The sun was setting behind the distant peaks as Mei stepped silently out of the sanctuary, the last remnants of twilight casting long shadows across the forest floor. The faint chirp of crickets and the rustle of the trees were the only sounds as she moved further from the place that had once felt like home. Her decision had been made. The sanctuary was too quiet, too full of pitying glances and whispers. She didn't need their help.
She wasn't weak, and she wasn't broken. Mei was stronger than that.
She couldn't explain why she felt this intense pull to leave, this urge to be alone. Maybe it was the weight of her own power, flickering like a dying flame within her chest, or maybe it was the quiet murmurs of her friends—Kai especially—telling her that they could help, that they could fix things. Mei knew the truth, though. She had to fix it herself.
Her steps were swift, but the deeper she moved into the forest, the more it felt like the world was closing in around her. It wasn't fear that made her heart race. It was something else—something darker that tugged at her thoughts.
The sound of footsteps behind her broke through her reverie, and she stiffened. She didn't need to look back to know who it was. Kai. He had been following her, his protective nature driving him to track her down. She could feel his presence behind her like a shadow, but she wasn't going to let him stop her.
"Mei!" Kai called softly, his voice carrying on the wind. "Where are you going? You can't do this alone."
She clenched her jaw but didn't turn around. He wouldn't understand. He didn't have to.
She quickened her pace, but before she could get too far, a firm hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her to a stop.
"Kai, let go!" Mei snapped, but Kai held firm. His grip wasn't harsh, but it was insistent.
"Mei, stop," he said, his voice quiet but full of concern. "You're hurt. You're still weak. You don't have to do this alone."
She felt the sting of his words like a slap. Weak. That was what they thought of her. What he thought of her.
"I don't need your help," she muttered, wrenching her arm free of his grasp. "I don't need anyone's help."
Kai didn't move, his expression hardening. "Mei, please. I'm not letting you go out there by yourself."
Jin's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Kai, let her go," he said, his tone calm but firm. "She needs some time alone. We all do."
Kai turned to face Jin, his eyes flashing with frustration. "She's not okay, Jin. She's barely hanging on. I can't just let her go—"
"She'll come back when she's ready," Jin interrupted, his voice soft but resolute. "She's always been strong, Kai. She needs space to find her own way. We have to trust her."
The silence that followed was thick with unspoken words. Kai's jaw clenched as he stared at Mei, but finally, he lowered his head in defeat. "Fine," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "But I'm not leaving her."
Jin placed a hand on his shoulder. "She doesn't want you to follow. Let her figure this out on her own."
Mei stood there, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't want their pity. She didn't want their concern. She wasn't some fragile thing that needed to be protected.
With one final glance at Kai, she turned and walked away. The forest swallowed her up, and she was alone again.
---
The city was quieter than usual, its streets illuminated by flickering lanterns and the dull hum of distant voices. Mei moved through the crowd, her steps slow and deliberate. She was far enough from the sanctuary now that she could breathe without the weight of their expectations bearing down on her. The air was thick with the scent of food and dust, and the sounds of the market were oddly soothing.
She walked with purpose, though she didn't have a destination in mind. All she knew was that she needed to keep moving.
As she passed an alleyway, she caught a glimpse of a tall figure standing near the street corner. He leaned casually against a lamppost, his dark hair tousled, and his eyes fixed on her with an unnerving intensity.
He stepped toward her, and for a moment, Mei hesitated, her senses alert. There was something about him—something that seemed… too familiar. But she dismissed it quickly. She didn't need to fear anyone.
"Hey there," the man said, his voice smooth and easy, carrying a warmth that made Mei's skin tingle. "What's your name?"
Mei didn't falter as she met his gaze, her lips curling into a small, confident smile. "Mei. It's Mei," she answered. She felt the strange weight of his gaze, like he was studying her, but it didn't bother her. She wasn't some prey to be picked apart.
He grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "What a beautiful name," he said. There was a subtle edge to his words, though Mei couldn't quite place it.
"I'm James," he added, his tone casual, but there was a hint of something deeper lurking beneath it.
Mei tilted her head slightly, taking him in. James seemed harmless enough, but there was something about him that felt off. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she didn't let it show. "Nice to meet you, James," she replied. "What brings you around here?"
James's smile never wavered as he led her down the cobblestone streets, his steps fluid and easy. "Oh, I'm just here for a little bit of business. Nothing too exciting. You know, just trying to clean up some messes," he said with a casual shrug.
Mei raised an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. "Messes?" she repeated.
James seemed to enjoy her curiosity. "Yeah. Some people practicing magic—causing trouble in the area. I'm just here to make sure things don't get out of hand," he said with a wink.
Mei's brow furrowed, her thoughts shifting. Magic? Could he be talking about the shadows?
She took a deep breath, steadying herself before speaking again. "Oh, you mean… the shadows?"
James stopped walking for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face her fully. "The shadows?" he echoed, his tone suddenly more serious, almost as if he was calculating something. "I don't know about that, but I've heard rumors. There's a group of teenagers practicing magic here, causing problems."
Mei's blood ran cold. This wasn't just a random conversation—it was something more, something sinister. She could feel it now. Something in James's tone, in the way he spoke, made her gut twist with unease.
"I don't understand," Mei said slowly, her voice distant. "Why are you telling me this?"
James stepped closer to her, his face impossibly calm, his hand reaching out to touch her cheek. The touch was slow, deliberate, as though he were savoring it. Mei stiffened, her body recoiling instinctively.
"I'm sure you do," he said softly, his voice low and almost hypnotic.
Mei's heart raced, and her body moved on its own. She pushed his hand away, her voice rising in anger. "Get your hands off me!"
Before she could react further, the sound of a body crashing into the ground filled the air. Kai. He appeared out of nowhere, his fist landing squarely on James's chest, sending him sprawling backward.
"Keep your hands off her!" Kai's voice was full of rage, his eyes blazing with fury as he rushed to Mei's side, grabbing her arm protectively.
James chuckled, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "You're quick, I'll give you that," he said, standing up and dusting himself off. "But that won't stop me."
Mei stepped back, her chest tightening as she watched the confrontation unfold. Kai had always been the protector, always rushing in when he thought she needed saving. But this time… she wasn't sure what to think.
James flashed another grin, his eyes darkening with malice. "Mei," he said, his voice mocking. "I thought you were their leader. What a shame."
Before Mei could say anything, Kai lunged forward again, his fist raised. But James was faster this time, his own fist connecting with Kai's face, knocking him back. Kai stumbled but didn't fall. The anger in his eyes flared brighter.
"Watch your mouth," Kai spat, charging once more. But James was already moving, and in the blink of an eye, he slammed a fist into Kai's gut, sending him to the ground with a heavy thud.
Mei screamed Kai's name, but there was nothing she could do. Her powers were still too weak, her flames barely a flicker within her chest.
Kai struggled to rise, but a sudden blow to the back of his head from one of James's associates sent him crumpling to the ground, unconscious.
Mei's heart pounded in her chest as she realized what was happening. She had walked straight into a trap, and now there was no escape.
James turned toward her, his smile growing wider. "It's too late for you, Mei. You should have stayed where you belonged."
Her breath caught in her throat. She had made a mistake—she should have never left the sanctuary. Now, there was no one to save her.