
Completely still.
Nancy's eyes widened.
"I didn't—"
Her voice shook.
She didn't mean to do that.
She didn't even think—
The boy's fear exploded inside her mind.
Ten times stronger now.
Amplified.
Echoing.
Suffocating.
"Run," she said quickly.
"Go!"
But he didn't move.
He couldn't.
Panic set in.
"No, no, no—move!"
Her control slipped—
Just a little—
And that was enough.
The pressure inside her snapped.
Power surged out of her again.
Wild.
Unfocused.
Dangerous.
The ground trembled.
Leaves spiraled violently.
The air itself seemed to pulse.
The boy cried out—
Finally breaking free—
And ran.
Fast.
Gone within seconds.
Nancy dropped to her knees.
Gasping.
Shaking.
"I didn't mean—"
Her voice broke completely.
It was worse this time.
Because no one was there.
No anchor.
No voice pulling her back.
Everything rushed in.
Every emotion she'd touched—
Fear.
Panic.
Confusion.
All of it multiplied.
"Stop…" she whispered weakly.
But it didn't.
Her hands pressed into the ground as another wave built inside her.
Stronger.
More unstable.
"I can't—"
Her body trembled violently.
Her control slipping fast.
Too fast.
And then—
The bond reacted.
Sharp.
Sudden.
Distant—
But there.
Kai.
Nancy gasped.
Grabbing onto it instinctively.
Like a lifeline.
But it wasn't enough.
Too far.
Too weak.
"…help…"
The word barely left her lips.
And then—
Everything exploded again.
A shockwave ripped through the forest.
Stronger than before.
Uncontrolled.
Unfiltered.
Trees bent.
Branches snapped.
The ground cracked slightly beneath her.
And in the middle of it—
Nancy screamed.
Far away—
They felt it.
All of them.
Kai froze mid-step.
His head snapped toward the direction Nancy had gone.
"…No."
Leo's expression darkened instantly. "That was her."
Evan didn't hesitate. "She lost control."
Kai was already moving.
Fast.
Faster than before.
Fear hitting hard now.
Real now.
"Find her," he said.
Not calm.
Not controlled.
This time—
Desperate.
Back in the forest—
Nancy collapsed forward.
Her body finally giving in.
Her breathing shallow.
Uneven.
Weak.
The power faded slowly.
Reluctantly.
Like it didn't want to let go.
Her fingers twitched weakly against the ground.
"…I tried…"
Her voice was barely there.
Broken.
And this time—
There was no one there to hear it.