I could still hear it—those footsteps, distant but growing louder with each passing second. The creature, whatever it was, hadn't given up. And now something else was drawing near.
I glanced at Kieran, who was already on his feet, his expression tense, his hand gripping his sword tightly. "We can't stay here," he said, voice low but commanding. "We need to move. Now."
I nodded, though every instinct screamed at me to stay still, to find a way to hide. But we had no choice. The footsteps were too close. Whatever was coming would be upon us in moments.
As we moved deeper into the forest, the air seemed to grow thicker, heavier. The trees loomed above us, their branches reaching out like twisted arms. The pendant at my neck pulsed weakly, its light flickering.
System Notification: New feature unlocked—Emergency Recall Protocol
Ability activated: Teleportation to a predetermined location. Cost: high energy drain. Limited uses remaining. Location: Alistair's estate.
I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes widening as the system's words registered.
"Teleportation?" I whispered, almost disbelieving. "Alistair's estate? It can take us there?"
Kieran turned to me, brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
I could feel the urgency rising, but I couldn't ignore the strange, tantalizing sense of hope that came with the system's notification. Alistair. His estate. It was an escape. A potential refuge from whatever nightmare the forest was becoming.
But... there was a price.
System Notification: Warning. Teleportation is irreversible. Consequences are unknown. Activation is advised only in extreme emergencies.
I stared at the pendant, feeling its weight—its power—coursing through me. Was this the right moment to trust it? Could I risk it? Kieran was already moving ahead, clearly oblivious to my internal conflict.
I clenched my fist around the pendant, ready to make the choice that could change everything.
"Kieran," I said, my voice barely a whisper as he turned back toward me. "I have a way out. I can—"
Before I could finish, a loud crash echoed through the trees, followed by the unmistakable sound of something large moving toward us. My heart skipped a beat. We weren't alone anymore.
"Kieran," I repeated, fear creeping into my voice. "We need to leave. Now. Before it's too late."
He looked at me, confusion and concern flashing across his face, but then he nodded. "Do it."
I didn't hesitate. Not this time.
Closing my eyes, I focused all my energy on the pendant. It flared to life, its light bathing the surrounding forest in an eerie glow. I could feel the magic gathering, building. A heartbeat later, the world around us twisted and warped, the trees bending and shifting in impossible angles, the ground itself trembling beneath us.
And then—
Whoosh.
We were no longer in the forest.
I opened my eyes to find ourselves standing in the courtyard of Alistair's estate. The familiar stone walls loomed overhead, the air crisp and still, as though the chaos of the forest had never existed. The contrast between the serenity here and the madness we'd just escaped was staggering.
Kieran stumbled, disoriented by the sudden change in environment. "What... what just happened?"
I was still trying to catch my breath, my mind racing. Had we really just teleported? To Alistair's estate? The weight of it was almost too much to process.
System Notification: Teleportation successful. Energy cost: significant. Power recharge required.
I barely registered the system's words. My attention was fixed on Kieran, who was slowly standing up, looking around in a mix of confusion and disbelief. "This is... where are we?"
"Alistair's estate," I murmured, my voice trembling. "We made it."
He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes hard. "Why here?"
I swallowed hard. "I didn't know where else to go. It felt like the right place."
Kieran didn't argue. Instead, he just nodded, his expression unreadable. But before he could speak, the sound of footsteps echoed from the nearby hallway, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Alistair?" I whispered, almost to myself.
And then he appeared.
Alistair D'Alathra stood at the entrance of the courtyard, his dark eyes narrowing as he looked from Kieran to me, taking in the situation. His usual cool composure was replaced with something darker—an edge to his posture, a sharpness in his gaze.
"What is this?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with something I couldn't quite place. "Why are you here, Angelica?"
I felt the words catch in my throat. There was so much I wanted to explain—so much I needed to tell him. But the weight of everything—the forest, the creature, the pendant—felt too heavy for just one moment.
"I—" I started, but Kieran stepped forward, his hand still gripping his sword. "We need help," he said, his voice gruff. "We were being chased. There's something in those woods, something worse than Shadow Beasts."
Alistair's eyes flicked toward him, and for a moment, I thought he might dismiss Kieran entirely. But then his gaze shifted back to me.
"Explain," he said simply.
I glanced at Kieran, who seemed content to remain silent. He didn't trust Alistair—didn't trust anyone in this castle, it seemed. And I understood why. Alistair had always been distant, enigmatic. But in that moment, I needed him. I needed someone who knew the way this world worked, someone who might be able to offer us a solution.
"The forest was alive with creatures—Shadow Beasts at first, and then... something worse. Kieran was helping me escape, but we were trapped. I—"
I stopped, my breath catching in my throat. It was hard to find the words. Alistair's gaze had turned colder, his lips pressing into a thin line as he processed what I was saying.
"Something worse?" he repeated, his tone dangerous. "Explain, Angelica. You didn't come here by accident. You're hiding something."
I froze. He knew. I could feel it in his words, in the way he looked at me. He knew there was more to this than I was letting on.
Before I could respond, the air shifted—like a storm gathering just beyond the horizon. Alistair's hand twitched at his side, and for a split second, I thought I saw a flash of something in his eyes.
But then, before either of us could react, a loud crash echoed through the estate. The ground trembled beneath our feet, and the sound of something enormous barreling through the castle walls rang in the air.
Kieran cursed under his breath, reaching for his sword. "We're not alone."