The cabin felt too small, too fragile to stand against the danger closing in around them. Elena pressed her back against the rough wooden wall, trying to steady her breathing. Kael and the older man—whose name she still didn't know—were moving quickly, securing windows, checking weapons, and murmuring in low, tense voices.
"Who is this guy?" Elena finally asked, her voice shaky.
Kael didn't look up from the blade he was sharpening. "Someone who owes me a favor."
The older man shot him a withering look. "A favor? Is that what you're calling it now?"
Kael smirked, but the tension in his posture didn't ease. "Elena, this is Jonas. He's... well, let's just say he knows how to deal with things like this."
Jonas snorted. "Things like this? You mean the creatures clawing their way through my forest because you couldn't keep a low profile?"
"They would've found her eventually," Kael said, his tone hardening.
Jonas shook his head but didn't argue further. Instead, he turned to Elena, his gaze sharp. "You're the one they're after, huh?"
She bristled under his scrutiny. "Apparently. Not that anyone's explained why yet."
Jonas chuckled humorlessly. "Get used to it. People like him don't give straight answers."
"People like me?" Kael shot back, standing.
Jonas raised an eyebrow. "You know exactly what I mean."
"Enough!" Elena snapped, surprising even herself. Both men turned to look at her. "If we're going to survive the night, maybe we shouldn't waste time arguing."
Kael's lips twitched, as though he wanted to smile but thought better of it. Jonas, however, looked mildly impressed.
"She's got a point," Jonas said, grabbing a rifle and checking the chamber.
"Glad we agree," Kael muttered, turning his attention back to the window.
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the distant growls echoing through the forest.
Elena couldn't take it anymore. "So what's the plan? Or are we just waiting to die here?"
Jonas gave her a sidelong glance. "The plan is to keep them out until sunrise. They don't like daylight."
"Great," she said sarcastically. "And what happens if they get in before then?"
Jonas's expression darkened. "Then we fight. And you pray you're as important as he says you are."
Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Jonas, maybe you could try being a little less... terrifying?"
Jonas shrugged. "She asked."
Elena looked between the two of them, frustration bubbling up. "I don't care about your history or your attitude problems. I just want to know what the hell is going on! What are those things? Why are they after me? And what makes you think you can stop them?"
Kael hesitated, his jaw clenching. "They're after you because of what you are."
Her stomach dropped. "And what exactly is that?"
Before Kael could answer, a deafening crash came from the front of the cabin. The door shuddered under the impact, and Elena stumbled backward.
"They're here," Jonas said grimly, raising his rifle.
Kael moved to the door, his blade glinting in the dim light. "Stay behind me, Elena."
Her heart raced as the door creaked, the wood splintering under another powerful blow.
"You two better know what you're doing," she said, her voice trembling.
Jonas smirked, raising his rifle. "Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing."
The door gave way with a final, earsplitting crack.
The first creature burst into the room, its glowing red eyes locking onto Elena.
Kael lunged, his blade slicing through the air with inhuman precision. The creature screeched as the blade found its mark, crumpling to the floor in a heap of ash.
But there were more.
They poured through the doorway, their guttural growls filling the cabin. Jonas fired his rifle, the deafening blasts temporarily drowning out the chaos. Kael moved like a blur, his blade cutting down one creature after another.
Elena pressed herself against the wall, her hands shaking. She had no weapon, no way to defend herself.
One of the creatures broke through Kael and Jonas's defense, lunging straight for her.
"Elena!" Kael shouted, but she couldn't move.
The creature was almost on her when something inside her snapped.
A blinding light erupted from her hands, slamming into the creature and sending it flying across the room.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Elena stared at her hands, which were still glowing faintly. "What... what did I just do?"
Kael lowered his blade, his expression unreadable. "You awakened."
Jonas cursed under his breath. "This just got a whole lot more complicated."
Elena looked at them, panic rising. "What does that mean?"
Kael stepped closer, his gaze intense. "It means they'll stop at nothing to find you now."