Olivia had been resting in her room, her muscles aching from the day's intense training. The mansion was unusually quiet, as if the air itself had settled into a strange, tense calm. Dylan was downstairs in the study with his tutor, and their mother was receiving her nightly treatment from Dr. Franklin. Everything seemed peaceful for once, a rare moment of respite.
But then, something shifted.
The air became colder, and Olivia's heart began to pound inexplicably in her chest. She stood up, trying to shake off the unease, but the feeling only intensified. The stillness of the mansion suddenly felt suffocating.
A loud crash echoed from somewhere deep within the estate, shattering the silence. Olivia's blood ran cold as she rushed to her door. As soon as she opened it, she was greeted by the sight of something out of a nightmare—shadowy, faceless figures moving through the halls like wraiths, their dark forms twisting and writhing as they passed.
They weren't human. They didn't even seem real, but they were there—dark creatures, formless and menacing, moving with terrifying purpose. And they were heading straight for her.
Olivia's breath caught in her throat as she backed away, her heart thundering in her chest. She had faced many things since discovering her powers, but nothing like this. These creatures were wrong—unnatural, like living shadows that had been torn from the darkest corners of the world. Their faceless heads turned toward her, sensing her presence.
Without thinking, she reached for the power inside her, the energy that had grown stronger with her training. But before she could tap into it, a dark tendril of shadow lashed out, slamming into the wall beside her. She barely dodged it, her body moving on instinct.
Terror gripped her like never before. These things weren't just shadows—they were hunting her, and she didn't know why or how to stop them. Every rational thought was drowned out by the primal urge to run, to escape.
But they were closing in.
Suddenly, from out of the darkness, a figure emerged—this one human, though barely visible in the dim light. He moved with lightning speed, his sword cutting through the air as he leapt between Olivia and the creatures. His blade sliced cleanly through one of the shadowy forms, and though it didn't make a sound, the creature dissolved into a wisp of smoke.
The man turned to Olivia, his face obscured by a mask, but his voice was firm and commanding. "Stay behind me."
Olivia was too stunned to argue. Whoever this was, he clearly knew what he was doing. She watched in awe and terror as the secret guard, someone Edmund must have assigned to protect her without her knowledge, fought off the dark creatures with an expertise that seemed almost supernatural. His movements were precise and fluid, as if he had fought these creatures before.
But for every shadow he struck down, another appeared from the darkness, their numbers multiplying. It was clear these things were after her—and only her.
The guard barked an order over his shoulder. "Get to the safe room! Now!"