The cabin door crashed open, the sound reverberating like a gunshot in the tense stillness. The group spun toward the noise, weapons raised, but the figure that stepped inside wasn't the growling creature they expected.
It was human—or at least, it looked human. Cloaked in black, with a hood that cast its face in shadow, the figure stood unnervingly still. A faint glow emanated from its eyes, not bright enough to illuminate the room but sharp enough to send a chill down Mia's spine.
"Who are you?" Caleb demanded, his gun trained on the intruder.
The figure didn't answer immediately. When it spoke, its voice was low and unsettling, layered with an almost imperceptible echo. "Names mean nothing here. You know me by my work."
Zoe stepped forward, her knife gleaming in the dim light. "If you've come to threaten us, you're wasting your time."
