Chapter 5 The Forest of Shadows

The air was thick. Too thick.

Avelyn jolted awake, her breath caught in her throat. Her skin prickled as the cold air clung to her damp clothes. She sat up fast, muscles stiff from sleep and fear. The crack of a branch snapped through the silence.

Her voice came out as a whisper, "What was that?"

Then-

A growl.

Low. Guttural. Close.

She staggered to her feet, eyes wide, dagger trembling in her grip. "Come on," she hissed to herself. "Don't freeze now."

And then they came. Three of them. Monstrous, hulking things with fangs that gleamed like wet bone, eyes glowing red-hot like dying embers.

Demon beasts.

Her heart punched against her ribs. "Shit. This can't be real."

The lead beast snarled and charged, fast as lightning. She spun, slashing-

Her blade found flesh.

The thing roared.

Another lunged from the side. Claws tore through her sleeve and bit into her skin. Blood spilled warm and fast down her arm.

She screamed, more in anger than fear. "You want a fight? Fine!"

She ducked another swipe, twisted low, stabbed deep into the creature's leg. But they just kept coming-wounded, furious, faster than before.

"You're not supposed to exist," she panted. "You're just-stories."

Pain lanced through her side as one tackled her to the ground. Her back hit the earth with a sickening thud.

She gasped, vision swimming. "I can't... I can't..."

The beasts circled. Her dagger slipped from her hand. Her limbs felt like stone. Cold, useless.

But inside her chest, something else stirred.

Not fear. Not panic.

Fire.

"No," she whispered. "Not here. Not now..."

The fire ignored her.

It rose anyway.

Her body arched, and power slammed through her like a tidal wave. Her fingertips sparked-

And then they burned.

Avelyn opened her mouth to scream, but flames erupted instead. A torrent of gold and white light exploded from her hands, filling the clearing with heat and fury.

The beasts wailed in agony. One staggered back, burning. Another collapsed mid-charge, its fur peeling into ash.

Avelyn cried out as the fire consumed everything. The trees. The roots. The shadows.

And then-

Silence.

Smoke curled into the air. Her knees hit the ground. Her breath came in shallow, broken gasps.

She looked at her hands.

"What... what did I just do?"

Her body gave out.

She collapsed in the center of the scorched clearing-alone, trembling, her eyes fluttering shut.

---

Minutes Later...

Hooves thundered in the distance. Leather creaked. Shadows split open.

King Kaelen Varyn dismounted the moment he saw the smoke.

"Deadroot," he said under his breath, eyes scanning the devastation. "What the hell happened here?"

Three demon beasts lay charred and still. The ground was scorched.

And at the center of it all...

A girl.

Unconscious. Barely breathing.

A guard stepped forward. "My King... she's the only survivor."

Kaelen's eyes narrowed. "You're sure?"

"She's unarmed. Barely conscious."

He looked at the burnt corpses of the beasts, then at the girl.

"She did this."

"Your Majesty?"

Kaelen turned sharply. "Don't be fooled. That kind of power doesn't come without danger. She could be a threat. Take her. Now."

"Yes, My King."

Two guards moved quickly, grabbing her by the arms. Her head lolled to the side-

But then, her eyes fluttered open.

"No-let me go!" she cried weakly, thrashing. "Don't-please, don't take me there-"

They didn't answer.

She kicked, struggled, voice cracking. "I said let me go!"

The guards ignored her.

She twisted sharply-too sharply-and broke free.

"Run!" she whispered to herself.

And she did.

But not far.

"After her!" one guard shouted.

Steel flashed. A dagger sliced through the air and struck her thigh.

She screamed, collapsed, clawing at the ground.

Then-

"Enough!" came a voice like thunder.

Kaelen appeared in a blur of movement, his dark cloak slicing through the air. Before she could drag herself another inch, his hand closed around her wrist.

Avelyn gasped. The world stilled.

Lightning cracked-only it wasn't lightning.

A jolt surged through both of them. Her eyes snapped open, locking with his. His mouth parted in stunned silence. For a heartbeat, time froze.

And then, together-

They whispered the same word.

"Mate."

Avelyn's lips trembled. "That's... not possible..."

Her eyes rolled back.

She fell against him, unconscious.

Kaelen stood frozen, staring down at the girl in his arms-

A girl who had just killed three demon beasts.

A girl who burned with ancient power.

A girl whose touch had stunned his immortal soul.

He didn't speak.

But in his eyes, something shifted.

Something dangerous.

Something fated.

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