The first light of dawn filtered through the trees, casting long, eerie shadows over the forest.
Aria stirred from her sleep, feeling the cold bite of the morning air. Beside her, Black Heart lay still, his small body nestled close for warmth. Darken, already awake, was crouched near the mouth of the cave, his eyes scanning the horizon. He hadn't slept; he rarely did on nights like this.
Aria rubbed her eyes, her body sore from the uncomfortable rest on the hard ground. "Are we leaving soon?" she asked, her voice low so as not to wake Black Heart.
Darken turned to her, nodding grimly. "We need to move before midday. The creatures that have been following us... I don't think they'll wait much longer." He stood up and glanced down at her. "Can you manage? It will be a long trek, and we can't stop until we reach the ridge."
Aria stretched, feeling the ache in her legs. "I'll try. But Black Heart-" she looked down at her son, who was still peacefully sleeping, "-he can't walk yet. I'll carry him as far as I can."
Darken's gaze softened briefly as he looked at Black Heart. He nodded again, but his face quickly hardened. "We don't have a choice. Whatever is coming... it's going to find us if we stay here any longer."
The unease in his voice made Aria's heart race, but she steeled herself. They had to leave, no matter how hard it was. She had to protect Black Heart.
Gathering what little they had, Aria strapped Black Heart onto her back, wrapping him securely in a blanket. He stirred but didn't wake, his tiny form nestled against her.
Darken stepped outside the cave first, his keen eyes scanning the treeline. "Stay close to me, Aria. If anything happens, run."
Aria nodded, gripping the strap of the bag tightly as they moved deeper into the forest. The trees closed in around them, the morning fog curling at their feet like ghostly tendrils. There was an eerie stillness in the air, as if the entire forest was holding its breath.
They walked in silence for what felt like hours, the weight of fear hanging heavy in the air.
Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig made Aria's heart leap. Black Heart remained still on her back, his tiny breaths the only thing that kept her grounded.
Suddenly, Darken halted in his tracks. He raised a hand, signaling for Aria to stop. She froze, her eyes darting around the dense forest. For a moment, everything was quiet-too quiet.
Then, a low growl pierced the silence.
Aria's heart skipped a beat. "Darken...?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
He didn't respond. His hand went to the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows between the trees. The growl grew louder, closer. It was followed by another, then another-until the forest echoed with the sound of snarling beasts.
"Werewolves," Darken muttered under his breath, drawing his sword. "Run, Aria. Now!"
Aria's legs moved before her mind caught up, her body fueled by pure adrenaline. She bolted through the trees, Black Heart bouncing against her back as she ran. The sound of paws thundering behind her grew louder, the growls and snarls of the pack growing more ferocious with each passing second.
"Aria, faster!" Darken's voice rang out behind her, but she was already running as fast as she could. Her legs burned, her lungs screamed for air, but she couldn't stop. She wouldn't.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her leg, and she stumbled, falling hard to the ground. Black Heart cried out as they hit the earth, his small hands clutching her shirt.
Aria tried to push herself up, but pain radiated through her body. She looked down to see a deep gash across her calf, blood seeping into the dirt. Panic surged through her veins. She couldn't run anymore.
The growls were closer now, the werewolves closing in. She could hear their heavy breathing, the sound of their claws tearing through the earth as they ran. She was defenseless. She looked back at Black Heart, her heart breaking. She couldn't protect him.
Darken appeared at her side, his sword slashing through the air as he fought off the first of the werewolves. "Get up, Aria!" he shouted, but she couldn't. The pain was too much.
A massive wolf lunged at her, its fangs bared, eyes glowing with a feral light. Aria braced herself, pulling Black Heart closer to her chest, ready to shield him with her body. But just before the wolf could strike, something incredible happened.
Black Heart moved.
He pushed away from her chest, standing on his tiny legs, his eyes wide and unblinking. His small hand lifted into the air, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The werewolf stopped mid-lunge, its snarling face frozen in shock.
Then, fire erupted from Black Heart's hand.
A massive burst of black flames shot out, engulfing the werewolf in an instant. The beast howled in pain, writhing as the flames consumed it, turning it to ash in mere seconds. Aria's eyes widened in disbelief. She had never seen anything like it.
But Black Heart wasn't done. His eyes glowed a brilliant white, and a faint, ethereal ring appeared above his head, like a halo of dark energy. More flames burst from his hands, sweeping through the forest, igniting the werewolves that had surrounded them. The air filled with the scent of burning fur and the agonized cries of the wolves as they were incinerated by the strange, dark fire.
Aria watched in shock as her son-her baby-stood amidst the chaos, wielding a power she couldn't comprehend. His small body glowed with an eerie light, his eyes fixed on the pack of werewolves as if he were punishing them for daring to harm her.
Darken, too, had stopped fighting, his sword lowered as he stared at Black Heart in awe. "He's... he's not just a child," he muttered under his breath, watching as the last of the werewolves fell to the ground, reduced to ash by the black flames.
When the last of the wolves had been dealt with, the flames vanished, leaving nothing but smoldering remains. Black Heart's glowing eyes faded back to their normal color, and the ring above his head disappeared. He wobbled slightly, as if the power had drained him, and he collapsed into Aria's arms, exhausted but unharmed.
Aria held him tightly, her heart racing. She looked down at him, her mind reeling from what she had just witnessed. This wasn't normal. None of this was normal. Her son wasn't just a baby-he was something far more powerful, far more dangerous.
Darken knelt beside her, his face pale but calm. "Now you see," he said quietly. "Now you understand why they're after him. Why your husband's enemies won't stop."
Aria looked at him, her hands trembling as she cradled Black Heart in her arms. "What... what do we do now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Darken's eyes hardened. "We keep moving. But now we know-we're not just running from danger. We're running toward it. This is only the beginning."
Aria looked down at her son, who was sleeping peacefully in her arms once more. She had no idea what they would face next, but one thing was clear-Black Heart was far more than she had ever imagined. And the world wasn't ready for him.
Neither was she.