The silence after the flash was more unsettling than the noise that had come before. The town square, once alive with laughter and music, now sat in eerie stillness. Lanterns hung lifeless, their warm glow extinguished. The snow-covered ground shimmered faintly under the pale, twisting lights of the auroras above.
Nolan stood in the middle of it all, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His hands were glowing faintly, veins of light pulsing beneath his skin like molten gold. He clenched his fists, trying to will the glow away, but it only grew stronger, the light flickering with his heartbeat.
"Nolan!"
Finn's voice snapped him out of his daze. Turning, Nolan saw his brother running toward him, his face pale but determined. Behind Finn, their mother, Aria, struggled to her feet, her scarf fluttering in the cold breeze.
"What the hell is going on?" Finn demanded, skidding to a stop in front of Nolan. His eyes darted to the glowing lines on his brother's hands. "What… what is that?"
"I don't know," Nolan said, his voice trembling. "Something's happening to me. I think—"
Before he could finish, a scream cut through the night.
The sound came from the edge of the square, near the food stalls. Nolan and Finn spun toward it just in time to see a man collapse to the ground, clutching his chest. His body convulsed violently, his skin glowing with the same golden light that now coursed through Nolan's hands. The glow spread across the man's body, growing brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding.
Then, in an instant, the light exploded outward in a wave of force. The blast sent snow and debris flying, knocking people off their feet. Nolan threw himself to the ground, shielding his head as the shockwave rippled through the square.
When he looked up, the man was gone. All that remained was a charred, smoldering patch of earth where he had stood.
"What the hell was that?" Finn shouted, pulling Nolan to his feet.
"I don't know!" Nolan yelled back. His heart was racing, the glowing lines on his hands pulsing erratically. He felt something inside him—a pressure building, like a dam about to burst.
More screams erupted from the crowd. All around the square, people were collapsing, their bodies wracked with the same convulsions Nolan had seen moments earlier. Some of them glowed like the first man, their light growing brighter with each passing second. Others thrashed violently before going still, their skin pale and lifeless.
"Finn!" Aria's voice rose above the chaos.
They turned to see their mother struggling to stay upright, clutching her chest as though the very air had turned to lead. Her scarf had fallen away, revealing her face—pale and strained, with beads of sweat forming along her brow.
"Mom!" Finn shouted, rushing to her side.
Nolan followed, his glowing hands trembling as he knelt beside her. "What's happening to her?" Nolan asked, panic lacing his voice.
"I don't know!" Finn snapped. He wrapped an arm around Aria, trying to support her weight. "We need to get her inside!"
The brothers half-carried, half-dragged Aria toward the nearest building, a small tavern on the edge of the square. The heavy wooden door creaked open, and they stumbled inside, the warmth of the fire barely registering against the cold fear gripping their hearts.
The tavern was nearly empty, most of its patrons having fled into the night. A single bartender stood behind the counter, his face pale as he muttered prayers under his breath.
"Help us!" Finn shouted, lowering Aria into a chair by the fire.
The bartender hesitated, his eyes darting to the glowing lines on Nolan's hands. "Is she… fractured?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Finn snapped.
"Fractured?" Nolan Asked.
Before the bartender could answer, Aria let out a low, pained groan. Nolan knelt beside her, gripping her hand tightly. The light in his veins pulsed stronger, as though reacting to her distress.
"Mom," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Stay with us."
Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she looked at him with a clarity that cut through the chaos. "Nolan," she said weakly. "Listen to me."
He leaned closer, his glowing hands shaking. "I'm here."
"You have to stay strong," she whispered. "No matter what happens… promise me you'll protect him."
Nolan frowned. "Protect who? Mom, what are you—"
Her grip on his hand tightened for a brief second, then went limp. Her head lolled to the side, her breathing shallow and uneven.
"No!" Finn shouted, shaking her gently. "Mom, wake up!"
A sudden pounding on the door made them both jump.
"Open up!" a voice shouted from outside. "By order of the Mountain Guard!"
The bartender paled. "They're here already?" he muttered.
"Who is the Mountain Guard?" Finn asked, his voice tight.
Before anyone could answer, the door burst open, splintering under the force of a steel boot. Four figures in black, heavy coats stormed inside, their faces obscured by masks. They moved with precision, their boots thudding against the wooden floor.
The leader, a tall figure with a jagged scar across his neck, pointed at Nolan. "You," he said, his voice cold and mechanical through the mask. "Come with us. Now."
"What?" Nolan stammered, backing away. "Why?"
"You're fractured," the man said simply. "And that makes you dangerous."
"I'm not going anywhere! and can someone tell me what the hell is a fractured?" Nolan shouted, his fear giving way to anger.
The glowing lines on his hands flared brighter, and for a moment, the air around him seemed to shimmer. The masked soldiers hesitated, their weapons raising slightly.
The leader tilted his head. "So be it," he said, drawing a sleek, black baton that crackled with electricity.
Before Nolan could react, Finn stepped between them. "You're not taking him," he said, his voice low and steady.
The leader didn't respond. He simply raised his baton—and swung.
Time seemed to slow as Nolan's vision filled with light, the glowing lines on his hands exploding outward in a burst of raw energy. The shockwave sent the soldiers flying, their bodies crashing into tables and chairs. Finn stumbled backward, shielding his face from the blast.
When the light faded, Nolan stood in the center of the room, his chest heaving. The lines on his hands were gone, replaced by faint, smoldering scars.
"What just happened..?" Finn whispered, staring at his brother in shock.