Morning light streamed through the trees of Ashvale, casting restless shadows that seemed to mirror the tension in the air. Jake Tennison stood alone by the village well, the weight of Tirth Salsa's warning still heavy on his mind. The Order of the Horizon was closing in, and the Echo—the ancient, powerful force hidden within him—was becoming harder to control. Dark visions of the Veiled King and the unsettling feeling of being drawn toward an inevitable fate haunted his every thought.
Jake's brooding was interrupted by Priya Stenlie and her sister, Vrusha Stenlie, approaching him. Priya, usually calm and observant, looked more worried than usual, while Vrusha, fierce and confident, now carried an unusual sense of urgency.
"Jake," Priya said softly, her voice trembling, "something's wrong. The air—it feels... thick."
Vrusha cut in, her eyes sharp. "It's the Echo, Jake. It's not just affecting you anymore—it's touching all of us. There's something bigger going on."
Jake's heart sank. He had believed the Echo was his burden alone, but if Priya and Vrusha were feeling it too, things were worse than he'd thought.
"What do you mean?" Jake asked, his voice low, struggling to remain calm.
"I've felt a shift—like something ancient is waking up," Priya said hesitantly. "The Echo is growing, not just in you, but in everyone. And Vrusha..."
"It's pushing us toward something dark," Vrusha finished, her frustration clear. "I'm getting stronger, but the pull toward danger is growing too."
Before Jake could respond, Lexi Simpton came sprinting toward them, her auburn hair wild, her breath ragged.
"Jake!" Lexi shouted, panic in her voice. "Atlas—he's gone! He left the village. He's headed straight for the Order of the Horizon. He thinks he can stop them by himself!"
Jake's chest tightened with dread. Atlas was powerful, but going up against the Order alone was suicide.
"Why would he do that?" Jake muttered, fear rising.
Vrusha said grimly. "He thinks it's his duty to protect us."
Jake's mind raced. If Atlas confronted the Order by himself, he could be walking right into a trap. And with the Echo affecting him too, who knew what might happen?
"We need to stop him," Jake said firmly. He turned to Priya, Vrusha, and Lexi. "Let's go. Now."
They sprinted toward the village outskirts, Jake's heart pounding harder with each step. The Echo stirred inside him, restless, as if sensing the approaching danger. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows as they reached the edge of the forest.
In the clearing ahead, Jake saw them: Dheeraj and Shubham stood at the tree line, watching with unsettling calm. But in the center of the clearing stood Atlas, his fists clenched, his face set with grim determination.
It seemed like Dheeraj and Shubham had stopped him—but only for the moment.
"I don't care," Atlas growled, his voice full of fury. "If the Order's coming for Jake, I'll stop them myself."
Dheeraj stepped forward, eyes gleaming with excitement. "You think you can take them on alone?" he taunted. "Try beating me first."
Before Atlas could react, Dheeraj moved—faster than a blur—his fist connecting with Atlas's side, sending him skidding across the dirt. But Atlas didn't fall. He straightened up, his muscles tense, ready for the next strike.
"Come on, Atlas," Dheeraj mocked. "Show me what you've got."
Jake's heart sank further. Atlas wasn't backing down, but Dheeraj wasn't holding back either.
"Stop!" Jake shouted, rushing toward them. But Shubham raised his hand, and a dark wave of energy pulsed from his fingers, freezing Jake in place.
"This needs to happen, Jake," Shubham said calmly. "If Atlas wants to fight the Order, he needs to prove he's strong enough."
Atlas swung again, but Dheeraj dodged easily, moving so fast he seemed to vanish. Each time Atlas tried to land a blow, Dheeraj was already out of reach. But something was changing. With every missed strike, Atlas's frustration grew, and a strange energy began to ripple around him.
Suddenly, Atlas roared, and a shockwave of raw power exploded from his body, sending Dheeraj flying across the clearing. The ground trembled as electric energy crackled in the air. Atlas looked at his hands in disbelief, shocked by the power that had just surged through him.
Dheeraj pushed himself up, wiping blood from his lip, a grin spreading across his face. "There it is," he said, excitement in his eyes. "You've been hiding that power. But it's still not enough."
Before Atlas could respond, the air turned cold, and a swirling vortex of shadows formed at the edge of the clearing. From it stepped Tirth Salsa, his pale face unreadable, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement.
"You think this is just about strength?" Tirth's voice was soft, yet it cut through the air like a blade. He moved effortlessly between Atlas and Dheeraj, as though untouchable.
Atlas stood his ground, his newfound power still crackling around him, but Tirth didn't flinch. He raised a hand, and a wave of invisible force rippled outward, freezing both Atlas and Dheeraj where they stood. For a moment, everything was deathly still.
"You're all fooYou can't even control your own powers."
Jake's hels," Tirth said, his voice dripping with contempt. "You think you can fight the Order?
art raced as he watched, fear gripping him. Tirth was terrifying—his power overwhelming. But just before Tirth could strike again, Shubham stepped forward, his own dark energy swirling around him.
"Let them go, Tirth," Shubham said firmly. "This fight isn't yours."
For a moment, Tirth's eyes narrowed. But then, with a cold smile, he released his hold. Both Atlas and Dheeraj dropped to the ground, gasping for air.
"You're not ready," Tirth said, his voice cold and cruel. "If you want to survive what's coming, you'll need more than raw power. You'll need control. Without it, the Echo will destroy you—just like it's destroyed everyone else."
With that, Tirth vanished back into the shadows, leaving the group standing in stunned silence.
Jake looked at Atlas, still breathing heavily, and knew one thing for certain: the threat they were facing was far greater than they had ever imagined. And they weren't ready.