### Chapter 6: A Flicker of Fire
The forest seemed alive as I pushed forward, its branches reaching out like skeletal hands, snagging my clothes and scratching my skin. My legs burned, my lungs ached, but I couldn't stop. Nightshade moved beside me, its movements sluggish from exhaustion, but its ears were perked, alert for danger.
The sound of the bridge collapsing still echoed in my mind. Kael's last words rang louder than ever. *I'll find you.*
But how?
The ground beneath my feet turned rocky, the dense trees thinning slightly to reveal patches of moonlight. I slowed my pace, my instincts screaming that we weren't alone.
Suddenly, Nightshade froze, its head snapping toward the east. A low growl rumbled in its throat.
"What is it?" I whispered, crouching low and gripping a fallen branch like a weapon.
Before Nightshade could respond, a flash of orange light pierced the darkness, followed by a wave of heat that washed over us. It was fire—crackling, alive, and moving through the trees with unnatural speed.
"Run!" I shouted, but Nightshade didn't move.
The flames stopped abruptly, as if hitting an invisible wall, and a figure stepped into view.
It was a girl, no older than me, her hair a fiery red that seemed to glow in the dim light. Her eyes blazed with the same orange hue as the fire, and in her hand, she held a staff topped with a glowing crystal.
She didn't look dangerous, but I knew better than to trust appearances.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me.
The girl tilted her head, studying me with an intensity that made me want to squirm. "You're the one they're hunting," she said, her voice calm but firm.
"How do you know that?"
She tapped the crystal on her staff, and the fire behind her flared briefly before settling into a faint glow. "When someone like you stirs the balance, it's hard to miss."
I took a step back, gripping the branch tighter. "I don't want trouble."
The girl laughed, a sharp, almost mocking sound. "Trouble? Dominic, you *are* trouble."
I froze. "How do you know my name?"
Her expression softened, but her eyes remained sharp. "Because I've been sent to find you. You're not the only one being hunted, and if you don't come with me, you won't survive what's coming next."
The weight of her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Who sent you?"
"That's… complicated," she said, glancing over her shoulder as if expecting someone—or something—to appear. "But trust me when I say, we don't have time for questions."
Nightshade growled again, its gaze fixed on the shadows behind her. The girl followed its line of sight, her grip on the staff tightening.
"They're here," she said, her voice low.
A sudden chill swept through the air, and I felt it deep in my bones. The forest grew darker, the faint light from her fire dimming as the shadows thickened.
From the darkness, shapes began to emerge. More monsters, their glowing eyes cutting through the gloom like fireflies from a nightmare. But these were different from the ones before—taller, more humanoid, their limbs too long and their movements eerily graceful.
The girl stepped forward, raising her staff. The crystal flared, sending a wave of fire across the ground, forcing the creatures to retreat slightly.
"Stay behind me," she said.
I hesitated, glancing at Nightshade, who was still growling low. Part of me wanted to run, to put as much distance as possible between myself and these monsters. But something kept me rooted.
"What are you waiting for?" the girl snapped, her fire flaring again. "Help me, or we're both dead!"
"I don't know how!" I shouted back.
Her eyes narrowed. "Then figure it out!"
The largest of the creatures lunged forward, its claws slicing through the air. The girl swung her staff, the flames roaring to life and engulfing the monster, but it barely slowed down.
Panic surged through me. I could feel the power within me, but it was wild, untamed. I didn't know how to focus it, how to command it.
Then Nightshade moved. With a feral snarl, it launched itself at the creature, sinking its teeth into its arm. The monster roared, slamming Nightshade into the ground, but the distraction was enough for the girl to strike again, her fire cutting through its torso.
"Now!" she yelled, turning to me. "Command them, or they'll tear us apart!"
My heart pounded as I reached out, the same way I had with the first creature. I focused on the largest monster, willing it to stop, to freeze, to listen.
"Stop!" I shouted, pouring everything I had into the command.
For a moment, nothing happened. The creature snarled, its glowing eyes locked on me. But then it hesitated, its body trembling as if caught between two forces.
The girl seized the opportunity, her fire surging forward and engulfing the remaining creatures. The forest lit up in a blaze of orange and gold, and the monsters dissolved into ash, their howls fading into silence.
When it was over, I collapsed to my knees, every muscle in my body trembling.
The girl approached, her staff still glowing faintly. "Not bad," she said, a hint of a smile on her lips.
I looked up at her, my breath coming in ragged gasps. "Who… are you?"
She extended a hand, her fiery eyes meeting mine. "My name is Ember," she said. "And whether you like it or not, we're in this together now."