The scene before him made his blood run cold.
Nyx stood in the center of the room, blood dripping from a cut on her arm. Across from her, the boy from the Great Divide was awake, pressed against the far wall, dagger drawn, his eyes wild with confusion and fear.
Something snapped inside Ignia.
A wave of suppressive aura exploded outward from him, saturating the room with suffocating pressure. The air itself seemed to grow heavy, crackling with the promise of violence. Yellow lightning surged up his right arm, coiling around his fist like a serpent ready to strike. His golden eyes blazed with fury.
"How dare you hurt my sister."
It wasn't a question. It was a death sentence.
Malachi's breath caught in his throat. The pressure was immense, unlike anything he'd felt since the creature in the forest. But he didn't back down. His grip tightened on his dagger, and he shifted into a fighting stance, shadows flickering instinctively at his feet. If this was how he died, he wouldn't die cowering.
Ignia took a step forward, lightning screaming down his arm.
"STOP!"
Nyx threw herself between them, her arms outstretched, her eyes pleading. "Ignia, stop! It's not what you think!"
"Move, Nyx."
"No! Listen to me!" She grabbed his raised arm, ignoring the electricity that singed her fingertips. "This is my fault!"
Ignia's eyes flickered to her, the lightning dimming slightly. "What?"
"He wasn't waking up. His essence was completely drained, so I infused him with some of mine to help him recover." Nyx spoke quickly, urgently. "But when he woke up, he was scared and confused. He didn't know where he was or who I was. He thought I was trying to hurt him, so he drew his dagger and—" She gestured to the cut on her arm. "It was an accident. He didn't mean to hurt me."
Ignia's gaze shifted back to Malachi, who still stood in his fighting stance, his chest heaving. The boy's eyes weren't those of an attacker. They were the eyes of a cornered animal, desperate and afraid.
The lightning faded from Ignia's arm. The suppressive aura slowly lifted.
"Is that true?" Ignia's voice was still cold, but the killing intent had receded.
Malachi swallowed hard, his dagger lowering slightly. "I... I didn't know where I was. I felt someone's essence entering my body and I thought..." He trailed off, his voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I'm sorry."
Silence hung in the room for a long moment.
Ignia exhaled slowly, running a hand through his dark hair. He turned to Nyx, his expression softening just a fraction. "Let me see your arm."
Nyx held out her arm, and Ignia examined the cut carefully. It wasn't deep, but it was still bleeding. He pulled a clean cloth from his pack and wrapped it gently around her wound, his touch surprisingly tender.
"It's just a scratch," Nyx said with a gentle smile. "I've survived worse from our hunts."
"That's not reassuring." But the tension had drained from his shoulders as he secured the bandage. He glanced back at Malachi, his golden eyes still guarded but no longer murderous. "You. Sit down before you collapse. You just crossed the Great Divide. You shouldn't even be conscious yet."
Malachi hesitated, then slowly sheathed his dagger. His legs were trembling, whether from exhaustion or the aftermath of Ignia's aura, he couldn't tell. He sank onto the edge of the bed, the blood-stained book still clutched in his other hand.
Nyx moved to his side, her earlier warmth returning despite the cut on her arm. "I'm sorry for startling you. My name is Nyx. And that," she gestured toward Ignia, who leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, "is my brother, Ignia. He's not as scary as he looks. Usually."
"Debatable," Ignia muttered.
Malachi looked between them, still processing everything. These strangers had saved him. Carried him. And now, despite almost killing him moments ago, they were offering... kindness?
"I'm Malachi," he said quietly. "Thank you for... for saving me."
Nyx's smile brightened. "You're welcome. Now rest. You've been through a lot. We can talk more in the morning."
Malachi wanted to argue, wanted to ask a thousand questions about where he was and what had happened, but exhaustion dragged at him like chains. His eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, he had slipped back into sleep, the book pressed against his chest.
Nyx pulled a blanket over him gently, then turned to Ignia.
"He's been through something terrible," she said softly. "I can see it in his eyes."
Ignia said nothing for a moment, studying the sleeping boy. Finally, he sighed.
"We'll figure it out in the morning. Get some rest. Your room is next door."
Nyx nodded, casting one last gentle look at Malachi before heading toward the door. She paused at the threshold.
"Thank you for not killing him."
Ignia settled into a chair by the window, his golden eyes still fixed on the sleeping stranger. "Thank yourself. You're the one who got in the way."
Nyx smiled softly and slipped out, closing the door behind her.
Ignia sat in the dim room, watching the boy from beyond the Great Divide sleep. Whatever story this Malachi carried with him, it would have to wait until morning.
CENTRAL VORASH - HUNTER'S ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS - COUNCIL CHAMBER
The chamber was austere and deliberate in its design. A long table of dark wood dominated the room, with seven seats arranged along its length. Candlelight flickered across maps, reports, and documents scattered across the surface, all bearing the same grim subject matter: jide beast attack records, casualty reports, village damage assessments.
Aldrich sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding despite his stillness. At forty years old, his face held a youthful quality despite the years of leadership etched into his features, a sign of his considerable power. A faint, razor-sharp aura emanated from his body, so constant and controlled that it seemed as natural to him as breathing.
To his right sat Merchant Lord Halsey, a portly man whose three chins jiggled as he shifted nervously in his seat. Across from him was Lady Cesara, her sharp eyes and sharper tongue making her the most formidable of the three wealthy patrons. The third, Master Corvus, sat in silence, his weathered face unreadable as he studied the reports before him.
The remaining three seats belonged to jidens of considerable power. There was Meira, whose frost jide allowed her to manipulate ice and cold. Beside her sat Tarren, a muscular man whose earth jide was as unshakable as stone itself. And finally, there was Kess, a woman whose wind jide marked her as one of the most skilled and evasive combatants in Vorash.
Aldrich's sharp gaze swept across the table. "The surge this year will be catastrophic," he said firmly, his voice steady and grave. "The data is irrefutable. But first, I want to ensure everyone understands what we're facing."
He gestured to one of the reports. "Jide beast surges are cyclical phenomena that occur once every year. During these periods, the jide beasts in the Deep become unusually aggressive, stronger, and more chaotic. They migrate outward from the forest in greater numbers than usual, attacking villages and settlements. It's something we've managed for centuries, though always with significant losses. But this year..." He paused, his expression darkening. "This year is different."
Merchant Lord Halsey leaned forward nervously. "Different how, exactly?"
"The beasts are far more powerful than they should be," Meira said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "I've encountered creatures in the outer regions that shouldn't exist. Hybrids, mutations, or something else entirely. My patrols barely escaped with their lives."
"The surge has also begun earlier than projected," Tarren added. "And with greater intensity. Last year, seventeen villages were affected over the course of several weeks. This year, we're seeing fifty or more villages targeted in half the time. Two months ago, jide beasts even breached the barriers of Central Vorash itself."
Aldrich nodded gravely. "Which suggests this is not a natural surge. Something is driving it. Something is making the beasts stronger and more aggressive than ever before."
Lady Cesara's eyes narrowed. "You're suggesting an external cause."
"I'm saying we must consider all possibilities," Aldrich replied carefully. "In three centuries of recorded history, we have never encountered a surge like this. We need answers."
Kess, the wind jiden, spoke up, her voice tinged with concern. "What are you proposing?"
"I'm assembling a team of seven elite jidens," Aldrich said. "They will venture into the Deep and investigate the source of this phenomenon. They will gather intelligence, assess the threat, and report back with findings."
Tarren frowned. "The Deep is treacherous even in normal times. In a surge like this, it will be extraordinarily dangerous."
"Which is why we're sending the best," Aldrich replied firmly but without coldness. "Not the young and untested, but those with the experience and power to survive what they might encounter."
Master Corvus finally spoke, his voice gravelly. "And if they don't return?"
Aldrich's sharp aura flared momentarily brighter. "Then we'll know the threat is far more severe than we feared, and Vorash will need to prepare accordingly."
Lady Cesara's lips pressed into a thin line. "Prepare for what, exactly? War with the jide beasts? Or are you hinting at something more?"
"I'm hinting at nothing," Aldrich said evenly. "I'm simply ensuring we're ready for any scenario." He stood, and the room fell silent, his presence commanding absolute attention. "The team will depart within three days. They will have the full support of the Hunter's Association and the Council. Any resources they require will be provided."
He looked directly at the three wealthy patrons. "The safety of Vorash depends on this. I trust you understand the importance of the situation and will ensure the necessary support is given. The Hunter's Association will need resources, funding, and your influence to make this mission succeed."
Merchant Lord Halsey nodded quickly, sweat beading on his forehead. "Of course, Aldrich. Whatever is needed. The Association has our full backing, as always." Lady Cesara's expression remained calculating. Master Corvus simply inclined his head in acknowledgment.
"What of Amnar?" Kess asked suddenly. "Should we inform them? If this surge is as severe as you believe, it could affect their territories as well."
Aldrich paused, considering. The question hung in the air like a weight. The relationship between Vorash and Amnar had always been tense, separated by the Great Divide and centuries of mistrust. Normal humans in Vorash feared the powerful jiden clans of Amnar. The clans, in turn, viewed Vorash as lawless and chaotic.
"Not yet," Aldrich finally said. "First, we need to understand what we're dealing with. Once we have solid answers, we can decide what information to share. For now, this remains a Vorash matter."
He gathered the reports from the table, his movements precise and deliberate. "This meeting is concluded. Prepare your teams and your people. The seven will be chosen by week's end. Any additional concerns should be brought to me directly."
One by one, the council members stood and filed out of the chamber, leaving only Aldrich behind. He stood at the window, gazing out at the city of Central Vorash beyond. Somewhere in the darkness, in the Deep, something was stirring. Something that made even the most powerful jide beasts grow stronger and more aggressive.
His sharp aura flared once more as he contemplated the night ahead.
"Come then," he whispered to the darkness. "Let's see what you are."