The cabin was smaller than Nolan expected, almost claustrophobic, with low ceilings and stone walls that exhaled the chill of the outside. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows, their movements unsettling against the aged wooden beams that supported the roof. Snow continued to fall outside, its soft, ghostly descent the only sound aside from the crackling fire in the hearth.
The woman who had greeted them was now standing near the door, her presence commanding yet strangely calm. Nolan's eyes scanned her quickly: tall, with dark, weathered features that gave the impression she had lived through far more than she let on. Her cloak, tattered at the edges, suggested a life lived in the margins, far from the comfortable home Nolan had imagined for a contact of his mother's. She wasn't who he had expected, but he'd learned by now that expectations were dangerous.
"Who are you?" Finn asked, his voice terse with suspicion, his eyes narrowing as he stood protectively beside Nolan.
The woman's lips twitched into a small smile, though there was nothing comforting about it. "The better question," she said, her voice steady, "is who are you?"
Nolan didn't respond. He wasn't sure who they were anymore. Every answer he had was slipping further away as the chaos of the Fracture surrounded him. He reached out with trembling hands and pushed the door shut behind them, trying to seal themselves in against the growing sense of danger that lingered like smoke in the air.
"I'm here to help," she continued, unfazed by the tension. "But you've got to listen to me. You're not the only fractured one, Nolan, there are many more like you but each one with their own unique powers."
Her words pierced through Nolan's thoughts, and he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "How do you know about me?" he asked, his voice hoarse. His hands flickered with a dim, almost uncontrolled light, but he clenched them into fists, trying to hide the power that still threatened to burst free.
"I know more than you think," she replied, moving toward the center of the room. Her boots creaked against the wooden floor, and the room seemed to shrink around her presence. She stopped at a table, a cluttered space full of old maps, half-empty mugs, and papers scattered haphazardly across its surface.
"This is the map!" She says as she moves everything from the table. "There is a camp that protects people like you hidden over the mountains."
"A camp?..." Nolan asked with confusion in his face.
Finn glanced uneasily at Nolan, then back to the woman. "Who are you?" he repeated, this time with more force. "And what do you know about this... Fracture?"
The woman held up a hand, cutting him off. Her eyes narrowed, as if assessing their level of understanding. "My name is Seraphine. And the Fracture is what you should be worried about. But not just for the reasons you think."
Nolan's heart lurched, the word fracture echoing in his mind like a hammer striking stone. "What do you mean? What's happening?"
Seraphine's gaze flicked to the small fire in the hearth. "The Fracture isn't just a random event. It's an awakening, an event that's tied to something much older than you could possibly imagine. And the people like you—those who have powers—are only a small piece of it. The Fracture is slowly tearing this world apart, and those of us who are aware of it—those who are 'fractured' in a deeper way—are trying to stop it."
Nolan felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Tearing the world apart. The words lingered in the room, pressing down on them like a weight. Finn's face paled, his hand gripping Nolan's shoulder as if to steady himself.
"So what exactly is the Fracture?" Nolan pressed. "Why did this happen to me? And what do you mean by people trying to stop it?"
Seraphine's face softened for a moment. She crossed the room, coming to a stop just in front of the window, staring out into the night. The wind howled outside, and the auroras shimmered above, swirling violently in the sky. It was like the very fabric of reality was being torn open.
"The Fracture is a force," she began slowly, her voice distant. "A rift in the universe, an ancient phenomenon that has existed for centuries, but only now is it becoming active again. It has the power to tear apart space and time itself, and it's responsible for giving individuals like you—fractured—their powers. But these powers come with a price."
She turned to face them, her eyes dark with regret. "For those who are fractured in this way, there is always an element of corruption. It feeds off fear, anger, and chaos. The more you use your powers, the more it grows inside you, until it consumes you entirely."
Nolan felt a sinking feeling in his chest. "And if we don't stop it?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Seraphine's eyes flickered to the window once more, her expression hardening. "The world ends. The rift grows, consuming everything in its path, until there's nothing left but darkness."
Finn's face twisted with frustration. "And how exactly are we supposed to stop it?. What can we do against something like that?"
Seraphine's lips curled into a faint, almost bitter smile. "You'd be surprised what you can do when you embrace the power inside you. But it's not just about power. It's about understanding what's happening, controlling it, and knowing when to fight back."
The room grew quiet as Nolan processed her words. It felt like everything was closing in on them—like they were standing at the center of a storm that was already raging.
"So now, lets start moving. We don't have time. We have to make it to the camp while the snow covers our trail." Seraphine said.
Suddenly, the door to the cabin slammed open, the wooden frame cracking under the force. The wind howled in, carrying with it the smell of something metallic, something rotten. The light in the room flickered as the shadows shifted violently.
Before any of them could react, a figure stepped through the doorway, silhouetted by the harsh light outside. The figure was tall, cloaked in heavy black armor that just keeps appearing, his face obscured by a mask. He moved with a fluid grace, as though the wind itself bent around him. His presence filled the room like a suffocating fog.
Seraphine cursed under her breath, stepping back, her face going pale.
"You," she muttered. "I thought you were dead."
The figure stepped forward, his voice cold and mechanical, amplified by his mask. "I'm not dead. Not yet, at least. But you're wrong about one thing, Seraphine. The Fracture is no longer just about the world ending. It's about control."
Nolan's pulse quickened, his eyes narrowing. The power inside him stirred, but he held it back, unwilling to let it spill over again. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice hoarse with urgency.
The figure tilted his head, his dark eyes locking onto Nolan's. "My name is Vex, and I'm here to make sure the Fracture reaches its true potential."
Finn took a step back, his hand instinctively reaching for the knife at his belt. "What are you talking about?" he spat. "What do you want from us?"
Vex stepped further into the room, his steps echoing with an unsettling finality. He raised a hand, and the temperature seemed to drop in the cabin, the air thick with tension. "What I want is simple," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I want to see the world burn, piece by piece. I want the Fracture to consume everything, and I want you, Nolan, to embrace it with me."
Nolan's breath caught in his throat. He felt a wave of nausea rise up in him. Vex's words sent a chill through his body, and the power inside him seemed to resonate with a dark hum. He knew, deep down, that this wasn't just some madman. This was something far worse. This was someone who had learned to wield the Fracture, not as a weapon, but as a tool for destruction.
"You think you can control it?" Seraphine's voice was sharp, cutting through the tension. "You're just another pawn, Vex. The Fracture will destroy you, just like it's destroying everything else."
Vex laughed, a hollow sound that reverberated in the quiet room. "You misunderstand, Seraphine. The Fracture is my ally. It feeds me. I've embraced it. And soon, Nolan will join me. He's already begun to feel its power. All he needs is a little push."
Nolan's heart pounded. He felt the golden glow in his hands flicker again, pulsing with life, but this time he didn't feel in control. His thoughts were clouded, as though the very air around him was heavy with pressure. Vex was right. He had already started to feel the power—had already begun to understand it. But at what cost?
"You're wrong," Nolan said, his voice firm. "I'm not like you."
Vex's eyes gleamed with a cold light. "We'll see, won't we?"
Without warning, he lunged forward, his body moving faster than Nolan could react. His hand shot out, aimed directly at Nolan's chest. The air around him distorted with a dark energy, a pulse of force that seemed to bend reality itself.
But just as Vex's hand was about to make contact, Seraphine pushes Nolan out of the way. The attack hits Seraphine in the shoulder puhsing her back.
"Nolan you have to fight!" says Seraphine covering holding her shoulder.
"He was not able to protect his own mom." Vex said with a grin on his face. Turning to Finn, Vex points at him. "You are holding him back as well."
Vex lounges at Finn with full force.
"NO!" Nolan screams as he raises his bright glowing hands aiming at the direction of vex.
Nolan's hands flared with golden light, a brilliant burst of energy that filled the room. He wasn't sure how he did it, but the power exploded outward in a wave, knocking Vex back and sending him crashing into the wall with a deafening crack.
For a moment, everything stood still. The air was thick with the aftermath of the explosion, the room shimmering with the remnants of Nolan's power. He gasped for breath, his hands still glowing with a strange, unfamiliar energy.
Seraphine stood at the edge of the room, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "You did it," she whispered. "But he will wake up again, Nolan."
The tension in the room was palpable, and the fight was far from over.
Vex slowly rose from the rubble, his mask cracked but his gaze as cold as ever. The room hung heavy with tension, a charged atmosphere pulsing in the wake of Nolan's explosion of power. The golden light from his hands dimmed, the room slowly returning to a grim calm. Nolan's breath came in shallow gasps as the weight of what just happened settled over him. His chest tightened, the golden energy still crackling at his fingertips, a reminder of how easily it could spiral out of control.
Vex, his mask now cracked and battered from the blast, slowly pushed himself up from the shattered remains of the wall. His hands were covered in blood, but his eyes—those cold, unblinking eyes—never lost their focus on Nolan. He was a predator, wounded but far from broken. And it was clear now that the Fracture had granted him more than just powers. It had given him a singular, unyielding purpose.
"You think this makes you stronger?" Vex's voice was low, filled with venom. "That burst of light... it was nothing. You have no idea what you're dealing with, Nolan. I'll see you again and when i do everyone you love will die. I will take away everything that is holding you back."
The words cut through the room like a knife. Nolan's heart thundered in his chest, his muscles aching from the strain of controlling the surge of energy. He forced himself to steady his breath. He couldn't let fear take over—not now, not when there was so much at stake.
"You're wrong," Nolan shot back, his voice hoarse but determined. "I'm not like you. I won't be consumed by the Fracture. I'll fight it, no matter what it takes."
Vex's lips twisted into a cruel smile beneath his cracked mask. "We'll see how long that resolve lasts," he sneered, before turning on his heel and sweeping toward the door. "This isn't over. You're only delaying the inevitable."
The sound of his boots on the floor was like a countdown, each step a reminder of the looming danger. But Nolan wasn't going to wait for him to come back, to finish what he'd started. No—he needed to leave. To escape. To survive long enough to stop the Fracture from consuming him, and everyone else.
Seraphine's voice broke through the thick silence that followed Vex's departure. "He's right about one thing," she said, her gaze flickering to the now-closed door. "The Fracture doesn't stop with a fight. It takes everything from you. He'll come after you again. He knows you're stronger now, and he won't let you grow any more powerful."
Nolan's hands were still pulsing with energy, but he forced them to relax, feeling the golden light fade, leaving his palms tingling with residual power. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve, feeling the cold sweat on his brow. The weight of the truth settled on him: Vex was relentless. And their time here—this safe haven—was a temporary respite.
"What do we do now?" Finn asked, his voice cracking, both from the stress and the fear that clung to his every word. He stood near the window, peering out into the night. "We can't stay here. Vex will bring everything he has."
Seraphine looked back at them with a grim expression. "You're right. We can't stay here. The Mountain Guard will be looking for you, and Vex won't stop until he has you. We must start going to the camp. It is the only safe place for now."
Nolan turned to face her. "And how far is it?"
"A day's journey. But we have to move fast. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it will become. Vex is no fool. He'll know we've escaped, and he'll stop at nothing to hunt us down."
Nolan clenched his fists. The Fracture was still there, surging inside him, a fire that threatened to consume him. But he couldn't afford to let it overwhelm him. He had to stay focused. His family needed him.
"We're going," Nolan said, his voice cold with determination.
Seraphine nodded. "I've already made arrangements for that. There's a hidden path, far from the beaten trail. It will lead us through the woods and into the mountains, away from any patrols."
Without another word, they gathered what little supplies they could, throwing on cloaks and coats to shield themselves from the bitter cold. Nolan grabbed his pack, the weight of his decision pressing down on him as he turned to face the door. His heart raced with the knowledge that every moment they spent in the cabin was a moment Vex could use to track them.
They moved quickly, stepping out into the night, the wind biting at their faces as they headed toward the forest. The sky above them was an eerie mix of dark clouds and the flickering lights of the auroras, casting the snow-covered landscape in an unnatural glow. The forest around them was silent, the only sounds the crunch of their boots on the frozen earth.
Nolan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
They made their way deeper into the forest, the trees towering above them like silent sentinels. Seraphine led the way, her steps sure and confident despite the darkness that pressed in from all sides. Finn stayed close to Nolan, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds, his hand still gripping the knife at his belt.
Nolan's thoughts raced, torn between the fear of being followed and the strange, insistent pull of the power inside him. It wasn't just the Fracture he feared anymore—it was the feeling that the Fracture was him, that it was growing inside him, changing him, no matter how hard he tried to keep it at bay.
"Stay close," Seraphine called, her voice barely above a whisper as she disappeared into the dark expanse of trees.
The deeper they moved into the forest, the more Nolan felt the pressure building within him. His hands were trembling again, the golden light beginning to flicker at his fingertips. He clenched them into fists, gritting his teeth. He couldn't afford to lose control here. Not when they were so close to safety.
Suddenly, a distant sound pierced the silence—the faintest crack of twigs snapping underfoot. Nolan froze, his senses on high alert. It was subtle, but it was enough to send a spike of fear down his spine.
"Did you hear that?" Finn whispered urgently.
Nolan didn't answer. He wasn't sure how to explain what was happening, but the forest suddenly felt alive with movement, a creeping sense of danger building with every passing second.
Then, as if on cue, a flash of movement darted between the trees, and a figure appeared—a silhouette in the darkness.
"Get down!" Seraphine hissed, pulling both of them down into the snow.
The figure moved faster than any human could, cloaked in shadows, with eyes that glinted like pale stars in the night. It was someone Nolan had seen before—someone fractured.
Vex.
But this time, he wasn't alone.
A group of soldiers, also fractured, appeared behind him, their movements synchronized with a frightening precision. They were armed, and their eyes were wild with the same darkness Nolan had felt creeping through him since the Fracture.
"We have to go now!" Seraphine urged, her voice sharp with panic. She started to move forward, but Nolan's feet were rooted to the ground. His breath quickened, and the pulse of power surged again, a storm rising within him.
Vex's voice echoed through the forest, dark and taunting. "There's nowhere to run, Nolan. You'll never outrun me. You've made your choice. Now face the consequences."
Nolan's heart pounded as he turned to Finn. "We have to move! Now!"
Without thinking, Nolan unleashed the power within him. Golden light flared from his hands, slicing through the dark air like a bolt of lightning. It ripped through the trees, cutting a path through the forest. The fractured soldiers were momentarily blinded by the burst of light, and in that moment, Nolan grabbed Finn's arm, pulling him away.
Seraphine led the charge, her movements fluid as she darted through the trees, guiding them along the hidden path. The trees seemed to part before them, and Nolan barely registered the world around him, his mind focused entirely on the fight to escape.
But as they ran, Nolan knew one thing: Vex was still hunting them. And as the Fracture grew stronger within him, Nolan realized something else—he couldn't run forever. Sooner or later, he'd have to face it head-on. But for now, all that mattered was getting away.