Immortal Shadows

Crazy

Chapter Two: Shadows in the Dark

The air was colder now, the kind of chill that slithered under your skin and wrapped itself around your spine. I could still feel the weight of their gazes on me, even as I turned my back to them and walked toward the edge of the clearing. The moon above cast its silver light through the skeletal branches, and for a moment, I thought the tension might dissolve.

But I was wrong.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Jace called after me, his voice sharp and unyielding.

“To get away from you two before you tear each other apart,” I shot back over my shoulder.

“You shouldn’t be alone out here,” Luca said, his voice softer now, though still firm. “It’s not safe.”

I whirled around to face them both, anger bubbling to the surface. “Safe? Is that your excuse for treating me like I’m some fragile thing that needs saving? Newsflash: I’ve been dealing with danger my whole life, long before either of you decided I needed protecting.”

Jace smirked, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket. “She’s got a point, wolf man. She doesn’t exactly scream ‘damsel in distress.’”

Luca ignored him, his piercing eyes locked onto mine. “You don’t understand what’s out there, Mystic. What’s coming for you. This isn’t just about strength or bravery—it’s about survival. And you don’t survive what’s coming without help.”

“Then tell me,” I demanded, stepping closer. “What’s coming? What are you both so afraid of?”

Luca hesitated, glancing at Jace as though debating whether to share. Jace crossed his arms, leaning casually against a tree. “Go on, Luca. Tell her. Or are you afraid she’ll realize you don’t have all the answers?”

Luca growled low in his throat, but before he could respond, a faint rustling sound cut through the night.

We all froze.

It wasn’t the wind. It wasn’t the usual noises of the forest. This sound was deliberate—measured. Like footsteps.

I instinctively stepped back, my pulse quickening as my eyes darted through the shadows. “What is that?”

Luca’s stance shifted immediately, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. “Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jace pushed off the tree, his cocky demeanor replaced by sharp focus. “She stays where she is. We don’t even know what we’re dealing with yet.”

The rustling grew louder, closer, until it stopped entirely. The silence that followed was deafening, and I could feel the weight of something watching us.

Then it stepped into the moonlight.

The creature was massive, its shape twisting and unnatural. Its eyes glowed an eerie green, and its elongated limbs seemed to move in ways that defied logic. A low, guttural snarl rumbled from its throat, sending a shiver down my spine.

“What the hell is that?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“A Shadowborn,” Luca muttered, his voice grim.

“Perfect,” Jace said, pulling a sleek blade from his belt. “Just the nightmare I wanted to meet tonight.”

The creature lunged.

Luca shifted faster than I could comprehend, his form blurring as he transformed into a massive wolf mid-leap. He collided with the Shadowborn in a flurry of claws and teeth, the impact shaking the ground beneath us.

“Move, Mystic!” Jace shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me back as the battle raged.

I stumbled but managed to keep my footing, my heart pounding as I watched Luca and the creature clash. It was chaos—snarls, growls, and the sickening sound of flesh tearing.

Jace positioned himself in front of me, his blade glinting in the moonlight. “If that thing gets through him, we’re next,” he said, his voice steady. “You stick close to me, got it?”

For once, I didn’t argue.

But deep down, a cold realization settled in my chest. This was only the beginning. If the Shadowborn was a taste of what was coming, then Luca was right. I had no idea what I was dealing with.

And if I wanted to survive, I’d have to learn fast.