The uneasy truce between Van, Claire, and Kyle felt like walking on the edge of a knife. Kyle had quickly inserted himself into our lives, offering information about the gateway and the forces threatening it.
While Claire remained openly suspicious, and Van watched Kyle like a hawk, I found myself in an increasingly complicated position.
Kyle was charming in a way that made it hard to ignore him. His quick wit and sly remarks often left me torn between frustration and reluctant amusement. He seemed to enjoy getting under Van's skin, which only added to the tension in our group.
And yet, when Kyle spoke about the gateway or the creatures trying to break through, there was a seriousness in his eyes that made me believe he truly wanted to help. That belief was put to the test sooner than I expected.
It was late one night when the first real attack came. Claire, Van, Kyle, and I had been going through the library's restricted section, trying to piece together the history of the gateway and why the attacks were increasing. The air had been thick with tension, the usual banter between Van and Kyle replaced by a heavy silence.
"I still don't understand why this town was built on a gateway," Claire muttered, flipping through a dusty tome.
"It's like someone deliberately chose the worst possible spot for a settlement."
"Maybe they didn't know," I suggested.
"Or maybe they did," Kyle said, leaning casually against a shelf. "Some people are drawn to power, no matter the cost."
Van shot him a glare.
"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"
Before Kyle could respond, the lights flickered.
We all froze. The temperature in the room dropped suddenly, and the air felt heavy, oppressive.
"They're here," Van said, his voice low and tense.
A guttural growl echoed from somewhere in the library, followed by the sound of books falling from shelves. My heart pounded as I instinctively stepped closer to Van, who had already summoned his golden energy.
Kyle straightened, his casual demeanor vanishing as a dark blade materialized in his hand, formed from the same shadowy energy as the Shades we'd encountered before.
"Stay close," Van told me, positioning himself in front of me.
Claire grabbed a rune-inscribed dagger from her bag and nodded, her usual skepticism replaced by sharp focus.
The first creature lunged from the shadows—a hulking, misshapen thing with glowing red eyes and jagged claws. Van met it head-on, his movements swift and deadly. Kyle darted to the side, his blade slicing through another creature that emerged from the darkness.
More Shades poured into the room, their growls and shrieks filling the air. I felt a surge of panic, but Claire grabbed my arm.
"Amber, focus!" she said sharply.
"You're the Guardian. Use your power!"
"I don't know how!" I admitted, my voice trembling.
"Then figure it out!" she snapped, shoving me behind a nearby table as a Shade lunged toward us.
She drove her dagger into its chest, and it dissolved into smoke.
I closed my eyes, trying to drown out the chaos around me. My heart raced as I reached for the energy I'd felt that first night in the library, the strange, glowing force that had stopped the gateway from opening.
"Amber, now ! Remember, you're already awaken!" Van's voice cut through my thoughts.
I opened my eyes just as a Shade charged at me. Without thinking, I raised my hands, and a burst of blinding white light erupted from my palms, engulfing the creature. It let out a screech before disintegrating into ash.
"That's more like it," Kyle said, grinning as he dispatched another Shade.
The fight was over as quickly as it had begun. The last of the creatures vanished, leaving the library in shambles. Books and papers were scattered everywhere, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke.
"You did well," Van said, his golden eyes softening as he looked at me.
I nodded, still catching my breath.
"Thanks."
Kyle approached, his blade dissolving into shadows.
"Not bad, Guardian. I might actually start believing you can handle this."
"Don't push it," I said, though I couldn't stop the small smile that crept onto my face.
Claire sighed, looking around at the mess.
"We need to figure out why these attacks are happening more often. They're not just random—they're organized."
"She's right," Van agreed."Something—or someone—is driving them."
Kyle's expression darkened, and for a moment, he looked almost... guilty.
"Do you know something we don't?"
Van asked, his tone sharp.
Kyle hesitated, his gaze flicking to me before he answered.
"I have... suspicions. But I need more time to confirm them."
Van didn't look convinced, but before he could press further, Claire spoke up.
"Whatever it is, we need to act fast. The gateway's weakening, and if it opens..."
She didn't need to finish the sentence. We all knew what was at stake.
As we began cleaning up the library, I caught Kyle watching me. When our eyes met, he gave me a small, almost shy smile—something I hadn't expected from him.
"You did good tonight, Amber," he said softly.
"Thanks," I replied, feeling a strange flutter in my chest.
Van, who had been stacking books nearby, shot Kyle a warning look.
"Don't."
Kyle raised his hands in mock innocence.
"Relax, hybrid. I'm just being polite."
As the tension between them simmered once more, I couldn't help but feel caught in the middle. Between Van's quiet intensity and Kyle's magnetic charm, my life was becoming more complicated by the second.
But as I glanced around the library at the three of them—Claire, Van, and Kyle—I realized something else. For the first time since arriving in Springey, I wasn't facing this alone. And that, at least, gave me hope.