My claws shot out instinctively, cutting the air. The figure only laughed softly, a whisper carried by the wind. “I don’t even need to move a hand. You will bring this upon yourself. And I will watch.”
Before I could react further, he turned and began walking away, leaving a chilling emptiness behind. The plains seemed to exhale, but the tension didn’t leave my shoulders.
I stepped forward, noticing signs I hadn’t seen before. His tracks were almost too light to touch the ground, yet they pressed into the earth as if walking like anyone else did. And the air around him felt colder, carrying a faint hum that made my skin tingle.
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting my pulse slow. Elias’s hand touched my shoulder. “He’s testing us.” Elias said quietly. “But we’re not ready. We can’t fig
