The sound of cracking glass disturbed the serenity of nighttime. Emilia startled awake, her heart thumping. The air in the cabin seemed strange and heavy as if it had been pressed down on her chest. She grabbed for the lamp on her bedside table, but before her fingers touched it, a deep growl echoed from the darkness.
Concern grabbed her as she froze in place. The growl grew into a savage snarl that sent chills down her backbone. Slowly, she approached the sound, her breath hitching as her gaze fell on two brilliant orbs hanging in the darkness—eyes unblinking and too close.
"Luca!" she yelled, leaping from bed. Her voice resonated around the small room, but she didn't have time to process the silence that followed. The beast lunged, its enormous body blocking the faint moonlight that filtered through the window.
Before it could reach her, the door smashed open with a resounding crash. Luca surged forward, a whirl of movement and rage. He connected with the beast, and their bodies slammed into the wall with enough force to shake the entire cottage. Emilia fell back, bracing against the long wall as the commotion spread.
The creature turned into something unlike anything she had ever seen. Its body was large, its fur unkempt, and black as pitch. Claws raked across the wooden floor as it snapped its jaws, enamel shining in the low light. However, Luca became unrelenting. He moved with near-inhuman accuracy, his fists connecting with bone and muscle in a whirl of movements.
"Get out," he shouted at her, his voice more forceful than she'd heard before. "Now!"
Emilia hesitated, her anxiety tying her to the spot. She didn't want to leave him alone with that component, but the expression in his eyes left no space for debate. She sprinted for the door, her naked toes pounding the bloodless ground outside as she dashed into the darkness.
The woodland that surrounded the home became strangely quiet, with no more insects or rustling leaves. Emilia's breath came in quick, panicky bursts as she sprinted down the course, the shadows around her shifting and stretching. The dim glimmer of the town's lanterns serves as her most effective guide, a distant beacon of safety.
The noises of fighting continued in the background. Snarls and crashes resonated through the trees, causing her to draw back. She continued to jog until she reached the town's rectangular boundary, where the subtle hum of life—humans, light, noise—provided some consolation.
She sank into a bench, arms trembling as she tried to catch her breath. Her mind raced, rehearsing the assault again and over. What became that thing? And how had Luca...?
A hand gripped her shoulder just as she was about to give up the idea. She turned around her cry of death in her throat, and saw Luca standing there, untidy but alive. His silver eyes gleamed in the lamplight, piercing and intense.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice low but urgent.
She shook her head, but her body still trembled. "What become that?"
Luca's jaws constricted. He looked around, surveying the vacant area, before gesturing for her to join him. "No longer here. "We need to talk."
Luca brought her to a small hut hidden deep in the woods, far away from prying eyes. It became scarce yet intense, with a fire casting flickering shadows across the partitions. Emilia sat on an old couch, clutching a blanket. Luca had passed her. The adrenaline from the attack had gone, leaving her fatigued but filled with questions.
"Begin talking," she said, her voice stronger than her emotions. "What became of that factor? And what are you?
Luca leaned against the mantle with his palms crossed. He stopped talking for a second, his attention fixed on the flames. While he eventually did, his voice was subdued but filled with meaning.
"That component developed into a shadow beast. A hunter of the Void." He looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction. "As for me..." "I'm no longer fully human."
Emilia's breath caught. She glanced at him, expecting him to laugh or tell her it had turned into a comedy, but his expression remained serious. "No longer human?" she said, barely above a whisper.
He nodded. "I am a father or mother. My family has included Raven's Cove for generations. We are linked to the Veil. "And to people like you."
"human beings like me?" The room appeared to tilt as his words soaked in. "What does that suggest?"
Luca sighed and ran a hand over his hair. "You are the Vessel, Emilia. Only the prophecy was stated. The strength you felt and the belongings you saw are all related. You are connected to the Veil, to the equilibrium between this world and the Void. What about the beasts? They're coming for you because they recognize who you are."
Emilia shook her head, her disbelief clashing with the truth she could not reject. "Why me?" I did not ask for this. "I don't even recognize it."
"Nobody asks for it," Luca said, his tone softening. "However, this is who you are. And if you don't learn how to control your electricity, it will ruin you. "And everything else."
Her heart beat as she pondered his words. The weight of what he transitioned into saying felt crushing, unattainable. She wanted to scream and run, but there was nowhere to go. "What should I do?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Luca pushed from the mantle and crossed the room, kneeling in front of her. His silver eyes latched on hers, filled with a determination that kept her steady, if only just.
"You combat," he stated. "I will educate you. However, you have to believe me."
Emilia scanned his face, a whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume her. However, beneath it all, she sensed a small spark of wish. She nodded, barely audible. "ok."
The days that followed were tough. Luca had pushed her to her limits, forcing her to tap into the power she hardly understood. The golden glow returned without difficulty now, flashing to life in her hands with every effort. However, maintaining control grew increasingly difficult. The strength became wild and untamed, and each misstep sent shockwaves across the little area where they trained.
"consciousness!" Luca snarled as another bolt of electricity singed the grass at their feet. "You may not allow it to control you." "You have control over it."
Emilia tightened her hands, frustration spilling across the floor. "I'm attempting!" she exclaimed. "But, Luca, it's not like flipping a switch." "It's... alive."
He moved closer, his eyes harsh. "Then deal with it as if it were far. "Work with it now, not against it."
His words hit a chord, and Emilia closed her eyes and took a long breath. She sought the warmth in her chest, allowing it to flow through her rather than forcing it. When she opened her eyes, her hands gradually lit with a pure and powerful light.
Luca nodded with a satisfied grin. "Exactly. "Now, again."
The education continued late into the night, as the woodland around them became darker and quieter. However, as Emilia progressed, she continued to feel uneasy. The shadow animals were obtainable and ready. And every day brought them closer.
On the 0.33 night, as they returned to the cabin, a figure emerged from the darkness. Emilia's heart raced when she recognized the mask: a silver crescent moon.
"It's time," the
discern said in a bloodless, forceful tone. "The Vessel ought to include us."