The low growl reverberated through the room, making the very air vibrate with its menace. Liyana's heart hammered in her chest as she strained to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. Malik's hand tightened around the hilt of his blade, his eyes scanning the darkened corners of the room with a sharp intensity.
"Stay close," Malik muttered, his voice barely audible, as though afraid that whatever was watching them might hear.
Liyana didn't need to be told twice. Her magic surged beneath her skin, coiling like a live wire, ready to spring into action. She took a slow step back, positioning herself closer to Malik, her senses on high alert. The air was thick with magic, the dark kind that made her stomach churn.
The growl came again, louder this time, and from somewhere deeper in the shadows. Liyana's pulse quickened, and despite herself, she could feel the pull of her blood magic stirring to life, begging to be unleashed.
"It's coming from behind us," Malik whispered, his body tense, his cane tapping lightly as he moved. He took a slow step back, positioning himself between her and the threat, his stance ready. Liyana could feel the shift in his breathing—calm, controlled. He was always the calm one. The logical one.
Not like me, she thought, the magic inside her flaring with a dangerous warmth. It would be so easy to let it out. Just a little. Just enough to keep them safe.
"You feel it?" Liyana asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Because I do.
Malik nodded slowly, his eyes narrowed as he stared into the shadows. "Yeah, I feel it. Something's here. And it's not friendly."
"Friendly? In Varnath?" Liyana muttered, her voice tight with sarcasm. She wasn't exactly in the mood for humor, but when your hands are trembling with fear and magic, sometimes sarcasm was all you had left.
Malik's lips twitched, though his eyes remained focused ahead. "Point taken."
The growl shifted, turning into a low, guttural snarl, and Liyana's body tensed instinctively. The air around them thickened, and she could feel it—something moving, watching from the shadows, its presence like a cold wind brushing against her skin. Whatever it was, it wasn't human. And it definitely wasn't one of the revenants she had seen before. This is something else, she realized, her pulse quickening.
"Malik—" Liyana's words were cut short as something lunged out of the darkness.
It was fast—so fast that she barely registered it before it was upon them. A blur of shadows and teeth, and the next thing she knew, Malik was spinning, his cane flashing through the air as he parried the creature's attack with a speed she hadn't expected.
"Move!" Malik shouted, his voice sharp as he swung again, pushing the creature back. Liyana stumbled to the side, her heart racing as she summoned the magic, pulling it to the surface. Her blood hummed, her body thrumming with the power that she had tried so hard to keep buried. But there was no time for hesitation now. We need this. I need this.
The creature lunged again, its massive form crashing through the space where Malik had just been. Its growl echoed through the room like the roar of a storm, its eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. Liyana caught a glimpse of it—long, dark limbs and a face twisted into something monstrous. Its skin seemed to shimmer in the shadows, almost like it was made of the shadows themselves.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Malik hissed as he ducked another swipe of its claws, his breathing labored but controlled.
Liyana didn't answer. She couldn't. She was too focused, too lost in the surge of magic that flooded her veins. She raised her hand, feeling the pulse of the magic building in her fingertips, crackling like electricity. Her eyes locked onto the creature, and in that moment, she didn't care what it was. She just knew it needed to be stopped.
The magic lashed out before she could even think, a bolt of crimson energy crackling through the air, striking the creature in its chest. It let out a hideous screech, its body convulsing as the magic tore through it. The force of the blast sent it crashing into the far wall, its limbs flailing as it struggled to right itself.
Liyana's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Too much, she realized, her fingers trembling as the magic surged beneath her skin. I can't keep using it like this. But there was no time for restraint. Not now. Not when they were being hunted.
The creature was on its feet again, snarling, its glowing eyes fixated on Liyana. She swallowed hard, her body trembling from the strain of holding the magic at bay. Not again, she thought, gritting her teeth. I'm not losing control again.
But the creature lunged before she could react, moving faster than her eyes could track. She stumbled back, her hands flaring with magic, but it was too close, too fast—
A flash of steel cut through the air, and the creature let out a howl of pain as Malik's blade struck it across the chest. Blood—dark, thick, and shimmering like oil—splattered across the stone floor as the creature staggered, its growl turning into a pained snarl.
"Liyana!" Malik's voice snapped her out of her daze. "Focus!"
Liyana blinked, her body shaking as she forced herself to breathe. Focus. Right. She couldn't afford to lose herself in the magic. Not again. Not here.
She raised her hand again, the magic swirling around her like a storm, and this time, she aimed carefully. The creature was staggering, its movements slower now, its glowing eyes flickering. With a sharp exhale, Liyana unleashed the magic, letting it flow through her in a controlled, focused burst.
The magic struck the creature square in the chest, and this time, it didn't get back up. It let out one last, guttural howl before collapsing onto the floor, its body dissolving into a pool of shadow and blood.
Liyana stood there, her chest heaving, her hands still trembling from the effort of holding all that power. Malik was at her side in an instant, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder, his eyes scanning her for any sign of injury.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice steady, though she could hear the worry behind it.
Liyana nodded, though her throat felt tight. "Yeah," she managed, her voice hoarse. "I'm fine."
Malik's eyes softened, and he gave her a small, tired smile. "You did good," he said quietly.
Liyana let out a shaky laugh, her fingers still trembling. "Yeah, I guess I did." She glanced down at her hands, flexing them slowly. The magic still buzzed under her skin, but it was quieter now, more controlled. For now.
But the silence that followed was heavy. Whatever that creature had been, it wasn't the only thing out there. And as they stood there in the aftermath of the battle, Liyana couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching them. Waiting.
The door to Liyana's apartment creaked as she pushed it open, the familiar scent of lavender oil and old books greeting her like an old friend. The space was small, but it was hers—a sanctuary away from the blood magic and the chaos of Varnath. She flicked the light switch, and a soft glow illuminated the room. The faint hum of the city outside seemed distant, muffled by the thick fog that always lingered just beyond her windows.
For a moment, she just stood there, her hand resting on the door-frame. The weight of the night pressed down on her, heavier than ever. Her limbs ached, her mind buzzed with the aftereffects of the magic she had used, and the creature they had faced still haunted her thoughts. How much more of this can I take?
Sighing, Liyana dropped her keys on the small table by the door and kicked off her boots. The sound of them hitting the hardwood floor echoed through the quiet apartment, a sharp contrast to the chaos she had just left behind. She needed to decompress, to let go of the tension that had been coiling inside her since she stepped foot in the necromancer's guild.
"One thing at a time," she muttered to herself, making her way to the small kitchen. It was late—far later than she had realized. The clock on the wall blinked 2:37 AM, but her body felt like it had been through days, not just hours.
She reached for a glass from the cabinet, her fingers brushing against the cool surface before pulling it down and filling it with water. The simple act of drinking grounded her, bringing her back to the mundane, to the here and now. The magic still buzzed under her skin, but the cool water sliding down her throat helped, if only a little.
As she leaned against the counter, staring absently at the glass in her hand, her thoughts drifted back to the night's events. The revenants, the creature, the dark magic swirling through the city—it was all too much. And Rowan... She clenched her jaw at the thought of him, frustration and something else—something she wasn't ready to name—flaring inside her.
Why does he have to make everything so damn complicated? She exhaled sharply, setting the glass down with a little more force than she meant to. She didn't trust him. Not fully. And yet, there was something about him that kept pulling her in, something dark and magnetic. She hated how much he got under her skin, how his mere presence made her question everything she thought she knew.
But tonight wasn't the night to untangle that mess.
She needed to relax, to let the weight of the night slip away before it swallowed her whole. Without another thought, she headed toward the small bathroom at the end of the hall, peeling off her jacket as she went. The apartment was quiet, save for the sound of the city outside—muffled footsteps, the occasional distant shout, and the faint hum of traffic. It was a comforting kind of quiet, the kind she had learned to cherish since moving to Varnath.
Liyana turned the tap, letting the water run until steam began to rise from the tub. She stripped off the rest of her clothes, her muscles groaning in relief as she sank into the warm water. For a moment, she just sat there, the heat seeping into her aching bones, the tension in her shoulders slowly unwinding.
The bathroom was dim, lit only by a small candle on the windowsill, casting flickering shadows on the walls. She closed her eyes, letting the water work its magic, trying to push away the thoughts that had been clawing at her all night.
But no matter how hard she tried, her mind kept drifting back to the guild. To the creature. To Rowan.
This isn't sustainable, she thought, sinking deeper into the tub. She had been walking this line for too long—balancing her rational, scientific mind with the magic she had spent her life trying to avoid. And the more she used the blood magic, the harder it was to resist. Tonight had been a close call. Too close. The power had felt too good, too easy, and she hated herself for it.
She rubbed her hands over her face, letting out a long breath. Get it together, Liyana. She couldn't afford to fall apart now. Not with everything going on. Not with Varnath's dark forces closing in around her.
Her phone buzzed from the counter-top, interrupting the quiet. She didn't move at first, hoping whoever it was would just go away. But when the buzzing continued, she groaned, reaching for the towel draped over the side of the tub to dry her hands before picking up the phone.
Malik. Of course. He was probably just checking in, making sure she'd made it home in one piece. She stared at the screen for a moment, her thumb hovering over the answer button. Part of her didn't want to talk to anyone right now. But she knew he wouldn't leave her alone until she answered.
"Yeah?" she said, her voice a little hoarse from the strain of the night.
"You good?" Malik's voice came through, steady as ever. His concern was subtle, but she knew him well enough to hear it.
Liyana closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the tub. "I'm fine. Just... tired."
"I figured." There was a pause on the other end, the silence stretching between them. "That thing we fought tonight... You sure it was just a revenant?"
Liyana bit her lip, her stomach twisting at the memory. "No," she admitted quietly. "It wasn't just a revenant. It was something older."
"That's what I thought," Malik said, his tone darkening. "This isn't going to stop, is it?"
Liyana sighed, her free hand running through her damp hair. "No. Whatever's behind these resurrections, it's not going to stop until it gets what it wants."
Malik was quiet for a moment, his breath barely audible on the other end of the line. "And Rowan? You think he knows more than he's letting on?"
Liyana's chest tightened at the mention of Rowan's name. "I don't know," she said honestly. "But he's our best shot at figuring this out."
"Just be careful," Malik said, his voice soft but firm. "You know how he operates. He's not like us."
Liyana smiled bitterly, her fingers tightening around the phone. "Yeah, I know."
There was another long pause, and Liyana could almost hear the gears turning in Malik's head. Finally, he sighed. "Get some sleep. We'll deal with this tomorrow."
"Yeah, tomorrow," Liyana echoed, though the thought of sleep felt more like a distant memory than a possibility. "Night, Malik."
"Night."
She hung up, setting the phone back on the counter before sinking deeper into the water, letting her mind drift again. Tomorrow. Another day. Another fight. But for now, she let herself relax, if only for a moment, in the quiet stillness of her apartment.