The early morning chill gnawed at Alex's bones as he stirred awake. A thin mist curled through the air, softening the edges of the jagged rocks and trees around their makeshift camp. Lyra was already up, crouched nearby and sharpening a thin dagger. The steady scrape of metal on stone filled the silence, a rhythm that grounded Alex's senses after the uneasy night.
For a moment, Alex simply watched her—how focused she was, how practiced her movements seemed. He couldn't help but marvel at how different their lives had been. A few days ago, he was an ordinary boy with little more than a fractured sense of purpose. Now, here he was: wielding a mysterious weapon, fleeing from soldiers, and training under someone who lived in shadows.
"You're awake." Lyra's voice broke his thoughts, though she didn't look up.
Alex sat up, brushing dirt and grass off his clothes. "I didn't think I'd actually get any sleep."
"Get used to it," she replied bluntly. "Rest when you can, because the next opportunity might not come for a long time."
Alex sighed, stretching out his aching limbs. "How far do we have to go today?"
"Far," Lyra said, finally sheathing her dagger. "The wilds are vast, and we'll need to put distance between us and the soldiers from yesterday. They'll realize we slipped through soon enough."
"Great," Alex muttered. He picked up the Blade of Resonance, feeling its strange warmth seep through his hand. Despite the ominous nature of their journey, the weapon felt almost comforting, as if it were alive and connected to him.
Lyra studied him for a moment before speaking again. "You felt it last night, didn't you?"
"The Flow?" Alex asked, recalling the strange current of energy he'd touched during their brief training session. "Yeah. I don't know what it was exactly, but it felt… real. Like something just beneath the surface."
"That's because it is real," Lyra said, her tone serious. "The Flow isn't something you see or touch—it's something you connect with. It's everywhere: in the air, the ground, and every living thing. Learning to tap into it is the key to wielding that blade."
Alex frowned, glancing down at the glowing weapon. "How do you know so much about this?"
Lyra hesitated for just a second, her eyes flicking toward the distant horizon. "I've seen enough to know," she said quietly. "Now get moving. We've got a long day ahead."
---
The wildlands stretched on endlessly, a harsh and untamed place where the remnants of civilization were long forgotten. The trees here were twisted and ancient, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal hands. Strange sounds echoed in the distance—low growls, occasional screeches—but Lyra seemed unbothered, her focus set entirely on the path ahead.
"Stay close," she instructed. "The creatures here don't hunt alone."
Alex nodded, gripping the Blade of Resonance tightly. "I didn't think this place would be so… alive."
Lyra glanced back at him. "This land was untouched during the Collapse. Cities fell, but nature reclaimed what humanity lost. It's beautiful in its own way. Dangerous, but beautiful."
They walked for hours, only stopping briefly to drink from a shallow stream or rest beneath the shade of the trees. Alex's legs ached, but he pushed himself to keep up. Every so often, he'd feel that faint hum from the blade, as though it were urging him forward.
As the afternoon sun began to dip lower in the sky, Lyra stopped suddenly, raising a hand to signal silence. Alex froze, his heart pounding as he scanned the trees around them.
"What is it?" he whispered.
Lyra's eyes narrowed, and she pulled her dagger free. "Something's following us."
Alex felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. He turned slowly, trying to spot movement among the dense foliage. For a moment, all was still—too still. Then, a low growl echoed through the trees, rumbling like distant thunder.
"Stay close to me," Lyra said, her voice calm but firm.
From the shadows of the trees, shapes began to emerge. At first, Alex could barely make them out, but as they crept closer, their monstrous forms became clear. Wolves. Or at least, they resembled wolves. Their bodies were massive and distorted, their fur black as pitch, and their eyes glowing faintly red.
Shadow Beasts.
"Don't let them surround us!" Lyra shouted, spinning her dagger as the creatures moved in.
Alex's pulse raced as he gripped the Blade of Resonance. The weapon hummed more intensely now, as though sensing the danger. The largest of the beasts lunged forward, its jaws snapping with unnatural speed. Alex barely managed to swing the blade up in time, the weapon's edge meeting the beast's teeth with a deafening clang.
The impact sent Alex staggering back, but the creature recoiled, snarling as the blade left a glowing mark across its snout. Lyra was already moving, darting between the other beasts like a blur. Her dagger flashed in quick, precise strikes, cutting deep into their dark forms.
"Focus, Alex!" she shouted. "Use the Flow!"
The beast that had attacked him circled back, its glowing eyes locked on him. Alex could feel its hatred, its hunger. His fingers tightened on the hilt of the blade as he remembered Lyra's words from the night before. Focus. Feel the Flow.
Taking a shaky breath, Alex shut out the sounds of the growling beasts and Lyra's movements. He felt for that current again, the pulse of energy he'd touched before. It was there—faint but present. Slowly, he let it flow through him, his mind sharpening as the energy resonated with the blade.
When the beast lunged again, Alex didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, the blade cutting through the air with surprising ease. The weapon met the creature's side, slicing cleanly through its inky fur. The beast let out a shriek, its form unraveling into a dark mist before dissipating entirely.
Alex staggered, panting heavily, but the victory filled him with adrenaline. He glanced at Lyra, who had already dispatched two of the remaining beasts. She turned toward the last one, her movements a flurry of speed and precision. Before the creature could react, her dagger sank into its throat, and it fell in a heap.
The forest grew silent again, the only sound Alex's ragged breathing. Lyra wiped her blade clean on the grass, glancing at him with something that almost resembled approval.
"You did well," she said. "For your first fight."
Alex leaned against a tree, his legs shaking. "That was insane. What were those things?"
"Shadow Beasts," Lyra replied. "Creatures born of corrupted Flow. They're drawn to weapons like yours."
"Great," Alex muttered. "So I'm basically a walking beacon for monsters."
Lyra smirked faintly. "Pretty much."
She crouched beside one of the fallen creatures, inspecting its remains. "They're getting bolder," she murmured. "We'll need to move faster if we want to avoid more encounters."
Alex straightened, still gripping the Blade of Resonance. Despite his exhaustion, a small part of him felt… alive. The fight had been terrifying, but he'd survived. He'd tapped into the Flow, even if only for a moment.
"Let's keep moving," Lyra said, rising to her feet. "We're not safe here."
As they continued through the forest, Alex stole one last glance at the clearing behind them. The Shadow Beasts were gone, but their presence lingered like a stain. He tightened his grip on the blade, the weight of his responsibility settling in.
Lyra glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. "You're starting to see it, aren't you? What the Flow really is."
Alex nodded slowly. "I think so."
"Good." She turned forward again. "Then you're ready for what comes next."
Alex frowned, feeling a chill run through him. "And what's that?"
Lyra didn't answer. She simply walked ahead, leaving Alex to wonder what new dangers awaited them on this impossible journey.