UNLEASHED
845 Words
Seren didn’t step back.
Not this time.
The moment he stepped into the clearing, the air shifted.
Heavy.
Pressing.
“You’re improving,” he said again, his gaze fixed on her.
“But not fast enough.”
Seren’s jaw tightened.
“You keep saying that like you’re waiting for something.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“I am.”
The answer sent a chill down her spine.
Behind her, Ryker moved slightly, positioning himself between them.
“Leave,” he said.
The man didn’t even look at him.
“That won’t happen.”
Seren felt the energy inside her stir again.
Stronger.
Restless.
“What do you want from me?” she demanded.
Now his eyes shifted fully to her.
“Show me.”
The words hit like a challenge.
Before she could react
He moved.
Fast.
Faster than anything she had seen.
Seren barely had time to register it before he was in front of her.
Ryker intercepted instantly.
The impact cracked through the clearing as they collided.
Seren stumbled back, her heart slamming against her ribs.
They moved too fast.
Too sharp.
Blow after blow, strike after strike, each movement precise, controlled, deadly.
Ryker was strong.
She knew that.
But this man
He wasn’t struggling.
He was testing.
“Still protecting her,” he said calmly as he blocked another strike.
Ryker’s voice dropped.
“Stay out of this.”
“I can’t,” he replied.
Then he pushed forward.
Hard.
Ryker staggered slightly.
Seren’s chest tightened.
No.
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
“Seren,” Ryker said sharply.
“Focus.”
Her breath caught.
Focus.
The energy surged inside her, stronger than before.
Not wild.
Waiting.
She stepped forward.
“Stop.”
The word came out sharper than she expected.
Both of them stilled.
The man’s eyes flickered with interest.
“There it is,” he murmured.
Seren’s pulse pounded.
“I’m not something you get to test,” she said.
Silence followed.
Then
He moved again.
This time
At her.
Seren reacted instinctively.
The power inside her surged outward.
The shadows rose.
Faster. Stronger.
They lashed toward him
But he didn’t dodge.
He stepped through them.
Like they weren’t even there.
Seren’s eyes widened.
“What”
He was already in front of her.
Too close.
She barely raised her arm before he grabbed her wrist.
The moment his hand touched her
Everything snapped.
The energy inside her exploded.
Not outward.
Inward.
Through her veins.
Her breath tore from her chest as the power surged violently, forcing its way through her like it had been waiting for something to trigger it.
The ground shook.
The shadows twisted wildly around them.
For the first time
He reacted.
His grip tightened slightly, his eyes narrowing.
“Interesting,” he said quietly.
Seren gasped, her body trembling under the force of it.
It hurt.
Not like before.
Worse.
Like something inside her was breaking
Or awakening.
“Let go” she choked.
But he didn’t.
“Not yet.”
The power surged again.
Stronger.
Uncontrolled.
Ryker moved instantly.
He slammed into him, breaking his hold.
Seren dropped to her knees, gasping for air as the energy inside her spiraled wildly.
“Seren!”
She barely heard him.
Everything felt too loud.
Too sharp.
The forest reacted.
The ground trembled.
The shadows stretched unnaturally.
The air itself felt like it was vibrating.
“Control it!” Ryker’s voice cut through.
“I can’t”
“Yes, you can!”
Her hands clenched into the earth.
The energy roared through her.
Too much.
Too fast.
But this time
She didn’t push it away.
She held onto it.
Forced herself to breathe.
Slow.
Steady.
The chaos stilled.
Not completely
But enough.
The ground stopped shaking.
The shadows settled.
Her breathing slowed.
When she looked up
He was watching her.
Not with curiosity this time.
With certainty.
“You’re closer than I thought,” he said quietly.
Seren’s chest rose and fell.
“What are you talking about?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Instead
He stepped back.
“For now,” he said,
“you’re not ready.”
Seren’s jaw tightened.
“Then stop coming after me.”
A faint smile returned.
“That’s not how this works.”
Her chest tightened again.
“Then how does it work?”
A pause.
Then
“You survive… or you don’t.”
Before she could respond
He disappeared.
Gone.
The clearing fell silent.
Seren stayed where she was, her body still trembling slightly.
Ryker moved beside her.
“You’re losing control,” he said quietly.
Seren shook her head weakly.
“No.”
She looked down at her hands.
“They’re forcing it out of me.”
Ryker didn’t argue.
Because he knew it was true.
Seren lifted her head slowly.
Her eyes hardened.
“Then I’ll learn faster.”
A pause.
“Before they decide I’m not worth waiting for.”
The wind moved through the trees again.
And this time
It didn’t feel like the forest was watching.
It felt like something else was.
Something bigger.
- Writer
