*******
Miles away, somewhere deep in the forest, a tall figure stood with his back to the moonlight. The trees swayed around him, their leaves whispering secrets to the wind.
The GAMEKEEPER had been still for hours, as though listening to something only he could hear. Then it came — not a sound, but a feeling.
A plume of dark smoke rose far away in the direction of Natalie's hidden domain. It writhed unnaturally against the night sky, as though trying to claw its way upward.
He exhaled slowly, almost in resignation.
"So… she's done it."
His voice was low, but the words were weighted with something old.
"Natalie has… awakened him."
Reaching up, he removed his mask.
Beneath it, his features were striking — too perfect, too symmetrical for a human face. His skin carried an unnatural smoothness, his jaw sharp, and his eyes almost glowing in the dim light. His hair spilled down his back in waves of pale blue, reaching his waist, shimmering faintly with each movement.
If Vaelthor's beauty was dangerous, the GAMEKEEPER's was haunting — a beauty you could trust until it destroyed you.
His gaze sharpened, the air around him tightening like a bowstring being drawn. Then his eyes glowed brighter, and his lips curved into a faint, grim smile.
"My other half…" he murmured, and then, without warning, he leapt into the air. His movements were almost too fast to follow, a blur of pale light vanishing into the forest canopy.
And he was heading straight for Harper.
*****
In the candlelit chamber, Vaelthor stood like a statue, his silver hair cascading around him in shimmering strands. The shadows still bent toward him as if eager to remain close. Natalie had been speaking, arranging her next steps — but then she noticed something.
His expression had shifted. His posture, once relaxed, had tightened.
He placed a hand over his chest and inhaled sharply, as though he'd been struck.
"What is it?" Natalie asked, stepping forward quickly.
He smiled faintly, though there was something dangerous in it. "Ah… I see."
"What do you see?"
"My other half has felt my presence." His tone was almost amused.
Natalie froze, her eyes narrowing. "The GAMEKEEPER?"
But Vaelthor's head tilted slowly. "Oh no," he said, his voice carrying an unsettling finality. "Not my brother."
Natalie's brow furrowed. "Then who?"
Vaelthor's smile widened just enough to make her uneasy. "The person who shares the same destiny with me."
Natalie stared, trying to make sense of the cryptic answer. "And who is that?"
But Vaelthor didn't answer. His gaze drifted to some invisible point beyond the walls, his eyes alight with interest. The air in the room thickened, the temperature shifting as though the universe itself knew something had changed.
Natalie's confusion grew, but before she could push for answers, the scene seemed to darken just around him.
And somewhere, far from them both, Harper's blood-red eyes opened once more.
*******HARPER
The safe house was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards. The earlier tension still clung to the air like smoke, and I could feel Chris's gaze on me as I sat at the edge of the couch.
My hands were clasped together so tightly my knuckles ached. "Chris…" I finally said, breaking the silence. "Something's happening to me. I don't understand it — the voice, the dreams, the way my body doesn't feel like mine anymore."
Chris exhaled slowly, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked like he wanted to say something but was weighing every word before letting it out. "Harper…" His voice was low, almost careful. "I wish I could tell you exactly what's going on, but—"
He stopped abruptly, his jaw tightening.
"But what?" I pressed.
His eyes flicked toward Hay, who had been silently leaning against the wall. Hay spoke instead, his tone matter-of-fact. "If he tells you outright, he'll fade away. That's the risk."
I blinked, the words sinking in like ice water. Fade away? I turned back to Chris, but he only gave a small nod in confirmation.
Across the room, Luna had been hugging her knees to her chest, watching all of us. Her voice was softer than usual when she asked, "Will Harper be alright?"
Neither of them answered right away. Chris just looked at me with a shadowed expression, and Hay said flatly, "We don't know."
That silence was enough to make my pulse quicken.
I stood abruptly, pacing a few steps before turning to face them again. "Wait. I… I think I remember something."
Their eyes followed me as I tried to gather my thoughts. "There was a dream… a while back. I saw a little girl die. I didn't think it meant anything at the time — just another nightmare. But then… Maisie died." My voice caught slightly, but I pushed on. "And now… I just had another dream. This time, everyone around me died. All of you. I can't ignore it anymore."
Chris straightened slowly, watching me. "That's not coincidence, Harper. You have the ability to dream about the future."
I froze, the truth of it hitting me like a cold wind. "So… I'm seeing what's coming."
He nodded. "But knowing doesn't make it easy to stop."
I clenched my fists. "I have to try. I have to stop it before it happens. If completing my mission is the only way to leave this realm, then that's what I'm going to do."
Chris's tone was calm but weighted. "It won't be so easy."
I met his eyes, determination burning through the fear. "Then I'll make it easy."
Turning to Luna, I softened my voice. "The plan is simple — we lure the mayor out into the forest." I didn't have to say the rest. Her eyes widened slightly, understanding exactly what I meant.
And in that moment, the air in the room shifted. There was no going back.