It attacked without warning.
No hesitation.
No buildup.
Just pure, violent movement.
The creature blurred forward, its body distorting as it crossed the distance in an instant, its claw aimed straight for Luna’s throat.
Kael moved faster.
He intercepted it mid-strike, his hand catching its wrist with brutal force before it could reach her. The impact cracked the ground beneath them, a shockwave bursting outward as their powers collided.
“Stay behind me!” Kael snapped.
But Luna didn’t move.
Because the moment Kael touched it—
She felt it.
A surge.
Sharp.
Familiar.
Her breath hitched.
“…it’s connected to me.”
The creature twisted unnaturally, slipping from Kael’s grip like smoke before reforming just a few steps away. Its hollow eyes flickered again, fixed on Luna with unsett
