Elena stood frozen in the center of the cabin, her hands still faintly glowing. The realization of what had just happened—the burst of power that had thrown the creature across the room—was too much to process. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she tried to understand what was happening to her.
Kael's eyes never left her as he lowered his blade, his expression unreadable. The fight was far from over.
Jonas stepped forward, his rifle still trained on the doorway, but he glanced at Elena with a dark look. "This is exactly what I was afraid of."
Elena's mind raced. "What did I do? How—why was I able to do that?" She glanced between Kael and Jonas, her pulse quickening.
Kael took a step toward her, his voice calm but firm. "You awakened something inside of you. That energy, it's part of who you are. It's the reason those creatures are after you."
"How is that possible?" Elena asked, her voice cracking. "I don't even understand what's happening! I'm just a normal—"
"No," Kael interrupted, his voice steely. "You're not just anything. You're something... different."
Before Elena could ask anything more, another crash rang out, this time from the back of the cabin. She spun around, her breath catching in her throat as she saw more creatures starting to pour in from the dark.
"They're closing in," Jonas muttered, reloading his rifle. "We've got to move."
Kael glanced at the doorway, calculating. "Jonas, cover us. Elena, stay close."
Jonas smirked, but the tension in his voice was evident. "Sure, if you think your pretty little blade will be enough. Good luck with that."
"Just do it," Kael snapped, his tone hard.
Elena barely had time to process the words before Kael grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the back of the cabin. They passed a narrow hallway leading to the rear exit, but the creatures were already converging from both sides.
"This way," Kael urged, taking a sharp turn into a room at the far end of the cabin.
Elena's mind was still spinning. She had no idea who she really was or why she had just unleashed this power, but she knew one thing for sure: she wasn't safe. Not anymore.
The room they entered was small, with a trapdoor in the corner leading to a cellar. Kael knelt by the door, quickly pulling it open.
"Get in," he ordered.
Elena hesitated, still shaken. "Where are we going?"
Kael's eyes flickered to the open trapdoor. "Down there. It's the only place safe for now."
Elena hesitated. She wasn't sure she could trust Kael—none of this felt right—but the growls and screeches from outside were growing louder. She didn't have a choice.
Reluctantly, she crawled into the cellar, the cold stone floor sending a chill through her body. Kael followed, closing the trapdoor behind them with a quiet but forceful thud.
The silence in the cellar was suffocating. The sounds of the creatures above were muffled, but Elena could still feel the tension in the air. Kael sat against the wall, his expression distant, as if he was deep in thought.
She looked around. The cellar was sparse—just some old crates and barrels stacked in the corner. There were no windows, no escape.
"What happens now?" Elena asked, her voice trembling.
Kael didn't immediately answer. He seemed to be contemplating something. Then, he spoke softly. "Now, we wait."
"For what?" she pressed, her impatience flaring.
He turned his gaze toward her, his dark eyes intense. "Until we can figure out what's going on with you. The creatures that came after you tonight—they're just the beginning. They're not the only ones who know you're here."
Elena's heart pounded. "Then who else knows? What am I supposed to do?"
Kael's lips pressed into a thin line. "Survive. That's all you can do right now."
Just as the words left his mouth, a distant rumble shook the ground beneath them. Elena's eyes widened in fear.
"What was that?"
Kael's face hardened. "That... was just the start."